ProUI

The duo had been booking tickets under the education tour concession scheme and reselling them to institutions at a high marginAn alert raised by a representative of an educational institution helped a special team of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) nab two touts on Friday.The duo had been booking tickets in bulk under the education tour concession scheme of the railways and reselling them to educational institutions in the city at a high margin.Railway sources said L. Thomas (55) and his employer, A. Benett (44), owner of Trinity Tours and Travels Private Limited in Purasawalkam, had been selling tickets to various schools and colleges for their educational tours.On Friday, around 1 p.m., Thomas had come to the bulk booking counter at the MMC-Chennai Central railway station to book around 100 tickets. The RPF received an alert from a representative of an educational institution who had been affected by the duo’s scam. A team maintained a watch at the counter and apprehended Thomas. They then went to the office in Purasawalkam, but Benett had escaped.A total of 133 tickets, worth around Rs. 1.37 lakh, for various destinations including Bangalore, Pune, Mysore, Ernakulam, Mumbai CST and Darjeeling were seized from Thomas as well as the office.

“This is the first time we have nabbed touts profiting by using the scheme. It is impossible to book such a large number of tickets without the help of officials at the bulk counter. We are investigating,” said J. Ajith Kumar, inspector, RPF (MMC).

A case under section 143 (1) (a) of the Railway Act, 1989, was registered against the duo for procuring and selling railway tickets for unauthorised business. The penalty comprises two years of imprisonment and a fine.

Under the scheme, students get 50 per cent concession on ticket cost and for every 10 students, one escort (teacher) can accompany them. Railway sources said, as per norms, representatives from educational institutions are required to get a prescribed form from the senior divisional commercial manager of the Chennai division at the Southern Railway’s headquarters.

Subsequently, with a letter from the head of the institution, tickets have to be purchased only by the representative sent by the institution from the chief reservation supervisor at the MMC-Chennai Central railway station.

However, railway and police sources said, in almost all cases, touts, in association with a few railway staff at the reservation counters, book tickets on behalf of the educational institutions and later sell the tickets to them at a high margin.

For every bulk booking, the touts are usually paid at least 30 per cent of the total cost depending upon the length of travel. “Many touts also approach educational institutions with such tickets and also offer special packages including boarding and lodging, as well as logistics,” said a railway official.

ALLAHABAD: In view of Durga Puja and Pitra Paksh, railway administration has decided to ply special trains. One air-conditioned Puja special will run between Bhubneshwar and New Delhi while the other Pitra Paksh special train will run between Jabalpur and Gaya.

Train number 02815/02816 will run between Bhubneshwar and New Delhi and will be fully air-conditioned train. This will be a weekly train and depart from Bhubneshwar at about 8:10 am and go through the route of Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Hijilli, Bankura, Adra, Gomoh, Gaya, Mughalsarai, Allahabad, Kanpur and finally terminate at New Delhi at 8.45 am. During the return journey, the train will leave New Delhi at 1:00 pm and will finally terminate at Bhubneshwar at 11:05 am next day.This train will have four AC-II tier and ten AC-III tier coaches and will depart from Bhubneshwar every Sunday from September 29 to November 24 and from New Delhi every Monday from September 30 to November 25.

Train number 1709/1710 will run between Jabalpur and Gaya during Pitra Paksha. This train will depart from Jabalpur at about 12:25 pm and go through the route of Katni, Maihar, Satna, Manikpur, Chheoki, Mughalsarai, Sasaram and finally terminate at Gaya at 2:00 am. During the return journey, the train will depart from Gaya at about 5:00 pm and terminate at Jabalpur at 5:30 am.

This train will depart from Jabalpur on September 30 and October 3 and from Gaya on October 1 and 4. This train will comprise of one AC-II tier, two AC-III tier, ten sleeper and four general class coaches.

Indore, Ujjian, Mhow, Rau, Pithampur and Tehi stations to be modified
Three more platforms for city; platform four’s length will be increased.
Mhow station to be used as source station
Indore: In view of the forthcoming Simhastha- 2016, the railway has chalked out various development and modification plans for the convenience of the passengers. It is planning to run more than 100 special trains for the mega event.

Indore, Ujjain, Mhow, Rau and Tehi stations will be upgraded along with gauge conversion and new platforms will be developed. Highly placed official sources told Free Press that the railway is going to make elaborated arrangements to meet the heavy flow of passengers during the Simhastha.

The meter gauge track in Ujjain station will be converted to broad gauge and two new platforms will be developed there to accommodate 24- coach trains. With this, the station will be nine such platforms.

Similarly Indore railway station will also be upgraded along with gauge conversion of Mhow, Rau, Tehi and Pithampur line. Three new platforms will be developed in Indore besides extending platform No 4 to accommodate 24- coach trains. Two new platforms are under construction at old ‘ mal godam’ ( Goods storage).

