ProUI

KOLHAPUR: The Konkan railway officials in a statement said that Konkan Railway has earned Rs 50.10 crore from its Roll on-Roll off service for transportation of loaded trucks from Mumbai area to southern states. The Konkan railway has started the service more than a decade ago. In last 15 years, the railways have earned Rs 205.60 crore so far. The Railways had offered a special service for the heavy commercial vehicles to transport the loaded trucks to the southern parts of the country. The offer proved to be economical as the railways is not charging very high amount while the trucks are saving heavy expenses on fuel and maintenance. It also reduces transportation time as the railway speed is faster. The annual transport figure is close to 35,000 and it is increasing every year as demand for goods is going up. The railways need more allocation of compartments to transport the vehicles while the vehicles also need a service like Ro-Ro to minimize their expenses over fuel costs and wages.

The proposed connection of Karad with Chiplun is also another aspect which may increase the number of vehicles going to south via train route. The survey is going on from Chiplun to Karad town, which will cover aspects like increase in potential revenue, growth in the business and infrastructure for the project. The railway officials also said that the survey was done by a private company and it will submit a detailed report about it soon.

Hundreds of lorries trundle through the Rwanda-Tanzania border every hour, damaging Rwanda’s narrow hilly roads. A $13.5 billion railway project linking the Kenyan port of Mombasa to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, cannot come soon enough for Silas Lwakabamba, Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure.“The trucks carry too much load, they end up spoiling the road,” he said. “Rail will be faster and can carry more. Maintenance of rail will be much easier.” The 2,935-km line is one of several big infrastructure projects on the continent, reflecting renewed global interest among policymakers after years of focusing on health and education. Besides the Mombasa-Kigali rail link, a seven-year initiative to connect Niger and Ivory Coast is to begin next year as part of efforts to improve rail infrastructure in west Africa.

The railway would link Niamey, the capital of landlocked Niger, with the Ivorian commercial hub of Abidjan, via the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, after the extension of mining activities in West Africa.

Dams are also back in fashion. Ethiopia is pressing ahead with its Grand Renaissance dam to the consternation of Egypt, which fears that the project will curb its water supply. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), work is scheduled to start on Inga III, a $20-billion project.

“Infrastructure is critical for development,” said Mr. Lwakabamba. “For the transport sector, we need roads, rail and air, they are all very critical for economic development. And we can’t do anything without energy.” Rwanda is also involved in the Rusumo falls hydroelectric project to increase power supply of electricity to the national grids of Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania, a project backed by the International Development Association, the World Bank’s soft loan arm, and the African Development Bank.

Africa accounts for just three per cent of global trade and African countries trade 10 per cent of their goods with each other, compared with 65 per cent between European countries. Landlocked countries are hit particularly hard by poor infrastructure, paying up to 84 per cent more to export their goods than a coastal country. Improving regional markets in Africa would have a significant impact on economic development and poverty reduction.

The continent’s infrastructure needs are huge, but financing levels are only half the estimated $93 billion needed annually between now and 2015 to sustain seven per cent growth rates. Infrastructure is the key issue around plans for a development bank by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, known as the Brics.

The Mombasa-Kigali link is getting attention at the highest level. Leaders from Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have been meeting regularly on the project and plan to discuss financing next month in Kigali. Funding has been secured from China for the $3.7 billion Mombasa-Nairobi section, a distance of 500 km, and construction is due to begin in November.

The 200-km Rwanda section will cost $1.5 billion and Rwanda is still lining up financing. The line will be used to carry coffee, tea and other agricultural products and minerals out of Rwanda and machinery into the country. The railway will be designed for freight but will be open for other passenger travel too.

The Mombasa-Kampala-Kigali railway project entails a 1,178-km rail from Mombasa through Nairobi to Malaba and branching to Kisumu (Kenya); an 1,392-km rail from Malaba to Kampala, Uganda and linking to four Ugandan towns before connecting to the main line to Rwanda at Mirima Hills; a 200-km rail from Mirima Hills to Kigali and 149-km rail to other towns in Rwanda.

The existing railway between Mombasa and Kampala dates to the colonial era, and has a small gauge. The new line will have a standard gauge, which is wider, and therefore faster and capable of carrying heavier loads. Rwanda will build its section from scratch.

