ProUI

Seven years after the Mumbai train blasts on July 11, 2006, arrested Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yasin Bhatkal has revealed that the explosive used in the attack was provided by the group’s Karachi-based co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal in order to avenge the 2002 Gujarat riots and not Lashkar-e-Taiba as claimed by the state police. As many as seven pressure cooker bombs exploded in local trains within a span of 11 minutes at the peak hours killing as many as 209 persons and grievously injuring another 714.The Maharashtra police had charge-sheeted 28 persons and arrested 13. Yasin said that the blasts were the first joint operation of Bhatkal and Azamgarh-based terror modules.  Azamgarh born Sadiq Israr Sheikh helped Riyaz in bringing the two groups together.Sheikh came in touch with Riyaz in Mumbai in the late 1990s and was arrested from the city on November 24, 2008. The Azamgarh module was headed by Atif Ameen, killed in the Batla House encounter on September 19, 2008.

Though Yasin didn’t participate in the 7/11 Mumbai attack, his confession is an open secret among security agencies that the operation was of IM and that LeT or those arrested had nothing to do with it.

Despite Sheikh describing the attack in detail, the case was never reopened.

Yasin and Assadullah Akhtar alias Haddi have told interrogators that the attack was designed to target Gujarati businessmen travelling in first class coaches. The RDX used in the pressure cooker bombs was supplied to Riyaz Bhatkal by a courier named Jalaluddin Mullah alias Babu Bhai, who was arrested by the IB and UP Police in June 2007. The timer bombs were made by Azamgarh module bomb makers Ariz Khan and Arif Badar, close friends of Sadiq Sheikh and Atif Ameen.

Although Maharashtra police arrested Ehtesham Siddiqui and 12 others in the 2006 case, the former Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) secretary of Mumbai cried before his interrogators claiming innocence in the case. Nearly two years after the blasts, SIMI’s president Safdar Nagori was picked up from Indore on March 27, 2008. Nagori is learnt to have begged his interrogators to release his close friend Ehtesham and hang him instead. Several calls made to the Mumbai Police went unanswered.

पटना मेट्रो के एलायनमेंट पर सरकार के स्तर पर मुहर लग गयी है। अब इस एलायनमेंट को विभाग द्वारा कंसलटेंट के लिए भेजा जाएगा। सरकार के स्तर पर फिलहाल दो स्ट्रेच में ही मेट्रो की मंजूरी मिली है।
आधिकारिक जानकारी के अनुसार एलायनमेंट को मुख्यमंत्री की सहमति हासिल हो जाने के बाद यह गति पकड़ेगी। कंसलटेंट फर्म अब एलायनमेंट के आधार पर अपने काम को आगे बढ़ायेगी। पहले फेज में पटना मेट्रो प्रोजेक्ट लगभग तीस किमी का है। इसमें दानापुर से लेकर दीदारगंज का भी हिस्सा शामिल है। गांधी मैदान, सगुना मोड़ और दीदारगंज से ही मेट्रो शुरू होगी।
पटना मेट्रो के जिस एलायनमेंट को मंजूरी दी गयी है उसके अनुसार इसका एक स्ट्रेच दानापुर स्थित सगुना मोड़ से शुरू हो रहा है। यहां मेट्रो एलिवेटेड स्वरूप में होगी। आगे बढ़कर आईजीआईएमएस के करीब एक स्टेशन बनाया जा सकता है। पूरे एलिवेटेड स्वरूप में मेट्रो सचिवालय होते हुए सरपेंटाइन रोड तक आएगी। सरपेंटाइन रोड में मेट्रो को अंडरग्राउंड कर दिया गया है। यह अंडरग्राउंड लेन भी काफी लंबी रखी गयी है। सरपेंटाइन रोड से मेट्रो वीरचंद पटेल पथ होते हुए आयकर गोलंबर आएगी। यहां भी स्टेशन दिए जाने की योजना है। इसके बाद डाकबंगला चौक होते हुए यह गांधी मैदान के समीप जाकर खत्म हो जाएगी।
दूसरा स्ट्रेच दीदारगंज के समीप से शुरू होगा। दीदारगंज से न्यू बाइपास होते हुए इसका हिस्सा पुरानी बाइपास होते हुए गांधी मैदान की ओर मुड़ना है।

Hopes of commissioning the 9.9-km stretch from Malleswaram to Peenya (Reach-3 and 3A) sometime before November will remain just that for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is yet to obtain all the clearances and final approval from the Commissioner for Railway Safety.While the integrated trials on the stretch had begun last month, the Corporation is yet to avail crucial clearances, including the two aspects of the schedule of dimensions — which is essential for final clearance.Further, the wait for a speed certificate from the Railway Design and Standards Organisation is delaying the process, even as the oscillation trials are yet to commence.Only after all these procedures can the BMRCL invite the commissioner for inspection, whose findings will determine whether trains can be commercially operated on the stretch.

