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Tag: Indian Railways

  • Why Has Indian Railways Decided To Reduce Speed Of Vande Bharat And Gatiman Express — Explained | Railways News

    After the tragic the Kanchanjunga Express accident, Indian Railways has come up with the decision to reduce the speed of the high speed trains including the Vande Bharat and Gatiman Express on select routes. The speed of these trains will now reduced from the current 160 kmph to 130 kmph. 
    However, the question arises here that, will reducing the speed of high speed trains consequently reduce the number of train accidents in India? 
    As we discussed in our previous article on Train Passengers Safety– there are several reasons for deadly train accidents in India, which includes reduced work force, poor infrastructutre, lack  of signalling systems and more. Reducing speed of the trains which are meant for high-speed journeys brings us back to the basic question on its design –how can a low-speed train be categorised in high-speed genre?

    Rationale Behind Reducing Train Speed 

    According to media reports, this decision–on reducing train speed– follows a proposal from the North Central Railway to the Railway Board. 
    The proposal from the North Central Railway suggested slowing down Train No 12050/12049 Delhi-Jhansi-Delhi Gatiman Express, Train No 22470/22469 Delhi-Khajuraho-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, Train No 20172/20171 Delhi-Rani Kamalapati-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, and Train No 12002/12001 Delhi-Rani Kamalapati-Delhi Shatabdi Express. The reduction in speed aims to mitigate risks due to the failure of the Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) on certain routes.


    The change in speed will necessitate adjustments in the operating schedules of approximately 8-10 other trains to maintain operational efficiency. On most routes, the Vande Bharat Express trains are already operating at 130 kmph, except for specific stretches like the Delhi-Kanpur sector, which are capable of supporting 160 kmph speeds.
    Shubhranshu, the former Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer of Integral Coach Factory and the man behind the Vande Bharat Express, criticized the decision. In an Interview given to the The Hindu, he said that reducing the speed due to a defunct TPWS would not effectively address the underlying safety issues. He pointed out that the Kanchanjunga Express accident involved a goods train traveling at only 45 kmph, questioning the rationale behind the speed reduction.

    Kavach Installation

    Apart from the speed reduction, Indian Railways has also fastened the intallation of Kavach- the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. Recently, the Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has directed officials to expedite the implementation of the Kavach system across 44,000 km of railway tracks within the next five years. He emphasized the need to implement the Kavach system in a structured mission mode. 

  • IRCTC Breaks Myths; Account holders Can Book E- Tickets For Others With Different Surnames | Railways News

     Anyone with an IRCTC account can book e-tickets for others and reports on social media regarding restrictions in booking e-tickets due to different surnames are false and misleading, a spokesperson for the railway ministry said on Tuesday.
    Responding to posts on X that claimed that an IRCTC account holder cannot book tickets from his account for others who have different surnames, the spokesperson said, “The news in circulation on social media about restriction in booking of e-tickets due to different surname is false and misleading.” The spokesperson further informed that tickets are booked on the IRCTC website in accordance with Railway Board guidelines and information regarding these guidelines is available in the public domain.

    According to the Indian Railways, one can book tickets through his personal User ID for friends, family and relatives.

    The spokesperson said up to 12 tickets per month can be booked from an individual’s account and if the account-holder is Aadhar-authenticated, he can book 24 tickets per month, provided at least one of the travellers on each ticket is also Aadhar-authenticated.
    “Tickets booked on personal user IDs are not meant for commercial sale and such an act is an offence under section 143 of Railways Act, 1989,” the spokesperson added.

  • Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Evaluates Passenger Amenities And Safety Features: Details | Railways News

    Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw carried out an elaborate assessment exercise of various aspects of safety and passenger amenities with top officials at the Rail Bhawan here on Monday.
    Those who attended the meeting were Railway Board Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jaya Varma Sinha and Member Infrastructure Anil Kumar Khandelwal, the director general of the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and the general managers of all railway zones and divisional railway managers from all divisions.

