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उदयपुर. केंद्रीय रेल एवं भूतल परिवहन मंत्री सीपी जोशी ने उदयपुर-जयपुर के बीच शताब्दी जैसी सुपरफास्ट ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा शनिवार को दिल्ली में की। इसके अलावा उन्होंने कहा कि नाथद्वारा कस्बे तक शीघ्र ही रेल लाइन बिछाई जाएगी।

जोशी ने उदयपुर से जयपुर के बीच शताब्दी की तर्ज पर एक ऐसी ए-क्लास ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा की है जो सुबह चलकर शाम तक वापस लौट आए। हवाई यात्रियों के समकक्ष उच्च श्रेणी के यात्रियों को आराम दायक सफर की सुविधा उपलब्ध कराने के लिए शताब्दी स्तर की ट्रेन चलाई जाएगी।

यह ट्रेन उदयपुर सिटी से रवाना होकर भीलवाड़ा और अजमेर स्टेशनों पर रुकती हुई जयपुर पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन चित्तौडग़ढ़ न जाकर घोसुंडा बायपास से चंदेरिया होकर अजमेर मेन लाइन पर जाएगी। राणा प्रतापनगर, मावली, फतहनगर, कपासन, बिजयनगर, नसीराबाद, किशनगढ़ और फुलेरा स्टेशनों पर ट्रेन का ठहराव नहीं होगा।

शताब्दी की तर्ज पर प्रस्तावित ट्रेन के सभी कोच वातानुकूलित होंगे। सेकेंड क्लास के सामान्य और स्लीपर क्लास के डिब्बे इस ट्रेन में नहीं लगाए जाएंगे। उदयपुर से जयपुर के बीच भीलवाड़ा और अजमेर में अल्प समय का ठहराव होने से यात्रियों के लिए जलपान व भोजन की व्यवस्था ट्रेन में उपलब्ध हो सकती है।

अजमेर से नई दिल्ली और अहमदाबाद से मुंबई सेंट्रल तक चलने वाली शताब्दी एक्सप्रेस ट्रेनों में पेंट्री कार चलती है। यात्रियों को टिकट बुक कराते समय लंच, डिनर या ब्रेकफास्ट का ऑर्डर बुक कराना होता है। वर्तमान में उदयपुर से चलने वाली किसी भी ट्रेन में पेंट्री कार की सुविधा उपलब्ध नहीं है।

स्टेशन पर मूलभूत सुविधाएं बढ़ाई जाएंगी

रेल मंत्री जोशी ने शताब्दी श्रेणी की ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा के साथ एलान किया कि पहले मूलभूत सुविधाएं बढ़ाई जाएंगी फिर ट्रेन चलेगी। उदयपुर क्षेत्र के रेल अधिकारियों के मुताबिक शताब्दी के टिकट आरक्षण का अलग काउंटर खोला जाएगा। ट्रेन में बैठने से पूर्व या ट्रेन से आने वाले यात्रियों की सुविधा के लिए वातानुकूलित वेटिंग रूम का निर्माण कराया जाएगा।

नाथद्वारा तक पहुंचेगी ट्रेन

भगवान श्रीनाथ की नगरी के बाशिंदों और बाहर से आने वाले तीर्थ यात्रियों की सुविधा के लिए नाथद्वारा कस्बे तक रेल लाइन बिछाने की घोषणा रेल मंत्री डा. सीपी. जोशी ने शनिवार को दिल्ली में की। मावली से मंडियाना तक बिछाए गए 16 किमी लंबे बड़ी लाइन के ट्रैक का विस्तार किया जाएगा।

प्लान के तहत मंडियाना स्टेशन से 11 किमी लंबी नई रेल लाइन नाथद्वारा तक बिछाई जाएगी। नाथुवास में नाथद्वारा का रेलवे स्टेशन बनाया जाएगा। नाथद्वारा तक रेल लाइन पहुंचने के बाद सूरत, मुंबई, राजकोट के लिए ट्रेनें चल सकेंगी। चार माह पूर्व पारित रेल बजट में नाथद्वारा-ओखा के लिए साप्ताहिक ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा की गई थी।

नाथद्वारा कस्बे तक रेल लाइन डालने से दो वर्ष पूर्व निर्मित मावली-मंडियाना रेल लाइन पर ट्रेनें चल सकेंगी। दो वर्ष पूर्व 33 करोड़ रुपए खर्च करके डाले गए इस ट्रैक तक अब तक कोई ट्रेन नहीं चलाई जा सकी।

मुंबई

ऐन पावसात रेल्वेच्या ओव्हरहेड वायरवर उच्च दाबाची (हाय टेन्शन) तार पडल्याने पुण्याकडे जाणा-या एक्सप्रेस गेल्या तासाभरापासून खोळंबल्या होत्या. तसेच पुण्याहून लोनावळ्याकडे येणारी लोकलही आकुर्डी-चिंचवड स्टेशन दरम्यान थांबवण्यात आली होती. दरम्यान, या मार्गावरील वाहतूक हळूहळू पूर्व पदावर येऊ लागाली आहे.