The project is unlikely to receive support from U.K. taxpayers as the Department for International Development has withdrawn £21 million in general budget support, shifting it to sector support for health and education. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2013


The $13.5-billion line between Kigali and Mombasa in Kenya is one of several African projects aimed at improving infrastructure

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd will operate a ‘Yatra express’ from Chennai tracing the trail of Ganges from the point of origin in Devprayag in Uttarakhand to Gangasagar. The train named ‘Trails of Ganges’ will depart from Chennai on October 26 and return by November 7. The tour is planned in such a way to enable pilgrims to have ‘Ganga snan’ in Varanasi on Deepavali. The package classified as deluxe, comfort, standard and budget will include hotel accommodation at places of night halt, buses for transfers/sightseeing and on-board and off-board catering. For further details contact 044-6459 4959, 98409 02916 and 90031 40681 orwww.railtourismindia.com.

BRUSSELS: Belgium today assured Indian President Pranab Mukherjee it would look into his suggestion for help in developing a new port near Kolkata as the two sides discussed cooperation in new areas like port management.

The President intervened during delegation-level talks with Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and asked if an arrangement could be worked out for helping the Kolkata Port Trust develop port facilities at Sagar Island, located 80 nautical miles south of Kolkata.

The Belgian side it would consider Mukherjee's suggestion. New areas of cooperation discussed by the two countries included collaboration in ports given Belgium's expertise in managing riverine ports, officials said.

Shipping Minister G K Vasan asked Indian Ambassador Dinkar Khullar and P S Raghavan, Special Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, to follow up the President's suggestion to see if Belgian dredging companies could be roped in for project near Kolkata.

Khullar, Raghavan and Venu Rajamony, Press Secretary to the President, told reporters that officials had been "asked to take the discussions forward".

Kolkata Port, India's only major riverine port, has two dock systems at Kolkata and Haldia. Both systems currently handle around 55 million tons of cargo but due to draft restrictions, large vessels have to offload at other neighbouring ports.

To attract more ships and to expand business in view of increased industrial activity that is expected to generate around 60 million tons of additional traffic by 2021-22, Kolkata Port Trust plans to develop port facilities at Sagar Island.

The Centre provides hundreds of crores of rupees to Kolkata Port Trust for maintenance and dredging operations. Despite this help, the port has been experiencing depleting drafts that have compelled shipping lines to reduce cargo loads, resulting in sizeable business losses.

India also sought movement on a project to upgrade three railway facilities - Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, a railway station in Nagpur and another in Dehradun.

This work will be executed by Belgian companies with expertise in upgrading railway stations without disrupting normal traffic, Raghavan said.

Hundreds of lorries trundle through the Rwanda-Tanzania border every hour, damaging Rwanda’s narrow hilly roads. A $13.5 billion railway project linking the Kenyan port of Mombasa to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, cannot come soon enough for Silas Lwakabamba, Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure.“The trucks carry too much load, they end up spoiling the road,” he said. “Rail will be faster and can carry more. Maintenance of rail will be much easier.” The 2,935-km line is one of several big infrastructure projects on the continent, reflecting renewed global interest among policymakers after years of focusing on health and education. Besides the Mombasa-Kigali rail link, a seven-year initiative to connect Niger and Ivory Coast is to begin next year as part of efforts to improve rail infrastructure in west Africa.

The railway would link Niamey, the capital of landlocked Niger, with the Ivorian commercial hub of Abidjan, via the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, after the extension of mining activities in West Africa.

Dams are also back in fashion. Ethiopia is pressing ahead with its Grand Renaissance dam to the consternation of Egypt, which fears that the project will curb its water supply. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), work is scheduled to start on Inga III, a $20-billion project.

“Infrastructure is critical for development,” said Mr. Lwakabamba. “For the transport sector, we need roads, rail and air, they are all very critical for economic development. And we can’t do anything without energy.” Rwanda is also involved in the Rusumo falls hydroelectric project to increase power supply of electricity to the national grids of Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania, a project backed by the International Development Association, the World Bank’s soft loan arm, and the African Development Bank.

Africa accounts for just three per cent of global trade and African countries trade 10 per cent of their goods with each other, compared with 65 per cent between European countries. Landlocked countries are hit particularly hard by poor infrastructure, paying up to 84 per cent more to export their goods than a coastal country. Improving regional markets in Africa would have a significant impact on economic development and poverty reduction.

The continent’s infrastructure needs are huge, but financing levels are only half the estimated $93 billion needed annually between now and 2015 to sustain seven per cent growth rates. Infrastructure is the key issue around plans for a development bank by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, known as the Brics.