    According to officials who attended the meeting, several important decisions regarding the upkeep of safety equipment in trains, improvement of the food quality, deep cleaning of trains and stations and drinking water facilities were taken in the interest of the passengers.

    “To improve the reliability of the safety-related equipment, it was decided that the specifications, installation practices and maintenance practices of all key safety-related equipment would be reviewed. This would be done in workshops to be organised by the RDSO with all the manufacturers,” a senior railway official said.
    “To improve the food quality, the IRCTC and its agencies are upgrading the base kitchens at 1,000 locations. The work is in progress and it was decided that it should be completed on a war footing in the next six months,” he added.
    Other senior officials said decisions were taken to carry out deep cleaning of the pantry cars and storage areas in a target-oriented manner and also include it in the maintenance schedule so that it can be done on a regular basis.
    “To improve water availability and cleaning of trains during journeys, it was decided that cleaning and watering facilities will be increased. The time required for cleaning and watering will be factored in in the time-tables for this crucial activity,” another official said.

  • People With Unconfirmed Train Tickets To Be Deboarded Forcefully By RPF? Congress Slams Indian Railways Minister | Railways News

    Lately, social media has been flooded with videos of people travelling in overcrowded sleepers and 3rd AC coaches. Those who are acquainted with train travel in India know that while people with waitlisted or general tickets are allowed to travel in sleeper classes, their entry was not allowed in the 3rd AC. However, now even 2nd AC premium seats are not spared and waitlisted people are seen travelling in the coach. The situation has become so grim that those with confirmed seats faced difficulty in getting or using their berths. People who faced difficulty despite paying for 3rd or 2nd AC raised the issue on social media. The condition is worse in sleeper and general classes where people are seen travelling stuffed in toilets and walking bays, leaving no space for any movement. In 2016, then Railways minister Suresh Prabhu had dreamt of ensuring confirmed tickets to every passenger by 2020. Four years later from the said deadline, even those with confirmed tickets are struggling to get their berths in 2024. 

    Indian PM (1/3)
    Narendra Modi failed in
    One Nation One Election

    but

    Indian Railway Minister
    Ashwini Vaishnav succeeded in
    One Train One Compartment

    Now

    1st AC, 2nd AC, 3rd AC, General, Inside of Train, Outside of Train,
    All feels the same. pic.twitter.com/QrTMgXYAqd


    — Schrodinger Ka Billa (@EducatedBilla) June 12, 2024

    When the issue was brought to the notice of Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, he directed the authorities to take suitable steps to curb the entry of passengers with unconfirmed tickets in reserved coaches. The Zonal railways were directed to launch drives involving the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police Force to ensure only passengers with confirmed tickets travelled in the reserved coaches. While the Indian Railways runs multiple special and clone trains to mitigate seasonal rush, the overcrowding of trains has become a new normal due to multiple reasons. 

    Sir Train No. 15120 from dehradun to Banaras. Coach no M1 (3rd AC)
    This is the condition of third AC what will be the condition in sleeper coach can you imagine? Please take action on this with immediate effect. Feeling no use of taking reservation tkt. @RailMinIndia @NWRailways pic.twitter.com/19WEWBtkCZ
    — Rajat Dadhich (@rajatsharmararo) June 14, 2024

    However, this did not go well with the Congress party. “These unreserved people who enter the reserved compartment do not travel by in the toilet on their own will. The government has converted sleeper and second-class coaches into AC coaches. People do not have enough money to travel in AC. Along with this, the number of passenger trains has also been reduced. Don’t use force on people and instead correct your mistake,” said Congress to Vaishnaw.

    ये कोई 3rd या 2nd AC नही है ये first एसी कोच है पूर्वा एक्सप्रेस का, (जनरल व sleeper में waiting) वालो ने इसे भी नही छोड़ा जो फर्स्ट ac का पैसा देकर यात्रा कर रहे है कैसे आयेगे जायेगे आप ही बताए??
    जनरल व स्लीपर के डिब्बे में जो 50% कटौती की गई है, उसका असर हर क्लास के यात्रियों… pic.twitter.com/Zm2qdn9QNx
    — M.M. Dhera(Attorney at Law) (@AdvocateDhera) May 30, 2024

    Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also posed serious questions to the Railways and the government. “Why has travelling by train in the normal Sleeper Class become very expensive? Why has the number of Sleeper Coaches been reduced? Last year 2.7 crore people had to cancel their tickets due to acute shortage of seats – a direct result of the Modi government’s policy of reducing the number of coaches,” said Kharge.

