ProUI

hief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday instructed revenue officials to expedite acquisition of land required to execute railway projects being taken up on a cost-sharing basis with the Railway Ministry.After holding a high-level meeting of both the civil and railway officials here, Siddaramaiah told reporters, “Delay in land acquisition is one of the main causes of delay in executing various projects.”Stating that the State government had earmarked `373 crore in its 2013-14 budget for railway projects, he said, “We have already released `100 crore and another `150 crore will be released this week.”Siddaramaiah said Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge had recently decided to release `300 crore in addition to what was proposed in the Railway budget. “In addition to `250 crore, the State government will release remaining funds as the work progresses,” he added.Informing that State government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Railway Ministry to take up about 18 projects on a cost-sharing basis, he said the government has taken proactive steps to speed up land acquisition by invoking emergency clause.About 2,500 acres of land have been acquired and handed over to Railways in the last three years, he said.Expressing concern over the escalation of project cost he said, “We have appealed to the railway officials to focus on completing or getting the schemes that are nearing operational completion.”

Infrastructure Development Minister Santhosh Lad said, “We have instructed the railway officials to speed up the works on priority to avoid cost escalation.”

He said out of the 2,193 km of targeted creation of new railway line only about 463 km of line has been commissioned.

Lad said, “We have to speed up the process from the present by adding 100 km of length to about 180 to 200 km every year. The much-delayed Mysore-Bangalore doubling line project is expected to be ready by the end of 2014.”

He said the fund requirement for already committed projects is around `10,000 crore in addition to land acquisition cost and the government has told Railway officials to encourage the public-private partnership model for speedy completion of the projects.

“The total estimated cost of all the on-going projects will be around `25,000 crore and it may require another two decades to complete it, unless we explore alternative means,” he said.

No.330/2013-14 04-10-2013
Secunderabad
Revision of Passenger Fares with effect from 7th October, 2013



The Ministry of Railways have decided to revise Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) linked Passenger fare with effect from 7th October, 2013. The revised fares will also apply to tickets issued in advance for journeys to commence o­n or after 7th October, 2013.
The revised fare for some important pairs of stations is attached herewith.

                                                Revised Fare with effect from 07th October, 2013                    (In Rupees)
Tr.No From  - To Dist in Kms Existing Fare (Incl.all charges & Service Tax) Revised Fare (Incl.all charges & Service Tax) Net Increase in Fare
1A IIA IIIA SL CC 2S 1A IIA IIIA SL CC 2S 1A IIA IIIA SL CC 2S