The Mombasa-Kigali link is getting attention at the highest level. Leaders from Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have been meeting regularly on the project and plan to discuss financing next month in Kigali. Funding has been secured from China for the $3.7 billion Mombasa-Nairobi section, a distance of 500 km, and construction is due to begin in November.

The 200-km Rwanda section will cost $1.5 billion and Rwanda is still lining up financing. The line will be used to carry coffee, tea and other agricultural products and minerals out of Rwanda and machinery into the country. The railway will be designed for freight but will be open for other passenger travel too.

The Mombasa-Kampala-Kigali railway project entails a 1,178-km rail from Mombasa through Nairobi to Malaba and branching to Kisumu (Kenya); an 1,392-km rail from Malaba to Kampala, Uganda and linking to four Ugandan towns before connecting to the main line to Rwanda at Mirima Hills; a 200-km rail from Mirima Hills to Kigali and 149-km rail to other towns in Rwanda.

The existing railway between Mombasa and Kampala dates to the colonial era, and has a small gauge. The new line will have a standard gauge, which is wider, and therefore faster and capable of carrying heavier loads. Rwanda will build its section from scratch.

The project is unlikely to receive support from U.K. taxpayers as the Department for International Development has withdrawn £21 million in general budget support, shifting it to sector support for health and education. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2013


The $13.5-billion line between Kigali and Mombasa in Kenya is one of several African projects aimed at improving infrastructure

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd will operate a ‘Yatra express’ from Chennai tracing the trail of Ganges from the point of origin in Devprayag in Uttarakhand to Gangasagar. The train named ‘Trails of Ganges’ will depart from Chennai on October 26 and return by November 7. The tour is planned in such a way to enable pilgrims to have ‘Ganga snan’ in Varanasi on Deepavali. The package classified as deluxe, comfort, standard and budget will include hotel accommodation at places of night halt, buses for transfers/sightseeing and on-board and off-board catering. For further details contact 044-6459 4959, 98409 02916 and 90031 40681 orwww.railtourismindia.com.

Anandpur Sahib:
Local Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu flagged off the Hazoor Saheb-Nanded Express train here today.The weekly train will depart from the Nangal dam at 4.20 pm every Thursday, halt at Chandigarh at 7:08 pm and reach Nanded at 11:45 pm the following day.The train will return on Saturday. It will start from Nanded at 11 am and reach the Nagal dam at 8:25 pm the next day.The train will halt at Anandpur Sahib, Ropar, Morinda, Mohali, Chandigarh, Ambala Cant, Panipat, New Delhi, Mathura, Gwalior and Basmat. It will traverse a distance of 1,870 km.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Rana KP Singh and Ambala Divisional Regional Manager (DRM) AK Kathpal were among those present on the occasion.Bittu said the train connecting two Takhts would facilitate Sikh pilgrims. He said it was on public demand that the Railways had agreed to provide a two-minute halt at the Morinda station.

He would now work for town's rail link with Amritsar, the MP added.

Train no. 16649 Mangalore Central-Nagercoil Parasuram Express and 12218 Chandigarh-Kochuveli Express will not be detained on Friday as announced earlier for the doubling of the railway track at Shoranur Junction. But 16345 Lokamanya Tilak Terminus-Thiruvanantha puram Netravati Express will be detained for two hours between Kozhikode and Tanur stations for work on an overbridge.

There was a festive spirit at Mohanur and Namakkal railway stations as the Palani to Chennai Express Train — via Namakkal — chugged into the district from Karur, amid celebrations on Wednesday night.“We are delighted to welcome the first regular express train service connecting Namakkal,” people who thronged the railway station and distributed sweets said.The train entered the Mohanur Railway Station (the first station in this district) from Palani at 9.24 p.m., from where it came to the Namakkal Railway Station and stopped there at 9.44 p.m.People who gathered in the railway stations to celebrate the arrival of the first regular express train to the district, lighted fireworks and distributed sweets to all the passengers in the train.Department officials said that initially they had planned for only one stop for the train in this district — at the Namakkal Railway Station. “Member of the Parliament (MP) of Namakkal S. Gandhiselvan made a representation to the General Manager of Southern Railways to stop the train at Mohanur, after which a one-minute stopping was introduced in the Mohanur Railway Station,” the officials added.

