ProUI

Of the three injured in accident, truck driver died on Friday

A special train carrying top officials of the Southern Railway was involved in an accident with a truck at the unmanned level-crossing at Irunthai near here on Thursday. In the accident, truck driver Sivakozhundu (25) of Nemili and two others namely Koothan (19) and Raghunathan (21) who accompanied him sustained injuries. At the intervention of the railway officials, “108” ambulance service was immediately requisitioned and the injured were taken to the Villupuram government hospital. However, the truck driver succumbed to injuries on Friday.Southern Railway sources said that as the Villupuram - Katpadi section required improvement, Commissioner of Rail Safety T. Mittal accompanied by Divisional Railway Manager (Tiruchi) Manjula Rangarajan was travelling in the special train to inspect the track.

At the Irunthai unmanned level-crossing, the truck suddenly came in the way of the speeding train resulting in the accident. Soon after the accident, the residents of the area gathered in good numbers and started blocking road traffic.

It was their contention that the level-crossing had become a highly accident-prone area and yet the authorities had not made any safety measures. Ms. Rangarajan assured them that she would make arrangements to man the level crossing at the place.

On getting the assurance, the agitated residents dispersed. Railway sources said there were 331 unmanned level crossings and 404 manned level-crossing gates in the Tiruchi division.

To avert the accidents at unmanned level-crossings, the Southern Railway had been continuously launching awareness campaign. It was distributing pamphlets to the people residing in the vicinity as well as the road-users alerting them to be cautious while passing through unmanned level-crossings, officials said.

For ensuring safety, people ought to observe a basic rule: pause at the level-crossing and check for the sign of any oncoming any train before resuming the journey. During the last financial year (2012-2013), two accidents occurred at the unmanned level-crossings in the Tiruchi division claiming three lives.

On December 16, 2012, a sports utility vehicle hit the Jan Shatapdi Express at Aduthurai in Kumbakonam killing two of the occupants of the car. Later, at the level-crossing situated in between Kattur and Pullampadi, a tractor-trailer was hit by the train in which one person was killed. The sources categorically said that since these accidents were occurring owing to the carelessness of the motorists and road-users the Railways would in no way be responsible for the mishaps. It was up to the road users to exercise caution at the unmanned level-crossings.

The sources also noted that wherever possible, the railway authorities were putting personnel to man the level-crossings and constructing either a subway or rail over bridge to avert such accidents.

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LUCKNOW: A high-level committee headed by chief secretary Jawed Usmani has proposed to roll out the Metro rail in Lucknow on a 50:50 sharing of funds between the Central government and UP. The same finance model has been used in Delhi Metro project. The estimated cost of the project would be around Rs 1,800 crore. The committee that met on Friday, apart from making recommendations on the finance and the Metro route, also approved the report prepared by the special Metro cell and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials. Usmani also directed for forming a special purpose vehicle (SPV) - to be christened as Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation - on an urgent basis for implementation of the project.A lot of effort and brainstorming has been put in by the Metro cell, headed by housing secretary Rajiv Agarwal, while preparing the report. The process included repeated attempts to review the proposed routes, revisions of the route map and selecting the most feasible financial model. The report would now be sent to the state cabinet for final nod.

Usmani has approved construction of the North South corridor (from Amausi to Munshi Pulia) in the first phase. The approved route makes provision for about 3-km stretch of underground track from Charbgah up to Hazratganj, which would bring down the construction cost by about Rs 1,000 crore.

Earlier, the route proposed 7 km of underground railway track from Mawaiyya till Lucknow University. Taking into consideration the new developing areas of Gomtinagar, Usmani has asked the Metro cell to review the plan of constructing a Gomtinagar Metro link too. This Metro link is proposed from HAL to Patrakarpuram in Gomtinagar.

The committee also gave a nod to conducting a techno-feasibility study by the DMRC on Tulsidas Road, Subhash Marg and Mill Road for running Metro rail in these areas. Usmani emphasised on speeding up the process of Metro as it's a dream project of SP government and has been given much impetus in the 2013-14 state budget.

On the proposal of developing Metro line on the outskirts in the wake of extensive development taking place there, Usmani sought a techno-feasibility report from the DMRC on a 42-km stretch on city's periphery in the first phase of the project.

He also instructed to send a proposal to the Union government on the recommendations of the urban development ministry for adoption of The Metro Railways (construction of works) Act 1978, amended in 2009, and Metro Railway (operation and maintenance) Act 2002.

To identify alternative sources for funding the Metro project, the chief secretary has directed for formation of a sub-committee headed by secretary, housing and urban planning, and president of the Metro cell. The sub-committee would prepare a report on probable income sources to sustain the operational cost and would submit it within a month to the committee.

Officials hinted at probable sources of additional income like increasing stamp duty of properties falling within 500 metres of Metro on both sides or allowing more number of floors in buildings to attract builders. Since most of the places are already developed, officials are proposing vertical development to attract more builders to pump in money on the Metro stretch.