12723 Hyderabad-New Delhi 1677 3770 2190 1510 580 - - 3835 2230 1535 590 - - 65 40 25 10 - -
12791 Secunderabad-Patna 1840 - 2320 1595 610 - - - 2360 1620 625 - - - 40 25 15 - -
12590 Secunderabad-Gorakhpur 1827 3995 2320 1595 610 - - 4065 2360 1620 625 - - 70 40 25 15 - -
12704 Secunderabad-Howrah 1545 3540 2065 1425 545 - - 3605 2100 1450 555 - - 65 35 25 10 - -
12728 Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam 711 2190 1300 915 355 - - 2230 1320 930 360 - - 40 20 15 5 - -
12728 Hyderabad-Vijayawada 360 1315 785 565 225 - - 1335 800 575 230 - - 20 15 10 5 - -
12740 Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam 701 - - 625 - - - - - 640 - - - - - 15 - - -
12513 Secunderabad-Gauwhati 2551 - 2770 1875 725 - - - 2820 1910 740 - - - 50 35 15 - -
12785 Kacheguda-Bangalore 625 1995 1185 840 325 - - 2030 1210 855 330 - - 35 25 15 5 - -
12735 Secunderabad-Yesvantapur 688 - - 615 - - - - - 625 - - - - - 10 - - -
17032 Hyderabad-Mumbai CSTM 790 2250 1330 920 340 - - 2290 1355 940 350 - - 40 25 20 10 - -
17018 Secunderabad-Rajkot 1478 - 1975 1350 505 - - - 2010 1375 515 - - - 35 25 10 - -
17037 Secunderabad-Bikaner 2113 - 2470 1670 630 - - - 2515 1705 645 - - - 45 35 15 - -
12720 Secunderabad-Ajmer 1711 - 2215 1520 585 - - - 2255 1550 595 - - - 40 30 10 - -
12760 Hyderabad-Chennai 790 2325 1375 970 370 - - 2370 1400 985 380 - - 45 25 15 10 - -
12604 Hyderabad-Chennai 715 2190 1300 915 355 - - 2230 1320 930 360 - - 40 20 15 5 - -
17652 Kacheguda-Chennai Egmore 772 - 1320 915 340 - - - 1345 930 345 - - - 25 15 5 - -
17230 Hyderabad-Tiruvananthapuram 1568 3505 2040 1390 525 - - 3565 2080 1420 535 - - 60 40 30 10 - -
12734 Secunderabad-Tirupati 661 2080 1235 875 335 - - 2115 1260 890 345 - - 35 25 15 10 - -
12797 Kacheguda-Tirupati 635 2015 1200 850 330 - - 2050 1220 865 335 - - 35 20 15 5 - -
17429 Hyderabad-Tirupati 732 - 1275 885 330 - - - 1300 900 335 - - - 25 15 5 - -
12732 Secunderabad-Tirupati 801 - 1400 985 375 - - - 1425 1000 385 - - - 25 15 10 - -
12738 Secunderabad-Kakinada Port 566 1865 1115 790 305 - - 1895 1135 805 310 - - 30 20 15 5 - -
17256 Hyderabad-Narsapur 462 1510 895 625 235 - - 1535 910 635 240 - - 25 15 10 5 - -
17050 Secunderabad-Machilipatnam 431 - 850 595 225 - - - 870 605 225 - - - 20 10 0 - -
17064 Secunderabad-Manmad 621 - 1140 795 295 - - - 1160 810 300 - - - 20 15 5 - -
12806 Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam 689 - - - - 720 200 - - - - 735 200 - - - - 15 0
12706 Secunderabad-Guntur 383 - - - - 490 140 - - - - 495 140 - - - - 5 0
12714 Secunderabad-Vijayawada 351 - - - - 465 130 - - - - 470 135 - - - - 5 5
12711 Vijayawada-Chennai 431 - - - - 525 150 - - - - 535 150 - - - - 10 0
12072 Aurangabad-Mumbai CSTM 374 - - - - 505 150 - - - - 515 150 - - - - 10 0
Reservation fee : 1AC-60, 2AC-50,3AC-40,SL-20,CC-40 ,2S-15 . Superfast charges: 1AC -75,2AC-45,3AC-45,SL-30,CC-45,2S-15.

A letter purportedly by terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba has threatened to blow up Haridwar railway station and temples which abound in the city on December 29, police said on Thursday.In the letter to Haridwar Railway Station Superintendent Gopal Krishna Das, a man introducing himself as LeT area commander Karim Ansari issued the threat saying the outfit will blow up the Haridwar railway station and temples in the city on December 29, police said, quoting the letter received by the railway official.Several such threats have been received over the past few years, every time threatening to blow up the railway station and temples through a letter addressed to the station superintendent.

With the postal stamps on the letters received in the past not readable, police could not ascertain the place from where they originated.

However, this time the name of Jalandhar Cantt is clearly readable on the postal stamp, prompting the local vigilance department to launch an investigation to find out if the threat is real or just a hoax as in the past.

Station Superintendent Das said the number of CCTV cameras installed at the station has been increased following receipt of the letter.

A letter purportedly by terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba has threatened to blow up Haridwar railway station and temples which abound in the city on December 29, police said on Thursday.In the letter to Haridwar Railway Station Superintendent Gopal Krishna Das, a man introducing himself as LeT area commander Karim Ansari issued the threat saying the outfit will blow up the Haridwar railway station and temples in the city on December 29, police said, quoting the letter received by the railway official.Several such threats have been received over the past few years, every time threatening to blow up the railway station and temples through a letter addressed to the station superintendent.

With the postal stamps on the letters received in the past not readable, police could not ascertain the place from where they originated.

However, this time the name of Jalandhar Cantt is clearly readable on the postal stamp, prompting the local vigilance department to launch an investigation to find out if the threat is real or just a hoax as in the past.

Station Superintendent Das said the number of CCTV cameras installed at the station has been increased following receipt of the letter.

