ProUI

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 This was not the only facility to be withdrawn after introduction of the same with much fanfare.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.

GORAKHPUR: The Gorakhpur railway station became the proud owner world's longest home platform on Sunday after GM, NER, KK Atal inaugurated the remodelled Gorakhpur Yard.

The remodelling work was completed on war-footing within the scheduled time. With the inauguration of the remodelled yard, Gorakhpur now has a platform measuring 1366.33 metres with ramp and 11355.40 metres without it. With this achievement, the NER has also secured a place in the Limca Book of Records. The certificate for the same would be issued soon. The achievement of the Gorakhpur station would also be incorporated in the Guinness Book of World Records. The postal department too is likely to release a special cover to mark the achievement.

After inaugurating the newly installed route relay interlocking system, the GM also flagged off 12555 Gorakhdham Express (Gorakhpur to Hisar). Later, talking to reporters, Atal, said, "I congratulate the people of Gorakhpur on getting the privilege of world's longest railway platform in the city. I also appreciate the cooperation of the people of Gorakhpur as more than half of the work was completed within 11 days. I also appreciate the dedication of rail employees and officers who worked day and night for to ensure completion of work within the time limit."

On the occasion, the GM announced award of Rs 1 lakh each for the construction department, signal construction department and Lucknow division and an award of Rs 50,000 for the headquarters.

Chief operating manager, RV Singh, chief signal and telecommunication engineer, HK Agarwal, chief administrative officer, Onkar Singh, chief signal telecommunication engineer, HK Agarwal, DRM Lucknow, Anoop Kumar, ADRM (Lucknow), chief engineer (construction), ON Verma, chief signal telecommunication engineer (construction) SN Sah, SDGM, PN Rai, CCM, Arvind Kumar, CPRO, Alok Kumar Singh, secretary to GM, Amit Singh along with senior railway officials were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

रेलवे ने साल में दूसरी बार किराया बढ़ाया है. इस बार सामान्य टिकट में जहां दो से तीन रुपये की वृद्धि हुई, वहीं आरक्षण टिकट पांच से 80 रुपये तक महंगा हो गया है. रेलवे ने किलोमीटर के हिसाब से फेयर बढ़ाया है.आरक्षण शुल्क, सुपर फास्ट व कैटरिंग चार्ज और सर्विस टैक्स में कोई बढ़ोतरी नहीं की गयी है. बढ़ी दर सोमवार से लागू होगी. संपूर्ण क्रांति की स्लीपर बोगी से पटना से नयी दिल्ली जानेवाले यात्रियों को सात रुपये अधिक लगेंगे, वहीं ट्रेन की एसी बोगी में सफर करने पर 46 रुपये अधिक देना होगा. पटना से मुंबई जाने के लिए स्लीपर में जहां नौ रुपये, वहीं एसी फस्र्ट क्लास में 66 रुपये अधिक लगेंगे.राउंड फीगर में लोकल किराया: लोकल किराया राउंड फीगर में कर दिया गया है. न्यूनतम किराया चार रुपये की जगह पांच रुपये होगा. एसी क्लास में पीक पीरियड का किराया अलग-अलग बताया गया है.

जिन लोगों ने सोमवार या उसके बाद का टिकट पहले ही कटा लिया है. उनसे बढ़ी राशि ट्रेन में ही ली जायेगी. इसके लिए टीटीइ सहित वाणिज्यिक पदाधिकारियों को आवश्यक निर्देश दिये गये हैं.पांच साल से कम उम्र के बच्चों को राजधानी, शताब्दी और दुरंतो में खाना नि:शुल्क मिलेगा. गरीब रथ को छोड़ तमाम एसी क्लास के यात्रियों की मांग पर बेडरोल नि:शुल्क मुहैया कराया जायेगा.

Southern Railway has cancelled a number of trains between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh on Monday 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 on Monday, has been cancelled, a Railway release said. Similarly, Chennai Central-Gudur Passenger, Vijayawada-Chennai Central Pinakini Express and Bitragunta-Chennai Central Passenger have also been cancelled, the release said.

ALLAHABAD: Incessant rain severely affected the movement of trains at Allahabad railway station. With the railway yard heavily waterlogged and signal failure reported early in the day, several trains were delayed.