Officials said the government is keen on the project and the ground work may begin in next 8-9 months.

The arrival of Kanyakumari Express from Chennai at Kottar railway station in Nagercoil was delayed for two hours as the train engine had developed a technical snag at Aralvoimozhi on Friday.Finally, an engine was sent to Aralvoimozhi from Nagercoil.The Kanyakumari Express was supposed to reach Kottar railway station at 6.30 a.m. but arrived at the station only at 8.30 a.m.Owing to this delay, the departure of the Nagercoil – Coimbatore passenger was also delayed for an hour.

The number of criminal cases registered by the Government Railway Police marginally came down from 672 in 2011 to 649 in 2012. However, the number of heinous crimes like murder, rape and kidnap within the railway premises increased during the period.But the overall crime rate from 2011 came down by 3.4 per cent in 2012.The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said 19 murders were reported during 2012 in Karnataka within the railway premises against 15 in 2011 and 14 in 2010. Two rapes were reported in 2012 whereas not a single case was reported in 2011. One was reported in 2010.Kidnapping and abduction saw an increase, from one in 2011 to four in 2012. There has been a steep spike in robberies — from 31 in 2011 to 47 in 2012, whereas only 29 were reported in 2010.On the other hand, there had been a decline in thefts — from 520 in 2011 to 482 in 2012. There were 436 cases reported in 2010.

The railways’ decision to do away with 40 posts of station masters in the Thiruvananthapuram division has kicked up a storm in various quarters. According to recognised trade unions, the division is already reeling under acute shortage of station masters.

“There is a deficit of 70 station master posts in the division. Many posts are lying vacant as a lot of station masters have retired and the division has failed to make new appointments. Such decisions have been taken to favour senior officials,” Southern Railways Mazdoor Union (SRMU) members alleged. The order to scrap the posts was passed on Thursday. According to the members, a few years ago, the railways had sanctioned the move to increase posts keeping in mind the need for station masters in the railways. Station masters said due to inadequate employees in some stations, a station master sometimes has to work for 48 hours at a stretch. “Tasks like issue of tickets and controlling the station along with manning the trains fall on the station masters in some stations,” SRMU divisional president P Unnikrishnan said. Recently, the planning branch section of the railways at the headquarters level had conducted a study to survey the situation. They had to identify necessary and redundant posts. “We have learned that the study was conducted in 28 stations across the country. Of this, only two or three small stations in Kerala were surveyed. To decide that the post of a station master is not mandatory in a state like Kerala is bogus. They have not looked at the larger picture,” Unnikrishnan said.

The unions put the blame on the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). “He has the power to recommend axing of posts or appointments. But he is not willing to do so for his own selfish reasons,” the members alleged. On Friday, the SRMU along with the Station Masters Council and the All- India Station Masters Association staged a strike in front of the station masters’ office at the Ernakulam junction station. Unnikrishnan has threatened of agitations if the authorities take major decisions like scrapping away of station masters’ posts without consulting recognised trade unions of the division.

जालंधर। रेलवे बोर्ड ने अपने यात्रियों को चिप्स कंपनियों से लूटने नहीं देगी। इस बात का अंदाजा लगाया जा सकता है कि रेलवे बोर्ड ने अपने नए आदेश के तहत नार्दर्न रेलवे के सभी स्टेशनों के स्टाल पर शर्त के अनुसार की स्नैक्स बेचने का आदेश किया है। इस नए आदेश के तहत कुछ चिप्स कंपनियां उल्लंघन करती हुई पाई गई। जिसके चलते सिटी रेलवे स्टेशन के कामर्शियल विभाग के अधिकारियों ने स्टाल संचालकों को नोटिस जारी करके शर्त के विरुद्ध चिप्स बेचने को बंद करने का मना किया है। इस पर स्टाल संचालकों ने पुराने स्टाक को खत्म करने की मोहलत मांगी है। फिलहाल सिटी रेलवे स्टेशन का कोई भी स्टाल संचालक चिप्स का नया माल नहीं मांगा रहा है।

रेलवे ने वर्ष 2011 के रेट लिस्ट के अनुसार कोई भी स्नैक्स जो 30 ग्राम के पैकेट में होगा उसकी कीमत दस रुपए से अधिक नहीं होगी। कंपनियां से इससे बचने के लिए मात्रा में मात्र 1 ग्राम की बढ़ोत्तरी करते हुए कीमत में पांच रुपए की बढ़ोत्तरी कर दी। इस पर रेलवे विभाग के किसी अधिकारी की कोई नजर नहीं गई। वर्ष 2011 से चिप्स की बिक्री इसी आधार पर चल रही है। इससे दो साल से लगातार रेलवे यात्रियों का लूटा जा रहा है। इसके अलावा दस ग्राम के पैकेट पांच रुपए में बेचने की शर्त है। जिसमें कंपनियां नियमों का पालन कर रही है। सिटी रेलवे स्टेशन के स्टाल संचालक का कहना है कि इस संबंध में कंपनियों को सूचित कर दिया गया है। यदि कंपनियां रेलवे की शर्तों के अनुसार चिप्स के पैकेट उपलब्ध कराती है तो स्टाल पर रखा जाएगा, नहीं तो बंद कर दिया जाएगा।

