ProUI

Once again, the Northern Railways has breached the deadline for much awaited 25-km Udhampur-Katra railway line which was set to be commissioned in the month of September this year or before Navratras.             Official sources told Greater Kashmir that most of the formalities as well as construction work on the railway line has been completed, but it still awaits the final clearance by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS).  The CRS team could not conduct the mandatory inspection for the trial run on the section before throwing it open for passenger trains, sources said. “Safety clearance from CRS is mandatory for making new line operational,” they said, adding that the Chairman Railway Board and General Manager of Northern Railway will conduct thorough inspection of the hilly track before it is made operational. Sources added that after inspecting track and construction work, the Ferozpur division gave approval to the 25 kilometer long track and wrote a letter on August 19 to CRS for conducting final inspection but nothing has been done so far.     “Now the track awaits only final inspection by CRS authorities” sources said and added that the reason for delay was well known to higher ups.        The track consists of 11-km of tunnelling passage, nine major bridges, 29 minor bridges and 10 rail under-bridges. The tallest bridge on the section is 85 metres and the longest tunnel is 3.15 km. Pertinently, the inauguration of the 25-km long railway track by Prime Minster on June 25 was postponed because the Chairman Railway Board had found some technical snag along the track. Earlier, the rail link between Udhampur and Katra was scheduled to be completed by 2005. The survey on the rail project was conducted in 1998 but the actual groundwork was started in 1999 setting 2005 as deadline to connect Katra with the rest of the country. Sources said that the Katra Railway station has also been completed with modern facilities including tourist guide counter, cloak room, waiting hall, VIP lounge, escalators and lifts, besides parking space on either                                                   side. They said that the Railway authorities were  mulling to extend Jammu mail and Samparak Kranti trains up to Katra, besides introducing new trains including Katra-Kalka (Chandigarh) Express (bi-weekly), Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Udhampur Express, (fully air-conditioned) and Ahmedabad-Udhampur Express. They said a set of local trains from Jammu to Katra and Pathankot to Katra are also likely to be introduced to cater to the rush of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims from Jammu and Pathankot to Katra.

Ratnagiri:  A major tragedy was averted after Konkan Railway’s Mumbai-Goa Mandovi Express derailed on Sunday afternoon.

Konkan Railway will remain affected till the restoration work is completed on the single-line track.

National trains passing the route will also remain affected. Railway police said that the driver of the speeding train spotted a track fracture on time and braked the train, averting a major crash.

Initial reports said there were no injures.  The locomotive and the first coach of the train went off the track near Khed station after the incident. The derailed Mandovi Express had advanced WDP-4 diesel-electric locomotive that has aircraft-like sound. It took the brunt of the fall.

As passengers grapple with the problems, officials look the other way

The Southern Railway, a couple of years ago, introduced the novel facility of “Electronic Fare Repeater Display System” at the reserved and unreserved ticket booking counters in Tiruchi Railway Junction.Under this system, the people can see for themselves the entries being made by the ticketing clerks such as train number, date of journey, boarding, and alighting stations, current status of the ticket and fare on the display board. If any mistake had crept in while the booking staff made the entry, the buyer could alert the official before the ticket was printed. They could keep the fare ready without enquiring for the same with the booking staff.This facility enabled the people verify the ticket details even while it was being processed.Earlier, people noticed mistakes only after the ticket was issued across the counter. The ticket had to be re-processed for correcting any mistake that had taken place. The facility was introduced in five computerised passenger reservation system counters and an equal number of unreserved ticketing system counters at Tiruchi Junction. It reduced the pressure on the booking staff.

This facility lasted only a few months and was done away with, much to the shock of the travelling public. Now, even the electronic display boards have been removed.

The Southern Railway had planned to introduce this facility in the reservation counters of 17 other stations – Tiruchi Fort, Tiruverumbur, Srirangam, Ariyalur, Vriddhachalam, Villuppuram, Puducherry, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore Cantonment, Salem Town, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Tirupathiripuliyur, and Chidambaram in a phased manner.

Railway sources said the system was dispensed with because of the huge maintenance cost. This was not the only facility to be withdrawn after introduction of the same with much fanfare.

In 2008, the railways commissioned reverse osmosis plants for supply of purified drinking water, and it proved a boon for passengers. While two plants were established on platform 1, the main platform, one each had been set up on island platforms 2, 3, 4 and 5. Each can treat 1,000 litres of water per hour and 20,000 litres per day. The railway administration spent Rs. 5 lakh for each “membrane-based water purification” plant. Each plant has an overhead tank to store 1,000 litres of treated water. No manpower was required to switch on and off the plants.

The provision of potable drinking water free of cost was widely welcomed by all sections of society and even there was a plea to step up the capacity of the plant to meet the increased demand.

Now, the RO plants are not functioning and the reason given is technical snag and the maintenance cost.

