RailEnquiry

  Indian Railways News  / WR Dahanu track project hits green roadblock

Mumbai: Work on additional railway lines in Dahanu has been stalled for want of environmental clearance.
    In 1991, the area was declared ‘an ecologically fragile area’ by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF). Dahanu taluka has green cover, with mangroves, and saltpans comprising 3%, orchards 6%, irrigated agricultural land 10% and forests 39% of the total area.
    The Western Railway (WR) general manager has been directed to submit its proposal for environmental clearance either to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone ManagementAuthority (MCZMA) or the MoEF before going ahead with its work.
    The MCZMA passed the orders following complaints by the Dahanu Area Sustainable Development Association (DASDA). In its complaint last December, the group pointed out that to lay the foundation of bridges, the railways had filled up 30% to 35%of Savta creek and65%of Dandi creek. “The free flow of water has been obstructed andthiswill resultin flooding in the eastern parts of Dahanu. Many villages will be affected in case of heavy rain,” said DASDA president Nandadeep Kokane.
    A WR spokesperson said the administration was unaware of the order. “The two bridges were being constructed in lieu of old ones, which are to be decommissioned,” said a WR spokesperson.
    “Theworkisbeing carried out in the railway area and care is being taken to ensure that the obstruction to the flow of water is minimal. The embankment is temporary and will be removed soon,” he added.

  Indian Railways News  / Lots of elbow room at new Harbour stns - Mumbai Mirror

The city’s rail corporation allowed Mumbai Mirror a glimpse of its vision for the extension of Mumbai’s Harbour line. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), which has been working on the Rs 103-crore project since 2011, released the blueprint for stations from Andheri to Goregaon, and plan to complete their transformation by 2014. This is part of the Phase II of the body’s Mumbai Urban Transport Project.

“The stations have been designed so that they have a very modern look, but the main focus was to make them commuter-friendly,” said Ravi Agarwal, chief public relation officer, MRVC. “Architect Ratan Batliboi has gone the extra mile to make sure commuters will not have to struggle to get in and out of stations. These will certainly become models for other stations in the future.”

He added that one of the best aspects of the plan is that platforms will allow commuters to move without bumping into others.

MRVC officials said that the project has been quite a challenge, especially at Andheri, since the tracks at platform numbers 6 and 7 will have to be extended through existing structures like the booking office and the ticketing counter.

While Andheri and Goregaon stations will see major structures added, including a two-storeyed elevated concourse on the western side of the stations, a completely new station for the Harbour line will be constructed at Jogeshwari.

All stations will also have facilities like escalators, elevators and platforms will be connected by foot over bridges.

  Indian Railways News  / Metro: Survey on parking soon

A joint survey will be conducted next week by officials of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) and CUSAT School of Manage-ment Studies (SMS) at proposed sites for metro stations to finalise the findings of a study on parking. “Without parking space, the very purpose of the metro project, i.e. to encourage more people to travel in metro trains as opposed to using their personal vehicles, will be defeated. SMS has completed the study. Before finalising the recommendations, we’ll be jointly conducting a physical verification of the locations next week,” KMRL sources said. The initial plan had no provisions for parking spaces but then changes were made to accommodate these and SMS was entrusted with the task of determining the expected commuter volume and the parking space to be built at each station.“The plan is to go for comparatively large parking spaces in the city stations without taking the cost factor into account as the study points out that there is a possible trend of four-wheel users constituting the majority of metro commuters,” they said. Meanwhile, ‘metro man’ E. Sreedharan met district collector P.I. Sheik Pareeth on Thursday and held discussions about the Kochi metro project and the progress of work on the Go-shree bridges that the DMRC is constructing. “Sreedharan informed me that the main work is at the tendering stage and that the designing (of viaducts) is over. He said that the DMRC would start work on the main construction immediately after the required land is handed over to them. We hope to complete the land acquisition process within a short period now that the urgency clause has received the nod of revenue commissioner,” Pareeth said. The design of the crucial elevated viaducts for the Kochi metro project is similar to that used in the Airport Express line of the Delhi metro. The DMRC has already conducted test piling work for the construction of viaduct pillars in the Karikkamury parking grounds.