    जब भी कोई रेल हादसा होता है, मौजूदा रेल मंत्री जी कैमरों से लैस घटनास्थल पर पहुँच कर ऐसा व्यवहार करते हैं जैसे सब कुछ ठीक हो गया हो। @narendramodi जी, बताइये किसकी जवाबदेही तय होनी चाहिए, रेल मंत्री की या आपकी?

    हमारे 7 प्रश्न हैं – जिनका जवाब मोदी सरकार को देना पड़ेगा !…
    — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 18, 2024

    Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared that the number of trains needs to increase by 3,000 every day to accommodate waitlisted passengers. However, that would be possible only by 2032 when the railways would be able to upgrade their infrastructure and put extra lines on their map. 

    So till then, if you are travelling on a train with an unconfirmed ticket, then you might get deboarded by the security officials. 

  • Northern Railway Announces Summer Special Trains for 2024; Check Details | Railways News

    Northern Railway has announced the introduction of special train services to various destinations to accommodate the increased travel demand during the summer season. These summer specials are intended to ease congestion and provide additional travel options for passengers. Details of the new services are as follows:

    Patna – New Delhi – Patna Special (Train No. 02393/02394)

    Service Period:

    – 02393 Patna – New Delhi Special: From 14th June 2024 to 30th June 2024 (Six days a week)
    – 02394 New Delhi – Patna Special: From 15th June 2024 to 1st July 2024 (Six days a week)

    Timings:

    – 02393 Patna – New Delhi Special:
      – Departure from Patna: 20:10
      – Arrival in New Delhi: 12:10 the next day
      – Intermediate stops: Danapur (20:23/20:25), Ara (20:56/20:58), Buxar (21:45/21:47), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (23:45/23:55), Prayagraj (02:05/02:10), Govindpuri (04:30/04:35)
    – 02394 New Delhi – Patna Special:
      – Departure from New Delhi: 13:20
      – Arrival in Patna: 07:00 the next day
      – Intermediate stops: Govindpuri (19:15/19:20), Prayagraj (21:45/21:50), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (03:05/03:15), Buxar (04:20/04:22), Ara (05:31/05:33), Danapur (06:05/06:07)

    Coach Composition: General, Sleeper, and AC Coaches

    Gaya – Anand Vihar Terminal – Gaya Special (Train No. 02397/02398)

    Service Period: 
    – 02397 Gaya – Anand Vihar Terminal Special: From 14th June 2024 to 30th June 2024 (Six days a week)
    – 02398 Anand Vihar Terminal – Gaya Special: From 15th June 2024 to 1st July 2024 (Six days a week)

    Timings:
    – 02397 Gaya – Anand Vihar Terminal Special:
      – Departure from Gaya: 14:15
      – Arrival at Anand Vihar Terminal: 07:10 the next day
      – Intermediate stops: Anugraha Narayan Road (15:06/15:08), Dehri On Sone (15:24/15:26), Sasaram (15:42/15:44), Bhabua Road (16:14/16:16), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (17:20/17:30), Prayagraj (19:50/20:00), Govindpuri (22:30/22:35)
    – 02398 Anand Vihar Terminal – Gaya Special:
      – Departure from Anand Vihar Terminal: 08:20
      – Arrival in Gaya: 00:30 the next day
      – Intermediate stops: Govindpuri (14:30/14:35), Prayagraj (17:20/17:30), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (21:05/21:15), Bhabua Road (21:58/22:00), Sasaram (22:34/22:36), Dehri On Sone (22:52/22:54), Anugraha Narayan Road (23:08/23:10)

    Coach Composition: General, Sleeper, and AC Coaches

    These special trains are expected to significantly reduce the travel rush and provide more comfortable options for passengers during the summer season. Passengers are encouraged to book their tickets in advance to avoid any last-minute hassles.

