ProUI

GUNTUR: The South Central Railway will operate special trains between Hyderabad, Kakinada and Narsapur to clear the extra rush of passengers during the Vinayaka Chavithi festival.The Narsapur to Secunderabad train will leave Narsapur at 8 pm on Monday and reach Secunderabad at 6 am on Tuesday, according to senior divisional commercial manager C Ramakrishna. tnnThe train will halt at Palakole, Bhimavaram, Akiveedu, Kaikalur, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Sattenapalle, Piduguralla, Nadikude, Miryalaguda and Nalgonda. Another pair of special trains will run between Kakinada and Hyderabad on Sunday and Monday.The Kakinada-Hyderabad train will leave Kakinada at 10.30 pm on Sunday and reach Hyderabad at 10.35 am on Monday, while the return train from Hyderabad would leave at 9 pm on Monday and reach Kakinada town at 9.30 am on Tuesday. The trains will halt at Rajahmundry, Bhimavaram, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Sattenapalle, Nadikude, Miryalaguda and Nalgonda.

Facility will be commissioned tomorrow

The first of the 42 escalators being set up by Railways in 15 ‘A-1’ and ‘A’ class railway stations across the State will be commissioned at Ernakulam Junction on Monday.With this, the differently abled and the elderly will not have to use staircase to go to various platforms. Railway sources told The Hindu that lifts would also be installed.The escalator is on platform 1 of Ernakulam Junction.

Safety trials

“Test run and safety trials of the escalator that cost Rs.78.50 lakh have been carried out and it will be commissioned on Monday,” a railway official said.In all, the Ernakulam Junction and the North railway stations will get six escalators and three lifts at a cost of Rs.5.45 crore. Ernakulam North will get two escalators and a lift. Civil works are in progress for escalators on platforms 2 and 3 of Ernakulam Junction.The Thiruvananthapuram Central will get four escalators and three lifts at a cost of Rs.4.5 crore. Works on the escalator have begun on platform 2 here.Aluva station will get one escalator and a lift (Rs.1.05 crore); Nagercoil two escalators and two lifts (Rs.1.85 crore); and Kollam two escalators and two lifts at a cost of Rs.1.85 crore.Chengannur will get two escalators and one lift (Rs.2.32 crore) and Thrissur two escalators and lifts at a cost of Rs.1.92 crore.One escalator and three lifts being set up at Kozhikode railway station are getting ready for commissioning. A top official of Railways said one escalator and two lifts each would be set up in Palakkad, Kannur, and Mangalore railway stations in the second phase.Sources said purchase orders were placed for the lifts and escalators directly by the Railway Board.Escalators are installed in pairs, one upwards and the other downwards. There are 4,786 railway stations in the country with two or more platforms. Of them, 56 are equipped with 153 escalators.Out of a total budget allocation of Rs.914 crore under ‘Passenger Amenities’ in 2013-14, Rs.46 crore was earmarked for setting up of escalators.

911 culprits were fined Rs500 each for dirtying stations

In the past five months, the Pune railway division has collected nearly Rs1 lakh from 911 ‘culprits’, who were found littering the railway station premises. These fines were collected during a special cleanliness drive. The railways sources said that the initiative has helped in keeping the platforms clean. Each person was made to pay up Rs 500.The special drive was conducted by the Pune railway division between April 1, 2013 and August 31, 2013.  Around 911 people were caught, who were found littering the railway premises and a total of Rs 95,650  was collected as fine.Public relation officer, Pune railway division YK Singh said, “On an average every month some 150 to 200 people are caught, who litter inside the railway premises, like throwing garbage on the platform, spitting, throwing wrappers on the platform etc.”Singh said, “In order to spread awareness among passengers, we have put up posters, made announcements and also held street plays at various railway stations, wherein we make appeal to the passengers not to throw wrappers, plastic bags, garbage and used packets on the platform. Railways can also fine people found washing clothes at water pipelines and basins.”In order to keep the railway premises clean, the Pune railway division had carried out the special drive. Railway authorities have also put up boards at various places in the stations to create awareness among the passengers to maintain cleanliness and hygiene at stations and refrain from throwing garbage on the platform.

Facility will be commissioned tomorrow

The first of the 42 escalators being set up by Railways in 15 ‘A-1’ and ‘A’ class railway stations across the State will be commissioned at Ernakulam Junction on Monday.With this, the differently abled and the elderly will not have to use staircase to go to various platforms. Railway sources told The Hindu that lifts would also be installed.The escalator is on platform 1 of Ernakulam Junction.