रविवारी सकाळी लोनावळा-पुणे रेल्वे मार्गावर ओव्हरहेड वायरवर उच्च दाबाची तार पडली. यामुळे पुण्याहून मुंबईकडे येणा-या आणि मुंबईहून पुण्याकडे जाणा-या एक्सप्रेसचा तासाभरासाठी खोळंबा झाला होता, अशी माहिती काही खासगी वृत्तवाहिनीवरून देण्यात आली. मात्र काही वेळातच रेल्वे कर्मचा-यांनी रेल्वे मार्गावरची वाहतूक सुरू करण्यासाठी प्रयत्न सुरू केले. अखेर तासाभराच्या प्रयत्नांनंतर या मार्गावरील रेल्वे वाहतूक पूर्वपदावर येऊ लागली आहे.

MALAPPURAM: The roads and bridges development corporation, Kerala (RBDC-K) has decided to stop all works related to railway over bridges (ROBs) across the state following protests from local residents and political organizations against toll collection at the ROB at Parappanangadi in Malappuram district. The Parappanangadi ROB was opened by chief minister Oommen Chandy last week. Hudco, which is financing the projects, has also informed RBDC-K that they are not interested in continuing the tie-up in this situation.Fifteen ROBs are under construction in different parts of the state at present, and works on three -- Angadippuram in Malappuram, Alur Mala in Thrissur and Kunhippalli in Kozhikode -- are scheduled to begin soon.RBDC-K MD A P M Muhammed Haneesh said the corporation had already stopped all work procedures for the new ROBs. "Without collecting toll we cannot repay our loans. The Hudco authorities have already expressed their concerns over the issue. We cannot consider the protests as local issues. If we give toll exemption for one ROB, people across the state would demand the same," he said."We have raised the issue with the chief minister and PWD minister. We can't go ahead with the projects without getting an assurance from the government," said Haneesh.Meanwhile, PWD minister V K Ebrahim Kunju said, "We will solve all issues and proceed with the projects soon."

न सर्दी का मौसम और न ही धुंध-कोहरे की मार, इसके बावजूद ट्रेनें तीन से ग्यारह घंटे तक देरी से चल रही हैं। इस बार मानसून से पहले आई बारिश रेल यातायात के लिए मुसीबत बन गई है, जगह जगह ट्रैक पर पानी भरने व पेड़ गिरने से गाड़ियों की रफ्तार धीमी हो गई हैं और रेल सफर यात्रियों के लिए परेशानी भरा साबित हो रहा है।
सुबह पंजाब सहित पड़ोसी राज्यों में लगातार कई घंटे तक हुई झमाझम बारिश और तेज हवाओं के झोंकों से सड़क एवं रेल यातायात प्रभावित हुआ। बारिश का पानी जहां रेलवे ट्रैक में भर गया, वहीं ट्रैक पर गिरे पेड़ों व टहनियों ने भी व्यवधान खड़ा किया। रेल लाइनों से पानी निकालकर उन्हें साफ करने में रेल कर्मी लगभग 13 घंटें से जुटे हुए हैं, ट्रैक में आए व्यवधान की वजह से गाड़ियां, विशेषकर लंबी दूरी की गाड़ियां तीन से छह घंटे देरी से चल रही हैं।
बीती शनिवार की रात श्रीगंगानगर-दिल्ली के मध्य चलने वाली उद्यान आभा तूफान एक्सप्रेस गाड़ी सं. 13008 अपने निर्धारित समय रात 11.15 की बजाए देर रात 3.15 बजे बठिंडा पहुंची। इसी तरह गुवाहाटी-लालगढ़ एक्सप्रेस गाड़ी सं. 15609 निर्धारित समय रात 10 की बजाए छह घंटे देरी से सुबह चार बजे बठिंडा पहुंची। गाड़ियों की लेटलतीफी का क्रम रविवार भी जारी रहा, दिल्ली से चलकर फिरोजपुर वाया बठिंडा होकर चलने वाली पंजाब मेल गाड़ी सं. 12137 सुबह 3.40 बजे की जगह सुबह 5 बजे आई, जबकि सुबह 4 बजे आने वाली हावड़ा-श्रीगंगानगर वाया बठिंडा आभा तूफान एक्सप्रेस गाड़ी सं. 13007 लगभग ग्यारह घंटे देरी से दोपहर 3 बजे बठिंडा पहुंची। श्रीगंगानगर से हरिद्वार के मध्य चलने वाली गाड़ी सं. 14712 भी लगभग 55 मिनट देरी से सुबह 6.40 की बजाए 7.40 बजे बठिंडा पहुंची।

