ProUI

The South Eastern Railways and North East Frontier Railways will run weekly superfast special trains between Shalimar (Kolkata)-Yeshwantpur and Kamakhya (Guwahati) — Yeshwantpur stations respectively during October and November.Accordingly, Train No 02863 will depart Shalimar station at 11 am on Mondays and reach Yeshwantpur at 4.30 pm on Tuesdays, on October 7, 14, 21, 28 and November 4, 11, 18 and 25. In the return direction, Train No 02864 will depart Yeshwantpur station at 11.15 am on Wednesdays and arrive at Shalimar at 4.20 pm on Thursdays, from October 9, 16, 23,  30, November 6, 13, 20 and 27.
Train No 02552 will depart  from Kamakhya at 2 pm on Wednesdays and arrive at Yeshwanthpur at 6.30 pm on Fridays from October 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 and November 6, 13, 20 and 27.In the return direction, train number 02551 will depart Yeshwanthpur at 8.30 am on Saturdays and arrive at Kamakhya at 1:30 pm on Mondays, on October 5, 12, 19 and 26 and November 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.

The above weekly superfast special will run in path and stoppages of train numbers 12552 and 12551 Kamakhya-Yeshwanthpur-Kamakhya AC Express announced in the budget, but which have not yet been introduced.

Augmentation

The South Western Railways has continued augmentation of one additional AC chair car  temporarily for train Nos.12028/12027 Bangalore City-Chennai Shatabdi Express from September 3 to December 3,1 from both ends.

The above trains run with a total of 14 coaches (instead of 13 coaches) comprising of two first class AC chair cars, ten AC chair cars and two motor cars for the above period, temporarily.

Amritsar : Passengers of Chandigarh-Amritsar Superfast Express were peeved, as the authorities kept the train waiting for an hour at the Mannawala railway station, about 10 km from here, last night.A passenger Rachanpuneet said the train was parked on the outskirts of the city, adding that it was a wastage of time due to the lack of infrastructure at the railway station.He said the train was stopped at Manawala village's railway station at 9:45 pm. While the train was kept there for about 60 minutes, four other trains, including Sachkhand and Shatabdi, were allowed to pass. "It was really disgusting that the passengers were made to wait despite the train arriving on the outskirts of the city on time."Railways officials cited the disruption of power lines due to the high-velocity winds which struck yesterday. Besides, it has only six platforms, namely one to five and 1A.On the other hand, the railway station has been witnessing the departure and arrival of about 130 trains daily. The holy city receives tourists and pilgrims from across the country and all over the world. On an average, the daily footfall of passengers is about 30,000 at the railway station.

The Public Grievance Commission chairperson may refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation

Public Grievance Commission chairperson and former Chief Secretary P.K. Tripathi has stirred the hornet’s nest by observing in a case of delay of a rail over-bridge and rail under-bridge project in Bijwasan in South Delhi that there might be “some conspiracy or vested interests working against the interest of the government and public revenue” and that the Commission will “weigh the option of referring this whole matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation”.

Mr. Tripathi was acting on a complaint filed by Bijwasan MLA Satprakash Rana before the Commission in 2011 in which he had stated that work on the flyover and the underpass at Bijwasan village was began in December 2009 and February 2010 respectively. He had further stated that: “As a result of this, the people of the village are facing great hardship for the past two years as they have to take a detour of 8-9 km along with their cattle to go to the other side of the railway line”.

Taking strong exception to the delay in the project, Mr. Tripathi said: “The Commission is anguished at the callous attitude of various departments and officers in this matter, which forces it to believe the existence of some conspiracy or vested interests working against the interest of the public. The Commissioner is being forced by the circumstances to weigh the option of referring this whole matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for finding the truth of such conspiracy or vested interests, if there may be any.”

Mr. Rana had also noted that he had urged the Northern Railway authorities to provide an alternative railway crossing to the villagers till the construction of the flyover and underpass were completed.