Safety trials

“Test run and safety trials of the escalator that cost Rs.78.50 lakh have been carried out and it will be commissioned on Monday,” a railway official said.In all, the Ernakulam Junction and the North railway stations will get six escalators and three lifts at a cost of Rs.5.45 crore. Ernakulam North will get two escalators and a lift. Civil works are in progress for escalators on platforms 2 and 3 of Ernakulam Junction.The Thiruvananthapuram Central will get four escalators and three lifts at a cost of Rs.4.5 crore. Works on the escalator have begun on platform 2 here.Aluva station will get one escalator and a lift (Rs.1.05 crore); Nagercoil two escalators and two lifts (Rs.1.85 crore); and Kollam two escalators and two lifts at a cost of Rs.1.85 crore.Chengannur will get two escalators and one lift (Rs.2.32 crore) and Thrissur two escalators and lifts at a cost of Rs.1.92 crore.One escalator and three lifts being set up at Kozhikode railway station are getting ready for commissioning. A top official of Railways said one escalator and two lifts each would be set up in Palakkad, Kannur, and Mangalore railway stations in the second phase.Sources said purchase orders were placed for the lifts and escalators directly by the Railway Board.Escalators are installed in pairs, one upwards and the other downwards. There are 4,786 railway stations in the country with two or more platforms. Of them, 56 are equipped with 153 escalators.Out of a total budget allocation of Rs.914 crore under ‘Passenger Amenities’ in 2013-14, Rs.46 crore was earmarked for setting up of escalators.

Bathinda : Members of the Uttar Railway Mazdoor Union (URMU) staged a dharna at the Bathinda railway station under the leadership of Joginder Singh and Baldev Singh Punia.Pointing out the bad condition of the railway quarters, the union members demanded that the administration should either reconstruct or renovate the residential quarters.They also demanded that the wiring of these quarters also be changed as it was almost five-decade-old and was not safe enough to bear the increasing load.They said the railway authorities had been given a grant of Rs 2 crore out of which Rs 1.5 crore was to be spent on making purified drinking water available at the station and the rest was to be spent on laying water pipelines in the railway colony.They added that while only 50 per cent area had been covered with new pipelines, the entire sum had already been paid to the contractor.Sukhdarshan Singh, Anil Kumar, Lakhveer Singh, Mahinder Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Jagdish, Prakash Chand, Neel Kanth, Narinder Kumar Joshi, Dharmendar Kumar and Rajesh Sharma were amiong those present during the protest.

VIRUDHUNAGAR: With the Madurai railway division extending Karaikudi-Manamadurai-Karaikudi passenger till Virudhunagar via Aruppukottai, the long-standing demand for rail connectivity in the section has finally been met. The extended passenger train was formally inaugurated at Virudhunagar junction on Saturday morning.Viruthunagar - Manamadurai section was closed for broad-gauge conversion work in 2008 and the people in the region were stressing for the speedy completion of the works as the work proceeded at snail pace.After five years, the section was ready for train operation and the section was inaugurated for train operation in the presence of Union minister of state for civil aviation K C Venugopal on July 14. The recently flagged off Puducherry - Kanyakumari Weekly Express was the sole train plying through this section. As the local people were demanding more train services, the division has now extended Karaikudi-Manamadurai DEMU passenger till Virudhunagar.The extended passenger service, train number 76837 Karaikkudi-Virudunagar passenger (except Saturdays) will leave Karaikkudi at 6.15pm and arrive Manamadurai at 7.35pm to leave Manamadurai at 7.45pm and will reach Virudunagar at 9.45pm. Meanwhile, train number 76838 Virudunagar-Karaikkudi passenger (except Sundays) will leave Virudunagar at 6am, arrive Manamadurai at 7.40am to leave Manamadurai at 7.50am and will reach Karaikkudi at 9.35am. The train will stop at Devakottai road, Kallal, Panangudi, Sivaganga, Melakonnakulam, Manamadurai, Narikkudi, Tiruchchuli and Aruppukkottai.

Virudhunagar MP, Manick Tagore flagged off the train in the presence of divisional railway manager, A K Rastogi and Additional DRM, V Ajithkumar and other railway officials. A Malairajan, a member of the Consumer Forum in Aruppukottai welcomed regular train service on the stretch after five years. "The train timings are very beneficial for the office-goers. We urge the railway authorities to extend this train up to Senkottai so that many more benefitted," he said.

South Central Railway Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager Pradeep Kumar has donned the role of an instructor in the Electric Traction Training Centre (ETTC). He explained the Apprentice Loco Pilots (ALPs) about major components in the engine.The DRM, who visited the ETTC last week, interacted with the students. He explained that sand box was an important part of the engine, which helps prevent slipping of wheels from the tracks.“Automatic sanders (sand boxes) and manual sanders are arranged in the engines. Wheels usually lose grip during rainy and winter seasons and when oil and grease falls on the tracks. The pilot should press the pedal to apply sand on the tracks to provide friction between the wheels and the tracks. Only river sand should be used in the process”, explained Mr. Pradeep Kumar.Likewise, simulators (computer-based locos) will help identify the mistakes committed by a driver during training. The instructors explain the apprentice loco pilots about the mistakes committed by the learners on the screens. The ALPs can rectify their faults and improve their driving skills, said ETTC Principal D.R.J. Prasad.The ALPs, who arrived from different States, completed training on technical and general and subsidiary rules at the ETTC. They will undergo training on ‘road learning’ for about 15 days. The apprentice pilots would accompany the senior loco pilots on running trains and learn on road rules. Finally the loco inspectors inspect the driving skills of the fresh candidates, Mr. Pradeep Kumar told The Hindu.“The Indian Railways arranged three model cars to explain the ALPs on different components in the engine. A display of the major components is arranged in the loco training centre”, said Mr. Pradeep Kumar.

