ProUI

Minister Manmohan Singh, the railway authorities have given the green signal to run Qazigund-Banihal train service on 17.8 km track between the two stations.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northern Circle, which had conducted the safety inspection of the train as well as the rail track on June 18 and 19 has
given its approval to run the train.
“We received the green signal on Friday from the Railway Board for running the train between Banihal and Qazigund,” a northern railway official in Ferozepur said.
“The clearance from the CRS is essential to ply any train on any new track,” he added.
Sources said the railway officials in Kashmir have geared up to give a final shape to the arrangements to launch of the rail services from Banhial in Ramban of Jammu and Qazigund in Kulgam of south Kashmir.
The train to be flagged off by Prime Minister has reached Banihal station that has been decorated with flowers. The train will be flagged off from Banihal on June 26 jointly by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Work on the Qazigund Banihal section of rail track-which also passes through 11.17 km Pir Panjal tunnel, which is the country’s longest and Asia’s second longest tunnel, has been executed by IRCON, a PSU under railways and they have already handed it over to the railways.
The first trial run of the train between Qazigund and Banihal was conducted on December 25.
“On the commissioning of this section, the distance between Banihal and Qazigund will be reduced by almost half and the rail link will make all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Banihal possible,” said another official of IRCON.
The trains from Kashmir would, however, still not be able to reach to other parts of the country as important railway stretch between Udhampur-Banihal is still under construction and is likely to be completed by 2017.
The first phase of the train service between Anantnag and Budgam districts was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 11, 2008.
The second phase of the train between Budgam and Baramulla was flagged off by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on February 14, 2009, followed by the third phase between Anantnag to Qazigund by the Prime Minister on October 28, 2009.

114-year-old dream a reality

1898: Maharaja Pratap Singh first explored the possibility to connect Jammu with the Valley with a railway line.
1905: Maharaja Pratap Singh approved a narrow-gauge railway line between Jammu and Srinagar via Reasi through the Mughal Road, which did not take off.
1947: Jammu was disconnected from the railway system as the old Jammu Sialkot Junction rail link was shelved
1971: Jammu reconnected through a broad- gauge railway link with Pathankot.
1983: Jammu-Udhampur railway link project starts
2005: Jammu-Udhampur rail link commissioned.
2009: Railway link in the Valley from Qazigund to Baramulla (119 km) commissioned.
2013: Train to ply between Valley to Banihal in Jammu

Wants State to make its stand clear on Havelock Bridge

The all-party meeting convened under the chairmanship of senior Telugu Desam Party leader Ganni Krishna has set a deadline as July 1 to the State government to declare its stand on proposed auction of historic Havelock Bridge across river Godavari.It expressed serious concern and anguish over the decision and warned serious consequences if the Railway Board authorities go unilaterally on their own.The meeting resolved to meet visiting Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday and represent the matter through MLA Rowthu Suryaprakasha Rao with a delegation consisting representatives of all parties and organisations.Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, former minister and general secretary of TDP who addressed the all-party meeting here on Saturday said that every one above the party lines should join together and protest the proposed auction and at the same time demand for handing over the bridge to the State Tourism Department to develop as a tourist attraction under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) method.BJP national executive council member Somu Veerraju said that Railway Board is body which do not respond to the public concerns immediately and its’ dictatorial tendencies should be protested at all levels by involving local MPs and more than 12 Union Ministers from the State to save Havelock Bridge.CPI district secretary Meesala Satyanaryana said that the State government should make its stand clear that it is going to adopt to protect the historic monument. CPI (M) leader Arun called upon the parties to fight unitedly to save the bridge.Nandepu Srinivas, President, Chamber of Commerce said that as Zonal Railway Consumers Committee member, he had written to senior Railway officials and they said that ball is in State government’s court.He announced that Chamber is ready to give its support for any agitation.Ashok Kumar Jain, Wholesale Merchants Association and former chairman of Chamber announced that if the government is not going to meet the deadline Rajahmundry should observe one-day bandh for which Chamber, merchants would give full support.Jakkampudi Viajyalakshmi, YSR Congress Central Committee member said that the people who are in power should guide the rest of the parties in fighting the cause and combined effort will give results. Loksatta district president V.V. Ramarao and City TDP president Vasireddy Rambabu spoke.The president of Andhra Kesari Yuvajana Samiti said that they would take up cultural mass movement and also week-long pictorial competitions on Havelcok Bridge from Sunday. T.K. Visweswara Reddy, Sappa Durgaprasad, B.V. Naidu and others spoke.

