ProUI

LUCKNOW: UPA chief Sonia Gandhi's dream project , the Rail Coach Factory, in her parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli has hit a road block as local farmers are protesting against it. Staging a demonstration at its main gate, the farmers are demanding the jobs they were promised when their land was acquired by the state government. On Monday in fact, some of them even locked it for a while.Locals say that the anger of the villagers in Lalganj, where the factory is located, has been brewing for many months. It however burst on Monday, when at least 100 farmers blocked the road leading to the factory and locked its gate. The lock was removed a few hours later after a meeting with officers of the local administration, but the dharna continued into Tuesday. The farmers say the protest will continue till their demands are met.

पूर्वोतर रेलवे के सिवान-थावे रेलखंड पर स्पेशल साप्ताहिक ट्रेन का परिचालन किया जाएगा। इस स्पेशल ट्रेन का परिचालन कोलकाता से गोरखपुर के बीच किया जाएगा। पूजा स्पेशल ट्रेन संख्या- 03131 अप कोलकता से 11 बजकर 25 मिनट पर चलेगी तथा थावे में तीन बजकर 50 मिनट पर पहुंची एवं आठ बजकर दस मिनट पर गोरखपुर पहुंचेगी। ये ट्रेनें छह नवंबर, 13 नवंबर और 20 नवंबर को कोलकत्ता से गोरखपुर आयेगी। वहीं दूसरी तरफ गोरखपुर-कोलकाता गाड़ी संख्या 03132 डा. गोरखपुर से 12 बजे चलेगी तथा थावे में 15 बजकर 35 पर पहुंचेगी। उसके बाद कोलकाता में आठ बजकर 45 मिनट में पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन सात नंवबर, 14 नवंबर और 21 नवंबर को गोरखपुर से कोलकाता जाएगी। साप्ताहिक ट्रेनों के परिचालन शुरू होने से लोगों में काफी खुशी है।

With the Andhra Pradesh Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APUFIDC) sanctioning funds for taking up a detailed study on the metro rail project for the city, the GVMC now has the required Rs.1.6 crore for getting the detailed project report ready.Half the amount, Rs.80 lakh, has been sanctioned by the Central government.The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and AAREE are in the run for preparation of the detailed project reports (DPRs). The State government will decide the agency.It is estimated that a km of metro rail project costs Rs.220 crore.“In the city, the DPRs will be prepared for a 20-km stretch mostly on the road on which buses are plying now,” Municipal Commissioner M.V. Satyanarayana said.Mr. Satyanarayana said the issue of deciding the agency would be finalised by the State government by the end of the month.Now, even smaller cities such as Bhopal and Kochi, with a population of around 17 lakh, have been sanctioned metro rail. The population of the GVMC, after merger of Bheemunipatnam and Anakapalle, is estimated to be 19 lakh.Getting metro rail sanctioned is cited as one of the major reasons for merger in spite of their being away from the city, posing problems in administering them.

The entire metro rail project will be funded by the Central government.

VIJAYAWADA: After the special drive by railway officials at Vijayawada railway station against ticketless travelling last week, authorities witnessed a steep jump in the revenue from ticket sales.

According to SCR chief spokesperson Koganti Sambasiva Rao, chief commercial manager Gnaneswara Rao led the surprise raid last Friday. He said

the surprise raid to detect ticketless traveling helped in getting additional revenue of Rs 5 lakh in just one day. He said all possible escape routes at Vijayawada station were closed with the help of security personnel and inspections were carried out by special teams drawn from various wings of the commercial division.

Nearly 117 ticket checking staff, 20 RPF, 31 GRP personnel and teams from Scouts and Guides were present at the station during the check, said Sambasiva

Rao. He said 1,466 cases were booked against ticketless travelers. and officials collected Rs 5.08 lakh as penalty. The "fortress check" resulted in about 15% jump in journey ticket sales and 33% increase in platform ticket sales.

Deputy CCM R Venkateswara Rao and senior DCM NV Satyanarayana were also present during the raids, said Sambasiva Rao.

Jammu:
The Northern Railways Men Union (NRMU) today organised gate meeting in front of SS Jammu Tawi office to finalise the arrangements for participation in 45th annual martyrs’ day at Pathankot.Union president and branch secretary,Jammu branch, Subhash Dogra and Vijay Singh apprised about the programme to be followed by the delegates of Jammu branch.Around 1,000 members are expected to participate in the celebration at Pathankot. Martyrs’ Day is celebrated on September 19 every year in memory of those who sacrificed their lives fighting for the cause of railway employees.Others who participated in the gate meeting included Balbir Singh, KK Sharma, Ashwani Kumar, Ram Pal Sharma, Raj Kumar and Rajeev Sabarwal.