दो साल में 7 लाख 20 हजार रुपए की लग चुकी है यात्रियों को चपत चिप्स कंपनियों ने दो साल के भीतर रेल यात्रियों को 7 लाख 20 रुपए की चपत केवल सिटी रेलवे स्टेशन पर ही लगा चुकी है। सिटी रेलवे स्टेशन पर प्रतिदिन 1000 की संख्या में चिप्स के पैकेट बिक जाते है। कंपनी रेलवे के शर्त का उल्लंघन करके एक पैकेट पर यात्रियों की सीधे पांच रुपए की लूट मचा रखी थी। इस हिसाब से प्रतिदिन यात्रियों से 5 हजार रुपए की लूट। 30 दिन में 1 लाख 50 रुपए की लूट। दो साल में 7 लाख 20 हजार रुपए की लूट मात्र एक स्टेशन पर हो चुकी है। यदि इस आंकड़े को पूरे नार्दर्न रेलवे में अप्लाई करते है तो यह लूट करोड़ रुपए में जाकर पड़ती है।

ऐसे हुआ खुलासा बताया जा रहा है कि किसी यात्री ने इस संबंध में रेलवे बोर्ड ने रेट लिस्ट और पैकेट के सैंपल के साथ शिकायत दर्ज कराई थी। इसके बाद जाकर रेलवे के अधिकारियों ने को मामले की जानकारी लगी। अब रेलवे बोर्ड ने अपने आदेश के तहत शर्तानुसार ही स्टेशन पर सामान बेचने का नया आदेश जारी किया है।

Following an escalator, the Thane station is all set to add a few more infrastructural incentives to facilitate commuting. Tagged Mumbai’s most crowded railway station, the Thane station is going to get another escalator, the construction work for which has already begun. According to officials, the initial work of installation of another escalator at platform no. 5 and 6 has started. The previous escalator that is 1.7-metre wide, constructed between platform no. 3 and 4, is almost ready to provide its service to 100 commuters per minute. Mukesh Nigam, DRM, Central Railway, Mumbai, said, “Apart from this, the extension of platforms no. 5 and 6 has also been almost completed. Now, the trains will not have to halt twice.” The existing platforms are unable to accommodate 24-coach trains and hence, nearly 18 services resort to the double-halt system by first accommodating the initial twenty coaches on the platform. “Also, this station will benefit immensely when the outer area of the bus station at Thane (west) will be connected with the 12-metre wide foot overbridge under the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (Satis), shortly. The Satis platform has been built as part of an urban planning initiative, whereby commuters would be able to walk to the Satis platform and take a bus to their destination.” Mr Nigam said, adding that, a renovated booking office is going to open very soon with a new look.

गोरखपुर : मुंबई को जाने वाली 12541 गोरखपुर-एलटीटी एक्सप्रेस अब प्लेटफार्म नंबर 1 से जाएगी। अब तक यह गाड़ी प्लेटफार्म नंबर दो से जाती रही है। रेलवे प्रशासन के अनुसार आ रही तकनीकी खामियों के चलते यह निर्णय लिया है। प्लेटफार्म नंबर एक पर ट्रेन के लगने से यात्रियों ही नहीं माल की ढुलाई आदि में भी सहूलियत मिलेगी।

जागरण संवाददाता, गोरखपुर : प्रतीक्षा सूची के यात्रियों की बढ़ती भीड़ को देखते हुए पूर्वोत्तर रेलवे प्रशासन ने 15 जोड़ी मेल गाड़ियों में विभिन्न तिथि और स्टेशनों से अतिरिक्त कोच लगाने का निर्णय लिया है। मुख्य जनसंपर्क अधिकारी के अनुसार 15007 कृषक एक्सप्रेस में 17 जून को मंडुआडीह से तथा 15008 कृषक में 16 को लखनऊ से एसी टू टियर व शयनयान श्रेणी के एक-एक कोच लगाए जाएंगे। 15023 गोरखपुर-यशवंतपुर एक्सप्रेस में 18 को गोरखपुर से तथा 15024 यशवंतपुर-गोरखपुर एक्सप्रेस में 20 को यशवंतपुर से एसी थर्ड व शयनयान श्रेणी के एक-एक कोच लगाए जाएंगे। 12531/12532 गोरखपुर-लखनऊ-गोरखपुर इंटरसिटी में 15 को दोनों स्टेशनों से साधारण कुर्सीयान के एक-एक कोच लगाए जाएंगे। इसके अलावा 15007 कृषक में 18 को मंडुआडीह से तथा 15008 कृषक में 17 को लखनऊ से, 15028 मौर्य एक्सप्रेस में 16 व 18 को गोरखपुर से तथा 15027 मौर्य में 17 व 19 को हटिया से शयनयान श्रेणी के एक-एक कोच लगाए जाएंगे।