MANGALORE :The Southern Railways has appealed to land owners near railway tracks to cut trees or prune the branches leaning towards the track.A press release by the Palakkad division of Southern Railway said here on Saturday that it will help in the smooth operation of trains during the monsoon season.Incidents of trees falling on the railway track, especially in Malabar area, are increasing due to heavy rains in the region. This disturbs the rail traffic and causes hardship to travellers, the release said.“Trees leaning towards railway track from private land create threat to railways. They may fall at any time on running train or on the track. This may cause serious injury or even death to the travelling public and damage to the railway properties. In addition, it could lead to disruption of traffic arising out of accidents,” the release said.

KONKAN RAILWAY CARRIES OUT VARIOUS GEO-SAFETY WORKS TO ENSURE SAFETY & SECURITY OF PASSENGERS AS WELL AS PUNCTUALITY OF TRAINS DURING THE MONSOON SEASON.
Konkan Railway is always committed to the cause of Safety and Security of its Esteemed Passengers. In order to ensure safety measures before the onset of monsoon, as also to stabilize the cuttings and make the track safe to travel, KRCL has carried out various Geo-Safety Works on its route as a precautionary measures prior to on-set of monsoon this year.
The intensity of rainfall is very high on KR region. The annual average rainfall is 3500 – 4500mm with intensity of rainfall frequently exceeding 80mm per hour.
The lateritic rocks, with the lethomargic clay combinations is having constant geological change, and the experience has been that the deep cutting slopes become unstable under the heavy rainfall conditions. Since then efforts are being made to regularly inspect the vulnerable spots and stabilize them by carrying out various Geo-Safety works. Multi disciplinary Expert Committees had been appointed to address the issue. Based on the recommendations of the expert committees / teams, essential works have been identified and completed since the commissioning of Railway line.
KRCL has continuously been executing the following Geo-tech safety works to stabilize the cuttings. The main Geo-tech safety works already done are:
Easing of slopes by providing berms and flattening of deep cuttings slopes and protecting slopes by plantation to prevent soil erosion.
Providing steel boulder netting as isolated boulder fall prevention measures in cuttings.
Loose scaling, Shot creting and rock bolting of tunnels.
Providing RCC retaining wall and Gabion wall.
Providing micro piling & soil nailing.
Providing side drains and catch water drain lining etc.
The incidences of boulder fall/soil slips have been reduced considerably after completing flattening of deep cutting slopes, rock bolting / shotcreting of tunnels, construction of lined catchwater drains etc. As of now 87 nos of cuttings have been completed.
The total expenditure for the period from 1999 to April 2013 incurred towards the various Geo – Tech safety works on Konkan Railway is approximately Rs.292.52 Crores.
GROUND SETTLEMENT AT NIVSAR STATION YARD.
KRCL has successfully tackled the problem of Ground settlement at Nivsar Station Yard which was a bottle neck in smooth running of traffic. KRCL had tackled the problem by providing a diversion line at Nivsar Station yard before monsoon 2011.
Thereafter, there was no unusual occurrence of ground settlement during the last year and the traffic has been running uninterrupted since then.
POMENDI CUTTING :