The PGC convened 13 meetings in the matter, and in July this year even urged the Chief Secretary to expedite the approval to the Cabinet note, which, as per representatives of the Urban Development Department, sought the approval of the Delhi Cabinet for the revised cost of 15 rail under bridges (RUBs)/ rail over bridges (ROBs) for their construction by the South and North Delhi Municipal Corporations, and had moved out of the Department.

Later a formal report, dated August 23, submitted by the Joint Director (Planning) in the Urban Development Department had confirmed that the Cabinet note had been lying with the Delhi Chief Minister for her approval to be placed before the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Delhi Lokayukta Manmohan Sarin, who is also conducting an inquiry in the matter against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on a complaint by Mr. Rana, has taken cognisance of the PGC’s comments which were placed before him.

A report was also filed before the Lokayukta by Joint Director (Planning) in the Urban Development Department, which stated that from 2006-07 to 2011-12 a total amount of Rs.240 crore had been released to the MCD by the Delhi Government for construction of RUBs/ROBs. It also claimed that the Department has released the funds in totality and not project-wise.

For its part, the Department (Planning Branch) had pointed out that earlier a Cabinet note to get the approval of the Council of Ministers for the revised cost based on enhancement was prepared. Further, there was question of the Railways sharing 50 per cent of the enhanced cost.

Mr. Rana then also placed on record a copy of the order passed by the Chairman of PGC. Thereafter, Justice Sarin demanded that the original record in the case be produced together with Ms. Dikshit’s response in the matter. He listed the matter on September 20.

PUDUCHERRY: Railways will construct road overbridges at all the identified level crossings that have more than one lakh train-vehicle unit (a unit obtained by multiplying the number of trains with road vehicles and is indicative of traffic at the level crossing), said Union railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday.The minister was in the Union territory to lay the foundation stones for road overbridges at Arumpathapuram and 100 feet road at an estimated cost of more than Rs 30 crore and to flag off the Puducherry-Tirupati weekly express train. He said the ministry would construct road over bridges at the five identified level crossings in Puducherry-Villupuram region. "Two road overbridges will be ready within one year and rest within two years," he assured.He said the ministry would entrust construction of approach bridges to the road overbridges to the Puducherry public works department. He said the ministry fulfilled two of its three promises made in the last budget and assured that Mangalore-Trichy train would be extended up to Puducherry soon. The ministry introduced Puducherry-Kannyakumari express and Puducherry-Tirupathi express.He stressed that Puducherry need to be connected with all state capitals and sought the Union minister of state in PMO V Narayanasamy, who attended the function, to seek more funds from the Union finance ministry for more railway projects for Puducherry.

Narayanasamy said the beneficiary states shares 50% of the expenses for railway projects and added that Union government liberally funded railway projects in Puducherry even though the government did not come forward to share the project cost.

Gauge conversion was progressing at full swing at Karaikal and more train services would be introduced after the work is completed.

Narayanasamy sought the ministry to introduce a Puducherry-Ajmer train. He also sought the ministry to upgrade the Puducherry railway station as a model railway station and earmark adequate funds for upgradation.

A foot-over-bridge connecting all the platforms at Salem Railway Junction was inaugurated here on Tuesday.Constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.2 crore, the foot-over-bridge is of a steel structure with concrete pathway. Non-slippery ceramic tiles have been used for the steps and pathways to connect platforms 1,2,3,4 and 5.For the convenience of the passengers, the roofs have been covered with aluminium sheets.Currently, work is on to install lift service in platform 1 and 3 each at a cost of Rs. 30 lakh.After obtaining license and lifts becomes operational, it will be possible for senior citizens to reach platform 1 and 3 using the lift and also the foot-over-bridge.

Currently, passengers have to use the subway to reach these platforms. Senior citizens find it difficult to use he steep pathways.

The facility was inaugurated by Station Manager Murugesan in the presence of Salem Divisional Railway Manager Sujatha Jayaraj, Additional Divisional Railway Manager V. Thavamani Pandi and senior managers.