Bhubaneswar: In view of the huge waitlist of passengers during the Durga Puja period, the Railways have taken steps to run three more special trains between Puri and Santragachhi (Kolkata).A Santragachhi-Puri Special train will leave Santragachhi at 7 pm on October 10 and arrive at Puri at 4.15 am next day. The Puri-Santragachhi Special train will leave Puri at 6.20 pm on October 11 and arrive at Santragachhi at 3.10 am next day.The second pair special train, Santragachhi-Puri, will leave Santragachhi at 8.30 am on October 13 and arrive at Puri at 5.10 pm the same day. The Puri-Santragachhi Special train will leave Puri at 11 pm on October 13 and arrive at Santragachhi at 8.05 am next day.The third pair special train, Santragachhi-Puri, will leave Santragachhi at 7 pm on October 17 and arrive at Puri at 4.15 am next day. The Puri-Santragachhi Special train will leave Puri at 5.30 am on October 18 and arrive at Santragachhi at 2.30 pm the same day.These trains have two AC-3 tiers, eight sleeper classes and four general second classes in its composition having stoppages at Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, Bhadrak, Baleswar and Kharagpur.

Union Minister submits resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Union Minister of State for Railways Kotla Jayasuryaprakasa Reddy resigned from his Ministerial post on Friday. He met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi at 5.45 p.m and submitted his resignation and asked him to relieve him of the responsibilities immediately.The Prime Minister was understood to have had a brief chat with Mr. Suryaprakasa Reddy about the conditions in Seemandhra. He told the Prime Minister that the leaders failed to explain the Congress stand properly to the people causing a lot of confusion.Mr. Suryaprakasa Reddy said he would remain in the Congress party and fight it out within the party. He told The Hindu that he was not mentally prepared to think of any alternative.“I know the Congress party had done a blunder but persons like me have no option except to fight it out,”, he said.Mr Reddy is expected to return to Kurnool on Monday and speak to his supporters.

Meanwhile, agitators protesting against the bifurcation of the State set ablaze the BSNL office on the collectorate campus here on Friday. The agitators barged into the office when there was nobody. Computers and furniture worth Rs. 2 lakh were destroyed in the fire.

The protesters set on fire the BJP office also in the city by breaking the glass panes. The office-bearers did not respond on the quantum of the damage to the office.

Tyres were set ablaze on the road between C. Camp and Collectorate. Flames and thick smoke billowed into the sky at several places. The fires were seen smouldering till evening. At Aluru, the protesters set on fire a vehicle at MPDO office.

The protests rocked Dhone, Nandikotkur, Yemmiganur, Adoni and Nandyal towns. The students blocked the highway at Rayalaseema university.

A recent incident of harassment that took place at a Metro station shows the BMRCL has to ramp up its security measures to ensure safety of women.A woman traveller, who was returning home after work, was eve-teased at the Mahatma Gandhi Metro station and the staff not only refused to help her but also failed to register her complaint.The incident happened when the commuter was waiting to board the train from MG Road to Baiyappanahalli at around 8 pm, and a group of five men also arrived on the platform at the same time. According to the woman, one of the men winked at her and repeated the gesture inside the train.“Annoyed with the harassment, I approached the guard who refused to help and I later approached the Metro Chief Controller at MG Road Metro Station who responded by saying he could not do anything about it,” the woman recalled.

She later got onto a train towards Baiyappanahalli only to realise the same people were on that train, too. They surrounded her and started asking what her problem was. No commuter came forward to help.

The woman later alighted at the Trinity Station and informed one of the Metro staff who finally agreed to help. Once she described the appearance of the five men, the Metro staff informed the security guards who detained the men at the Baiyappanahalli Metro Station. The woman then sought the assistance of her friends who contacted Baiyapananahalli Police. All the five were detained and upon inquiry, found to be employees of an IT company and drunk. The men were kept behind bars for the night and let off in the morning with a strict warning.

The woman said, “Since I had contacts who helped me approach the police, and the culprits were duly punished. What if the same thing had happened to any other girl? Her complaint would have probably been ignored. When Metro officials are not willing to lodge a complaint, how can you expect an alarm or a helpline number for women security to work?”

Since then, she has never travelled in the Metro. None of the police stations en route the Metro has received any complaints of such incidents.

“It’s not that it is a stray incident. Not knowing where and whom to approach is the reason for not receiving any complaints so far,” a police official said.

Passing the buck

When questioned about the safety measures adopted by BMRCL for women travellers, the officials conveniently passed the buck. BMRCL Chief Security Officer P S B Nair refused to divulge any details on safety measures for women on the pretext that he was not authorised to speak with the media.

