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  Indian Railways News  / RAIL NEWS CENTER: Railways to procure 200 high HP electric locos for DFC

Gearing up for hauling maximum loadings in the upcoming dedicated freight corridor (DFC), the railways have decided to procure 200 high horse power (HP) electric locomotives including import of 40 locos from Japan.

In addition to its 6000 HP locomotives, the national transporter will acquire 9000 HP electric engines to increase its haulage capacity.

"We will procure 200 high HP electric locomotives for the DFC, out of which 40 will be imported from Japan as the requirement is to increase the carrying capacity substantially. The rest will be manufactured in the country", said a senior Railway Ministry official.

The carrying capacity will increase to 6000 tons per locomotive from the existing 5000 tons capacity. It is estimated to cost about Rs 20 cr per 9000 HP locomotive. At present it costs about Rs 14 cr for the 6000 HP loco.

"The import of locomotives from Japan is as per the Japanese loan condition since the western corridor of the DFC is being funded by JICA," said the official, adding, "the rest of the locomotives will be assembled in India with technology and components from Japan."

The procurement process of modern locomotives is to begin shortly as part of the DFC, which is likely to be operational in the next three years.

The 3373 km long DFC, the flagship project of the railways, aims to augment the rail transport capacity to meet the growing requirement of movement of goods by segregating freight from passenger traffic.

  Indian Railways News  / RAIL NEWS CENTER: 5 रेलवे स्टेशनों पर बनेंगे फूड प्लाजा

दिल्ली मंडल के एडीआरएम सुधीर गर्ग ने बताया है कि हरियाणा के 5 जिलों के रेलवे स्टेशनों पर जल्द ही फूड प्लाजा खोले जाएंगे। ये फूड प्लाजा पानीपत, करनाल, कुरुक्षेत्र, सोनीपत और नरवाना के स्टेशनों पर बनाए जाएंगे। रेलवे ने हरियाणा के इन 5 स्टेशनों पर 50-50 लाख के बजट से फू ड प्लाजा बनाने का फैसला किया है। ये एसी व नॉन एसी दोनों तरह के होंगे। फूड प्लाजा एक साल में बनकर तैयार हो जाएंगे। आमतौर पर रेलवे स्टेशनों पर लगे स्टॉल पर लंच व डिनर की व्यवस्था नहीं होती, इसकी कमी को प्लाजा पूरी करेंगे।

  Indian Railways News  / Residents irked by change in Rangarajapuram subway plan

After two decades of waiting, residents of Kodambakkam and West Mambalam will soon get the much-awaited Rangarajapuram subway they have been demanding for safely crossing the suburban railway line, and for bringing down the traffic movement to some extent. But the change in usage plan of the subway has become a chink in the armour and residents have decided to take matter into their own hands before it is too late.To discuss the measures to be taken, a special meeting of Kodambakkam and Mambalam Civic Exnora units and resident welfare associations was held on Sunday last, in which more than 45 associations’ office-bearers, committee members and residents participated.“The subway has been a dream since early 1990s. We have been demanding that it be used both by two-wheelers and pedestrians. Now that the dream is about to become a reality, we are told it will only function as a pedestrian subway and that two-wheelers will not be allowed. In such a case, there is no need to spend public money on a subway which will be put to little use. The old Rangarajapuram railway gate would have sufficed,” said Aadinarayanan, a resident of Kodambakkam.

Addressing the gathering, Meenakshi, president, Kodambakkam Residents’ Welfare Exnora, said that she had been following the developments from the time the project got a sanction in 2010. It was during a recent visit to the site that she learnt that the subway was only meant for pedestrians. “The contractor indicated that it will be a pedestrian-only subway. When few Exnora office-bearers met the Zone 10 Corporation chairman, the news was affirmed. But residents are unhappy at this sudden turn of events. The original plan for this subway was to allow one-way traffic for two and three-wheelers with a pedestrian pathway from Kodambakkam to T. Nagar.”

Highlighting the safety issue if it is made into a pedestrian-only subway, R. Govindraj, joint secretary, Exnora International, said, “As the area is deserted most of the time, not many pedestrians would use the subway. There is also the danger of encroachers and miscreants using it.”

Anand Laxman, president, T. Nagar Exnora, said that any project that utilises public money should take into consideration public opinion and their needs. “Decisions taken by officials should be based on how best to use the facilities for the benefit of a large section of public. This subway, which was originally designed to cater to two-wheeler traffic, should be put to its designed use.”