Thanks to sponsors, the railways had installed three platform ticket vending machines and a coin exchange machine, both at the main entrance of Tiruchi Junction, which considerably reduced crowding at the current ticket issuing counters. Since the sponsors did not come forward to get the machines repaired when they developed snags, all the machines were removed.

Touch screen facilities at the main entrance, VIP entrance, Kallukuzhi entrance, and at the PRS centre were used by the passengers to a big extent. While this facility is missing from Kallukuzhi entrance, the one at the main entrance has developed snag.

The main grouse of the passengers against the railways is the non-functioning of the coach indication boards in all the platforms except platform number one. With all the trains originating and passing via Tiruchi are lengthy with 24 coaches and the long distance trains stopping only for a few minutes, coach indication boards are a must, says M. Khaleelur Rahman, a businessman of Palakkarai.

If the Railways could not revive the coach indication boards immediately, it should adopt the old system of displaying the coach position at a central point of the platform, he says.

The second sleeper class waiting hall has been closed recently and the upper class waiting hall has been converted into reserved passengers waiting hall.

Railway sources say that since even common people, apart from the travelling public, were misusing the sleeper class waiting hall, the railways has decided to close it for the time being. It has planned to give a facelift to it and outsource the maintenance of the same to provide better facilities to the passengers.

Tiruchi Junction is a major railway station and handles 120 express and passenger trains and passenger traffic of about 50,000 people a day. More trains have been introduced via Tiruchi junction in the recent past. With the divisional headquarters just a stone’s throw away from the junction, the railways should accord priority for the creation of various facilities and maintaining them properly, says M. Theresnathan, president, Tiruchi District Consumer Movement.

However, the well-maintained pay and use air conditioned waiting hall at a nominal fee of Rs. 10 for two hours and the facilities at basic amenities complex, including an air-conditioned waiting hall, provide more than the needed comfort to the travelling public.

MUMBAI: Train services on the Konkan Railway (KR) route was affected today due to a derailment of the locomotive and brake van of Mandovi Express near Khed railway station.Said KR senior spokesperson Vaishali Patange: "The derailment of the locomotive and the brake van of CST-Madgaon Mandovi Express between Diwankhavati and Khed stations occurred at 12:30 pm. On this account, only one train, namely Sawantwadi-Diva passenger train, has been terminated at Ratnagiri and there is no cancellation of any services. However, the trains may be running late due to this and the public may call 022-27561721, 27561723, 27561725 for information.""There is no injury or casualty. Our officials had rushed to the spot of derailment for expeditious restoration of the traffic. The work is going on in full swing and the engineers and the staff are working on a war footing," she said. The commissioner of railway safety was apprised of the incident and an inquiry has been instituted, officials said. "The inconvenience caused to the public is deeply regretted," a senior official added.

Nellore: Police have arrested a group of NGOs when they halted Chennai-bound Pinakini Express and Vijayawada-bound Jana Shatabdi Express near Kondayapalem railway gate at Nellore during a protest against Union Cabinet’s approval for the separate Telangana state note on Saturday.The Employees’ JAC protested before the Fifth Town police station demanding the release of the seven arrested NGOs. Meanwhile, normal life was paralysed following the 48-hour bandh call in Nellore for the second consecutive day.Shops, establishments, educational institutes, banks and Central government organisations such as BSNL, Postal and LIC remained closed all over the district.Traffic on the national highway came to a grinding halt for over seven hours at Sullurpeta as Samaikyandhra activists squatted on the road preventing the movement of vehicular traffic.YSR Congress cadres led by town segment in-charge, Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, torched old tyres near Gandhi statue centre after taking out a motorcycle rally. The entire area was darkened with smoke with the burning of tyres.In a novel protest Telugu Nadu Students’ Federation members performed last rites to the effigies of Union ministers from Seemandhra.Samaikya Andhra Upadhyaya Porata Samiti activists burnt the effigies of Union ministers and finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. Telugu Yuvata members led by S. Ravichandra performed cremation to the effigy of Sonia Gandhi.

States:  Andhra Pradesh

Vijayanagaram: Curfew has been imposed in Vizianagaram town with police given the orders to shoot at sight in the wake of large-scale violence by anti-bifurcation agitators, police said in Hyderabad. Additional forces have also been rushed to the district. More than 50,000 employees of the electricity department have threatened to boycott work. As a precautionary measure, the railways have cancelled fifteen passenger trains. "In view of the prevailing situation in Seemandhra and also the commencement of strike by the electricity department employees, this morning railways have cancelled 15 passenger trains on Vijaywada to Kanchipet and also to Vijaywada, Gonur, Renigunta, Tirupati sections," said Railway PRO K Sambasiva Rao.

Southern Railway has cancelled a number of trains between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh tomorrow due to agitation by some workers of Andhra Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation over the Telangana issue.

The Jan Shatabdi Express running between Chennai Central and Vijayawada, scheduled to leave the city tomorrow, has been cancelled, a Southern Railway release said.

