ProUI

Hyderabad: Secunderabad-Tirupati-Padmavati Express has become the first train, running completely with in the SCR circuit, to be retro fitted with Bio-toilets on all its coaches.

The earlier ordinary toilets of this train, which  runs  with 19 Coaches (12 Sleeper Class, one  AC III Tier, one AC II Tier, 3 General Second Class and two Second Class Luggage Cum Brake Van Coaches) have been fitted with Bio-toilet systems from June 26.

With this, Padmavati Express gets the distinction of being the first express train on SCR with environment friendly Bio-toilets in all coaches of a train.

As part of the eco-friendly/ green initiatives of South Central Railway, Bio-toilets are being retro fitted to the existing coaches in a big way. These will be of immense use in improving the cleanliness in the railway premises.

A 11-km railway tunnel across the Pir Panjal mountain range, inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday, is not only the longest such in India but an engineering marvel and a "dream come true" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

It took seven years for thousands of men, most of them highly-trained and skilled in tunnel building, who braved geographical constraints and inclement weather to build the all-weather tunnel. Some of the tunnel boring machinery - an improved Austrian version - has been used for the first time on such a large scale in the country during the laying of the tunnel.

A three-metre-wide road has also been provided inside the tunnel for maintenance and relief and rescue operations in the event of any eventuality.

"The tunnel has been made water-proof by providing a continuous PVC membrane between the primary and secondary lining. It is equipped with state-of-the-art air quality monitoring, communications, fire-fighting and emergency rescue systems," an engineer at the site told IANS, not wishing to be identified.

Built at a cost of Rs.1,300 crores ($213 million), the tunnel has reduced the surface distance between the Qazigund town in the Valley and Banihal town in the Jammu region by 18 km, besides providing an all-weather surface link between the two regions.

The over 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu highway, till today the only surface link between the landlocked Valley and the rest of the country, would often remain closed for days without end in the winter months due to heavy snowfall on the Banihal sector of the highway.

"That experience is now a thing of the past for the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Congress President Sonia Gandhi told a jubilant public rally here when an eight-coach train was flagged off from here to Qazigund.

The tunnel had been a dream for the people of the state and not many believed it would become operational in their lifetime.

"I had been hearing of a railway tunnel that would connect us with the Valley and the people there with Banihal and other parts of the country. Today, I have seen the dream come true before my own eyes," Siraj-ud-Din, 70, who was part of the jubilant crowd that saw history being made as the train cruised from here through the tunnel to the Valley, told IANS.

Others in the Valley are hopeful their horticultural produce would be carried at lower costs and without any hassles through the tunnel in the future.

"The tunnel is going to reduce the transportation cost for our fruit to terminal markets in the country and also ensure that it reaches in time , whether it is raining or snowing," Mushtaq Ahmad, who has a large apple orchard in north Kashmir's Sopore town, told IANS.

KOLKATA, 26 JUNE: If everything goes as planned, Indian trains will soon have shiny new pantry cars (sns photo), equipped with electric cooking ranges, and proper ventilation and illumination, instead of the shabby ones they have now.
Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) coaches would have pleasing interiors and polycarbonate seats for better comfort.
What's more, the unreserved coaches, where people are packed like sardines, would have no problem of water-logging in toilets, while there would be stainless steel ceilings for fire safety.
The South Eastern Railways has decided to modify the coaches used in their division with an aim to provide better facilities to the passengers. 
Examples of the three reshaped coaches ~ pantry car, EMU and a general coach ~ were put on display today for mediapersons at the Santragachhi station. 
The pantry car has been totally renovated to attach it with Linke Holfmann Busch (LHB) coaches, initially imported from Germany and now manufactured in the country.
"The pantry car remodelled at a cost of Rs 43.80 lakh has 22 per cent more kitchen space, stainless steel paneling, chequered aluminum floor plates, and more staff area. The new features will help in fire safety as gas cylinders will be replaced by an electric range," said OP Chaubey, the assistant general manager of the SE Railways while describing the added features to mediapersons.
"Right now six renovated pantry cars in the South Eastern division are being used in LHB coaches, and 59 more are to be modified," he added
The stainless steel handholds, aluminum chequered floor, and poly-carbonated seats are some of the new features of EMU racks. The unreserved coaches will have breakage-free stainless steel ceiling and full-length compreg on luggage racks. The stainless steel ceilings would help prevent fire and maintain cleanliness.
"A proposal for the modification of the coaches has been sent to the railway board for permission, "said the assistant general manager.
It would take at least a year from the time of clearance to modify all the racks with the division, said Soumitra Majumdar, Central Public Relations Officer (CPRO) with the South Eastern Railway.