MANGALORE: Mangalore Railway Development Committee has appealed to the new Union minister for railways MallikarjunKharge to establish a separate Railway Division, headquartered at Mangalore, without any delay as it is already hampered the progress of coastal Karnataka.

A delegation of the committee has met Kharge at his residence in the presence of Oscar fernandes, Union Minister for Surface Transport in Delhi. The delegation led by committee convenor PV Mohan, Moideen Bava, Mangalore North MLA and KCCI member Praveen Bangara discussed various issues concerning the railway development in Coastal Karnataka.

"We have urged the railway minister to give due consideration while implementing Railway projects in Karnataka. Coastal Karnataka has been neglected and meted with stepmother treatment by former railway ministers. Establishment of Railway Division at Mangalore is a long pending issue. Mangalore Railway is a hundred-year-old terminus and has all the eligibility for the creation of a Division. The people of this region are agitating for this cause for a decade. Apart from this Mangalore is still deprived of having trains to the internal part of Karnataka like Hubli, Gulbarga, and Shimogh," Mohan said.

At present Mangalore is not having a direct train to Bangalore, Mohan said. "We have urged the minister to convert the weekly train to Bangalore, which was announced (not started), in the Railway budget 2013 into Daily Train. Speedy completion of Mangalore-Bangalore via Shravanbelgola railway line, survey for doubling of Mumbai- Mangalore line and Bangalore-Mangalore line, Survey for new railway line to Shimogh via Kundapur are the other demands of the committee," Mohan said.

Residents of the three-storey Shakuntala building in Mumbra that collapsed on early Friday early morning, killing 10 people and injuring 14 others, claim that the building collapsed due to construction works near the station area, particularly the Mumbra gate and the levelling of the road along the station using very heavy road rollers.Salahuddin Lala, a resident who also took care of all the official and management work of the building said, “At the Mumbra gate outside the station there are two 110-120 feet high pillars in an M shape. For the foundation of the pillars, the ground was dug almost 30 feet and heavy machinery like road rollers were used to level the road to facilitate an open space for a bus terminus near the station. Because of this, the foundation of the building got disturbed.” He added that the residents felt serious vibrations when the rolling work was going on and vehemently protested but the driver and contractor continued the work saying they were just following the orders.The residents also met two builders for redevelopment work for the building and a quotation for the same was prepared. However, the process was delayed due to expenses. “We never thought that the building will collapse so easily. Heavy rains must have shaken the foundation and resulted in the collapse,” said Lala.  Mohan Bharti, who owned a steel shop in the building’s ground floor said that they had checked and confirmed with the Thane Municipal Corporation, but no notice had been sent by them and nor had the building been declared dangerous in Mumbra’s dangerous buildings list. “The development of Mumbra station in past year is the main reason for the collapse. I have suffered a total loss of Rs3.5 lakhs,” he said. Dr V Subramanyam Iyer, a seismologist and resident of Thane confirmed that any activity at the foundation level that creates strong vibration can damage the foundation of the nearby building and cause cracks in their walls. “The water from the hills in Mumbra plunges down with force that can weaken the foundation of the structures around. As Mumbra has numerous dangerous buildings, water hitting them with such force makes them very vulnerable. In such cases, any repair work, as happened in Mahim’s Altaf Mansion, the pillar and beam are disturbed which can result in a collapse.”

The Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Shri Mangu Singh today directed all its officers to contribute one day`s salary for the affected people in the state of Uttarakhand as a gesture to help the state to tide over the present calamity.In addition, all non executive staff members of the Corporation have been given the option to also contribute towards this effort on similar lines.The overall contribution thus collected, will be deposited with the SBI account opened by Uttarakhand Government for this purpose.Presently, DMRC employs around 8000 people, including 577 officers, who are behind the successful running of Metro’s daily operations and maintenance, spanning over 190 KMs and are also involved in the execution of construction works of Phase-III, spread over 140 KMs at present.