Pomendi cutting is one of the vulnerable cutting in Ratnagiri region. The depth of the cutting is more than 45 metres. KRCL approached Technical Expert Committees to help resolve the difficulties faced at Pomendi cutting. Accordingly as per the recommendations of the Expert Committees various Geo tech safety works were carried out which included widening of the deep cutting slopes by providing berms, concrete lined Catch water drains, Berm water drains, cross drains, side drains, Retaining wall, grass plantation to help preventing soil erosion etc. for making the slopes stable.
Approximately 3 lacs cum of Earthwork was executed and approximately 1200 cum of concrete lining is done and no unusual observed during monsoon 2012.
This year all the requisite monsoon precautionary works have been executed to avoid any unusual/ landslides at Pomendi Cutting.
Other than the above, following additional safety precautions have been taken
Patrolling of unlined portion of tunnels round the clock and throughout the year is being done.
A system has been developed in getting advance weather warning messages from regional meteorological centers for adopting preventive measures to ensure safety of trains.
Additional control offices have been set up at Ratnagiri and Karwar for immediate and timely attention to emergent situations.
Monsoon patrolling (block section to block section) is done during monsoons.
Watchmen are posted at vulnerable locations i .e at identified cutting, bridges and embankments.
Adequate stock of reserve material has been made available for tackling monsoon emergencies.
One excavator mounted on BFR has been kept at Ratnagiri and Verna to attend to any cases of soil slippage/boulder fall if any during monsoon for immediate restoration of traffic.
Necessary liaison is also maintained with the concerned State Govt. Authorities so that release of excess water from reservoirs/dams/bunds no not affect the Railway Traffic.
Konkan Railway implements a monsoon time table on its route to ensure smooth train operations during rainy season.
Konkan Railway has spent about 26 Crores for the geo-tech safety works during the current year. It can thus be seen that all out efforts have been made by KRCL for ensuring the safety and punctuality of the running train so as to render utmost comfort to the public travelling on KRCL route.


                                                                              (Siddheshwar Telugu)
                                                                        Chief Public Relations Officer

उदयपुर. केंद्रीय रेल एवं भूतल परिवहन मंत्री सीपी जोशी ने उदयपुर-जयपुर के बीच शताब्दी जैसी सुपरफास्ट ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा शनिवार को दिल्ली में की। इसके अलावा उन्होंने कहा कि नाथद्वारा कस्बे तक शीघ्र ही रेल लाइन बिछाई जाएगी।

जोशी ने उदयपुर से जयपुर के बीच शताब्दी की तर्ज पर एक ऐसी ए-क्लास ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा की है जो सुबह चलकर शाम तक वापस लौट आए। हवाई यात्रियों के समकक्ष उच्च श्रेणी के यात्रियों को आराम दायक सफर की सुविधा उपलब्ध कराने के लिए शताब्दी स्तर की ट्रेन चलाई जाएगी।

यह ट्रेन उदयपुर सिटी से रवाना होकर भीलवाड़ा और अजमेर स्टेशनों पर रुकती हुई जयपुर पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन चित्तौडग़ढ़ न जाकर घोसुंडा बायपास से चंदेरिया होकर अजमेर मेन लाइन पर जाएगी। राणा प्रतापनगर, मावली, फतहनगर, कपासन, बिजयनगर, नसीराबाद, किशनगढ़ और फुलेरा स्टेशनों पर ट्रेन का ठहराव नहीं होगा।

शताब्दी की तर्ज पर प्रस्तावित ट्रेन के सभी कोच वातानुकूलित होंगे। सेकेंड क्लास के सामान्य और स्लीपर क्लास के डिब्बे इस ट्रेन में नहीं लगाए जाएंगे। उदयपुर से जयपुर के बीच भीलवाड़ा और अजमेर में अल्प समय का ठहराव होने से यात्रियों के लिए जलपान व भोजन की व्यवस्था ट्रेन में उपलब्ध हो सकती है।

अजमेर से नई दिल्ली और अहमदाबाद से मुंबई सेंट्रल तक चलने वाली शताब्दी एक्सप्रेस ट्रेनों में पेंट्री कार चलती है। यात्रियों को टिकट बुक कराते समय लंच, डिनर या ब्रेकफास्ट का ऑर्डर बुक कराना होता है। वर्तमान में उदयपुर से चलने वाली किसी भी ट्रेन में पेंट्री कार की सुविधा उपलब्ध नहीं है।

स्टेशन पर मूलभूत सुविधाएं बढ़ाई जाएंगी

रेल मंत्री जोशी ने शताब्दी श्रेणी की ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा के साथ एलान किया कि पहले मूलभूत सुविधाएं बढ़ाई जाएंगी फिर ट्रेन चलेगी। उदयपुर क्षेत्र के रेल अधिकारियों के मुताबिक शताब्दी के टिकट आरक्षण का अलग काउंटर खोला जाएगा। ट्रेन में बैठने से पूर्व या ट्रेन से आने वाले यात्रियों की सुविधा के लिए वातानुकूलित वेटिंग रूम का निर्माण कराया जाएगा।