Similarly, tomorrow's Chennai Central-Gudur Passenger, Vijayawada-Chennai Central Pinakini Express and Bitragunta-Chennai Central Passenger have also been cancelled, the release said.

No.334/2013-14 06-10-2013
Secunderabad
Padmavathi and Narayanadri Expresses from Tirupati to Secunderabad to run on normal route

TRAIN NO. 12764 TIRUPATI-SECUNDERABAD PADMAVATHI EXPRESSand TRAIN NO. 12733 TIRUPATI-SECUNDERABAD NARAYANADRI EXPRESS departing Tirupati today i.e., 6th October 2013 which were earlier intimated to run o­n diverted route (vide PR No. 333) will now run o­n NORMAL ROUTEonly.

Southern Railway cancels some AP-bound trains PTI

The Hindu The Nizamuddin-Kanniyakumari Express is seen at the Tangutur railway station in Prakasam district on Sunday. Railway officials cancelled all goods and passenger services and ran express trains at reduced speeds in view of the indefinite strike by Seemandhra power employees. Photo: Kommuri Srinivas

The Hindu Police presence is seen at a power sub-station as electricity employees began an indefinite strike for Samaikyandhra in Ongole on Sunday. Photo: Kommuri Srinivas TOPICS India Andhra Pradesh


Southern Railway has cancelled a number of trains between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh on Monday due to agitation by some workers of the Andhra Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation over the Telangana issue.

The Jan Shatabdi Express running between Chennai Central and Vijayawada, scheduled to leave the city on Monday, has been cancelled, a Southern Railway release said.

Similarly, Monday’s Chennai Central-Gudur Passenger, Vijayawada-Chennai Central Pinakini Express and Bitragunta-Chennai Central Passenger have also been cancelled, the release said.

The South Central Railway has already cancelled several passenger trains running on Kazipet-Vijayawada, Vijayawada-Gudur-Tirupati sections on Sunday with a view to handle any situation arising out of possible break in power supply to railways.

In the morning, three trains were stopped between Vijayawada-Gudur by Samaikhyandhra agitators and later they were resumed with police escort, sources said.

The Jaipur-Chennai Express, Secunderabad-Gudur Simhapuri Express and Yaswantapur-Howrah Express trains were stopped on Vijayawada-Gudur Section, railway sources said.

Power employees step up stir

Stepping up their agitation, power employees in Seemandhra on Sunday began an indefinite strike to protest the decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy appealed to the agitating employees to resume their duties as power generation at several power stations in the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and supply was impacted resulting in unscheduled power cuts in the two regions and also Hyderabad.

As of now, generation is being maintained to some extent and the transmission and distribution were affected at several places, official sources said.

The Seemandhra electricity employees associations had announced that about 70,000 employees of power generation, transmission corporations and distribution companies would go on strike.

A report from Vijayawada said six out of seven units of Vijayawada Thermal Station were shutdown due to employees’ strike in support of Samaikhyandra.

Mr. Reddy appealed to the employees of the power generation, transmission corporations and distribution companies “to resume their duties immediately since their strike is seriously impacting important services like hospitals, drinking water, railways etc.”

He held a review meeting on the situation with senior officials of energy department, transmission and distribution companies, official sources said.

The employees should rethink about their strike on humanitarian grounds as general public is suffering for no fault of theirs, Mr. Reddy said in his appeal.

He has also directed the chief secretary and DGP to monitor the law and order situation closely and take stringent action against anti-social elements, sources said.

Our Staff Reporter S. Murali adds from Ongole:

Blackout in Prakasam district

Prakasam district witnessed a total power blackout on Sunday as electricity employees began indefinite strike which severely affected running of trains and water supply to habitations.

The 220 KV substation in Ongole and more than 180 sub-stations across the district tripped in the morning following the strike, official sources said. “We are making all out efforts to restore power supply as early as possible”, Superintending Engineer D. Jayabharath told The Hindu.

Railway officials cancelled all goods and passenger services and ran express trains at reduced speeds by augmenting power supply from Kavali in neighbouring Potti Sriramulu Nellore district.

Hit by the indefinite strike by RTC employees since August 12, 2013 people waited for long hours to board express trains. “We are making alternative arrangements to run trains with diesel engines”, said Ongole Station Manager T.Satyanarayana.

Keywords: Andhra Pradesh bifurcation, Samaikhyandra protest, power employees strike

The revised Passenger Fares as announced by the Ministry of Railways as Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) linked Passenger fare will come into effect from tomorrow i.e., 7th October, 2013.
The revised fares will also apply to tickets issued in advance for journeys to commence o­n or after 7th October, 2013. In such cases, the difference of fare between that of already paid and the revised fare will be collected by TTEs o­n board the trains.
Passengers are requested to please note and cooperate and pay the difference of fare accordingly during their journey.