प्रतापगढ़। दिल्ली जाने के लिए स्टेशन से पद्मावत ट्रेन पकड़ना जंग जीतने जैसा है। ट्रेन जब वाशिंग लाइन से प्लेटफार्म पर आती है तो शुरू हो जाती है। इसमें सवार होने के लिए रस्साकशी। हर दिन शाम को पौने पांच बजे कुछ ऐसा ही देखने को मिलता है। गर्मियों की छुट्टियां खत्म होने के कारण दिल्ली व मुंबई जाने वाली ट्रेनों में अक्सर ऐसा नजारा देखने का मिलता है। स्टेशन पर हर दिन पद्मावत ट्रेन दिल्ली के लिए जाती है। महिलाएं और बच्चे तो सवार होने के लिए हिम्मत ही नहीं जुटा पाते। अगर किसी पुरुष ने अंदर घुसकर सीट कब्जा भी कर ली तो अन्य लोग मारपीट शुरू कर देते हैं। कुछ लोग तो खिड़कियों के रास्ते ही अंदर घुसने का प्रयास करते हैं। इस दौरान होने वाली मारपीट के साथ धक्कामुक्की को देखने वाला कोई नहीं होता है। अनारक्षित डिब्बों के पास कोई सिपाही नहीं दिखाई देता है। इतनी भीड़ के बावजूद स्टेशन प्रबंधन इस पर ध्यान नहीं दे रहा है।
ट्रेन आने पर यात्रियों को पानी के लिए प्लेटफार्म पर परेशानी का सामना करना पड़ता है। दो नंबर प्लेटफार्म की कुछ टंकियों की टोटियां न चलने से यात्रियों को पानी के लिए काफी पीछे जाना पड़ता है। कम समय रुकने वाली ट्रेनों के आने पर पानी के उतरे यात्रियों को दौड़कर ट्रेन पकड़नी पड़ती है।

प्रतापगढ़। दिल्ली जाने के लिए स्टेशन से पद्मावत ट्रेन पकड़ना जंग जीतने जैसा है। ट्रेन जब वाशिंग लाइन से प्लेटफार्म पर आती है तो शुरू हो जाती है। इसमें सवार होने के लिए रस्साकशी। हर दिन शाम को पौने पांच बजे कुछ ऐसा ही देखने को मिलता है। गर्मियों की छुट्टियां खत्म होने के कारण दिल्ली व मुंबई जाने वाली ट्रेनों में अक्सर ऐसा नजारा देखने का मिलता है। स्टेशन पर हर दिन पद्मावत ट्रेन दिल्ली के लिए जाती है। महिलाएं और बच्चे तो सवार होने के लिए हिम्मत ही नहीं जुटा पाते। अगर किसी पुरुष ने अंदर घुसकर सीट कब्जा भी कर ली तो अन्य लोग मारपीट शुरू कर देते हैं। कुछ लोग तो खिड़कियों के रास्ते ही अंदर घुसने का प्रयास करते हैं। इस दौरान होने वाली मारपीट के साथ धक्कामुक्की को देखने वाला कोई नहीं होता है। अनारक्षित डिब्बों के पास कोई सिपाही नहीं दिखाई देता है। इतनी भीड़ के बावजूद स्टेशन प्रबंधन इस पर ध्यान नहीं दे रहा है।
ट्रेन आने पर यात्रियों को पानी के लिए प्लेटफार्म पर परेशानी का सामना करना पड़ता है। दो नंबर प्लेटफार्म की कुछ टंकियों की टोटियां न चलने से यात्रियों को पानी के लिए काफी पीछे जाना पड़ता है। कम समय रुकने वाली ट्रेनों के आने पर पानी के उतरे यात्रियों को दौड़कर ट्रेन पकड़नी पड़ती है।

