Train indicators must have Marathi: Shiv Sena

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 29 — The Shiv Sena has threatened to vandalise railway stations in Mumbai, if train indicators do not display information in Marathi. The Central Railway has assured the Sena that it will work on a solution to introduce indicators in the local language soon.

On Wednesday, a delegation led by Sena leader Anil Desai met CR officials at Mumbai CST, requesting them to make the change. “Marathi should be added to the existing indicator system.

We have warned the railway administration that if they do not do so, the Shiv Sena will start a campaign,” Desai said. “There are lakhs of commuters from rural areas, who come to Mumbai and other places and Marathi is the only language they know,” he said.

Sena sources said the delegation had aimed to meet the divisional manager but could only get an audience with another official. “We spoke to the manager on the phone, and also to the company that maintains and operates indicators at the station.

We were assured that Marathi will soon be incorporated,” a Sena leader said. Railway officials said they have introduced a three-language formula wherever possible, and certain practical problems such as space constraints and technical issues need to be sorted out.

Desai said CR has intentionally ignored the Marathi language despite general recommendations that signs at government and semi-government offices in Maharashtra include all three languages, English, Hindi and Marathi. The Shiv Sena and the MNS have been involved in a battle of one-upmanship to woo the Marathi manoos.

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1,800 km away, it’s an anxious wait

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 29 — The city felt the effects of suspected Maoist violence on Friday when relatives of passengers travelling by Gyaneshwari Express from Howrah to Mumbai, thronged Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Kurla, for news of their loved ones. At least 52 people died and 136 were injured when 13 coaches of 2102 Gyaneshwari Express got derailed around 1.15 am between Kharagpur-Tatanagar section on Friday.

The West Bengal government has claimed it was an act of sabotage by Naxalites. At least 1,800 km away from the accident site, things at the busy railway station were, ironically, less chaotic than they usually are.

The Central Railway set up assistance booths at Kurla Terminus, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Thane, Nashik, Manmad, Bhusawal and Nagpur railway stations to help families of victims. Each booth (inquiry desk) was had telephones, train charts and lists of the injured along with the list of trains that were rescheduled and diverted.

There were four railway staff members at every desk – a divisional commercial manager (DCM) for supervision and three head ticket collectors for dissemination of information. While several distressed relatives came in to inquire in the morning, the numbers thinned by the afternoon.

“In the morning, relatives were mostly inquiring about the condition of their family members and the status of the trains,” said a railway official who was posted at the desk. As the day progressed, the railways announced helpline numbers and uploaded the names of the passengers and the injured on their website so that people could check the information online.

The names of the injured were displayed with the names of hospitals they were admitted to outside the ticket collector’s office. The railways said the names of the deceased will be uploaded on the website as soon as the chart was ready.

For passengers who had occupied the waiting hall, it was more of a media jamboree with more video cameras and journalists walking up and down the concourse than the number of relatives who came in for inquiry. “What have they been shooting and whose pictures are they taking for so many hours?” a curious passenger asked.

The railway also made alternate arrangements for issuing passes to relatives of the victims who wished to travel to Howrah. “Initially, four families had approached us saying they wanted to go but three others left after making inquiries,” said S.C. Mudgerikar, chief public relations officer.

“We have made reservation for a person called Saif-ul Gazi whose three family members were travelling on the train.” The Central Railway has also arranged for a relief train to ferry victims from Kharagpur to Mumbai.

“Eleven coaches of the train [which had not been damaged], were taken to Kharagpur and three additional coaches were attached to it. This 14-coach relief train, ferrying the victims and other passengers, has left from Kharagpur around 9.15 am and is expected to reach Lokmanya Tilak Terminus by Saturday afternoon,” said Mudgerikar.

Gyaneshwari Express runs between LTT to Howrah four days a week – Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Its scheduled departure from LTT is 8.35 pm and it reaches Howrah at 3.35 am after a 32-hour journey.

Helpline numbers Maharashtra NAGPUR 0712-2564342 BHUSAWAL 02582-223009 LOKMANYA TILAK TERMINUS 022-25298499 KALYAN 0251-2311499 CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS 022-22694040 NASHIK ROAD 0253-2460138; 2467863 MANMAD 02591-222345 Jharkhand TATA NAGAR 0657-2290324; 2290074; 2290382 CHAKRADHARPUR 06587-238072 Orissa ROURKELA 0661-2511155 JHARSUGUDA 06445-270977 West Bengal HOWRAH/SER 033-26382217 KHARAGPUR 0322-255751; 255735 HOWRAH New Complex: 033-26411425; 26411416 Old Complex:.

