ProUI

RAIPUR: Now, railway passengers have a reason to cheer, South Eastern Central Railways is introducing a fire and smoke detection system to improve safety in coaches."It has been long since railways have been trying to introduce a substantial safety system, and the installation of fire and smoke detection system, will now solve the problem. As air-conditioned coaches are more prone to fire accidents due to no ventilation, the system has been put on trial and error process, limiting it to the trains that are fully air-conditioned," chief public relations officer, R K Agrawal told TOI.Agrawal added, "The system is capable of checking and raising alarm during the initial stages of fire, thereby, giving valuable time for shifting to safe areas and evacuation."The automatic system is based on Very Early Warning Smoke Detection System (VEWSD) strategy to detect smoke/fire at incipient stage of smoke, fire through continuous multipoint sampling and analysis of coach environment."Fully air-conditioned trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, August Kranti, Gareeb Rath and Duranto Express all pass through Raipur, Bilaspur or other stations in Chhattisgarh. While, initially only AC trains will get this facility, eventually, all trains would have the phase-wise safety system, after the commercial production begins," Agrawal said.The four alarm levels called alert, action, fire-1 and fire-2 will signify the severity of fire. During the trial method, two actual fire incidences were detected by the system in two coaches of Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani and timely warning saved loss of property and life.Research Design & Standards Organization (RDSO), a research wing of the ministry of railways, is working on the air-brake system of the coaches, so that in the event of fire-2 alarm, trains hault before the hooter is sounded. "It will ensure that passengers can safely get off the train without much panic. The system will be installed in all the AC trains within this year."Girdhari Agrawal, a passenger, who was engulfed in smoke billowing from his AC compartment of Gareeb Rath Express train, a year ago, said, "It reminded me of the bollywood flick 'Burning Train'. I almost imagined the whole train in fire. I immediately pulled the chain and awakened the attendant. It could have triggered a major fire accident. Had this system been there, the train would have automatically halted and an alarm would have been raised."

To keep the miscreants at bay, who had involvement in  beating up several students of Leading Islamic Seminary,  Darul Uloom Deoband in past one month, the Railway Police (GRP) has sought help from civil police  and PAC to uphold law and order in trains.While talking to The Pioneer, Director General (DG-GRP),  Rizwan Ahmad said we are taking all the needed measures  for controlling the violence taking place in trains on Delhi- Deoband route. In past three days not even a single  incident was reported, where any student of deoband had  been bashed up by the miscreants.As the number of trains and halt stations were on the routes  like Delhi-Deoband, Meerut-Muzzaffarnagar are good in  number. The GRP had taken help of other security forces too. "Two battalions of PAC, Civil Police, Railway  Protection Force (RPF) had been roped in to guard trains,  halt railway stations and unmanned railway crossings along with GRP cops," said DG. Notably, several incidents of beating up students of  seminary was reported after which delegation of seminary  met Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party  Chief, Mualyam Singh to intervene in the grave situation.  The seminary also shot off letters to Union Ministry of  Railways and Ministry of Home Affairs.DG-GRP stated that ADG-GRP, Mukul Goyal and SP  GRP-Moradabad, RK Bhardawaj had been stationed in the  affected region. They also met with the seminary authorities to discuss over the issue.

In the passengers trains, two cops are deployed in every  coach as the train was not connected from inside, while in  mail and express trains, a team of cops keep tight vigil  especially during night hours. They are also guarding halt  railway stations and unmanned railway crossings as  miscreants run away as the train stops or slowed down.

 Public Relation Officer (PRO) Darul Uloom Deoband,  Ashraf Usmani claimed no incident had been reported in  past two days but still students and other member of  community are fearing to travel in trains on the route. On Monday night, cases of bashing up seminary students  was reported in Shalimar and Ujjain Express.

The action council for development of Kazhakuttom on Friday collected one lakh signatures from residents, government employees, IT professionals and rail passengers to apprise the Union Ministry of Railways and Railway Board of the need to initiate immediate steps to develop the Kazhakuttom railway station. The council observed a Black Day on Friday to protest against the neglect towards the Kazhakuttom station.A public meeting was organised near the railway station in the evening, general convener of the council John Venatius said in a release.