  • Fist Fight, Bloody Brawl Between Railway Officials Of Varanasi Station Halts Trains Including Vande Bharat | Railways News

    A recent fight between a station master of Varanasi railway junction and an electrical signal maintainer led to disruption of train services, including Vande Bharat, for more than an hour, a joint probe report by the Railways said on Thursday.
    The probe, held by the three senior officers of the Lucknow Division of the Northern Railway under which the Varanasi Railway Station comes, said that the clash, which took place around 7.30 pm on May 28, disrupted train operations by 40 minutes to one and a half hours at Varanasi as well as other nearby stations.
    While trains, such as Patna Vande Bharat Express and Banaras-Buxar Memu Passenger Special were held up at Vyasnagar Railway Station; Ernakulam Superfast Express, Varanasi MEMU Express and Patna Kashi Jan Shatabdi Express were halted at Deen Dayal Upadhyay station, the report said.
    All these trains cross the Varanasi station during their journey.
    According to the probe, the fight broke out between the two when the electrical signal maintainer Shehzaad wanted to open the Reset Box of Section Digital Axle Counter (SSDAC) while the station master Saroj Kumar stopped him from doing it without proper permission and intimation. This first ensued a verbal argument, which then escalated into a clash.
    Kumar, in his statement, alleged that the Shehzaad hit his head and right arm with a stone due to which he bled profusely from the head and suffered a blackout.
    “Due to excessive bleeding from the head, I suffered a blackout and was unable to carry out train operation,” Kumar said in his statement, adding that senior officers were apprised of the situation.
    On the other hand, Shehzaad, defended himself and blamed Kumar for misbehaving with him and using abusive language. Shehzaad stated that he was not opening the Reset Box but wanted to note down its serial number and company’s name but Kumar not only stopped him from doing that but also rudely asked him to leave the station master’s room immediately.
    “When I came out of the station master’s room, Kumar also came out, held me by my collar and hit me in my left eye. I pushed him to defend myself due to which we both fell down. While I received injuries in my waist, he got his head injured,” Shehzaad said in his statement.
    Of the three senior officers of the joint probe team, two held Shehzaad responsible for undisciplined behaviour and ensuing a fight which disrupted the train operations, while the third officer gave a dissenting note and said that decision should be taken after hearing the audio voice recording.
    The Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM) of Lucknow Division has set up another probe team of three senior officers — Senior Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADEN), Assistant Divisional Signal & Telecom Engineer (ADSTE) and Assistant Operations Manager and asked them to submit a report urgently.

     

  • Bullet Train Project Begins In Maharashtra’s Palghar and Thane Districts: Details | Auto News

    The bullet train project has commenced its work in Maharashtra’s Palghar and Thane districts. This project is headed by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL). It is an integral part of the 508-km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, set to revolutionize the country’s transportation landscape.

    Initiated as part of package C3, the bullet train project encompasses a stretch extending from Shilphata to Zaroli village on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. Geotechnical investigations covering the entire 135 km stretch are nearing completion, with significant progress reported in various construction activities.

    Among the notable features of this endeavour is the construction of India’s first undersea tunnel, connecting the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai to Shilphata in Thane district. Spanning a length of 21 km, this remarkable feat of engineering showcases the nation’s capability to undertake complex infrastructure projects.

    The tunneling process employs three boring machines, with approximately 16 km of the tunnel already completed using this method. The remaining 5 km will be executed through the innovative New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), demonstrating a blend of traditional and modern techniques in project execution.

    Furthermore, the project includes the development of casting yards for the fabrication of girders, essential for the construction of viaducts and bridges along the corridor. Package C-3 of the bullet train project encompasses a total length of 135.45 km, featuring viaducts, bridges, earth structures, and crucial river crossings over Ulhas, Vaitarna, and Jagani rivers.