Banihal (Jammu & Kashmir): When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flags off a train to Qazigund on Tuesday from Banihal in Jammu that will travel through the 11km Pir Panjal tunnel, the Kashmir valley will be just a step away from being fully linked to India’s extensive railway network.
For Ijaz Bhat, who has laboured with at least 1,300 workers and 150 engineers to build the country’s longest railway tunnel, it will be a moment of pride. “For me this is the best,” Bhat says, though he knows there’s a longer rail tunnel in China.
Built at a cost of Rs.1,300 crore, the T-80 tunnel will provide a second, all-weather link to the Kashmir Valley, which often becomes inaccessible in winter when the road through the 60-year-old Jawahar tunnel is blocked because of snow.
For now, there will be train services from Banihal to Qazigund in Kashmir valley and onward to Srinagar and Baramulla. The rail link from Banihal to Udhampur in Jammu, expected to be completed by 2017, will then provide a seamless connection to the rest of the country.
Saif-ud-din Malik, 65, who has never seen a train before, is barely able contain his excitement. “I have no words to express how much the people will benefit,” Malik said. “We had to walk for miles together. In winters, it got very difficult for us. We used to be stranded for 10-15 days when it snowed. It used to get very tough if someone was sick. Now in 10 minutes you can take the patient to a doctor in Kashmir.”
The improved connectivity is not only strategically important for India but will also help in integrating the people there with the rest of the country, according to Afsir Karim, a retired army general.
“Roads are few in Kashmir and these get blocked due to floods or snowfall. An all-weather rail link will help movement of people, essential goods and goods for trade, besides the movement of people,” Karim said. “The people of Kashmir have been feeling deprived for years. The more facilities you provide, the more it will help link them to the rest of India. If terrorists target this (rail network), it is likely to turn the Kashmiri people against them, as it means cutting off facilities. The network will work in its own way to bring peace to the valley and the region.”
Gulab Hussain Bhat, a government employee, says the train service from Banihal will mean saving on commuting to Srinagar. “My children travel from here to Srinagar to study engineering,” Bhat said. “They spend Rs.100-150 a day, but now they will be able to travel very cheap. So Rs.4,000-5,000 of our expenditure towards conveyance will be saved.”
The benefit extends to social aspects as well. “Our girls, who go to study in Srinagar, will come back home the same day,” Bhat said. “Earlier there was a lot of problem. A lot of girls discontinued their studies because families would not allow for stay overnight or stay away from home. So this will do a lot of good.”
The Pir Panjal tunnel is a part of the 345 km Jammu, Udhampur, Katra, Qazigund, Baramulla railway line. Of this, the 119km section between Baramulla and Qazigund in Kashmir was commissioned in 2009. The 53km Jammu to Udhampur section was opened to the public in 2005. The section that would connect Udhampur and Qazigund is expected to be completed by 2017.
For the railways, safety is a top priority. “Given the sensitivity of the region, adequate safety provisions have been made,” said Neeraj Sharma, chief public relations officer at Northern Railways. “Both the stations, track and tunnel as well as the train will be manned by security personnel.”