The problem was worse on platform number 1 and 2 of the railway junction where the movement of severak New Delhi-bound trains was affected. The trains which arrived late at the station included Kalka Mail and North East Express. Due to the non-functioning of signals for a certain period, train traffic was handled through log books until the signal failure was rectified.

* रुळाला तडा गेल्याने अपघात
* ड्रायव्हरच्या प्रसंगावधानाने हानी टळली

रत्नागिरी: मुंबईहून मडगावकडे निघालेल्या मांडवी एक्स्प्रेसला रविवारी भीषण अपघात होता होता वाचला. खेडजवळ रेल्वे रुळाला तडा गेल्याचे एक्स्प्रेसच्या ड्रायव्हरला दिसताच त्याने इमर्जन्सी ब्रेक लावले. वेग कमी झाल्याने फक्त इंजिन व एक डबा रुळांवरून घसरला आणि कोणतीही जीवितहानी झाली नाही. मात्र , या घटनेने कोकण रेल्वे रात्री उशिरापर्यंत विस्कळीत झाली होती.

सकाळी १२.१५च्या सुमारास हा अपघात झाला. त्यांनतर या मार्गावर धावणाऱ्या गाड्या चिपळूण , रत्नागिरी स्थानकावर थांबवण्यात आल्या. नवी मुंबई , मडगाव व रत्नागिरीतील आपत्कालीन पथके घटनास्थळाकडे पोहचली. घसरलेले इंजिन व डबा हलविण्याचे काम रात्री उशिरापर्यंत सुरू होते.

दरम्यान , रुळाला तडा जाण्याचा गंभीर प्रकार तपासणी पथकाच्या लक्षात कसा आला नाही , असा प्रश्न निर्माण झाला आहे. या प्रकरणी चौकशी करण्यात येईल , असे कोकण रेल्वेकडून सांगण्यात आले.

* कोकण रेल्वे विस्कळीत
मुंबईः या अपघातामुळे कोकण रेल्वेमार्गावरील गाड्या पाच तासांहून अधिक विलंबाने धावत होत्या. मत्स्यगंधा एक्स्प्रेसची वेळ बदलण्यात आली. रविवारी रात्री अकरा वाजता सुटणाऱ्या सीएसटी-मडगाव कोकणकन्या एक्स्प्रेसची वेळ पहाटे सव्वा चार करण्यात आली. याबाबत कोकण रेल्वेच्या प्रमुख जनसंपर्क अधिकारी वैशाली पतंगे यांच्याशी संपर्क साधला असता , कोणत्याही गाड्या रद्द करण्यात आल्या नसल्याचे त्यांनी सांगितले.

रेलवे अपने यात्रियों की सुरक्षा के लिए अब कोई रिस्क लेने को तैयार नहीं है. अब रेल यात्रियों से लूटपाट करनेवाले अपराधियों से रेलवे आरपार की लड़ाई लड़ेगा. भागलपुर रेलवे स्टेशन पर चल रहे कार्य को देखने आये रविवार को मालदा से पहुंचे डीआरएम रविंद्र गुप्ता  ने कहा कि यात्रियों से लूटपाट करनेवाले अपराधियों को मार गिराया जायेगा. रेल पुलिस इसके लिए तैयार है. आरपीएफ स्टेशन पर ट्रेनों में पूरी मुस्तैदी के साथ काम कर रहा है. जीआरपी के जवानों को भी इसमें तेजी लानी होगी. उन्होंने बताया कि  दुर्गापूजा के दौरान इस रेलखंड पर यात्रियों की सुरक्षा के लिए भागलपुर से खुलनेवाली सभी एक्सप्रेस ट्रेनों में आधुनिक हथियार से लैस मार्शल के दो जवान सादे लिबास में तैनात रहेंगे. उनके पास रिमोट डिवाइस भी होगा. अगर यात्र के दौरान ट्रेन में कहीं अपराध हुआ, तो ये मार्शल रिमोट डिवाइस से एस्कॉर्ट पार्टी  को अलर्ट कर देंगे और अपराधियों को मौके पर ही मार गिराया जायेगा. बता दें कि पिछले दिनों अपराधियों और उपद्रवियों के लिए रेलवे सॉफ्ट टारगेट रहा है. रेल यात्रियों के साथ लूटपाट की कई घटनाएं हो चुकी हैं. इसके अलावा लोगों के उपद्रव के कारण रेलवे को भागलपुर हसडीहा पैसेंजर ट्रेन को बंद करना पड़ा था. शुक्रवार को दानापुर भागलपुर इंटरसिटी में तोड़फोड़ की गयी.