Jammu:The much-awaited project of the rail connectivity to Katra - the base camp of cave shrine of Goddess Vaishno Devi in Reasi district - is set to be a reality now as the Ferozpur division of the Northern Railway has given its approval to the opening of 25-km-long Udhampur-Katra section.The Northern Railway, however, is yet to announce the date for making the Udhampur-Katra section operational for passenger trains as it awaits the final clearance from the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS), which will conduct the inspection after the trial run on the section before throwing it open for passenger trains.“The Ferozpur division of the Northern Railway has given its approval for opening of the Udhampur-Katra section as the railway track is finally ready for the movement of passenger trains. In this regard, the Ferozpur division wrote a letter to the authorities of all stations falling under the division on August 19, asking them to make suitable arrangements in accordance with the decision,” an official source said. Sources said there would be three stations — Udhampur, Chak Rakhwal in Udhampur district and Shri Vaishno Devi Katra on the Udhampur-Katra rail link. “The Chak Rakhwal station has been set up 9.3 km away from the Udhampur station.,” a source said.N C Goyal, Divisional Railway Manager, Ferozpur Division, when contacted, said the final clearance to the project would be given by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.“The construction of tunnels has been completed. The authorities are likely to make the rail track operational by October,” an official said.

On track

Udhampur-Katra section will have 11-km of tunnelling passage, nine major bridges, 29 minor bridges and 10 rail under-bridges. The tallest bridge on the section is 85 metres and the longest tunnel is 3.15 km.

Two special trains, one between Velankanni-LTT Mumbai and another between LTT Mumbai-Chennai Central will be operated in order to clear the extra rush of passengers attending Velankanni Matha festival at Velankanni, in Tamilnadu.Velankanni-LTT Mumbai special train will depart from Velankanni at 23.00 hrs on September 8 (Sunday) and arrive in LTT Mumbai at 11.05 hrs on Tuesday.LTT Mumbai-Chennai Central special train will depart from LTT Mumbai at 12.25 hrs on  September 10 (Tuesday) and arrive in Chennai Central at 12.30 hrs on Wednesday.

इलाहाबाद। उत्तर मध्य रेलवे प्रशासन ने इलाहाबाद जंक्शन से एक और ट्रेन हमेशा के लिए हटाने का फैसला कर लिया है। इलाहाबाद से ऊंचाहार होते हुए कानपुर तक चलने वाली एयूसी पैसेंजर अब कानपुर से प्रयाग के बीच ही चलाई जाएगी। यह ट्रेन नौ सितंबर से प्रयाग से इलाहाबाद के बीच नहीं चलेगी। अभी यह गाड़ी इलाहाबाद जंक्शन से कानपुर के लिए शाम 4.45 बजे छूटती है। सीपीआरओ संदीप माथुर के मुताबिक नौ सितंबर से गाड़ी संख्या 54102/54101 कानपुर से प्रयाग के बीच ही चलेगी। इससे प्रयाग से छूटने वाली ट्रेनों की संख्या बढ़कर छह हो जाएगी। यहां से पहले से ही जौनपुर की एक, फैजाबाद और बरेली की दो-दो पैसेंजर ट्रेनों का संचालन किया जा रहा है, लेकिन यात्रियों के लिए दिक्कत यह है कि प्रयाग से छूटने वाली ट्रेनों में न साफ-सफाई होती है और न ही पानी भरने की कोई व्यवस्था है। इलाहाबाद से कुंडा, ऊंचाहार और लालगंज की ओर जाने वाले यात्रियों को एक लाभ जरूर मिलेगा कि प्रयाग स्टेशन से इस ट्रेन का संचालन दुरुस्त हो जाएगा। जंक्शन से चलने के दौरान अक्सर यह गाड़ी रात आठ से नौ बजे के बीच छूटती है।