    In addition to enhancing connectivity, the project envisages the establishment of three bullet train stations at Thane, Virar, and Boisar, catering to the growing transportation needs of the region. These stations are poised to become pivotal hubs, facilitating seamless travel for commuters across Maharashtra and beyond.

    With an estimated cost of Rs 1.08 lakh crore, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor represents a significant investment in the nation’s future. The financing model involves contributions from the Government of India, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, supplemented by funding from Japan through a low-interest loan, underscoring the collaborative effort towards realizing this transformative vision.

  • Vande Bharat Express To Commence Services In Tripura soon, Announces CM Manik Saha | Railways News

    Tripura’s Chief Minister, Manik Saha, announced on Tuesday that the Vande Bharat Express train will commence its service in Tripura soon after the electrification of rail lines, currently in its final stage, is completed.

    He mentioned that PM Modi has introduced the Northeast HIRA Model. 
    “We have the Vista Dome, which we never thought of before. Soon, the electrification of the railway will be completed, and the Vande Bharat Express will commence,” Manik Saha said.

    A few days back, Tripura’s Chief Minister, Dr. Manik Saha, commended the Vande Bharat train service, hailing it as a transformative addition to Indian Railways.

    During his trip from Maldaha to Howrah on one of the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains, Dr. Saha lauded the efficiency of the service and attributed its success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Railways for their proactive implementation.

    10 New Vande Bharat Trains

    Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 10 new Vande Bharat trains yesterday and laid the foundation stone for a range of transformative developmental projects worth over Rs 1,06,000 crores. These projects span various sectors, including railway infrastructure, connectivity, and petrochemicals.

    With the addition of these 10 new trains, the total number of Vande Bharat trains now exceeds 50, covering 45 routes nationwide. Currently, Indian Railways operates 41 Vande Bharat Express services, connecting states through Broad Gauge (BG) electrified networks, spanning 24 states and 256 districts. The latest introductions expand connectivity across several routes such as Lucknow to Dehradun, Ahmedabad to Mumbai Central, New Jalpaiguri to Patna, Patna to Lucknow, Khajuraho to Delhi (Nizamuddin), Puri to Visakhapatnam, Kalaburagi to Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Ranchi to Varanasi, Mysuru to Dr. MGR Central (Chennai), and Secunderabad to Visakhapatnam.

    These trains represent a significant improvement in India’s railway infrastructure, facilitating smoother and faster intercity travel while strengthening connectivity across the nation.

  • Vande Bharat trains | Undertaking 0 proceedings

    With the Vande Bharat trains a showpiece of its grand modernisation plans, the Railway Ministry is fine-tuning and correcting all shortcomings

    NO ROOM FOR ERROR: A Vande Bharat Categorical glides previous

    ISSUE DATE: Oct 23, 2023 | UPDATED: Oct 13, 2023 17:55 IST

    No longer way back, railway passengers needed to undergo 11 or extra hours of educate go back and forth—assuming it ran on time—to go back and forth the 770-km distance between Delhi and Varanasi. The one sooner possibility was once taking a flight. All that modified after High Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the primary Vande Bharat Categorical at New Delhi in February 2019.

  • Railways plan 35 hydrogen-powered trains to run throughout 8 heritage routes

    Categorical Information Carrier

    NEW DELHI:   The Indian Railways, after an extended feasibility find out about, has set to work on its ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ scheme, beneath which it will use hydrogen to gas vacationer trains throughout heritage hill tracks.
    To reach this first-of-its-kind eco-friendly transfer, the Railways has deliberate to procure and function hydrogen trains on railway routes throughout environmentally delicate hilly terrains with possible for tourism.

    The Status Committee on Railways (2022-23) of the seventeenth Lok Sabha, in its document, has discussed that the railways have proposed to run 35 hydrogen trains at an estimated value of Rs 80 crore in line with prepare and floor infrastructure of Rs 70 crore in line with path.