Inadequate power supply to traction lines under the jurisdiction of the South Central Railway has hit movement of trains.

On Sunday, 12 passenger and four express trains were cancelled and would remain cancelled on Monday too. These apart, four passenger trains were partially cancelled and two express trains diverted.

Power supply to the Vijayawada Division fell short after the Vidyut JAC launched its indefinite strike from 6 a.m. on Sunday, protesting against the Union Cabinet’s nod for creation of Telangana.

The traction lines run on 33 KV power.

Due to shortage of power, the SCR had to cancel passenger trains on the Vijayawada- Renigunta-Chennai and Vijayawada – Kazipet lines. Among the express trains cancelled were: Train No. 12712 Chennai Central-Vijayawada Pinakini Express scheduled to depart Chennai on Sunday at 2.05 p.m.; Train No. 12711 Vijayawada-Chennai Central Jan Shatabdi Express scheduled to depart Vijayawada on Monday at 6 a.m.; Train No. 12078 Vijayawada-Chennai Central Jan Shatabdi Express scheduled to depart Vijayawada at 2.50 p.m. on Sunday; and Train No. 12077 Chennai Central-Vijayawada Jan Shatabdi Express scheduled to depart Chennai Central at 7 a.m. on Monday. The trains diverted were: Train No. 12764 Tirupati-Secunderabad Padmavathi Express scheduled to depart Tirupati at 5 p.m. on Sunday was diverted to run via Renigunta, Gooty, Dhone, and Kacheguda, and Train No. 12733 Tirupati-Secunderabad Narayanadri Express scheduled to depart Tirupati at 6.25 p.m. on Sunday was diverted to run on the same route.These apart, in the early hours of Sunday, two trains — Duronto Express and Garib Rath — were stranded on the tracks for about 40 minutes due to sudden disruption in power supply.

SCR Senior Public Relations Officer F.R. Michael told The Hindu that in the worst scenario, some electric engines would be replaced by diesel engines to run the show.

About 15 diesel locomotives and a good quantity of diesel had been kept ready by the SCR.

Mr. Michael said about 10 to 12 goods trains had been parked in the looplines to give priority to passenger movement.

In the worst case scenario, some electric engines will be replaced by diesel engines to run the show. In all, 15 diesel locomotives and a good quantity of diesel have been kept ready

F.R. Michael

SCR Senior Public

Relations Officer

Helpline numbers

SCR releases the following helpline numbers in case

of emergency:

Vijayawada: 0866- 2576796 (10 lines); Cell: 9701373073

Nellore: 0861- 2345888 or 2345864

Ongole: 08592- 280202 or 280203

Rajahmundry: 0833- 2420541 or 2420543

रेलवे में हर युवा नौकरी करना चाहता है. यदि आप भी रेलवे में वर्क करना चाहते हैं, तो यह उचित समय है. इसके लिए आप ऑनलाइन आवेदन कर सकते हैं. यदि आप किसी मान्यता प्राप्त संस्थान या स्कूल से बारहवीं उत्तीर्ण हैं, तो अप्लाई करने के योग्य हैं. सभी पदों के लिए उम्र सीमा भी निर्धारित है.आरक्षण के दायरे में आते हैं, तो सरकारी नियमानुसार अधिकतम उम्र सीमा और फीस में छूट का प्रावधान है. इसी तरह भारतीय रेलवे के अधीन काम कर रही कंपनी राइट्स ने ग्रेजुएट एग्जीक्यूटिव ट्रेनी पदों के लिए इंजीनियरिंग में प्रथम श्रेणी से उत्तीर्ण स्टूडेंट्स से आवेदन आमंत्रित किये हैं. पद से संबंधित समस्त जानकारी, फीस और परीक्षा से संबंधित अधिक जानकारी के लिए वेबसाइट विजिट कर सकते हैं.

Southern Railway has cancelled a number of trains between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh on Monday 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 on Monday, has been cancelled, a Railway release said. Similarly, Chennai Central-Gudur Passenger, Vijayawada-Chennai Central Pinakini Express and Bitragunta-Chennai Central Passenger have also been cancelled, the release said.