ProUI

Convenience derailed by accessibility issues and dismal state of amenities at City station

Much has been written, and sung in our films, about the romance of a train journey. But look long and hard, and you’d still be hard pressed to find much that is pleasurable about the Bangalore City railway station.Thousands of passengers and at least 100 trains pass through the station every day. But the services and amenities at the station leave a lot to be desired. Passengers told The Hindu here about their experiences with non-functional display and public announcement systems, poor accessibility, dismal hygiene and poorly maintained facilities at the station.

Inconvenient

Shirley N., a passenger from Guntur, had a tough time with her injured foot. The ferry cart (a small four-seater vehicle) is offered as a free service to senior citizens and those with disabilities. But, said Ms. Shirley, “The cart driver asked me to pay Rs. 50. So I opted for a wheel chair. The porter demanded Rs. 600 in all for the wheelchair and transporting luggage. We eventually settled for Rs. 400.”

Some passengers asked for lifts to aid senior citizens. The authorities said four escalators would be installed in the next four months.

Lack of information

Passengers on platforms nine and 10 were bewildered by the non-functional public display system monitors. “I am not sure when my train is expected to arrive. I have to ask the police or the porters,” said Lalitha, a resident of Mandya.

Officials said the monitors had been in a state of disrepair for two months. However, Divisional Railway Manager Anil Kumar Agarwal said he had not received any complaint so far regarding the monitors. He promised that new ones would be installed by October-end.

Hygiene issues

Madhukar complained of filthy platforms and toilets. The Hindu found that taps in the toilets were leaking.

Mr. Madhukar, who says he is a frequent commuter, said of the Basava Express (Bangalore–Bagalkot) that leaves for Yeshwanthpur from the city station at 5 p.m.: “It used to be washed at the Yeshwanthpur station before proceeding to Bagalkot, but now is not cleaned on most days.”

People have to make do with only one cloakroom, which is on platform 1. Passengers said they would have liked more, especially at the other end of the station, on platforms nine and 10, so that they wouldn’t have to lug their belongings all the way.

Seating

D.R. Nagaraj, a senior citizen from Shimoga, voiced concern about the seating arrangements on the platforms. “I have been sitting here for an hour as the train doors have not yet been opened. On the platform, the seats are neither sufficient nor comfortable.”

They will drive a goods train from Ichchangadu to Vriddhachalam
..
When 39-year-old Narayana Vadivu cranked the diesel locomotive to haul a goods train on Friday morning assisted by her deputy Jhansi Rani, it was indeed a moment to cherish for both women.

It was the first time in the history of Southern Railway that an “all-women loco crew” was deployed to pilot an empty freight train on the 55-km stretch from Vriddhachalam to Ariyalur falling within the Villupuram–Tiruchi chord line section.

Hours later, the same crew was deployed to pilot another ‘Alco’ type broadgauge diesel loco, this time to haul a fully loaded goods train, transporting cement, from Ichchangadu to Vriddhachalam (24 km) in the same section.

Upon accomplishing both assignments, the two women returned to Tiruchi from Vriddhachalam piloting a triple light engine (wherein one loco will pull two engines).

Appointed initially as a Track Woman in 2004, Ms. Vadivu became an Assistant Loco Pilot in 2006 assisting Loco Pilots in goods, passenger, and express trains. It was in 2011 that she rose to become a diesel shunter piloting shunting locos individually from the Tiruchi coaching yard to the platform and back.

The new assignment of piloting a goods train was entrusted to her for the first time after she was elevated to the category of “Goods Loco Pilot” recently. “Although my earlier stint as a diesel shunter gave me enough experience to operate a diesel locomotive, the new task of piloting a goods train carrying heavy load with greater speed and to a longer distance was really exciting,” said Ms. Vadivu, a mother of two.

“I felt really elated while piloting a goods train single handed in an open line although a Loco Inspector travelled along with us on the first day to guide us on the section,” added Ms. Vadivu, a native of Ramchandra Nagar village near Vadakkankulam in Tirunelveli district.

As a diesel shunter, Ms. Vadivu says, she can pilot the loco at a slow speed of 15 km per hour. But being a loco pilot of a goods train is different.

It is essential to know complete details of the section that you are assigned, including the number of signals it has and its gradient to increase and reduce the sectional speed accordingly, she said.

However, the transition from piloting a shunting loco to a goods train was smooth for Ms. Vadivu.

For Jhansi Rani, fresh out of induction training at the Diesel Traction Training Centre (DTTC) and at the Zonal Railway Training Institute (ZRTI) both in Tiruchi, it was her maiden mission as an Assistant Loco Pilot on board a diesel loco with the loco pilot also being a woman.