LUCKNOW: UPA chief Sonia Gandhi's dream project , the Rail Coach Factory, in her parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli has hit a road block as local farmers are protesting against it. Staging a demonstration at its main gate, the farmers are demanding the jobs they were promised when their land was acquired by the state government. On Monday in fact, some of them even locked it for a while.Locals say that the anger of the villagers in Lalganj, where the factory is located, has been brewing for many months. It however burst on Monday, when at least 100 farmers blocked the road leading to the factory and locked its gate. The lock was removed a few hours later after a meeting with officers of the local administration, but the dharna continued into Tuesday. The farmers say the protest will continue till their demands are met.

BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to avoid rush in regular trains towards New Delhi and Yesvantpur, weekly special trains will be run towards New Delhi and Yesvantpur from Bhubaneswar and between Visakhapatnam and Tata via Bhubaneswar, Jakhapura, Keonjhar and Banspani.02815 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi air-conditioned Special train will leave Bhubaneswar at 0810 hrs on every Sunday between September 29 and November 24, 2013 and will arrive at New Delhi at 0605 hrs on every Monday, East Coast Railway (ECoR) said in a release today.

In the return direction, 02816 New Delhi-Bhubaneswar air-conditioned Special train will leave New Delhi at 1300 hrs on every Monday from September 30 to November 25, 2013 and will arrive at Bhubaneswar at 1105hrs on every Tuesday.

The train has Four AC-2 tiers, Ten AC-3 tiers and Two Guard cum Generator Car having stoppages at Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Hijli, Bankura, Adra, Gomo, Gaya, Mughalsarai, Allahabad and Kanpur between Bhubaneswar and New Delhi.02845 Bhubaneswar-Yesvantpur air-conditioned Special train will leave Bhubaneswar at 0745 hrs on every Wednesday between September 25 and November 27, 2013 and will arrive at Yesvantpur at 1210hrs on every Thursday.

In return direction, 02846 Yesvantpur-Bhubaneswar air-conditioned Special train will leave Yesvantpur at 2330 hrs on every Thursday from September 26 to November 28, 2013 and will arrive at Bhubaneswar at 0330 hrs on every Saturday.

This train has Four AC-2 tiers, Ten AC-3 tiers and Two Guard cum Generator Car in its composition having stoppages at Khurda Road, Balugaon, Brahmapur, Palasa, Srikakulam Road, Vijayanagram and Visakhapatnam in ECoR's jurisdiction between Bhubaneswar and Yesvantpur.

08516 Visakhapatnam-Tata Special train will leave Visakhapatnam at 1745 hrs on every Sunday between September 22 to November 24, 2013 and will arrive at Tata at 1045 hrs on the next day. In the return direction, 08515 ata-Visakhapatnam Special train will leave Tata at 1300 hrs on every Monday between September 23 to November 25, 2013 and will arrive at Visakhapatnam at 0440hrs on the following days.

This train with One AC-2 tier, One AC-3 tier, 05 Sleeper Class, 06 General Second Class and Two Guard cum Luggage Vans will have stoppages at Simhachalam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Palasa, Ichhapuram, Brahmapur, Chhatrapur, Balugaon, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Mancheswar, Cuttack, Jakhapura, Sukinda Road, Harichandanpur, Kendujhargarh, Nayagarh, Jaroli, Bansapani, Dongoaposi, Chaibasa and Rajkharsuan between Visakhapatnam and Tata.

पूर्वोतर रेलवे के सिवान-थावे रेलखंड पर स्पेशल साप्ताहिक ट्रेन का परिचालन किया जाएगा। इस स्पेशल ट्रेन का परिचालन कोलकाता से गोरखपुर के बीच किया जाएगा। पूजा स्पेशल ट्रेन संख्या- 03131 अप कोलकता से 11 बजकर 25 मिनट पर चलेगी तथा थावे में तीन बजकर 50 मिनट पर पहुंची एवं आठ बजकर दस मिनट पर गोरखपुर पहुंचेगी। ये ट्रेनें छह नवंबर, 13 नवंबर और 20 नवंबर को कोलकत्ता से गोरखपुर आयेगी। वहीं दूसरी तरफ गोरखपुर-कोलकाता गाड़ी संख्या 03132 डा. गोरखपुर से 12 बजे चलेगी तथा थावे में 15 बजकर 35 पर पहुंचेगी। उसके बाद कोलकाता में आठ बजकर 45 मिनट में पहुंचेगी। यह ट्रेन सात नंवबर, 14 नवंबर और 21 नवंबर को गोरखपुर से कोलकाता जाएगी। साप्ताहिक ट्रेनों के परिचालन शुरू होने से लोगों में काफी खुशी है।