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Wadala police face heat over kidnappings

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 29 — More than 250 locals surrounded Wadala police station on Friday to protest police inaction in the kidnap of two minor girls 20 days ago. Firoz A, one of the girls’ father said 20 days ago, his 14-year-old daughter and her 15-year-old friend went missing from their respective houses. “We lodged a missing complaint at Wadala police station but when the police enquired in the area and found two local boys also missing, they registered a case of kidnapping against the two 22-year-old boys,” said Firoz. “The police investigated and found the four were in Uttar Pradesh. A police team went there to arrest the boys and bring back our girls but returned empty-handed,” he said at the police station, where he was present with the locals. “It’s hard to believe a police team went to UP but couldn’t even get pictures of the boys. I’m afraid that if the police do not arrest the boys soon, they will kill my daughter and her friend, Ruchi Sharma,” he said. “If the children have eloped, the police should at least tell us,” he added. The alleged kidnappers, identified as Mumtaz (22) and Parvez (23), lived in the same area as the girls and worked as daily wage labourers. Vilas Shinde, senior police inspector at Wadala police station, said the couples had eloped and the girls had taken cash and jewellery from their houses, and said police are charging them with kidnapping because they are minors.

Asked about fresh efforts to locate the girls, Shinde said: “We’ve sent messages to police stations in the neighbouring areas of UP. In Mumbai too, we’ve sent wireless messages to all police stations, railway stations and bus stands.”

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-il”s luxury trains

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 7 (ANI): North Korean leader Kim Jong-il enjoys traveling in style, and according to the Christian Science Monitor (CSM), has six armoured luxury trains to move around in, especially when he is heading towards close ally China.

His armored train is decked out with conference rooms, an audience chamber, bedrooms, satellite phone connections, and flat screen TVs.

Some 20 railway stations in North Korea have been built specifically for his six trains, which all together have about 90 carriages, according to a November report in South Korean newspaper The Chosun Ilbo.

In addition, he reportedly has four billion dollars saved away in European banks.

An alternative reason for his preference for trains could be his deference to tradition — his father always traveled by train, too. (ANI)

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Left-led 13 party countrywide shutdown begins

April 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

West Bengal/Kerala/Uttar Pradesh/Orissa/Bihar, Apr 27 (ANI): A 12-hour all India shutdown has been called by the Left-led 13 party front demanding immediate control on spiralling prices, roll back in customs duty on crude oil and excise tax on petroleum products.

The parties leading the shutdown are Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India -Marxist (CPI-M), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Samajwadi Party (SP), Biju Janata Dal, Rashtriya Samajwadi Party (RSP) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

The shutdown is affecting the normal life in the states of Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa.

Kolkata appears to be the most affected with road, rail and air services coming to a halt. Kingfisher Airlines has stopped its services. No taxis are available at the airport and railway stations as all prepaid booths are closed.

A number of Kolkata-bound trains have been stopped at various places by the protestors.

There are also reports that around eight people have been injured in a clash in Pandua in Hoogly district, when a train coming to Howrah was stopped by CPM supporters at Pandua.

In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party workers stopped the Ganga Gomti Express in Allahabad. Trains have also been stopped in Ghaziabad.

Meanwhile, there are reports that the police have baton-charged the Samajwadi Party workers at Bijnor during the shutdown.

Earlier, two buses were set on fire by the protestors in an area on the outskirts of Lucknow at around 5.30 am.

In Kerala, the streets have worn a deserted look and public and private transport is off the road.

Shops, business establishment, schools and other educational institutions are completely closed in the state.

There are reports of train services being disrupted, but till now there are no reports of air traffic disruption from Kerala.

There is no train or air traffic disruption in Orissa so far. But protesters are planning to stop few major trains and disrupt road traffic at some points.

The protestors are reportedly stopping the work only at Central Government offices; state offices in Orissa are not affected due to the shutdown.