TRAIN ROBBER NABBED

The Government Railway Police at Tirunelveli Railway Junction have arrested a ‘train robber’ and recovered Rs. 2.50 lakh-worth gold ornaments from him. When Shanmugasundaram, a faculty member with Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, was travelling from Coimbatore to Valliyoor in the Coimbatore – Nagercoil Express Train on August 31, he lost his bag containing 10 sovereigns of gold ornaments, a digital camera and a mobile phone as he was crossing Tirunelveli Railway Junction.Government Railway Police at Tirunelveli Railway Junction registered a complaint. A police team, comprising Deputy Superintendent of Police Vellaiyan and Inspector Arul nabbed S. Mohamed Sathik (26) of Railway Colony in Madurai at Tirunelveli Railway Junction on Friday and recovered the valuables from him.Further investigations are on to explore the role of Mohamed Sathik in various thefts that took place in the trains and also in the railway stations in this region.

Ludhiana: Though the Railway authorities plan several projects for the safety of women passengers every year, it seems to be unconcerned about its own women employees.There are several railway workshops and departments where women employees have to use common toilets. In the absence of separate urinals and toilets, the women staff at the railway station face a lot of inconvenience. They have to use washroom of other offices or nearby quarters.According to the railway employees, a huge number of women employees work in the railway workshops and other departments like carriage and wagon (C&W), electric shed, diesel shed, etc.The women employees, who work at the railway booking counters, have the facility of separate washrooms. Moreover, they can use the washrooms meant for passengers.Raising the issue, the office bearers of the Uttriya Railway Mazdoor Union (URMU) has wrote to the higher authorities in Northern Railway, demanding the construction of separate washroom and rest rooms for women employees.General secretary of the Uttriya Railway Mazdoor Union, Ferozepur Division, ML Prashar said: "The contribution of the women employees to the Railways is no less than that of the man employees. The railway authorities must make proper arrangements for them so they can perform their duties safely. The women employees are facing inconvenience due to the unavailability of separate washrooms in various departments. We have raised this issue and will pressurise the authorities to construct separate washrooms for women employees soon".

Two special trains, one between Velankanni-LTT Mumbai and another between LTT Mumbai-Chennai Central will be operated in order to clear the extra rush of passengers attending Velankanni Matha festival at Velankanni, in Tamilnadu.Velankanni-LTT Mumbai special train will depart from Velankanni at 23.00 hrs on September 8 (Sunday) and arrive in LTT Mumbai at 11.05 hrs on Tuesday.LTT Mumbai-Chennai Central special train will depart from LTT Mumbai at 12.25 hrs on  September 10 (Tuesday) and arrive in Chennai Central at 12.30 hrs on Wednesday.

बिलासपुर। आने वाले दिनों में आप जोन के रेलवे स्टेशनों में उपलब्ध रिटायरिंग रूम और डॉरमेट्री की बुकिंग ऑनलाइन करा सकेंगे। यह सुविधा आईआरसीटीसी द्वारा दी जानी थी, लेकिन देशभर के स्टेशनों की जानकारी तैयार करने में समय लग रहा है। नतीजतन दक्षिण पूर्व मध्य रेलवे ने अपने स्तर पर यात्रियों को ऑनलाइन बुकिंग की सुविधा देने की योजना बनाई है। यह सुविधा अगले तीन महीने के भीतर लागू होगी।

312 रेलवे स्टेशन वाले दक्षिण पूर्व मध्य रेलवे के 26 स्टेशन ऐसे हैं, जहां यात्रियों को प्लेटफार्म में ही ठहरने की सुविधा उपलब्ध हो रही है। बिलासपुर, रायपुर, दुर्ग, रायगढ़, राजनांदगांव जैसे 8 स्टेशन ऐसे हैं, जहां रिटायरिंग रूम और डॉरमेट्री दोनों की सुविधा हासिल हो रही है। इस सुविधा को हासिल करने के लिए संबंधित रेलवे स्टेशन पर पहुंचने की अनिवार्यता है।