The Mhow railway station will be developed as major source station in order to reduce the pressure at Ujjain and Indore station during the Simhastha.

Two new pit- lines will be constructed for maintains and examinations of the coaches. Western Railway’s Ratlam Division PRO Pradeep Sharma said more than 100 special trains would be run during the Simhastha.

Chief operating manager of Western Railway R K Tandon visited Indore, Ujjain, Mhow, Pithampur, Rau and Tehi stations recently assess the modification and expansion of these stations.

Palakkad: Considering the heavy rush of passengers, a special weekly train would run in the Kacheguda- Mangalore route from October 1 to November 27. The train Kacheguda-Mangalore central (07606) will start from Kacheguda at 6 am Tuesday. It will reach Mangalore central on Wednesday 11.20 am. Mangalore central-Kacheguda train (07605) will leave from Mangalore by Wednesday night 8 and will reach Kacheguda by Friday early morning 3.40 am. The train will have one ac two tier, two AC three tier, 7 sleeper classes, 6 general second class seats and 2 luggage-cum-break vans . The train will have stops in Palakkad, Shoranur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Vatakara, Thalassery, Kannur, Payyanur, Kanhangad and Kasargod in Kerala.

Hyderabad : In order to clear extra rush of passengers attending 609th Urs-e-Shareef of Hazrath Khaja Bandanawaz , South Central Railway will run four Special Trains between Hyderabad and Gulbarga.

Train No. 07178 Hyderabad - Gulbarga special train will depart Hyderabad at 22:00 hrs on 21st September 2013 and arrive Gulbarga at 04:15 hrs on the next day. In the return direction, Train No. 07177 Gulbarga-Hyderabad special train will depart Gulbarga at 05:25 hrs on 22nd September 2013 and arrive Hyderabad at 11:30 hrs on the same day.

Train No. 07180 Hyderabad - Gulbarga special train will depart Hyderabad at 05:30 hrs on 25th September 2013 and arrive Gulbarga at 11:20 hrs on the same day. In the return direction, Train No. 07179 Gulbarga-Hyderabad special train will depart Gulbarga at 12:35 hrs on 25th September 2013 and arrive Hyderabad at 18 35 hrs on the same day.

Enroute, these special trains will stops at Begumpet, Sanatnagar, Hafizpet, Lingampalli, Nagalapalli, Shankarpalli, Ravalapallikalan , Gullaguda, Chitgidda, Vikarabad, Godamgura, Mailarum, Dharur, Rukmapur, Tandur, Mantatti, Nawandgi, Kurgunta, Seram, Malkhaid Road, Chittapur, Sulehalli and Wadi.

These Special Trains will have Ten General Second Class and Two Luggage cum Brake van Coaches totaling to Twelve Coaches.

रेलवे स्टेशन पर काम करने वाले लाइसेंसी कमीशन वेंडर अपने भविष्य को लेकर खासे चिंतित हैं। वेंडरों का आरोप है कि नियमों का उल्लंघन कर 60 वर्ष की उम्र में उन्हें जबरन सेवानिवृत्त किया जा रहा है। उन्होंने इस बारे में रेल मंत्री को पत्र लिखकर इंसाफ की गुहार लगाई है।
वेंडरों का कहना है कि एक तरफ सरकार वरिष्ठ नागरिकों को कई तरह की सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराने के साथ गरीबों के लिए भोजन की गारंटी की घोषणा कर रही है। वहीं गरीब रेलवे वेंडरों को बुजुर्ग होने पर बिना किसी सामाजिक सुरक्षा के सेवानिवृत्त किया जा रहा है। उनका आरोप है कि ऐसा कर रेलवे अधिकारी रेलवे की खान-पान नीति 2010 का उल्लंघन कर रहे हैं।
वेंडर्स वेलफेयर सोसाइटी उत्तर रेलवे के संरक्षक रविंद्र गुप्ता का कहना है कि नई खान-पान नीति 2010 एवं रेल मंत्रालय द्वारा इसमें किए गए संशोधनों में कहीं भी कमीशन वेंडर को सेवानिवृत्त करने का उल्लेख नहीं है। इसके बावजूद ऐसा करके सैकड़ों परिवारों के सामने रोजी-रोटी की समस्या खड़ी की जा रही है। उन्होंने बताया कि बिना कार्मिक अथवा वित्त विभाग की मंजूरी के कमीशन वेंडरों को 60 वर्ष की उम्र में सेवानिवृत्त करने के लिए रेलवे बोर्ड ने वर्ष 2005 में निर्देश जारी किया था। रेल मंत्रालय ने नई खान-पान नीति 2010 को जारी करके इस निर्देश को रद कर दिया था। इसके बावजूद कई कमीशन वेंडरों को सेवानिवृत्त कर दिया गया है जबकि कई को सेवानिवृत्त करने की तैयारी है।
संगठन के अध्यक्ष महेंद्र सिंह राघव का कहना है कि नई दिल्ली से 20 लोगों को सेवानिवृत्त कर दिया गया है। तीन वेंडरों की मृत्यु होने पर उनके बच्चों को लाइसेंस भी नहीं दिया गया। वेंडरों का कहा है कि रेलवे ने आइआरसीटीसी से खानपान का काम भी वापस ले लिया है। इसलिए अब वेंडरों को काम भी मिल जाता है।

Most Indian ports are unable to realise their full potential due to the poor rail, road connectivity with the hinterland, Chairman and Managing Director of Dredging Corporation of India D.K. Mohanty said.