In Bihar, the RJD protestors are reported to have blocked the Mahatma Gandhi Setu bridge that connects Patna to Hajipur.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not a part of this shutdown, but is expected to organize a march to Parliament on the issue. (ANI)

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Teething problems with new transport system

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New South Wales Government says commuters could experience “teething problems” with the new transport fares system which starts in less than a fortnight.

The Transport Minister David Campbell wants bus, train and ferry passengers to buy their MyZone tickets early to avoid delays.

Mr Campbell says some tickets can be pre-purchased at re-sellers now but will not be available at railway stations until the day the new system starts.

“There will be some people who don’t have detail on the day that this starts,” he said.

We’ll have a lot of staff available to give customer assistance and customer service on the first day of MyZone.”

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Random knife searches set to continue

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Victoria’s Chief Police Commissioner says police have found a ‘reasonably high’ number of knives in operations conducted under controversial new random search powers.

Simon Overland says officers have conducted four operations at railway stations.

He told ABC Radio’s Jon Faine that 864 people have been searched and officers found 26 weapons.

Mr Overland says that is a strike-rate of one in 33, which is ‘reasonably high’.

“If you compare it to other sorts of things, [like] drink driving, it’s about one in 251, and drug driving, it’s about 1 in 68,” he said.

“So it is showing us, what we’ve feared for some time, that there’s a culture out there of people carrying knives.”

He says police are concerned that people between the ages of 14 and 20 believe they need to carry a knife for protection.

But it is not just young people at railway stations who are being targeted.

“We search everyone pretty much, coming in and out of the area because one of the things we wanted to take out of this was this sense that we were somehow profiling particular groups within the community,” he said.

“Our intelligence is telling us a lot of crime, particularily violent crime, is very much centred around the transport corridors.”

Mr Overland says the knife searches will continue.

“We’re going to be doing more and more of this sort of operation,” he said.

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Attempts to freeze BSP symbol a conspiracy of opposition parties, says Mayawati

March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, March 15 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati on Monday said that the attempts to freeze her party’s election symbol through various objections were a conspiracy backed by the opposition parties.

Ms. Mayawati also rejected the description that the elephant statues erected in parks and memorials to Dalit icons were related to her party”s election symbol, as she said that the statues the elephants have been shown welcoming with their snouts up, whereas the elephant in the BSP”s election symbol has been shown with its snout down.

The BSP is to submit its reply on a petition filed against the elephant statues with the poll panel on March 18.

Addressing her party’s massive rally on the occasion of 25 years BSP”s existence and the birth anniversary of its founder Kanshi Ram, at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here on Monday, Ms. Mayawati said the Election Commission should take a view of the Congress and SP”s symbols.

Cycles were being distributed to the beneficiaries of the Savitribai Phule Scheme for girls launched by the BSP Government and the hand was used by leaders of all political parties to welcome people, Ms. Mayawati said.

During her 90 minute long address Ms. Mayawati trained her guns on the Congress and dubbed it as anti-Dalit, which supported the caste system.

Justifying the erection of her own statues along with other BSP leaders, Ms. Mayawati said: “Is there any law in the country which bans building statues of living leaders and whether funds can be spent only on erecting statues of dead leaders and not the living ones?”.

She pointed out that the statues of form prime ministers and congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have been erected throughout the country by the Congress and several schemes, colleges, universities, airports, railway stations and roads using government funds have been named after them.

In last 63 years since Independence crores have been spent on building memorials and museums of Gandhi-Nehru family. But, when statues and memorials to Mr. Kanshi Ram and other icons are built, the BSP Government has been charged by the opposition with misusing government money, Ms. Mayawati reminded the public in the rally.

However, a giant garland, which was put around Ms. Mayawati by BSP supporters, attracted attention of all, as it was alleged that it was made of Rs. 1,000 Indian currency notes. (ANI)

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Attempts to freeze BSP symbol a conspiracy of opposition parties, says Mayawati

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, March 15 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati on Monday said that the attempts to freeze her party’s election symbol through various objections were a conspiracy backed by the opposition parties.

Ms. Mayawati also rejected the description that the elephant statues erected in parks and memorials to Dalit icons were related to her party”s election symbol, as she said that the statues the elephants have been shown welcoming with their snouts up, whereas the elephant in the BSP”s election symbol has been shown with its snout down.