The beginning of a long weekend ahead of the Ganesh festival on Monday triggered a rush at the city’s bus-stands and railway stations as large crowds made their way back to their hometowns.Slow-moving traffic was reported in and around the Kempe Gowda bus station and Shantinagar bus-stand. With extra buses pressed into service to clear the festival rush, traffic near these bus-stands was dense. Residents of Shantinagar said many buses had been parked on the road, making movement of vehicles difficult. The traffic officer at the Kempe Gowda bus-stand said lines and lines of outgoing Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses were waiting to get as many passengers as possible on board. “A lot of my friends, like me, work in the information technology sector. As we have the weekend off, many of us are heading out of the city to celebrate the Ganesha festival with our families,” said Sanjana Sastry, a native of Mysore.However, expecting large crowds in popular tourist destinations, many are keeping holiday plans at bay. “My colleagues and I were planning to go to Kodagu on Saturday and Sunday and return on Monday. But we heard that the place would be too crowded. We were not sure if we would get bus tickets or hotel rooms. So we cancelled our plan,” said Allen D’Souza, a media professional.

Railway officials said swelling crowds are typical of this time of the year as it is the beginning of the long festive season. “The rush usually starts during Ganesh festival and continues till the end of the year, over Dasara and other long holidays,” an official said.

GUNTUR: The South Central Railway will operate special trains between Hyderabad, Kakinada and Narsapur to clear the extra rush of passengers during the Vinayaka Chavithi festival.The Narsapur to Secunderabad train will leave Narsapur at 8 pm on Monday and reach Secunderabad at 6 am on Tuesday, according to senior divisional commercial manager C Ramakrishna. tnnThe train will halt at Palakole, Bhimavaram, Akiveedu, Kaikalur, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Sattenapalle, Piduguralla, Nadikude, Miryalaguda and Nalgonda. Another pair of special trains will run between Kakinada and Hyderabad on Sunday and Monday.The Kakinada-Hyderabad train will leave Kakinada at 10.30 pm on Sunday and reach Hyderabad at 10.35 am on Monday, while the return train from Hyderabad would leave at 9 pm on Monday and reach Kakinada town at 9.30 am on Tuesday. The trains will halt at Rajahmundry, Bhimavaram, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Sattenapalle, Nadikude, Miryalaguda and Nalgonda.

PUNE: The city should consider underground metro only if it has sufficient funds to shoulder the excessive project cost, Vivek B Gadgil, Chief Executive and Managing Director of L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad), said on Saturday. Speaking to press persons, he also said that, the world over, cities are opting for elevated metro because of techno commercial and security reasons and suggested that Pune should follow suit.

There are pros and cons of elevated and underground metro. The decisions should be made on the basis of techno commercial reasons, he said. However, across the world, cities are opting for elevated metro in the backdrop of rising terror threats. Especially after the attack on the London underground, security concerns determine decisions on transport projects like the metro,” Gadgil said during a discussion with faculty members of Vishwakarma Institute of Information and Technology at Kondhwa.

When asked if Pune should go ahead with the elevated metro plan, Gadgil said, “If the city has funds, it should go ahead with underground metro. However, an underground project is very expensive compared to elevated metro. Also, it is a wrong notion that underground metro causes lesser nuisance then the elevated metro during construction. In fact, even the underground metro cause disturbance during construction phase.

Majority of work for underground project, like opening of tunnel and metro stations, has to be started on ground.”

He added that political interference in transport projects delay them and the city has to suffer. Gadgil said that, if there are no socio-political and economic hurdles, it is possible to complete a 60km metro project within four-to-five years.

The Pune elevated metro project proposal has been pending with the state government for three years and is likely to be tabled before the state cabinet next month. The project for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad includes two routes with a total length of 31.5km. The first route is between Vanaz and Ramwadi in Pune and the second between Pimpri Chinchwad and Swargate. As per the revised costs in 2013, the metro rail project will cost Rs 10,183 crore.

Gadgil said that the metro project alone is not going to solve city’s traffic problem. “The city has to develop a connectivity network around the metro project. Only then citizens will be able to use the metro,” he said.

Speaking on engineering requirements for modern metro projects, Gadgil said, “When we compare the situation in our country with other nations, we realize they have moved far ahead of us in terms of technology. In fact, we need to introduce metro engineering as a subject in colleges. Building metro projects is a critical task. If one thing goes wrong, it will affect the end result.”