नाथद्वारा तक पहुंचेगी ट्रेन

भगवान श्रीनाथ की नगरी के बाशिंदों और बाहर से आने वाले तीर्थ यात्रियों की सुविधा के लिए नाथद्वारा कस्बे तक रेल लाइन बिछाने की घोषणा रेल मंत्री डा. सीपी. जोशी ने शनिवार को दिल्ली में की। मावली से मंडियाना तक बिछाए गए 16 किमी लंबे बड़ी लाइन के ट्रैक का विस्तार किया जाएगा।

प्लान के तहत मंडियाना स्टेशन से 11 किमी लंबी नई रेल लाइन नाथद्वारा तक बिछाई जाएगी। नाथुवास में नाथद्वारा का रेलवे स्टेशन बनाया जाएगा। नाथद्वारा तक रेल लाइन पहुंचने के बाद सूरत, मुंबई, राजकोट के लिए ट्रेनें चल सकेंगी। चार माह पूर्व पारित रेल बजट में नाथद्वारा-ओखा के लिए साप्ताहिक ट्रेन चलाने की घोषणा की गई थी।

नाथद्वारा कस्बे तक रेल लाइन डालने से दो वर्ष पूर्व निर्मित मावली-मंडियाना रेल लाइन पर ट्रेनें चल सकेंगी। दो वर्ष पूर्व 33 करोड़ रुपए खर्च करके डाले गए इस ट्रैक तक अब तक कोई ट्रेन नहीं चलाई जा सकी।

Coal and road regulator, railway tariff authority, review of FDI cap soon

A slew of stimulating reforms are in the offing. Over the next three weeks, the Centre is likely to set up a railway tariff authority, a coal and road regulator, unveil a new policy of auctioning coal blocks and remove the FDI cap in various sectors. The moves come as an attempt to kick-start a sluggish economy, remove the investment gloom and improve investor confidence. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appears keen to send out a strong signal that the government is distancing itself from the allocation of natural resources and putting in place a transparent and efficient policy for the infrastructure sector. Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has been given the task of finalising these reforms and bringing them to the Cabinet for approval within the next month.At the top of the agenda is the setting up of a coal and road regulator. This is intended to give a boost to the infrastructure sector and make the decision-making in these areas more professional and efficient. The regulators would help remove the various bottlenecks that have impeded hundreds of projects. In addition, the formation of the Rail Tariff Authority (RTA) is also high on the agenda and likely to be brought before the Cabinet soon.

The six-member tariff authority would comprise of retired railway officials — of the rank of financial commissioner at the Railway Board — with a 50-50 representation of experts and former railway bureaucrats. It is likely to be headed by a former bureaucrat. The railways wants the authority to have an advisory role rather than be vested with regulatory powers, which would require a change in law and take months to do.

An advisory body can be floated under the existing Railways Act. Given the task of fixing rates for transportation services, the authority will deliberate on data furnished by the railways regularly, either once a year or on a six monthly basis, before making recommendations.

Similarly, to bring competition and efficiency in the coal sector, the government is likely to announce the formation of a coal regulator. A group of Ministers (GoM) led by Mr. Chidambaram has already finalised the draft of the coal regulator Bill, which will be taken to the Cabinet for approval soon. The proposed coal regulator will be primarily entrusted with the task of monitoring testing, quality, supply and grading of coal, but will not regulate pricing. It will, however, have an attached appellate body that will adjudicate on disputes between coal suppliers and buyers, including some pricing issues.

The government is likely to finalise a pass-through mechanism to address the concerns of the power sector players. The mechanism would see the higher costs of imported coal being passed down as increased tariffs. Both the Coal and Power Ministries are now on board with the proposal. “While projects with a capacity of 36,000 MW do not face this issue as they were awarded on a cost-plus basis (which allows a pass through of increased prices), other projects awarded after 2009 could become eligible for pass through under the new mechanism,” a senior Power Ministry official said.

The government is also on the verge of approving a new road regulatory authority and the proposal would be put up for Cabinet approval very soon. The regulatory body would address issues such as financial stress, construction risk and contract management in the sector. During his budget speech in March this year, Mr. Chidambaram had said the road-construction sector had reached a certain level of maturity but it faced challenges, including financial stress, enhanced construction risk and contract management issues.

The Minister said these issues were better addressed by an independent authority. Therefore, the government had decided to constitute a regulatory authority for the road sector. The key functions of the proposed regulator are likely to be tariff-setting, regulation of service quality, assessment of concessionaire claims, collection and dissemination of sector information, service-level benchmarks and monitoring compliance of concession agreements, among others.