The BSP is to submit its reply on a petition filed against the elephant statues with the poll panel on March 18.

Addressing her party’s massive rally on the occasion of 25 years BSP”s existence and the birth anniversary of its founder Kanshi Ram, at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here on Monday, Ms. Mayawati said the Election Commission should take a view of the Congress and SP”s symbols.

Cycles were being distributed to the beneficiaries of the Savitribai Phule Scheme for girls launched by the BSP Government and the hand was used by leaders of all political parties to welcome people, Ms. Mayawati said.

During her 90 minute long address Ms. Mayawati trained her guns on the Congress and dubbed it as anti-Dalit, which supported the caste system.

Justifying the erection of her own statues along with other BSP leaders, Ms. Mayawati said: “Is there any law in the country which bans building statues of living leaders and whether funds can be spent only on erecting statues of dead leaders and not the living ones?”.

She pointed out that the statues of form prime ministers and congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have been erected throughout the country by the Congress and several schemes, colleges, universities, airports, railway stations and roads using government funds have been named after them.

In last 63 years since Independence crores have been spent on building memorials and museums of Gandhi-Nehru family. But, when statues and memorials to Mr. Kanshi Ram and other icons are built, the BSP Government has been charged by the opposition with misusing government money, Ms. Mayawati reminded the public in the rally.

However, a giant garland, which was put around Ms. Mayawati by BSP supporters, attracted attention of all, as it was alleged that it was made of Rs. 1,000 Indian currency notes. (ANI)

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Battery operated vehicles for disabled at major railway stations

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug 28 (ANI): The Ministry of Railways has decided to allow private parties to operate free round the clock service of battery operated cars at the platforms of major railway stations for carrying disabled and old aged passengers for boarding the trains.

The policy guidelines in this connection have been sent to all the Zonal Railways.

The parties would be allowed of first cum first serve basis under certain terms and conditions.

No charge will be levied either from the passenger or from the Railway.

Railway will provide only electricity free of cost for charging the batteries of the vehicle and party will be allowed to advertise on the panel of these small four seater cars.

The vehicle will be used to cater only the disabled and old aged passengers.

An agreement with the party will be entered into for a period of maximum one year.

Repairs, maintenance and replacement, if required, will be done by the party.

The number of vehicles to be piled at a station will be decided by the Zonal Railways based on requirement.

An annual review of the performance will be undertaken to assess the revenue involved and possibility of revenue sharing. (ANI)

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Ground-to-air security ahead of Independence Day

August 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi/Guwahati, Aug 13 (ANI): With India getting set to celebrate its 62nd Independence Day, the Central and Delhi State Governments have pulled out all steps to ensure that the event is santizied from a security point of view.

Following intelligence inputs that terror outfits have plans to target the Indian capital on August 15, over 60,000 officers of the Delhi Police, Special Cell, Crime Branch, Special Branch and around 35 paramilitary companies will be deployed in and around the city.

It is expected that around 6,000 police officers will be deployed near Red Fort.

Forty CCTV cameras have been installed in and around the Red Fort, while sharpshooters of the National Security Guard (NSG) will man buildings and rooftops near the historic monument.

Intelligence agencies have also reportedly identified ‘safety houses’ where the Prime Minister and other VIPs can be taken in the event of a terror strike.

Quick Reaction Teams, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Vajra (of the Rapid Action Force) are also being deployed for the ocassion.

Informers have been deployed to look out for suspect anti-national elements, police sources said.

The entire area over Red Fort will be declared a no-fly zone during the function. Airspace would be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Security has been tightened at the Parliament complex, IGI Airport, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and Metro stations.

In other sensitive parts of the country like Jammu and Kashmir, and the northeastern states, security has been beefed up to counter possible terror or insurgent attacks.

In Guwahati, passengers are expected to be frisked at various checkpoints in the city.

Meanwhile, defying the boycott call, school students, NCC cadets and police personnel are busy preparing for the Independence Day parade.

“They are always giving calls to boycott Republic Day celebrations or Independence Day celebrations. But it is regularly celebrating Independence Day,” said Anna Rai,a school teacher.

The students are also upbeat about participating in the parade.

Security has also been beefed up along the India-Bangladesh border in Siliguri.

The Border Security Force (BSF) is on a high alert and keeping a strict vigil along the borders.