Speaking to reporters, Ms. Sujatha outlined the various works currently carried out in the junction including: expanding the circulating area, establishing new air-conditioned waiting hall, shifting of Railway Mail Service (RMS) office and converting it into a waiting hall, and establishing Multi-Functional Complex (MFC) on the premises.

“All the works are expected to be completed in a year,” she added.

When asked about the date of introduction of the new Bangalore — Nagercoil Express, she said that the rakes are awaited.

She said that subways are being constructed to replace unmanned level crossings.

The Union Cabinet is set to clear in the next couple of days a long-pending refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Rajasthan's Barmer district, giving Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's Congress administration approval for much-needed industry showpiece to show to voters in time before an Election Commission ban on pre-poll announcements comes into place next week.Gehlot has lined up a program on Sunday for Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to lay the foundation stone of the Rs 38,000-crore project between state-run refiner HPCL and the Rajasthan government. The state government will have 26% stake in the project.The Public Investment Board on Monday evening cleared the proposal, which has been battling a series of sabotage attempts from multiple quarters since March when the state government and HPCL signed an MoU. "The cabinet committee on economic affairs is slated to give its final nod to the project by Thursday," one political source said.Sources said the project was put on a fast-track after the Gandhi family rallied around Gehlot, who has been lobbying hard in Delhi for the past six months to get it approved. Gehlot, who faces assembly elections in November, is now seen locked in a neck-andneck race against the BJP led by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje after a tepid start, his comeback largely because of the popularity of the state government's medical and old-age pension schemes.The Centre and state government's race against the EC date for poll notification, expected any time next week, is likely to benefit other projects too. On Sunday, after laying the foundation state for the new refinery, she will also lay the foundation stone for a rail coach factory in Gulabpur in Bhilwara. A day before, the PM is slated to lay the foundation stone of an airport project in Ajmer.

The Union Cabinet is set to clear in the next couple of days a long-pending refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Rajasthan's Barmer district, giving Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's Congress administration approval for much-needed industry showpiece to show to voters in time before an Election Commission ban on pre-poll announcements comes into place next week.Gehlot has lined up a program on Sunday for Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to lay the foundation stone of the Rs 38,000-crore project between state-run refiner HPCL and the Rajasthan government. The state government will have 26% stake in the project.The Public Investment Board on Monday evening cleared the proposal, which has been battling a series of sabotage attempts from multiple quarters since March when the state government and HPCL signed an MoU. "The cabinet committee on economic affairs is slated to give its final nod to the project by Thursday," one political source said.Sources said the project was put on a fast-track after the Gandhi family rallied around Gehlot, who has been lobbying hard in Delhi for the past six months to get it approved. Gehlot, who faces assembly elections in November, is now seen locked in a neck-andneck race against the BJP led by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje after a tepid start, his comeback largely because of the popularity of the state government's medical and old-age pension schemes.The Centre and state government's race against the EC date for poll notification, expected any time next week, is likely to benefit other projects too. On Sunday, after laying the foundation state for the new refinery, she will also lay the foundation stone for a rail coach factory in Gulabpur in Bhilwara. A day before, the PM is slated to lay the foundation stone of an airport project in Ajmer.

While the Pulakeshi Nagar police have booked a case of negligence against the railway authority following the death of a nine-year-old boy in a trench dug up adjacent the Banaswadi Railway station, railway authorities deferred stating it as a case of trespass.

Preliminary investigations by the police confirmed that a trench was dug up to store rain water for construction activities, and the authorities had not fenced the area, leading to the mishap.

According to an official press release from South Western Railway, the officials claimed that the Railway land near Banasawadi station is fenced off by a compound wall on all four sides. Inside the compound wall, a seven-foot-deep Ground Level Reservoir (GLR) was under construction for augmenting the supply of water at Railway Station and the adjoining railway quarters. Further, the officials blamed the boys for trespassing, stating that the three boys jumped the boundary wall and went to the GLR construction site for swimming, which can be proved by the fact that the boys’ clothes were outside the construction site.