A senior railway officer here said Ms. Vadivu was put on the new job after she underwent hands-on training in learning the “roads” in the entire division and after requisite preparations. This is the first time in the history of Southern Railway that an “all-women loco crew” was deployed to pilot a goods train, the officer said.

Since it was the crew’s first assignment, a Loco Inspector was deputed to travel along with them in the ‘Alco’ type diesel engine to guide them in the section, the officer said.

Ms. Vadivu would henceforth be deployed for piloting goods trains regularly in different sections falling within the Tiruchi Division.

The officer said all Assistant Loco Pilots recruited in the Southern Railway zone are trained at the DTTC that is equipped with a diesel loco simulator and the ZRTI.

Refresher courses are conducted both for loco pilots and assistant loco pilots at periodic intervals to enhance their driving skills.

अंबेडकरनगर : रेल मंत्रालय से जिले को मिली मऊ-आनंद बिहार एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन का संचालन रविवार को प्रारंभ हो गया। दिल्ली के लिए चौथी सीधी ट्रेन की घोषणा रेल बजट 2013 में किया गया था। यह ट्रेन सप्ताह में दो दिन चलेगी।
गत वर्ष रेल मंत्रालय ने जिले से दिल्ली तक सीधी ट्रेन सेवा की सौगात की घोषणा की थी। इसीक्रम में रविवार को मऊ आनंद बिहार एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन का शुभारंभ शुरू हो गया। रविवार को ट्रेन का संचालन विशेष रूप से किया गया। अपराह्न करीब चार बजकर 51 मिनट पर ट्रेन अकबरपुर रेलवे स्टेशन पहुंची। दो मिनट के ठहराव के बाद ट्रेन यात्रियों को लेकर गंतव्य के लिए रवाना हो गई। सोमवार से इसका नियमित संचालन होगा। ट्रेन मऊ से सप्ताह के प्रत्येक शनिवार व मंगलवार को चलेगी। उसी दिन अकबरपुर-लखनऊ होते हुए क्रमश: सोमवार एवं बुधवार को प्रात: साढ़े छह बजे आनंद बिहार टर्मिनल पहुंचेगी। इसी तरह आनंद बिहार से सोमवार और शुक्रवार को चलकर क्रमश: मंगलवार व शनिवार को अकबरपुर होकर मऊ पहुंचेगी। अकबरपुर स्टेशन अधीक्षक सत्यनरायन सिंह ने बताया कि एक एसएलआर, एक एसएल आरडी, छह साधारण यान, छह शयन यान, एसी द्वितीय श्रेणी के एक एवं एसी तृतीय श्रेणी के दो कुल 17 बोगी ट्रेन में लगेंगे।

वर्धा: अमरावती - नरखेड रेल्वेगाडी याच आठवड्यात कार्यरत होणार असल्याची माहिती रेल्वे मंत्रालयाद्वारे खासदार दत्ता मेघे यांच्या कार्यालयात प्राप्त झाली आहे. नरखेड-अमरावती हा रेल्वे मार्ग तयार होऊन बराच कालावधी झाला. घोषणा होऊनही या मार्गावर नवीन रेल्वे गाडी सुरू झाली नसल्याने परिसरातील नागरिकांमध्ये असंतोष व्यक्त होत आहे. मात्र, याच रेल्वे अर्थसंकल्पात नवीन गाडीचा समावेश करून ५११५१-५११५२ या क्रमांकाची रेल्वेगाडी आता कार्यान्वित करण्यात येत असल्याची माहिती मंत्रालयाद्वारे देण्यात आली आहे. यासोबतच भुसावळ-अमरावती रेल्वे गाडीही नरखेड स्थानकापर्यंत नेण्यात येणार असल्याचे सांगण्यात आले. रेल्वेमंत्र्यांच्या या घोषणेचे प्रवाशांनी स्वागत केले आहे.