Home Ministry officials have warned that the Lashkar-e-Taiba plans to target three major cities, including Delhi on Independence Day.

Kolkata and Hyderabad are the other two LeT targets. (ANI)

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Mumbai placed on alert after IB terror strike warning

July 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, July 15 (ANI): Security has been beefed up in Mumbai and neighboring districts following an Intelligence Bureau (IB) terror alert.

According to Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home, Naseem Khan, vigil has been increased at railway stations and major financial institutions, based on the IB input. IB gives such inputs regularly to the state governments.

It is believed that the IB warned that at least seven places in Maharashtra, including a reputed bank in Mumbai and an important railway junction in Navi Mumbai could be targeted.

It described the threat as specific and the most serious in last two years, sources added.

According to police, the security cover has been increased at Church Gate, Dadar, Andheri and a few railway stations on the Central Railway’s Harbor line in Navi Mumbai.

The alert was forwarded on July 8 after security forces recovered photographs of targets in Maharashtra from a terror suspect who was detained in Jammu and Kashmir.

The information gathered from the interrogation was shared with Maharashtra police, sources said.

Sources said the IB alert did not specify the number of terrorists planning to carry out the attack. (ANI)

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Lok Sabha passes Railway Budget by voice vote

July 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 9 (ANI): The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Rail Budget for 2009-10 by voice vote after Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced some more concessions, few new rail lines and setting up of an expert committee.

Replying to a marathon debate on rail budget in the Lok Sabha, Banerjee said an expert committee, headed by Amit Mitra, will prepare a blue print for business plans of railways. he also announced the introduction of two more non-stop ‘Duranto’ trains-Delhi-Secunderabad and Delhi-Nagpur.

“Fifty per cent rail concession on Rajdhani and Shatabdis for holders of Indian police medals and artists including painters, musicians and dancers and people from cultural fields,” she said.

Rejecting the opposition charge that she was corporatising the railways, she said that catering in Rajdhanis and Shatabdhis will not be outsourced and public private partnerships will be for constructing world class stations and building industries and other ancillaries on vacant rail land.

On demand for more railway stations, the Minister announced that several more railway stations to be upgraded into world class stations including Goa and Calicut.

She said monitoring committee would be set up for overseeing that railway money is properly utilised. (ANI)

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Railway Budget – Railway Budget 2009 – Highlights Railway Budget 2009 – Rail Budget – Rail Budget 2009 – Highlights Rail Budget 2009 -India Rail Budget 2009 Highlights Live On Lok Sabha TV

July 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Railway Budget – Railway Budget 2009 – Highlights Railway Budget 2009 – Rail Budget – Rail Budget 2009 – Highlights Rail Budget 2009 -India Rail Budget 2009 Highlights Live On Lok Sabha TV

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee present a People’s budget in Parliament on 3rd July 2009.