When questioned about this incident, he said, “Law and order is a problem of the police.” Despite repeated attempts, Chief Public Relations officer B L Y Chavan could not be contacted.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is going all out to ensure the security and safety of women passengers, starting from CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) to police personnel travelling in plainclothes on Metro trains from 8:30 pm till 11:30 pm. However, back home, other than private security guards at the entrance of the station and two guards at the platform, there is nothing in the name of security for passengers. When Deccan Herald spoke with a few regular women travellers in the City, they said security checks were compromised at the Metro stations after 9 pm. “After 9 pm, most of the time, the X-ray machines for baggage are switched off and the security staff, who are in a hurry to leave, do not check baggage properly. The same goes for the checking with handheld metal detectors,” said Rashmi (name changed) who travels by the Metro daily.

The Indian Railways proposes to utilise natural gas as fuel for its fleet of diesel locomotives in line with the international trend. This will have a substantial effect on reducing the emission of carbon and in making the railway system environment-friendly, the railway minister, Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, said here today.Inaugurating the 10th edition of the International Rail Exhibition and Conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr Kharge said the Railways in collaboration with the Research, Design and Standard Organisation (RDSO), has taken up various projects on using natural gas as fuel for its fleet of diesel locomotives.The RDSO is also working on developing highly fuel-efficient efficient diesel locomotives. Mr Kharge disclosed that an Indian manufacturer has established a joint venture with a reputed foreign firm for design and development of the system under the overall supervision of the RDSO.

Mr Kharge said FDI was welcome in infrastructure projects, such as the elevated rail corridor in Mumbai, high speed rails and dedicated freight corridor.

The FDI is also open for factories in rolling stock, such as locomotives and coaches, he stated.

Referring to the ambitious project of Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC), Mr Kharge said it would be a game changer for connectivity and freight easing all transportation significantly by connecting the northern hinterland and similarly the eastern side to the plants in the north. There is considerable scope for private public partnership in railways in general and DFC in particular, the minister said.

Freight terminals, parts of the DFC, redevelopment of stations and elevated rail corridor in Mumbai are areas proposed for private investment during the 12th Plan period, he said.

Union Minister submits resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Union Minister of State for Railways Kotla Jayasuryaprakasa Reddy resigned from his Ministerial post on Friday. He met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi at 5.45 p.m and submitted his resignation and asked him to relieve him of the responsibilities immediately.The Prime Minister was understood to have had a brief chat with Mr. Suryaprakasa Reddy about the conditions in Seemandhra. He told the Prime Minister that the leaders failed to explain the Congress stand properly to the people causing a lot of confusion.Mr. Suryaprakasa Reddy said he would remain in the Congress party and fight it out within the party. He told The Hindu that he was not mentally prepared to think of any alternative.“I know the Congress party had done a blunder but persons like me have no option except to fight it out,”, he said.Mr Reddy is expected to return to Kurnool on Monday and speak to his supporters.

Meanwhile, agitators protesting against the bifurcation of the State set ablaze the BSNL office on the collectorate campus here on Friday. The agitators barged into the office when there was nobody. Computers and furniture worth Rs. 2 lakh were destroyed in the fire.

The protesters set on fire the BJP office also in the city by breaking the glass panes. The office-bearers did not respond on the quantum of the damage to the office.

Tyres were set ablaze on the road between C. Camp and Collectorate. Flames and thick smoke billowed into the sky at several places. The fires were seen smouldering till evening. At Aluru, the protesters set on fire a vehicle at MPDO office.

The protests rocked Dhone, Nandikotkur, Yemmiganur, Adoni and Nandyal towns. The students blocked the highway at Rayalaseema university.

After the January 21 fare hike, the railways have decided to again raise passenger and freight tariffs from October 7 and 10 respectively, to factor in the fuel adjustment cost, that was due on October 1. Passenger fares will now go up on an average two per cent, while it would be a 1.7 per cent hike in the case of freight. With this, the railways will mop up an additional `1150 crores in the remaining six months of this financial year, said Amitabh Lal, additional member (commercial) of the Railway Board. The passenger fare hike will largely impact mail and express trains, and there would be no effect on suburban trains, that carry 50 per cent of all rail passengers. Second-class passenger trains were also spared, Mr Lal said.