हाथरस : पिछले एक सप्ताह से हाथरस जंक्शन व किला स्टेशन के बीच रिमॉडलिंग का कार्य तेजी से चल रहा है। रविवार को किला स्टेशन पर लाइन पर कार्य किया गया। इधर, एचएडी प्रभावित रहने के कारण दैनिक यात्रियों को परेशानी हो रही है।
हाथरस जंक्शन रेलवे स्टेशन का विस्तार किया जा रहा है। स्टेशन पर छह नंबर प्लेटफार्म बनाया जा रहा है। लाइनों की लंबाई बढ़ाई जा रही है। सिग्नल भी हाइटेक किया जा रहा है। इस दिशा में हाथरस जंक्शन व किला स्टेशन के बीच के प्वांइट भी बदले जा रहे हैं। 21 सितंबर से रिमॉडलिंग का कार्य चल रहा है। डेली शेड्यूल के अनुसार कर्मचारी कार्य को तेजी से निपटाने में लगे हैं। रविवार को किला स्टेशन पर बिजली की हाई पावर लाइन पर काम किया गया। जंक्शन पर रिमॉडलिंग का कार्य समाप्त होने में चार से पांच दिन का समय और लगेगा।
लाइन में कार्य चलने के कारण ट्रेक को नॉन इंटरलॉक (एनआइ) कर दिया गया है। तीन अक्टूबर तक एचएडी ट्रेन के संचालन बंद रहेगा। एचएडी के बंद होने से हाथरस से दिल्ली व अन्य स्टेशन जाने वाले दैनिक यात्रियों को समस्या का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। संचालन बंद होने के कारण हर दिन दस से पंद्रह हजार रुपये का नुकसान हो रहा है।

30-09-2013
mumbai
WR TO RUN FESTIVAL SPECIAL TRAINS BETWEEN SURAT-AJMER
..
For the convenience of passengers and to clear extra rush during the festive season, Western Railway will run special trains for the benefit of passengers.

·Surat–Ajmer Weekly Special Train( 18 Services )

Train no 09610 Surat-Ajmer Weekly special train will depart from Surat at 22.10 hrs o­n every Wednesday and reach Ajmer at 15.20 hrs o­n the next day. This train will run from 02nd October to 27thNovember, 2013.


Similarly, Train no 09609 Ajmer - Surat Weekly special train will depart from Ajmer at 05.55 hrs o­n every Wednesday and reach Surat at 20.55 hrs o­n the same day. This train will run from 02nd October to 27th November, 2013


The train will halt at Bharuch, Vadodara, Godhra, Dahod, Ratlam, Mandasor, Nimach, Chittaurgarh, Bhilwara, Bijainagar and Nasirabad stations in both the directions.


The train will have AC First Class, AC II Tier, AC III Tier Coaches, Sleeper Class and Second Class General Coaches.


The booking of train no. 09610 will open from 2nd October, 2013.

The Railways has raised the busy season surcharge on cargo charges from 12% to 15% even as it deferred a decision on passing on a part of the burden of growing fuel costs.

A decision on raising the Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) was slated to be taken by September 30.  In addition, the Railways were to receive a call on adding FAC to passenger fares. However, it has put off for now the decision on the politically sensitive fare issue.

Devi Prasad Pandey, Member-Traffic, Railway Board said, “The marginal boost in fuel surcharge was because of increase in various input costs for Railways, excluding fuel. We will take a call on implementing the Fuel Adjustment Component over the next few days.”

The revised fuel surcharge will come into effect from October 1. Traditionally, the Railways levies a busy season surcharge on freight traffic for nine months during the year, barring July to September.

The exceptions to the surcharge continued to be container volume and automobile volume. The move may have an inflationary effect if companies pass on the hike to consumers.

Another Railway Ministry official said, the recent 10% boost in dearness allowance for Government employees is likely to cost the Railways Rs 1,000-1,300 crore this year.

Haryana's Rapid Metro Project, connecting NH-8 in Gurgaon with the Delhi Metro Railways' Sikanderpur station, will be inaugurated soon, a government spokesman said.

The Railways has raised the busy season surcharge on cargo charges from 12% to 15% even as it deferred a decision on passing on a part of the burden of growing fuel costs.

A decision on raising the Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) was slated to be taken by September 30.  In addition, the Railways were to receive a call on adding FAC to passenger fares. However, it has put off for now the decision on the politically sensitive fare issue.

Devi Prasad Pandey, Member-Traffic, Railway Board said, “The marginal boost in fuel surcharge was because of increase in various input costs for Railways, excluding fuel. We will take a call on implementing the Fuel Adjustment Component over the next few days.”

The revised fuel surcharge will come into effect from October 1. Traditionally, the Railways levies a busy season surcharge on freight traffic for nine months during the year, barring July to September.

The exceptions to the surcharge continued to be container volume and automobile volume. The move may have an inflationary effect if companies pass on the hike to consumers.

Another Railway Ministry official said, the recent 10% boost in dearness allowance for Government employees is likely to cost the Railways Rs 1,000-1,300 crore this year.

Haryana's Rapid Metro Project, connecting NH-8 in Gurgaon with the Delhi Metro Railways' Sikanderpur station, will be inaugurated soon, a government spokesman said.