The officials said that, but for the two passenger trains that ran between Salem and Karur via Namakkal, only six special trains stopped in Namakkal.

“A few weeks ago, the Chennai to Madurai Duronto Express became the first express train to be operated on the Karur to Salem stretch,” the officials said.

However, it did not benefit people of Namakkal district as it does not stop anywhere between the starting point and the destination.

They added that this route helped the railways save travel time by about one hour compared to the earlier route — when the Duronto Express had to take a diversion from Karur to Erode, change the engine at Erode and proceed to Chennai through Salem — and vice versa.

Palani-Chennai train

About the Palani to Chennai Express Train, railway officials said that the train from Palani with Chennai recorded 100 per cent booking on the first day (Wednesday) and the waiting list was mounting for the second day (Thursday night).

Namakkal MP S. Gandhiselvan, the Additional Division Railway Manager (Salem Division) V. Thavamani Pandi, other railway officials and members of the public thronged the railway station to receive the train.

For passengers from Namakkal, an express train connecting them to Chennai was a dream come true.

Train will have stops in Mohanur and Namakkal railway station

A special purpose vehicle would be floated by a government agency in which the companies in the estate would be invited to participate, said a government official

Automobile companies in Gujarat have a reason to cheer. Soon, auto-hubs in the state will have direct railway connectivity from the backyard of the manufacturing plants to ports like Mundra and Pipavav.

Now, there would be direct linkage from Sanand to the ports of Mundra and Pipavav, and there are plans to develop similar last-mile connectivity for Maruti Suzuki in Mandal-Becharaji region as well. The idea is to offer best-in-class infrastructure to companies that have decided to invest in the state, claimed a senior official in the state government, adding, "Companies opt for Gujarat over other states because of the infrastructure on offer."

A senior official in the state industry department said the railway line that passes through Chharodi, near Sanand will be extended right to the doorstep of the Tata Motors and Ford India factories in the area. "The Chharodi line will be extended right till the backyard of the Tata Motors plant at Sanand. In the vicinity are plants of Ford India, Hitachi-HiRel and Nestle. All the major companies in the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) industrial park that has come up in Sanand would stand to benefit from this move."

He further said a special purpose vehicle (SPV) would be floated by a government agency in which the companies in the estate would be invited to participate. "Already, Tata Motors and Ford India have agreed to to pick up equity in the SPV, other companies in the GIDC estate would also be approached," he claimed. Direct railway connectivity between the Sanand GIDC and the ports of Mundra and Pipavav is likely to take two to three years. Government sources informed that the Gujarat Industrial Development Board or GIDB is likely to float the SPV.

As for the proposed Maruti Suzuki plant, there is a plan of converting an existing metre gauge line into broad gauge. This is, however, a railways project. A broad gauge railway line connecting Viramgam (near Sanand) and Mehsana (near Becharaji where the Maruti plant is to come up) already passes through Detroj in the Mandal-Becharaji region. Apart from this, there is a metre gauge line connecting Katosan Road to Ranuj via Becharaji.

The official said the Indian Railways has already ordered a feasibility study on the gauge conversion plan for converting the metre gauge line into a broad gauge one. "There is a plan to convert the 20-25 km metre gauge railway line into broad gauge, and the Railways has already initiated a feasibility study on the same. There is also plan for a 3-5 km extension so that line connects the Maruti plant," he added.

The Gujarat government is working on attracting investments from Japanese companies near the Maruti Suzuki plant. As Business Standard had reported, the state government had earmarked 500 hectares for Japan-based companies to set up shop in the Mandal-Becharaji region close to the Maruti plant.

"The aim is to draw mid-sized Japanese companies into the park, and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) is playing a crucial role in attracting investment into the cluster," a senior official had informed then.

According to latest developments, JETRO has already appointed Kajima Corporation to conduct a feasibility study on developing a Japanese industrial estate in the region. An industry department source informed that there is a plan to develop an autocomponent park over 1,000 acres in the region.

Japan was one of the partner countries in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit of 2013. A huge delegation led by JETRO, comprising over 150 companies visited the state during the summit. State government sources claimed that primarily companies in the electronics space have shown keen interest in coming to Gujarat.

A recycling solution provider Japan Environment Planning or Jeplan is looking at setting up a mobile phone recycling plant in Gujarat.

While the location is yet to be decided, it could come up at the Japanese cluster planned at Hansalpur, said a government official.