“This is a clear case of trespass, and since the railway premises is covered by a boundary wall on all four sides there was no need for extra protection for the GLR,” the release said.

“Railway land is being misused for all sorts of activities. Roads are built by people, boundary walls are broken, garbage is dumped and illegal constructions taken up, preventing railway staff from doing their duties,” the release said. The officials demanded that the police file an FIR against all those trespass on railway land.

However, the Pulakeshinagar police said it was clear that it was negligence of railway authorities, who left the trench without covering it properly, which led to the incident. “We have booked a case of negligence and are investigating the matter,” the police said.

PUDUCHERRY: Railways will construct road overbridges at all the identified level crossings that have more than one lakh train-vehicle unit (a unit obtained by multiplying the number of trains with road vehicles and is indicative of traffic at the level crossing), said Union railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday.The minister was in the Union territory to lay the foundation stones for road overbridges at Arumpathapuram and 100 feet road at an estimated cost of more than Rs 30 crore and to flag off the Puducherry-Tirupati weekly express train. He said the ministry would construct road over bridges at the five identified level crossings in Puducherry-Villupuram region. "Two road overbridges will be ready within one year and rest within two years," he assured.He said the ministry would entrust construction of approach bridges to the road overbridges to the Puducherry public works department. He said the ministry fulfilled two of its three promises made in the last budget and assured that Mangalore-Trichy train would be extended up to Puducherry soon. The ministry introduced Puducherry-Kannyakumari express and Puducherry-Tirupathi express.He stressed that Puducherry need to be connected with all state capitals and sought the Union minister of state in PMO V Narayanasamy, who attended the function, to seek more funds from the Union finance ministry for more railway projects for Puducherry.

Narayanasamy said the beneficiary states shares 50% of the expenses for railway projects and added that Union government liberally funded railway projects in Puducherry even though the government did not come forward to share the project cost.

Gauge conversion was progressing at full swing at Karaikal and more train services would be introduced after the work is completed.

Narayanasamy sought the ministry to introduce a Puducherry-Ajmer train. He also sought the ministry to upgrade the Puducherry railway station as a model railway station and earmark adequate funds for upgradation.

कानपुर। मर्चेंट चैंबर आफ उत्तर प्रदेश और उत्तर मध्य रेलवे के अफसरों के साथ मंगलवार को हुई बैठक में बताया गया कि पनकी से मंधना को रेल लाइन से जोड़ने का प्रस्ताव मंत्रालय से वापस आ गया है। अब दोबारा सर्वे कराने के बाद उसे वापस भेजा जाएगा। साथ ही अनवरगंज से मंधना तक रेल लाइन बंद करने पर भी चर्चा हुई तो रेलवे अफसरों ने कहा कि पहले व्यापारिक इकाईयों के आंकड़े पता हो, तभी आगे की रणनीति तय हो पाएगी।

बैठक में रेलवे अधिकारी यूवीएस प्रभाकर, वरिष्ठ यातायात प्रबंधक वीके वर्मा, डिप्टी सीओएम सतीश चंद्र श्रीवास्तव के अलावा कई अन्य अफसर मौजूद रहे। चैंबर सचिव एके सिन्हा, महासचिव अनीता झा पहले ही रेलवे अफसरों से मिल समस्या को अवगत कराया था। साथ ही कहा था कि मंधना से अनवरगंज के बीच 17 रेलवे क्रासिंग हैं और इनमें लगने वाले जाम में लोग घंटों फंसे रहते हैं। इस मौके पर ज्ञान मिश्र, राजकुमार गुप्त, राजे गुप्त, चंद्राकर दीक्षित, पुरुषोत्तम दुबे, वाईएस गर्ग, मिकी मनचंदा और मनोज बंका सहित कई लोग मौजूद रहे।