To pep up the falling rupee and boost investor confidence, the Centre would soon bring before the Cabinet a review of the FDI cap in various sectors. The exercise, promoted by the Finance Ministry and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, is nearly complete and an across-the-board review is to be piloted to the Cabinet soon.

Heavy rains continued to batter Mumbai and most parts of Maharashtra for the third consecutive day Sunday, crippling normal life.In view of very heavy to extremely heavy rains forecast over the city in the next two days, Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte has advised Mumbaikars to venture outdoors only if absolutely necessary.Local Cautionery Signal No. III has been hoisted at all ports in north coastal Maharashtra. Fishermen have been warned against venturing into the Arabian Sea, which will be very rough accompanied by up to 50 kmph strong gusts, the IMD-Pune said.Coastal town Pen, famous for its Lord Ganesh idol industry Sunday notched a staggering 26 cm rainfall, and the downpour continues.Uran, Dapoli and Mahabaleshwar hill station received 23 cm rains, Bhira 22 cm, Matheran 21 cm and Kolhapur 20 cm Sunday with no respite from the downpour.With Mumbai battered by incessant rains since this morning, its lifelines, the railways and road traffic, were severely crippled.The Central Railway and Harbour Line services were suspended for nearly four hours from 10.35 a.m. due to flooding on railway tracks, leading to cancellation of 340 scheduled services and other running up to 45 minutes late.Several long-distance trains scheduled to leave Mumbai were delayed by three to six hours while incoming services were terminated mid-way, inconveniencing passengers.Water entered railway stations at Elphinstone Road, Parel, Sion and Matunga, while the Western Railway services were running 20-30 minutes behind schedules.Since Sunday morning, South Mumbai received 11.94 cms rains, eastern suburbs 9.90 cm and western suburbs 8.20 cm rains, leading to heavy waterlogging and flooding in many areas in the city.According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Disaster Control Cell, 65 places areas in the city reported waterlogging or flooding, hitting normal life.Flood waters entered ground floor homes and shops in Sion, Kurla, Chunabhatti, Dadar, Parel, Byculla, Mazagaon, Masjid Bunder and Worli.Waterlogging was reported in road subways at Dahisar, Borivli, Malad, Andheri, Santacruz and Mulund with vehicles compelled to take longer detours.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast an increase in rainfall activity with very heavy to extremely heavy rains over Mumbai and surroundings accompanied by gusts of up to 50 kmph in the next two days.Elsewhere in Maharashtra, several big and small rivers were overflowing or flooded following incessant rains across the state in the past two days.At least 40 villages have been cut off in Pune district after a river in Maval flooded the entire region, though there are no reports of casualties.Most parts of the state have received good rainfall in the early days of the 16-week long monsoon season this year which got underway since the past 10 days.Not willing to let the bounty go waste, farmers across the state have furiously got down to the business of sowing seeds in farmlands in the past few days.The heavy downpour has resulted in several small and medium dams and water reservoirs overflowing and the excess waters were released from such reservoirs in Pune, Jalna, Raigad, Akola and Ratnagiri.The IMD has forecast more heavy to very heavy rains in the coastal Konkan region and other parts of the state over the 48 hours.

The meeting between the transport minister and the BMRCL officials over the alignment of tracks for Metro’s Reach 2 ended without any breakthrough.After the meeting, the minister, Ramalinga Reddy, said the concern of Jayadeva hospital was valid. He added that as the realignment meant some people would lose their home, they deserved to be heard. He said he would look into the concerns of people.People whose houses will be acquired if the BMRCL chooses to realign the tracks to spare Jayadeva hospital continue to be optimistic. As per the current alignment, Jayadeva hospital will lose a considerable portion of its parking lot. One of the residents who will lose their property if the tracks are realigned said they would continue to push for what they consider the solution is—going underground. He said the residents are looking to build a larger platform to strengthen their voice. He said many people, from ITPL, Kanakapura Road and Jayanagar V Block, have reached out to them and expressed their disapproval of elevated tracks, as they ruin the beauty of the city and necessitate felling of trees.

If the residents’ pleas to the BMRCL and the state government fail to yield the result they desire, they are planning to take up the matter with the Planning Commission of India and Public Investment Board, Delhi.

One of the residents said they would highlight that the BMRCL has underestimated the cost of the project, besides pointing out that going underground is a feasible solution, given hurdles such as land acquisition for elevated tracks.