Other reaches

In its latest newsletter, BMRCL said that, “All foundations, piers, portals and segmental box girder erections have been completed on Reach-2 (Magadi Road to Mysore Road).”
It said that the remaining work on parapet erections (eight spans) railings (50 spans), expansion joint fixings, are in progress and that, overall, the progress of work completed on the viaduct is 99 per cent.

On Reach 3 (Peenya Village to Hesaraghatta Cross), the casting of 2,013 parapets of the 2,040 are complete and 69 of the 106 parapet erections are complete. Work on proceeding in full flow on Reach-4 with even station works having made sustained progress.

Seven years after the Mumbai train blasts on July 11, 2006, arrested Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yasin Bhatkal has revealed that the explosive used in the attack was provided by the group’s Karachi-based co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal in order to avenge the 2002 Gujarat riots and not Lashkar-e-Taiba as claimed by the state police. As many as seven pressure cooker bombs exploded in local trains within a span of 11 minutes at the peak hours killing as many as 209 persons and grievously injuring another 714.The Maharashtra police had charge-sheeted 28 persons and arrested 13. Yasin said that the blasts were the first joint operation of Bhatkal and Azamgarh-based terror modules.  Azamgarh born Sadiq Israr Sheikh helped Riyaz in bringing the two groups together.Sheikh came in touch with Riyaz in Mumbai in the late 1990s and was arrested from the city on November 24, 2008. The Azamgarh module was headed by Atif Ameen, killed in the Batla House encounter on September 19, 2008.

Though Yasin didn’t participate in the 7/11 Mumbai attack, his confession is an open secret among security agencies that the operation was of IM and that LeT or those arrested had nothing to do with it.

Despite Sheikh describing the attack in detail, the case was never reopened.

Yasin and Assadullah Akhtar alias Haddi have told interrogators that the attack was designed to target Gujarati businessmen travelling in first class coaches. The RDX used in the pressure cooker bombs was supplied to Riyaz Bhatkal by a courier named Jalaluddin Mullah alias Babu Bhai, who was arrested by the IB and UP Police in June 2007. The timer bombs were made by Azamgarh module bomb makers Ariz Khan and Arif Badar, close friends of Sadiq Sheikh and Atif Ameen.

Although Maharashtra police arrested Ehtesham Siddiqui and 12 others in the 2006 case, the former Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) secretary of Mumbai cried before his interrogators claiming innocence in the case. Nearly two years after the blasts, SIMI’s president Safdar Nagori was picked up from Indore on March 27, 2008. Nagori is learnt to have begged his interrogators to release his close friend Ehtesham and hang him instead. Several calls made to the Mumbai Police went unanswered.

मुद्दा लुभावना है। जन-जन तक इससे प्रभावित है। लंबे अरसे से इसे उछालकर राजनेता लोगों की सहानुभूति बटोरते है। बावजूद इसके अब तक ठोस प्रयास न हो सका है। 30 किमी लंबी इंदारा-दोहरीघाट मीटर गेज रेल मार्ग के आमान परिवर्तन की बात तो अब तो यह भी तय नहीं कि कब कितने डिब्बा की रेल बस गुजरेगी।
अंग्रेजों ने जनपद के अमिला, दोहरीघाट, गोंडा एवं घोसी क्षेत्र में गुड़ एवं खांड़सारी के व्यवसाय के चलते वर्ष 1902 में रेल लाइन का कार्य प्रारंभ किया। 1905 में इंदारा से दोहरीघाट तक 30 किमी लंबी रेल लाइन बिछाई जाने के बाद लंबी दूरी की ट्रेन का संचालन प्रारंभ हुआ। शाहगंज एवं छपरा तक ट्रेन संचालित होने से क्षेत्र में व्यावसायिक गतिविधियों की रफ्तार बढ़ गई। नब्बे के दशक में जब गोरखपुर-भटनी-वाराणसी रेल लाइन मीटर गेज से ब्राड गेज में परिवर्तित हुई तो लाजिम रहा कि इस मार्ग पर संचालित दूरस्थ ट्रेनें रद्द हो गयीं। ऐसे में इस मार्ग के भी आमान परिवर्तन की आस जगी। आस तो पूर न हुई अलबत्ता रेल बस सेवा प्रारम्भ की गयी। अब शुरू हुआ राजनेताओं के वायदों का खेल। हर चुनाव में एक नया चेहरा आता है और अमान परिवर्तन का पुरजोर भरोसा देता है। पर हकीकत यह कि हर बार जनता छली जाती है। इस मार्ग की उपेक्षा का आलम यह कि रेल बस के दोनों ही डिब्बे यात्रियों से ठसाठस भरे होते है पर अतिरिक्त डिब्बों की व्यवस्था करने से भी रेलवे को गुरेज है।
और बंद हो गये तमाम व्यवसाय
घोसी (मऊ) : दोहरीघाट का दाल व्यवसाय और अमिला गोंठा का गुड़ व्यवसाय कभी बुलंदी पर था। कारण माल आवागमन की बेहतरीन सुविधा। अब जब से ट्रेन बंद कर रेल बस सेवा प्रारम्भ हुई है तब से एक के बाद एक यह उद्योग बंद होता चला गया। ऐसे में नये उद्योगों की स्थापना की बात बिल्कुल बेमानी है।