Railway Budget 2009 Highlights

  1. PM says Mamata has done a commendable job
  2. No increase in freight rates
  3. No increase in passenger fares
  4. Tatkal charges go down to Rs 100, booking time reduced from 5 days to 2 days
  5. Unreserved ticketing systems to be expanded from 5,000 to 8,000 terminals
  6. Janta khana (peoples’ food) to be provided in railway stations
  7. Develop 50 stations with world class amenities
  8. 12 new non-stop point to point trains introduced
  9. ATMs on 200 mid and small sized stations
  10. Aim for 1300 km gauge conversion by 2010
  11. AC double decker trains for inter-city travel
  12. Railway Finance Corp to borrow Rs 9000 crore in FY 2010
  13. Madrasa students included in concession scheme
  14. To set-up North Eastern development funds
  15. Ladies special trains to be introduced in Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi
  16. Kolkata Metro to be expanded
  17. Increased Budgetary support by Rs 5000 crores
  18. AC ‘Yuva’ trains at Rs 299 and Rs 399 to be introduced
  19. Press correspondents to get 50% concession
  20. To launch 57 new trains
  21. Non-stop AC ‘Turant’ trains to connect major metros
  22. Rs 25 ticket for those with monthly salary under Rs 1500 under the ‘Izzat scheme’
  23. Ladies special trains during peak hours
  24. A new scheme called ‘Izzat’ to be introduced
  25. To use Railway Land Bank for industrial development
  26. To set up a new coach factory in Kanchrapara
  27. Computerised tickets from post offices
  28. 3000 more unreserved ticketing terminals
  29. At least one doctor on long distance train
  30. Railways to set up cold storage cargoes
  31. Mega logistics hubs in Eastern and Western corridor
  32. Launch of premium faster parcel services in three routes
  33. Aim to fulfill SC/ST backlog in jobs
  34. 18,000 wagons to be acquired by FY 2010
  35. Railway hospitals to be upgraded
  36. Commando battalion to be raised for security purposes
  37. Integrated security schemes for 130 vulnerable stations
  38. Railway recruitment board to be reviewed shortly
  39. 7 nursing colleges to be set up on railway land
  40. Environmental friendly toilets on trains
  41. 49 stations of religious importance to be upgraded
  42. Automatic vending machines to be set up at stations
  43. Women commandos to employed for the security of women passengers
  44. High-capacity double decker AC coaches on the cards
  45. Automatic vending vans to be set up to make ticketing easy
  46. Computerised ticketing from post offices
  47. SMS update on waitlisted tickets
  48. Tickets can be bought from Post Offices
  49. Automatic train information systems on major cities
  50. Specially designed coaches, escalators and elevators for the physically challenged
  51. Depute doctors on long distance trains
  52. Book stores, PCOs to be set up across stations
  53. Infotainment services on Rajhandi and Shatabdi trains
  54. To take the Private-Public partnership route to develop stations
  55. Priority for food and water on trains
  56. Developing multi-functional complexes at stations
  57. Priority to passenger amenities
  58. Rail projects shouldn’t be gauged by economic viability but governed by social viability: Mamata
  59. To set up panel for financing unvaiilable rail projects
  60. Improvement of trains amenities
  61. Railways is trying to keep up with change
  62. Committed to the cause of the underpreviliged.
  63. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee begins her speech in Parliament.
  64. Shares of engineering and wagon manufacturing firms surged by up to 4 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange in early trade today ahead of the Railway Budget 2009-10
  65. Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) gained 2.15 per cent at Rs 1,105, Hind Rectifiers, the manufacturer of rectifier equipment and semi-conductor devices, rose by 5.27 per cent to Rs 64.95
  66. Budget is of the people, by the people and for the people: Mamata Banerjee
  67. More trains for West Bengal
  68. Budget hotels at railway stations
  69. More Garib Rath trains to be introduced
  70. Measures to improve catering and on-board decoration
  71. Special announcement for security on railways
  72. Mamata is expected to announce 25 new trains
  73. Amid expectations of improvement in railway amenities and food served in trains, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee would present a ‘pro-people’ budget in Parliament
  74. Business leaders and commoners in West Bengal are expecting a series of sops for the state when she presents her budget in parliament
  75. In her two budgets earlier, Banerjee introduced a new biweekly New Delhi-Kolkata Rajdhani Express, besides starting several express trains connecting various portions of West Bengal
  76. She might also announce changes in the Tatkal scheme to make it more passenger friendly
  77. Among the legacies of conflict that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has inherited from her predecessor Lalu Prasad is the much-hyped budget hotels scheme – involving the construction of 100 hotels on vacant railway land in the public-private partnership mode
  78. Mumbai, which accounts for more than 50 per cent of country’s train passengers, expects three of its major projects to be approved in the railway budget
  79. Mamata’s predecessor Lalu Prasad Yadav had promised to introduce GO Mumbai card on Central and Western Railway and on BEST

Source – http://in.budget.yahoo.com/rail-budget.php

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50 railway stations to be of world standard

July 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): Presenting the Railway Budget 2009-10, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that about 50 stations are to be developed into world class stations with international level facilities.

Banerjee said that these stations would be developed through innovative financing and in Public Private Partnership mode.

Some of these stations are: CST Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Howrah, Sealdah, Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Amritsar, Kanpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Chennai Central, Tiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Tirupati, Bangalore City, Baiyapanahali (Bangalore), Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Gaya Jn., Agra Cantt., Mathura Jn., Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Majerhat, Mangalore, Porbandar, Anand Vihar, Brijwasan, Ajmer and Puri.

Banerjee also announced the construction of Multi-Functional Complexes (MFCs) in station premises for providing rail users facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants.