रेल प्रशासन अब इसी अनिवार्यता को समाप्त करते हुए ऑन लाइन बुकिंग की सुविधा देने जा रही है। इसके लिए सीसीएम प्रकाश राव वाजलवार ने बिलासपुर, रायपुर और नागपुर डिवीजन को अपने-अपने क्षेत्र के स्टेशनों में उपलब्ध सुविधाओं की जानकारी तय फार्मेट में भेजने के निर्देश दिए हैं। डिवीजन जल्द बताएंगे कि उनके क्षेत्र के किस रेलवे स्टेशन में डॉरमेट्री या रिटायरिंग रूम की सुविधा है। यह भी बताएंगे कि कुल कितने बेड या कमरे मौजूद हैं। यहां ठहरने वालों को मिलने वाली टीवी, एसी सहित अन्य सुविधाओं की भी जानकारी तैयार की जाएगी। इसी जानकारी को रेल प्रशासन एसईसीआर के वेब साइट पर अपलोड करेगा। रेल प्रशासन की तैयारी है कि अपलोड करने का काम अगले दो महीने में पूरा कर लिया जाए, ताकि 1 दिसंबर से ऑन लाइन बुकिंग शुरू हो सके।

रिटायरिंग रूम में सुविधाओं की कमी

जोन के स्टेशनों में उपलब्ध रिटायरिंग रूम में सुविधाओं का भारी अभाव है। इसे बिलासपुर डिवीजन की स्थिति से समझा जा सकता है। यहां बिलासपुर और रायगढ़ स्टेशन में रिटायरिंग रूम उपलब्ध है। रेल प्रशासन ने एसी रूम का किराया हजार रुपए तो नॉन एसी का किरया 500 रुपए तय किया है। दिलचस्प है कि एसी रूम में एसी के अलावा और कोई दूसरी सुविधा नहीं है। मसलन टीवी, रूम सर्विस आदि। नॉन एसी रूम में तो कूलर तक की सुविधा नहीं है। पंखा और बेड और टॉयलेट की सुविधा के लिए 500 रुपए का किराया ज्यादा है। शहर में ऐसे दर्जनों होटल और लॉज हैं, जहां 500 रुपए प्रति दिन के किराए पर कूलर, टीवी और रूम सर्विस जैसी सुविधा के साथ कमरा किराए पर मिल जाता है। ऐसे में टीवी, कूलर के अलावा रूम सर्विस जैसी जरूरी सुविधाओं की जरूरत महसूस की जा रही है।

घट गई आमदनी: सुविधा नहीं होने के बाद भी किराए में तीन गुना वृद्धि से बिलासपुर डिवीजन में रिटायरिंग रूम और डॉरमेट्री की बुकिंग घट गई है, जिसका सीधा असर रेलवे की आय पर पड़ रहा है। वर्ष 2011 तक हमेशा फुल रहने वाले डॉरमेट्री और रिटायरिंग रूम अब महीने में 10 ही दिन बुक हो पा रहे हैं। इन स्टेशनों में है सुविधा: बिलासपुर, रायगढ़, रायपुर, दुर्ग, भाठापारा, गोंदिया, राजनांदगांव, डोंगरगढ़, बालाघाट, सिवनी, इतवारी, चांपा, शहडोल, अनूपपुर, पेंड्रा, भंडारारोड एवं हावबाग।

क्या है लाभ

वर्तमान में यात्रियों को डॉरमेट्री और रिटायरिंग रूम की सुविधा संबंधित स्टेशन में पहुंचने पर हासिल हो रही है। ऐसे में संशय की स्थिति रहती है कि स्टेशन पहुंचने पर सुविधा हासिल होगी कि नहीं। रेल प्रशासन ऑन लाइन बुकिंग की सुविधा रिजर्वेशन की तर्ज पर दो महीने पहले उपलब्ध कराएगा। यात्री दो महीने पहले ही संबंधित स्टेशन में अपने ठहरने की सुविधा सुनिश्चित कर सकेंगे।

॥यात्रियों की सुविधा के लिए जोन के रेलवे स्टेशनों में उपलब्ध डॉरमेट्री एवं रिटायरिंग रूम को ऑन लाइन किया जा रहा है। यात्री अगले दो महीने में एसईसीआर की साइट से ठहरने की सुविधा हासिल कर सकेंगे।
आरके अग्रवाल, सीपीआरओ, एसईसीआर