There is an urgent need to take steps to improve the connectivity for the ports to prosper and the economy to grow, he said speaking here on Friday on the second day of the two-day East Coast Maritime Business Summit organised by Maritime Gateway, a trade journal.

Citing the examples of Paradip and Ennore, he explained how poor connectivity had cost the two ports dear. “Paradip port, which has celebrated Golden Jubilee recently, could achieve only 50 million tonnes in 50 years, and that too has been made possible only because of the dynamism shown by Biju Patnaik in the initial phases. Subsequently, the port has suffered badly because of poor connectivity with hinterland,” he said.

“No port can claim its own exclusive hinterland, as many non-major and private ports have come up. The monopoly of major public sector ports is broken. It is desirable, as port users will get better service. They will go to the cheapest, most user-friendly port,” he said and elaborated on the various projects taken up by the DCI in different ports of the country.

Logistics Park

CONCOR was developing an integrated logistics park in Visakhapatnam on 100 acres of land taken on lease from the Visakhapatnam Port Trust, CONCOR Executive Director V. Kalyana Rama said. Concor had already developed 10 acres and the terminal would become operational by December.

“In the second phase, we will develop the remaining area and the logistics park would be ready in three years or so,” he said.

President of shipping (India Cements) K. Shankar, vice-president of TM International Logistics Tamal Roy, General Manager (RITES) Jatin Sarkar, and several others lamented the gross neglect of coastal shipping and inland waterways in the country.

They expressed the opinion that the two could have reduced the burden on the rail/road network and paved the way for better connectivity with hinterland for many ports in the country.

Development Commissioner of the Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone S. Kishore spoke about the role of SEZs and their relation to the development of the maritime sector.

The railways have decided to slap a 15 per cent Busy Season Charge on all commodities, to be moved with effect from October 1. This charge will be levied between October and June. The decision comes ahead of the revision in the six monthly exercise to adjust fuel prices, also due on October 1. Sources expect the fuel adjustment component to push up freight charges by another five to seven per cent. —K. Balchand

टोक्यो। जापान में अब बुलेट ट्रेन से भी तेज रफ्तार की ट्रेन चलाने की तैयारी शुरू हो गई है। वर्ष 2027 में टोक्यो और नागोया के बीच 600 किमी प्रति घंटा की रफ्तार से ट्रेन दौड़ेगी।

पढ़ें: जापान में 500 किमी प्रति घंटे रफ्तार वाली ट्रेन का परीक्षण

क्योदो समाचार एजेंसी के मुताबिक, जापानी रेलवे कंपनी जेआर सेंट्रल ने अपनी मैग्नेटिक ट्रेन सर्विस निर्माण परियोजना मैग्लेव को बुधवार को सार्वजनिक किया जिसकी रफ्तार 600 किमी प्रति घंटा होगी। जेआर सेंट्रल को उम्मीद है कि टोक्यो-नायोगा के बीच के पहले व्यावसायिक रूट का शुभारंभ 2027 में हो जाएगा। ट्रेन के नए मॉडल से यह 286 किमी की दूरी 40 मिनट में तय होगी जिसमें अभी बुलेट ट्रेन से 100 मिनट का समय लगता है। कंपनी 2014 के प्रारंभ में नई लाइन के निर्माण का कार्य शुरू करेगी। मैग्लेव ट्रेन पटरियों के पास लगाए गए विशेष मोटर से उत्पन्न चुंबकीय क्षेत्र पर काम करती है। फिलहाल यह कंपनी देश के चार बड़े शहरों टोक्यो, योकोहामा, ओसाका और नायोगा के बीच सुपर कंडक्टिंग मैग्नेट का इस्तेमाल कर बुलेट ट्रेन संचालित कर रही है।

The frequency of Train Nos. 17213/17214 Narsapur-Nagarsol-Narsapur Express has been increased to 4 days in a week from the present twice a week.

      Accordingly, Train No. 17213 Narsapur-Nagarsol Express will depart Narsapuron Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdayswith effect from 25thSeptember, 2013.



      In the return direction, Train No. 17214 Nagarsol-Narsapur Express will depart Nagarsol on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with effect from 26th September, 2013.