The MFCs will also have book stalls, PCO/STD/ISD/Fax booths, medicine, budget hotels and underground parking.

She said that during this year, 50 such railway stations would be developed in places of pilgrimage, industry and tourist interest. “The responsibility for development of Multi-functional Complexes would be entrusted to IRCON and Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA),” she added.

The 49 identified stations to be developed as MFCs are: Alipurduar, Allahabad, Anandpur Sahib, Banspani, Bikaner, Bilaspur, Cuttack, Darjeeling, Dehradun, Digha, Durg, Ernakulum, Gandhidham, Ganga Sagar, Ghatsila, Gwalior, Hajur Sahib, Hubli, Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jammu Tawi, Jasidih, Jhansi, Jodhpur, Kanyakumari, Kathgodam, Katra, Khajuraho, Madurai, Manmad, Mysore, Nanded, Nasik, Palakkad, Parasnath, Raebareily, Raipur, Rajgir, Rameshwaram, Ranchi, Shirdi, Silchar, Tarapith, Tiruchirapalli, Udaipur, Ujjain, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam. (ANI)

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Mamata has done a competent job, says Manmohan Singh

July 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday said that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has done a highly competent job by presenting a pro-poor Rail budget.

Talking to reporters here, Dr Singh said, “No additional burden has been added by way of increase in freight or passenger fares.”

“She has outlined a program of modernising 50 railway stations to world class standards,” he added.

“A large number of amenties have been mentioned by way of using the innovative financing mechanism of public-private partnership,” Dr. Singh said.

“The Railway Minister has focused on improving safety and security for passengers, thus making railway travel an enjoyable experience, he added. (ANI)

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Tight security for ULFA’s 12-hr bandh on Thursday in Assam

June 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Guwahati, June 24 (ANI): Security has been tightened in Assam following the 12-hour ‘Asom Bandh’ called by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Thursday.

Guwahati has been put on high alert, while security has been beefed up in sensitive places like railway stations, railway tracks, bus stands, airports, parking lots, refineries and other vital installations.

“Alert has been sounded across the state in view of the bandh tomorrow. Security has been tightened and special arrangements have also been made to ensure law and order during the bandh hours,” said Inspector-General of Police (CWR) GP Singh.

The banned ULFA has called a 12-hour ‘Asom Bandh’ on Thursday beginning from 5 am to protest the killing of two of its cadres in an alleged fake encounter on Sunday, besides killing members of other militant outfits in the past few months by security forces.

The outfit has, however, exempted students appearing in different examinations, water and milk supply, hospitals and medical facilities, electric supply and the press from the purview of the bandh.

Moreover, the state government has also issued directives to all deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers to make sure normal operation of offices during the bandh.

A strict vigil was being maintained at the Kamakhya Temple, where a four-day Ambubachi Fair is being markedd by thousands of people. (ANI)

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Australian PM urges calm, warns off student vigilantes

June 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

CANBERRA: Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called for calm as Indian students led “vigilante” patrols on Wednesday after a second night of protests in the wake of attacks on foreign students in Sydney and Melbourne. ( Watch )

Scores of Indian students took to the streets of western Sydney, leading to two police arrests, after attacks in both Sydney and Melbourne which have sparked diplomatic protests and fears of an international student exodus from Australia.

“I fully support hardline measures in response to any act of violence towards any student anywhere – Indian or otherwise,” Rudd said. “And furthermore we also need to render as completely unacceptable people taking the law into their own hands.

“It’s unacceptable for anyone to commit an act of violence against any student of any ethnicity anywhere in Australia,” Rudd told local radio. “It’s equally unacceptable for so-called reprisal attacks and for so-called vigilante action as well.”

“I think everyone just needs to draw some breath on this and I think we need to see a greater atmosphere of general calm,” Rudd said.

Rudd made his appeal after Indian students formed vigilante-like groups at train and bus stations in Melbourne following a string of attacks in the city over the past 18 months which Australian authorities insist have been mostly crime-related.

Indian students believe the attacks have been “racist”, warning of a culture of “curry bashings” in Australia, where foreign students are the country’s third biggest export earner, worth more than $12 billion.

China’s government last week joined India in raising concern about sporadic attacks on Chinese students in recent years, urging Australian authorities to ramp up security.