  Indian Railways News  / Tourism ban opens can of worms in reserves

NAGPUR: The state temporarily shut the doors of Tadoba for tourists, following the Supreme Court ban verdict on July 24. However, those watching the developments feel the ruling that might build pressure on states to notify buffer zones around tiger reserves has also opened a can of worms in Maharashtra."Buffer zones are being delayed in several states to protect political interests. Though the situation in Maharashtra is good, with buffer zones around Pench, Tadoba and Melghat notified two years ago, Sahyadri buffer is being delayed," said Nana Khamkar, an NGO working to save Sahyadri.States have been granted three weeks to notify buffers and file comments on utilization and restrictions in core and buffer areas.The petition by Ajay Dubey of Prayatna, Bhopal, will come up for final arguments on August 22. Even Dubey believes buffer zones should be notified and tourism shifted there, so core areas remain inviolate (completely devoid of humans).However, Kishor Rithe, president, Satpuda Foundation, feels unless villages inside reserves are relocated, these areas cannot become inviolate. The pressure of villagers inside the parks is more than tourists, he said.The ban on tourism will have severe implications for Vidarbha's three tiger reserves."Our tourism infrastructure is just coming up. For 4-5 tiger reserves with high-end tourism, all reserves in India cannot be punished. You need site-specific measures," Rithe said.

"Vidarbha is full of forests and a model based on tiger tourism and allied activities can work well here. Do you want to promote coal mines after imposing tourism ban?" asked Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

Wildlife activist Bandu Dhotre of Eco-Pro, Chandrapur, feels the ban is an 'arm-twisting' tactic to get the buffers notified. "As it is, parks are closed in monsoon. By the time they reopen, court will itself clear the picture," he felt.

However, there are many practical problems that need to be addressed before the ban. For example, Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) cancelled all reservations in forest guesthouses inside the core. However, officials are silent regarding effect of SC order on tourists using the two highways passing through the 'core' of the reserve.

With sightings rare, there is no tiger tourism in MTR, which is a famous monsoon and forest tourism destination with 24,000 visitors generating Rs19 lakh revenue. There are hardly any private resorts here, with most tourist accommodations owned by the government and situated inside the core area. "If tourism is banned, how will locals participate in conservation?" asked Rithe.

He says there are 20 villages in MTR, and till they are resettled outside, how do you differentiate between tourist and locals. It is also essential to continue civil supplies and transportation to these villages.

The two highways - Paratwada-Dharni and Akot-Harisal state highway are open even during the night, which should stop as per the court order.

The Purna-Khandwa railway route also passed through Wan sanctuary, which is in the core of MTR. Wan railway station is inside the core with people from buffer villages using this station. Park managers are silent on banning train traffic.

Another issue is of temple tourism with Dhargad temple inside the core visited by thousands during July-August. Many cook food, consume wine, and litter the area. Maybe, the SC order would prove helpful in stopping this biotic pressure!

  Indian Railways News  / Western Railways announced a new express train between Mumbai and Jhansi from 1 August 2012

Bandra - Jhansi Weekly Express Train
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Western Railways announced a new express train between Mumbai and Jhansi from 1 August 2012. Following are the details


Train No.  11103 / 11104 Bandra ( T ) –Jhansi Weekly Express :- Train No. 11104 Bandra (T) –Jhansi Weekly Express will leave Bandra (T) at 05.10 hrs on every Wednesday from 1st August, 2012 and reach Jhansi at 06.10 hrs, the next day. Train No. 11103 Jhansi– Bandra (T) Weekly Express will leave Jhansiat 16.50hrs on every Monday from 30th July, 2012 and reach Bandra (T) at 17.10hrs, the next day. The train has AC 3-tier, Sleeper class and second class general coaches. The train will halt at Borivali, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Godhra, Dahod, Ratlam, Nagda, Ujjain, Maksi, Shajapur, Biyavara Rajgarh, Chachaura, Binaganj, Ruthiyai, Shivpuri, Gwalior, Dabra and Datia stations in both directions. Booking for train No. 11104 will be opened from 29th July, 2012.