Krishna and twin Godavari deltas will turn deserts if State is bifurcated

Thousands of farmers on Monday blocked rail-cum-road bridge (RCRB) across the Godavari in protest against bifurcation of State. The Samaikyandhra agitation received a boost with the farmers of the two Godavari districts marching towards the RCRB from early in the morning.

The farmers arrived on tractors, bullock- carts and bikes and held a public meeting on the bridge and gave war cry for unified State. The traffic was blocked for kilometres from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Farmers from JACs of Konaseema, East and West Godavari districts and the representatives from AP Agriculture Officers’ Association, including its State president Kamalakar Sharma, took part in the huge rally.

Konaseema Rythu JAC convener Yalla Satyanandam, campaign secretary Matta Mahalakshmi Prabhakar and Addala Gopalakrishna were among those who were present in the meeting.

Farmers at the public meeting made it clear that they would not accept any option other than unified Andhra Pradesh. They found fault with the comments made some political leaders accepting bifurcation with Hyderabad as union territory.

They opined that these politicians were batting for Hyderabad only to protect their assets in the capital city.

They reiterated that Krishna and the twin Godavari deltas would become deserts if the State was bifurcated.

The farmers of the delta observed that Telangana leaders were already joining the States such as Odisha and Chhattisgarh in opposing Polavaram project and strongly felt that Polavaram project would not materialise if the State was bifurcated.

They maintained that rabi crop was surviving in Godavari delta due to water from Sileru, Sabari and Kinnersani and observed that these rivers would stay with Telangana if the State was bifurcated.

On the Food Security Bill, the farmers questioned how it was possible to implement it after Godavari and Krishna deltas turned deserts. They lamented that lakhs of agriculture workers would lose their livelihood if the State is bifurcated. They called upon the farmers of other districts to form joint action committees to fight for the cause of unified Andhra Pradesh.

Bangalore: Karnataka plans to operate bullet trains from Bangalore to Mysore and Chennai, with the help of Japanese technology and funds, to decongest the city and facilitate speedy intra and inter-state travel, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said today."I have invited Japanese experts for discussions with Indian Railways and our officials to explore introducing bullet trains initially between Bangalore and Mysore and Chennai to provide high-speed travel between intra and inter-cities," Mr Siddaramaiah said on return from a week-long visit to China on Sunday.During the visit to participate in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Dalian in the northeastern Liaoning province, Mr Siddaramaiah met Japanese Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura and discussed on getting his country's technical and financial support for the high-speed trains and infrastructure corridors.

"As Japan was the first country in the world to introduce bullet trains and operate them successfully since the sixties (1960s), I am sure their experts will be able guide us in having similar high-speed travel in the state as it will help us to decongest Bangalore," he said.

Cruising at 300 km per hour, a bullet train will cover the 150 km distance from Bangalore to Mysore in 30 minutes and Chennai, which is 360 km away, in over an hour.

"We are exploring the possibility of having high-speed trains to tier-two cities like Mysore, Hubli and Mangalore in the state and cities like Chennai outside the state for fast movement of people and goods. A bullet train will bridge the travel time between Bangalore and Mysore leading to their development as twin cities," Mr Siddaramaiah said.