In a bid to ease tensions, police in Melbourne ordered groups of young Indian men patrolling three suburban railway stations at St Albans, Thomastown and Springvale to disband after they gathered to prevent more attacks on their countrymen.

In Sydney, around 70 people gathered in the western suburb of Harris Park, where Indian community representatives claimed to have been attacked by ethnic Lebanese-Australian gangs, responding with baseball bats. Police have warned that Harris Park is a dangerous area at night due to criminal gangs and that the attacks on Indian students were purely opportunistic.

Indian community leaders have also urged students to stay away from protest gatherings to avoid stoking tensions.

Australia’s foreign minister Stephen Smith said it could take “some time” to bring the violence under control, while education experts have warned the damage to Australia’s international reputation as a safe study destination could last even longer.

Police in Victoria state police said they were launching a fresh crackdown to restore order, building on increased patrols already announced. In Sydney, greater numbers of police also patrolled the worst-affected suburbs.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described the attacks in a speech to Parliament as senseless violence, while foreign minister SM Krishna joined Kevin Rudd in asking students to show restraint and called for calm.

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Normalcy returning to Punjab, railway traffic resumes

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Chandigarh, May 27 (ANI): Punjab is slowly returning to normal, as railway traffic has resumed in the state.

Besides local train services, two special trains have left for Delhi from Jammu.

Hundreds of goods trucks, which were also stranded due to the violence, started leaving for their destinations today.

Meanwhile, curfew has been relaxed in Ludhiana, Jallandhar and Hoshiarpur.

Army, paramilitary and Punjab police personnel, however, continue to patrol areas worst affected by the violence of the last two days.

On Tuesday, at least 40,000 train passengers were left stranded inside and outside railway stations across Punjab following disruption of railway traffic by supporters of a Sikh outfit.

The Guwahati-Jammu Himgiri Express was the first train that passed through Ludhiana on Tuesday morning.

The India-Pakistan bus service “Sada-e-Sarhad” was temporarily halted by the Punjab authorities on Monday, but has since resumed.

The large-scale violence between followers of Dera Sach Khand and conservative Sikhs in the state over the attack on a Sikh shrine in the Austrian capital Vienna forced the authorities to stop the service on security reasons. (ANI)

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Mamata Banerjee announces special monthly railway pass for the poor

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Kolkata, May 26 (ANI): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced a special monthly pass for the poor, enabling them to travel 100 km for just Rs 20.

Those earning below Rs 500 per month can avail of this facility,Banerjee said.

Indian Railways would also extend full cooperation and assistance to all passengers stranded across various railway stations in North India due to the unrest in Punjab.

Banerjee assured harried passengers that as soon as the security clearance came through, Railways would make arrangements to reach each one of them to their scheduled destination.

Banerjee said passengers who had gone to Amarnath and stranded in Jammu would be taken care of as well as passengers stranded at stations like Saharanpur, Jalandhar etc. She said those stranded at Delhi were assisted to reach their respective destinations yesterday and others in different places too would be helped as soon as CRPF gave the security clearance.

She admitted that there was some problem related to supply of food to the passengers. She thanked the Gurudwaras which had come forward to offer food to stranded passengers. She said the food problem had arisen due to the curfew in different places in Punjab leading to all shops being closed. Ms Banerjee assured that the food problem too would be sorted out soon.

Pending the Railway budget, scheduled to be placed in Parliament before July 31, Banerjee also showed a keenness to improve commercial activity and support industrialization and economic growth through the Railways.

The Ludhiana-Kolkata freight corridor would be completed on a priority basis to commercially help states like Punjab, Delhi, UP, Bihar and West Bengal and also to help in employment generation in these states, the new minister announced.

She said modernization of railway stations would be taken up on a war footing and special focus would be given to develop Rail facility in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Railways would emphasize connectivity from ports, from coastal areas and link all tourist destinations in the country to promote trade and tourism, Ms Banerjee said.

Expressing condolences to the kith and kin of those killed under the impact of Cyclone Aila in West Bengal, Banerjee asked all present at the media conference to observe a minute’s silence in their memory. Ms Banerjee is scheduled to take a special train to Kakdwip, one of the worst Cyclone hit areas, to meet the victims and offer assistance. By Ajitha Menon (ANI)

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