Every time Anamika, 25, has to board a train from Charbagh railway station here, she would ensure that her father stays till the train departs.On her journey back home, she calls him up at least 15 minutes before the train chugs in to Lucknow Junction. Reason: She does not feel safe even for five minutes that would take her to come outside the station.The management student says being on the platform alone is an invitation to harassment in the form of lecherous looks and lewd remarks from groups of men loitering around the area more often than not. “I do not feel safe at the station.Men of all ages give me dirty looks or make a pass at me,” she said adding that her father is a protective shield against all such menace.The biggest problem here, according to commuters like Anamika, is that the station has become a shelter for homeless people, a haven for beggars and a hangout zone for gangs of boys and drug addicts.They complain that at all times, the platforms, the foot overbridge and the ticketing area are occupied by these people, who wander across the station premises, catcalling at women or creating a nuisance.“On many occasions, one finds these men deliberately bumping into women, passing lewd comments. But there is little you can do, except ignore them. The station is pretty desolate,” said another woman commuter.

Surprisingly, the rising rate of crime against women commuters has failed to move the railway authorities. Leave alone the sleeper, general and AC compartments, where incidents of loot, theft and eve-teasing are a regular phenomenon, the station premises are a safer field for criminals to play on!

To make matters worse, the presence of the Government Railway Police (GRP) at the station is extremely poor.

There are no constables patrolling the platforms, bridges or the ticketing area.

Police benches lie abandoned, except during the VIP movement or a surprise inspection.

According to the railway ministry data, more than 200 cases of crime against women,

including rape, molestation and misbehaviour, were reported across the country last year.

A total 210 such cases were registered in 2012 against 127 cases in 2011. While molestation cases in trains have gone up from 52 in 2010 to 72 in 2011, the number touched 119 in 2012. Rapes have also increased from three in 2011 to seven in 2012.

WHAT’S THE RAILWAYS DOING?

It maintains that policing on the rail network is a state subject and prevention of crime, registration of cases, investigations and maintenance of law and order on railway premises as well as on moving trains are, therefore, the statutory responsibility of the state governments which they discharge through GRP.

Though female cops guard sleeper and ladies’ coaches; there is no such provision for AC coaches, making women passengers more vulnerable. No wonder then, the cases of eve-teasing and moles-molestation are rampant on moving trains.

The crime on railway property is also a GRP subject.

But what’s wrong if Railway ay Protection Force ( RPF) pitches in and hands over the criminals to the GRP? Ideally RPF takes care of theft or loot of railway property.

“Women cops are deployed in ladies’ coaches and at times in sleeper and general classes. But not in AC coaches,” said Rizwan Ahmad, director- general (Railways).

The preparedness to deal with the menace can be gauged from the fact that for the 2.25 crore passengers of 11,000 passenger trains each day across the country, over 3,000 constables (GRP and RPF) are deployed on duty.

Of a total strength of 5,560 GRP cops, only 40 (30 constables and 10 sub inspectors) are females.

For nine years now, the RPF’s demand for 20,000 more personnel is pending.

“The Railways is a commercial agency. It is least bothered about safety. All it cares is how to increase revenues,” a railway board member told HT.

With the Andhra Pradesh Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APUFIDC) sanctioning funds for taking up a detailed study on the metro rail project for the city, the GVMC now has the required Rs.1.6 crore for getting the detailed project report ready.Half the amount, Rs.80 lakh, has been sanctioned by the Central government.The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and AAREE are in the run for preparation of the detailed project reports (DPRs). The State government will decide the agency.It is estimated that a km of metro rail project costs Rs.220 crore.“In the city, the DPRs will be prepared for a 20-km stretch mostly on the road on which buses are plying now,” Municipal Commissioner M.V. Satyanarayana said.Mr. Satyanarayana said the issue of deciding the agency would be finalised by the State government by the end of the month.Now, even smaller cities such as Bhopal and Kochi, with a population of around 17 lakh, have been sanctioned metro rail. The population of the GVMC, after merger of Bheemunipatnam and Anakapalle, is estimated to be 19 lakh.Getting metro rail sanctioned is cited as one of the major reasons for merger in spite of their being away from the city, posing problems in administering them.

The entire metro rail project will be funded by the Central government.