    The document additional states, “As a pilot mission for unfashionable fitment of hydrogen gas mobile on current diesel electric more than one gadgets (DEMU), rake with floor infrastructure has been deliberate to fund on Jind-Sonipat segment of the northern railway at a value of Rs 111.83 crore. On this regard, the committee had felt that when the similar is operational, it will pass far and in the suitable route in opposition to inexperienced power.”

    Appreciating the initiative, the committee stated that the railways additionally must make appropriate preparedness and act vigorously to fulfil the concept that. Quoting main points, the committee document has said that the Indian Railways has taken the lead via awarding a freelance to transform a 1,200 KW DEMU with a hydrogen gas cell-based disbursed energy rolling stick. 

    “The sphere trials of the primary prototype are slated to start from June 2024 and the Indian Railways envisages production of prepare units with gas cell-based propulsion device to offer traction power from hydrogen gas mobile,” reads the document submitted within the Lok Sabha not too long ago.

    The 35 train-set rakes, each and every having six automobiles, were sanctioned in Rolling Inventory Programme 2023-24 for 8 heritage routes. The sleeted heritage rail routes on which the hydrogen-fuelled trains will run are — the Matheran Hill Railway, Darjeeling Himalaya Railway, Kalka Shimla Railway, the Kangra Valley, the Bilmora Waghai, the Patapalpani Kalakund, Nilgiri Mountain railways and Marwar-Goram ghat railway.

    35 trains with 6 automobiles each and every will run on 8 heritage routes: 

     Matheran Hill Railway
     Darjeeling Himalaya Railway
     Kalka Shimla Railway
     Kangra Valley
     Bilmora Waghai
     Patapalpani Kalakund
     Nilgiri Mountain Railways 
     Marwar-Goram ghat railway

    NEW DELHI:   The Indian Railways, after an extended feasibility find out about, has set to work on its ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ scheme, beneath which it will use hydrogen to gas vacationer trains throughout heritage hill tracks.
    To reach this first-of-its-kind eco-friendly transfer, the Railways has deliberate to procure and function hydrogen trains on railway routes throughout environmentally delicate hilly terrains with possible for tourism.

    The Status Committee on Railways (2022-23) of the seventeenth Lok Sabha, in its document, has discussed that the railways have proposed to run 35 hydrogen trains at an estimated value of Rs 80 crore in line with prepare and floor infrastructure of Rs 70 crore in line with path.

    The document additional states, “As a pilot mission for unfashionable fitment of hydrogen gas mobile on current diesel electric more than one gadgets (DEMU), rake with floor infrastructure has been deliberate to fund on Jind-Sonipat segment of the northern railway at a value of Rs 111.83 crore. On this regard, the committee had felt that when the similar is operational, it will pass far and in the suitable route in opposition to inexperienced power.”googletag.cmd.push(serve as() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

    Appreciating the initiative, the committee stated that the railways additionally must make appropriate preparedness and act vigorously to fulfil the concept that. Quoting main points, the committee document has said that the Indian Railways has taken the lead via awarding a freelance to transform a 1,200 KW DEMU with a hydrogen gas cell-based disbursed energy rolling stick. 

    “The sphere trials of the primary prototype are slated to start from June 2024 and the Indian Railways envisages production of prepare units with gas cell-based propulsion device to offer traction power from hydrogen gas mobile,” reads the document submitted within the Lok Sabha not too long ago.

    The 35 train-set rakes, each and every having six automobiles, were sanctioned in Rolling Inventory Programme 2023-24 for 8 heritage routes. The sleeted heritage rail routes on which the hydrogen-fuelled trains will run are — the Matheran Hill Railway, Darjeeling Himalaya Railway, Kalka Shimla Railway, the Kangra Valley, the Bilmora Waghai, the Patapalpani Kalakund, Nilgiri Mountain railways and Marwar-Goram ghat railway.

    35 trains with 6 automobiles each and every will run on 8 heritage routes: 

     Matheran Hill Railway
     Darjeeling Himalaya Railway
     Kalka Shimla Railway
     Kangra Valley
     Bilmora Waghai
     Patapalpani Kalakund
     Nilgiri Mountain Railways 
     Marwar-Goram ghat railway