Similar to the ones in Tambaram and Perambur, the prefabricated box type subway is meant for vehicular traffic. “When it is being put to proper use in other places, why not in Rangarajapuram subway,” asks residents, adding, “Spending Rs. 3 crores on a pedestrian-only subway is uncalled for.”

With repeated appeals to officials, including the Mayor and the Corporation Commissioner, falling on deaf ears, the residents are now planning a protest.

“We undertook a signature campaign and submitted our petition with more than 1,000 signatures from residents of Kodambakkam and Mambalam, but the campaign did not create the impact we were expecting. With the subway in its final stage of completion, we have decided to take immediate action to make our concerns heard.” said Mr. Govindraj.

The meeting has now resolved to go the Team Anna way and will be holding a one-day token fast on August 19. They have appealed to the residents of the area to take part and support the protest. The venue for the fast is yet to be finalised. The residents will also submit an appeal to the Chief Minister, asking her to intervene in the matter.

Those interested to join the fast can contact Ms. Meenakshi at 98409 58713.

  Indian Railways News  / Coimbatore : Corpn. to widen road for underpass

The Coimbatore Corporation has embarked on the process of widening Thair Itteri Road to facilitate the construction of an underpass by Southern Railway.Mayor S.M. Velusamy ordered the Corporation officials to undertake a survey of the road at the last Council meeting. This was in response to complaints of encroachments, though.The officials said that the field staff had surveyed the near two-km-stretch of the road, branching from the new bridge on Sivananda Colony to the Kannappan Nagar junction to identify areas for expansion. The road, identified as a scheme road, would be 60-feet wide after the completion of the work.They had marked the road boundary and also buildings that had to be removed because of encroachment. Once that was done, the Corporation would go ahead with the work. They also said that the Corporation needed to acquire land at a few places.The officials said that majority of the encroachments were on the southern side of the railway track. In all, the Corporation may be forced to remove around 30 structures, including religious establishments.Once that was done, the Railway was expected to undertake the underpass construction. It would be a coordinated work between the two government agencies – the Railway and the Corporation. The former would undertake the work on railway land and the latter on Thair Itteri Road.

Sources in the Railway said that the underpass would be 6.5 m deep and 12 m wide. It had floated tenders for the same and the work was expected to begin soon after the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder.

Once the underpass is ready – at present there is a level crossing – it is expected to serve as an alternative route for people moving from Sanganoor Road, Gandhipuram, Sivananda Colony and Nallampalayam.

  Indian Railways News  / It is Fortress Delhi ahead of I-Day

New Delhi:Around 6,000 security force personnel, including commandos, are being deployed in the national capital ahead of the Independence Day, especially in and around the Red Fort from where the prime minister will address the nation, police said Sunday.Besides Delhi Police personnel and commandos, officials in plain clothes and snipers have been deployed around the Red Fort, the walled city, and the central Delhi, according to Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dharmendra Kumar."Around 80 companies of security forces (around 6,000 personnel) will be deployed on August 13, during the full dress rehearsal, and from August 14 midnight at the Red Fort and surrounding areas. These will include snipers, army and National Security Guard (NSG) commandos," Dharmendra Kumar told IANS.The area around the Red Fort has been sanitised, he added.From Sunday, Delhi Police and traffic police personnel have been spread out across the city to secure important places as well as entry and exit points at "vulnerable locations".All hotels, motels, guest houses and restaurants in Paharganj, Jama Masjid and areas near the Red Fort are under the scanner of the police. Even rickshaw-pullers and vendors in the area are being asked to keep a lookout for any suspicious objects or people.Dharmendra Kumar said that "security is not only limited to the Red Fort and Jama Masjid area but the security apparatus is being beefed up in the entire capital".

"Security has also been beefed up at railway stations, Metro stations, bus stops, markets, malls and border areas," added Kumar.

"Every nook and corner and roads leading to the Red Fort are being monitored by hundreds of CCTV cameras. Quick Reaction Teams will be deployed on the D-day and there will be surveillance by helicopters. The area will also be a no-fly zone during the function," said the officer.

Dharmendra Kumar said co-ordination meetings have been held with various security agencies and police of neighbouring districts in the past two weeks.

"Since the beginning of this week higher security has been in place in entire Delhi, and till August 15 you will see much higher police presence on the roads and at sensitive locations, including railway stations, markets, malls and Metro stations," said Kumar.

Border areas will be sealed since Aug 14 midnight, added Dharmendra Kumar.

The police are also conducting intensive drives for verification of tenants, servants, guest houses, of second hand scooter and car dealers, cyber cafe users and cycle sellers across the city to thwart any possible terror attempt.

Delhi Police have also intensified checking on the city's borders.