Banihal/Qazigund, June 26:The train to Kashmir, chugging through India’s longest rail tunnel, has rolled at last but not from as far as it should have.
The Valley today got railway connectivity but only from Banihal, a small Jammu town, with Manmohan Singh flagging off an eight-bogey train carrying school children and officials to Qazigund in Kashmir.
The track — split into three sections — to link Kashmir with the rest of the country will take another four years to be laid, officially. Privately, the authorities say it could take many more.
Independence Day 2007 was the deadline announced in 2002 when the Kashmir rail line was declared a national project by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
But Prime Minister Singh struck a note of optimism today. “I am happy to announce this project is heading towards completion,” Singh, accompanied by Sonia Gandhi, said after inaugurating the stretch that includes the 11.2km tunnel, India’s longest.
The tunnel, almost 62 per cent of the 18km Banihal-Qazigund stretch, has been drilled through the treacherous Pir Panjal range of the Himalaya. The New AustrianTunnelling Method, which taps geological stress from surrounding rocks to stabilise the cavern, has been used for the first time in India, officials said.
It has reduced the distance between Banihal and Qazigund byover half and travel time by a third to 25 minutes.
But overall, the project is just halfway through, with only 145km of the full 292km track (Udhampur-Baramulla) finished or nearing completion.
“The railway track is divided into three sections, Udhampur-Katra, Katra-Qazigund and Qazigund-Srinagar-Baramulla. The 25km Udhampur-Katra link is almost complete. The 118km Qazigund-Baramulla link (in the Valley) has been operational for four years,” an official said.
The problem lies in the middle stretch that includes the portion opened today. “What remains is the toughest part with 80 per cent of the route comprising tunnels and bridges that take long to build,” said another official.
The Prime Minister admitted the task ahead was challenging. “Work on the Katra-Udhampur section will be completed in a few months. Only the Udhampur-Banihal line will remain. It is a challenging task. It consists of a 359-metre-high rail bridge, the world’s highest.”
Singh also outlined the project’s history and the early challenges. “Maharaja Pratap Singh (former Dogra ruler) had dreamt of this project in 1898. After Independence, Jammu got connected with the rest of India through rail. Indira Gandhi started work on the difficult Chenab section (Udhampur-Qazigund) in 1983.”
What Singh didn’t say is that this was his fourth project-related inauguration. He opened the Jammu-Udhampur (54km) stretch in 2005, Anantnag-Mazhama (66km) in 2008 and Anantnag-Qazigund (18km) in 2009. Sonia, too, had opened a 35km stretch in 2009. Before Singh, Indira, Rajiv Gandhi, Deve Gowda, I.K. Gujral and Vajpayee presided over ceremonies related to the track.

नौ स्पेशल ट्रेन से अब तक साढ़े सात हजार से अधिक यात्री गंतव्यों को भेजे जा चुके हैं। इसके अलावा दून एक्सप्रेस, कुंभ एक्सप्रेस समेत छह ट्रेन में सामान्य श्रेणी के अतिरिक्त डिब्बे लगाकर करीब तीन हजार यात्रियों को मंजिल तक पहुंचाया गया है। करीब छह स्पेशल ट्रेन रिजर्व में रखी गई हैं जो जरूरत पड़ने पर चलाई जाएंगी। अपेक्षित यात्री न मिलने से बुधवार को स्पेशल ट्रेन नहीं चलाई गई।
'दैनिक जागरण' से विशेष बातचीत में मुरादाबाद मंडल के एडीआरएम हितेंद्र मल्होत्रा ने बताया कि आपदा प्रभावित क्षेत्रों में फंसे तीर्थ यात्रियों के लिए उत्तर रेलवे 20 जून से दिल्ली, लखनऊ, हावड़ा, मुंबई समेत विभिन्न गंतव्यों के लिए स्पेशल ट्रेनें संचालित कर रहा है। एक सप्ताह में नौ स्पेशल ट्रेन से 7609 यात्री गंतव्यों को भेजे जा चुके हैं। इनमें सर्वाधिक यात्री हावड़ा, गुजरात और महाराष्ट्र के रहे। इसके अलावा रूटीन की छह गाड़ियों हेमकुंड, बाड़मेर, दून एक्सप्रेस, कलिंग उत्कल, बांद्रा और हरिद्वार-हावड़ा कुंभ एक्सप्रेस में सामान्य श्रेणी के एक-एक अतिरिक्त डिब्बे लगाए हैं। इस वैकल्पिक व्यवस्था से अबतक 300 यात्री विभिन्न स्थानों को भेजे हैं। कोलकाता, मुजफ्फरपुर आदि के लिए तीन समर स्पेशल ट्रेन पहले से संचालित हो रही है। इससे भी खासी राहत है। उन्होंने बताया कि हरिद्वार रेलवे स्टेशन पर अब पहले जैसी स्थिति नहीं हैं। लिहाजा बुधवार को स्पेशल ट्रेन नहीं चलाई गई है। रूटीन ट्रेन से ही यात्रियों को सकुशल भेजा जा रहा है। हालांकि छह गाड़ियां रिजर्व में रखी गई हैं, जो जरूरत पड़ने पर संचालित की जाएगी। इसके अलावा आपदा पीड़ितों की मदद को रेलवे की ओर से देहरादून, हरिद्वार और ऋषिकेश में तीन सहायता केंद्र खोले हैं। जहां राउंड द क्लॉक फ‌र्स्ट एड की भी सुविधा है। हरिद्वार में 780, दून में 229 और ऋषिकेश में 79 लोगों को इन सहायता केंद्रों के जरिये मदद पहुंचाई है। स्थिति सामान्य होने तक मंडल स्तर के अधिकारी हरिद्वार में ही कैंप करेंगे।

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday that the new rail tunnel linking the troubled Kashmir Valley and Jammu region will help develop Jammu and Kashmir.Addressing hundreds in Urdu here in Jammu region after inaugurating the rail link, Manmohan Singh said: “Today, we are dedicating a marvellous and wonderful feat of engineering crafted across the Himalayas.”He added: “Despite difficult geographical conditions and adverse weather, this longest tunnel in the country has been completed within seven years.