BANIHAL: Undeterred by challenges it faced while executing two big-ticket infra projects here, Hindustan Construction CompanyBSE 8.34 % will bid for such upcoming works in this region like the 13-km Arpinchala-Dharam underground railway project.The Mumbai-based firm has recently executed the 11-km long Pir Panjal railway tunnel, the third longest in the world, and also the Uri-II hydro power project in Jammu and Kashmir.The company is set to bid for the 13-km long Arpinchala- Dharam project as well, the official said."The Banihal-Qazigund railway tunnel, the longest in the country, was awarded to us in 2005. The track is now ready for the Railways. The amount of challenges we had to face was mind-boggling."However, that does not deter us from bidding for more projects and we are, in fact, working on the same route that will connect between Dharam-Sumbar. We will bid for more projects on the same track in the coming days," said tunnel's project manager Sharanappa Yalal.Sources said that government has already come out with a tender inviting developers to bid for the Arpinchala to Dharam project and HCC is making preparations to bid for it.HCC had bagged the Pir Panjal tunnel project from IRCON, a construction subsidiary of the Railways, in 2005. Though the initial cost of the project was Rs 400 crore, it went up to Rs 800 crore as the scope of the project widened.The tunnel, which connects the Bichelri valley of Banhial in Jammu with Qazigund in Kashmir, will reduce the distance between the two places to 18 km from 35 km by road."It will also help the economy of the two places. The tunnel will facilitate transportation during winter. During the most part of the year, the inclement weather forces closure of the road tunnel and the highway," Yalal said."However, it was not easy to execute the project. Initially, we had brought two road headers from Germany for boring the tunnel. But, as we started working, we found the geologically young and unstable mountain range is not fit for traditional way of tunneling. We then brought the New Austrian Tunneling method for the first time in India," he said.The official said the Uri-II 240 MW hydro power project is also ready for commissioning though it has been taken out of the PM's inauguration agenda during his two-day proposed visit here as NHPC said it had developed some technical snag."We have done the civil construction part of the project and the project hand over is likely to happen soon. It is up to NHPC to decide on the date of commissioning of the project," he said.NHPC is building the Rs 1,724 crore project at Baramulla on the river of Jhelum. Talking about the Pir Panjal project, Yayal said: "The company faced weather problems as well. During November to June period of the year, the area remains almost inaccessible due to snow, which envelopes the arterial road causing huge problems for transporting required materials. Getting manpower, even those who are unskilled, was difficult." The tunnel is a part of the 345-km long Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link, aimed at connecting Jammu to Baramulla on the northwestern part of the valley. Trains now ply from Baramulla to Quazigund and Jammu to Udhampur on this stretch. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to inaugurate the tunnel, thereby connecting Qazigund to Banihal. Around 90-km long stretch, between Udhampur to Banihal is to be completed to get the stretch connected by the Railways. Meanwhile, sources said Railways is likely to tie up with state transport authority to help passengers reach out to the unlinked passage by bus at no extra cost. Passengers would be able to book tickets up to Baramulla. An announcement in this regard is likely during the tunnel's inauguration by the Prime Minister. HCC has executed a majority of India's landmark infrastructure projects. Its landmark works include the Bandra Worli Sea Link, Mumbai - India's first and longest open sea cable-stayed bridge; the Kolkata Metro, Farakka Barrage and India's largest nuclear power plant at Kudankulam - Tamil Nadu.

BANIHAL: Undeterred by challenges it faced while executing two big-ticket infra projects here, Hindustan Construction CompanyBSE 8.34 % will bid for such upcoming works in this region like the 13-km Arpinchala-Dharam underground railway project.The Mumbai-based firm has recently executed the 11-km long Pir Panjal railway tunnel, the third longest in the world, and also the Uri-II hydro power project in Jammu and Kashmir.The company is set to bid for the 13-km long Arpinchala- Dharam project as well, the official said."The Banihal-Qazigund railway tunnel, the longest in the country, was awarded to us in 2005. The track is now ready for the Railways. The amount of challenges we had to face was mind-boggling."However, that does not deter us from bidding for more projects and we are, in fact, working on the same route that will connect between Dharam-Sumbar. We will bid for more projects on the same track in the coming days," said tunnel's project manager Sharanappa Yalal.Sources said that government has already come out with a tender inviting developers to bid for the Arpinchala to Dharam project and HCC is making preparations to bid for it.HCC had bagged the Pir Panjal tunnel project from IRCON, a construction subsidiary of the Railways, in 2005. Though the initial cost of the project was Rs 400 crore, it went up to Rs 800 crore as the scope of the project widened.The tunnel, which connects the Bichelri valley of Banhial in Jammu with Qazigund in Kashmir, will reduce the distance between the two places to 18 km from 35 km by road."It will also help the economy of the two places. The tunnel will facilitate transportation during winter. During the most part of the year, the inclement weather forces closure of the road tunnel and the highway," Yalal said."However, it was not easy to execute the project. Initially, we had brought two road headers from Germany for boring the tunnel. But, as we started working, we found the geologically young and unstable mountain range is not fit for traditional way of tunneling. We then brought the New Austrian Tunneling method for the first time in India," he said.The official said the Uri-II 240 MW hydro power project is also ready for commissioning though it has been taken out of the PM's inauguration agenda during his two-day proposed visit here as NHPC said it had developed some technical snag."We have done the civil construction part of the project and the project hand over is likely to happen soon. It is up to NHPC to decide on the date of commissioning of the project," he said.NHPC is building the Rs 1,724 crore project at Baramulla on the river of Jhelum. Talking about the Pir Panjal project, Yayal said: "The company faced weather problems as well. During November to June period of the year, the area remains almost inaccessible due to snow, which envelopes the arterial road causing huge problems for transporting required materials. Getting manpower, even those who are unskilled, was difficult." The tunnel is a part of the 345-km long Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link, aimed at connecting Jammu to Baramulla on the northwestern part of the valley. Trains now ply from Baramulla to Quazigund and Jammu to Udhampur on this stretch. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to inaugurate the tunnel, thereby connecting Qazigund to Banihal. Around 90-km long stretch, between Udhampur to Banihal is to be completed to get the stretch connected by the Railways. Meanwhile, sources said Railways is likely to tie up with state transport authority to help passengers reach out to the unlinked passage by bus at no extra cost. Passengers would be able to book tickets up to Baramulla. An announcement in this regard is likely during the tunnel's inauguration by the Prime Minister. HCC has executed a majority of India's landmark infrastructure projects. Its landmark works include the Bandra Worli Sea Link, Mumbai - India's first and longest open sea cable-stayed bridge; the Kolkata Metro, Farakka Barrage and India's largest nuclear power plant at Kudankulam - Tamil Nadu.