The chief minister invited Shimomura to participate in the third Global Investors' Meet (GIM) the state government will hold in Bangalore in October 2014 to attract global investments across the state in diverse sectors.

Krishna and twin Godavari deltas will turn deserts if State is bifurcated

Thousands of farmers on Monday blocked rail-cum-road bridge (RCRB) across the Godavari in protest against bifurcation of State. The Samaikyandhra agitation received a boost with the farmers of the two Godavari districts marching towards the RCRB from early in the morning.

The farmers arrived on tractors, bullock- carts and bikes and held a public meeting on the bridge and gave war cry for unified State. The traffic was blocked for kilometres from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Farmers from JACs of Konaseema, East and West Godavari districts and the representatives from AP Agriculture Officers’ Association, including its State president Kamalakar Sharma, took part in the huge rally.

Konaseema Rythu JAC convener Yalla Satyanandam, campaign secretary Matta Mahalakshmi Prabhakar and Addala Gopalakrishna were among those who were present in the meeting.

Farmers at the public meeting made it clear that they would not accept any option other than unified Andhra Pradesh. They found fault with the comments made some political leaders accepting bifurcation with Hyderabad as union territory.

They opined that these politicians were batting for Hyderabad only to protect their assets in the capital city.

They reiterated that Krishna and the twin Godavari deltas would become deserts if the State was bifurcated.

The farmers of the delta observed that Telangana leaders were already joining the States such as Odisha and Chhattisgarh in opposing Polavaram project and strongly felt that Polavaram project would not materialise if the State was bifurcated.

They maintained that rabi crop was surviving in Godavari delta due to water from Sileru, Sabari and Kinnersani and observed that these rivers would stay with Telangana if the State was bifurcated.

On the Food Security Bill, the farmers questioned how it was possible to implement it after Godavari and Krishna deltas turned deserts. They lamented that lakhs of agriculture workers would lose their livelihood if the State is bifurcated. They called upon the farmers of other districts to form joint action committees to fight for the cause of unified Andhra Pradesh.

New Delhi: Railways have decided to expedite projects involving laying of broad gauge line in Himachal Pradesh in close coordination with the state government.

The projects include Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri new line, Chandigarh-Baddi new line and completion of Nagladam-Talwara new line to connect to Mukerian and to provide alternative line to Pathankot through Sirhind-Nangaldam-Talwara-Mukerian route.

कानपुर झांसी के बीच नई विद्युतीकरण रेलवे लाइन पर कब से ट्रेनों का आवागमन शुरू होगा, इसको लेकर संशय बरकरार है। सोमवार को रेल संरक्षा आयुक्त पीके वाजपेयी ने विद्युतीकृत लाइन का निरीक्षण किया। उन्होंने कहा कि मंगलवार को इलेक्ट्रिक इंजन का लाइन पर ट्रायल होगा। इसके बाद रिपोर्ट ऊपर भेजी जाएगी। कब से इलेक्ट्रिक ट्रेनें दौड़ने लगेंगी इसको लेकर उन्होंने कोई आधिकारिक संकेत नहीं दिया है। उन्होंने कहा कि तकनीकि खामियों को वे चिन्हित कर रहे हैं।
रेल संरक्षा आयुक्त पीके वाजपेयी ने उरई रेलवे स्टेशन पर इलेक्ट्रिक लाइन के निरीक्षण के दौरान माना कि अभी इलेक्ट्रिक लाइन से ट्रेनों के संचालन में तमाम गतिरोध हैं उन्हें दूर करने की कोशिश की जा रही है। उन्होंने कहा कि कानपुर से झांसी तक बिछी विद्युतीकृत रेलवे लाइन के निरीक्षण के बाद मंगलवार को इलेक्ट्रिक इंजन का फाइनल ट्रायल होगा। इसके बाद तय किया जाएगा लाइन ठीक है या नहीं, कब से इलेक्ट्रिक ट्रेनों के आवागमन को हरी झंडी मिलेगी इसको लेकर उन्होंने कुछ नहीं कहा। चौरसी के पास विद्युतीकृत लाइन में पावर सप्लाई के लिए सब स्टेशन के निर्माण को लेकर चल रहा विवाद अभी खत्म नहीं हुआ, लेकिन उन्होंने कहा कि यहां सब स्टेशन स्थापित हुए बगैर भी इलेक्ट्रिक लाइन शुरू हो सकती है। इलेक्ट्रिक लाइन देखने वाले इंजीनियरों से उन्होंने तकनीकी खामियों के बारे में पूछा।