“This is not just an engineering marvel, but an all weather link between the valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir.

“This will usher in a new era in the development of the state, providing welfare and employment to the people here.”

The Prime Minister said the products of the Kashmir Valley, including handicrafts and fruits, would reach the rest of India through this railway link as will products from the rest of the country to the valley.

The rail bridge between Udhampur and Banihal would be the highest railway bridge in the world.

He said the rail tunnel was a part of his UPA government’s commitment to develop Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the state had got in recent times 14 new colleges, nine ITIs and five India Reserve Police battalions, providing employment to locals.

“I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that (my) government will extend all possible support for the development of the people here.”

As he spoke in Urdu, Manmohan Singh struck a chord with the people at the rally. He was cheered each time he spoke about ushering development in the state.

'Hardships a thing

of the past'

Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the rally that the “hardships faced by the people of the state during the winter months are now a thing of the past.

“Today’s inauguration of the all weather link between Jammu and the valley is a part of the UPA’s commitment to the peace and progress of the people here.”

Gandhi said the National Conference-Congress government in the state had done commendable work in the last five years.

“The people in Kashmir are fed up with violence. They want peace and development.

“The large turnout of people during the Panchayat elections in the state is a proof of the people{gt}s desire for peace and development.

“I know very well that painful incidents happen here occasionally, but our democracy has enough scope to sort out issues through dialogue and negotiations.”

Manmohan Singh and Gandhi will fly to Udhampur army base on their way to New Delhi.

The Pir Panjal railway tunnel is the longest transportation tunnel in India

The Kashmir Valley railway (Qazigund-Baramula section) is a 119-km-long modern railway line that became fully operational in October 2009.

It connects Baramula in the western part of Kashmir to Qazigund at the other end of the Valley, via Srinagar.

With today’s inauguration, the extension of this railway line beyond the Pir Panjal Mountains to the Jammu region has been achieved

The new 17.7 km long rail link paves way for the railway link-up of the Kashmir region with the national railway network.

The rail bridge between Udhampur and Banihal will be the highest railway bridge in the world.

PATNA: Danapur DRM L M Jha made a PowerPoint presentation on safety and punctuality issues under the division at a high-level meeting presided over by ECR AGM Ajay Shukla at the Danapur DRM's office on Tuesday. Senior officials of the ECR and Danapur division attended the meeting.Addressing the railway officials of the division, Shukla underlined the need to overcome local problems of the division which at times affected the smooth run of trains under the division. Chief operating manager Dipak Nath lauded the division for maintaining punctuality of mail and express trains despite hiccups while chief transportation manager (planning) Neeraj Ambastha suggested various measures to improve loading of goods and other consignments.

Chief signal and telecom engineer Rajesh Kumar took stock of the ongoing signal and telecom work. ECR's chief security commissioner Sanjay Kumar suggested various measures to improve passengers' safety. He said 110 RPF and RPSF men were deployed on train escort duty under the division.

New lines inaugurated: The newly laid 34km Koderma-Nawadih railway line under the Dhanbad division of ECR was inaugurated by Koderma MP Babulal Marandi at a function at Koderma station on Tuesday. Local MLA Annapurna Devi was also present on the occasion. According to Dhanabd division DRM Sudhir Kumar, two pairs of passenger trains would run on the route to start with.

Adding a new chapter to its glory after commissioning the escalator at Bhubaneswar Railway Station recently, East Coast Railway has provided four Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) in its jurisdiction for the convenience of the passengers and rail users to go from o­ne platform to another.At Chilika, Delang, Lingaraj Road Halt and Joranda stations under Khurda Road Division, Railways have commissioned Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) for passengers at Stations to go from o­ne platform to another and also to cope with the growing traffic at Railway premises. These facilities have been commissioned in about two months time.
Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) are commissioned by the Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical wings of Railways. Massive concerted efforts and co-ordination with detailed planning is put into these works with use of high end machinery like high capacity cranes and lifters.
These Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) are erected after ascertaining all safety measures and after taking proper traffic block (planned controlling of trains) under intimation to all concerned.
Construction of these Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) have been welcomed by the users of these facilities at the particular stations, as they will provide a lot of relief to Senior Citizens, ladies, students, children and medical patients.