The Manamadurai-Chennai Egmore bi-weekly Silambu Express was flagged off here on Saturday. The Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industries E.M. Sudarsana Nachiappan and Chairman Manamadurai Town Panchayat I. Joseph Rajan flagged off the train.

The train no 16181, Chennai Egmore Manamadurai bi-weekly Silambu Express will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The train no 16182 Manamadurai-Chennai Egmore bi-weekly Silambu Express will run on Fridays and Mondays.

The trains will stop at Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Melmaruvathoor, Villupuram, Vridachalam, Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Chettinad, Karaikudi, Devakottai Road and Sivaganga. The train no 16182 will stop at Mambalam also.

Minister Manmohan Singh, the railway authorities have given the green signal to run Qazigund-Banihal train service on 17.8 km track between the two stations.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northern Circle, which had conducted the safety inspection of the train as well as the rail track on June 18 and 19 has
given its approval to run the train.
“We received the green signal on Friday from the Railway Board for running the train between Banihal and Qazigund,” a northern railway official in Ferozepur said.
“The clearance from the CRS is essential to ply any train on any new track,” he added.
Sources said the railway officials in Kashmir have geared up to give a final shape to the arrangements to launch of the rail services from Banhial in Ramban of Jammu and Qazigund in Kulgam of south Kashmir.
The train to be flagged off by Prime Minister has reached Banihal station that has been decorated with flowers. The train will be flagged off from Banihal on June 26 jointly by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Work on the Qazigund Banihal section of rail track-which also passes through 11.17 km Pir Panjal tunnel, which is the country’s longest and Asia’s second longest tunnel, has been executed by IRCON, a PSU under railways and they have already handed it over to the railways.
The first trial run of the train between Qazigund and Banihal was conducted on December 25.
“On the commissioning of this section, the distance between Banihal and Qazigund will be reduced by almost half and the rail link will make all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Banihal possible,” said another official of IRCON.
The trains from Kashmir would, however, still not be able to reach to other parts of the country as important railway stretch between Udhampur-Banihal is still under construction and is likely to be completed by 2017.
The first phase of the train service between Anantnag and Budgam districts was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 11, 2008.
The second phase of the train between Budgam and Baramulla was flagged off by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on February 14, 2009, followed by the third phase between Anantnag to Qazigund by the Prime Minister on October 28, 2009.

114-year-old dream a reality

1898: Maharaja Pratap Singh first explored the possibility to connect Jammu with the Valley with a railway line.
1905: Maharaja Pratap Singh approved a narrow-gauge railway line between Jammu and Srinagar via Reasi through the Mughal Road, which did not take off.
1947: Jammu was disconnected from the railway system as the old Jammu Sialkot Junction rail link was shelved
1971: Jammu reconnected through a broad- gauge railway link with Pathankot.
1983: Jammu-Udhampur railway link project starts
2005: Jammu-Udhampur rail link commissioned.
2009: Railway link in the Valley from Qazigund to Baramulla (119 km) commissioned.
2013: Train to ply between Valley to Banihal in Jammu