Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get over 300 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, while the Congress will be restricted to 60.

Speaking at an interaction session with FICCI Ladies Organisation in Hyderabad, Mr Goyal asserted that the BJP would win the upcoming elections with a clear majority.

Mr Goyal alleged that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is plunging into politics just 60 days before the Lok Sabha elections with a sole aim to “bail out her failed elder brother” Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

“Nation needs more serious politicians than the fly-by-night ones,” he added.

Mr Goyal also claimed that a Ram Temple will be built at Ayodhya and accused Congress leader Kapil Sibal of creating hurdles to ensure that the Supreme Court doesn’t deliver its judgment soon in the matter.

Speaking about the Indian economy, Mr Goyal said, “We are strong on every parameter. From the most fragile economy status in 2014, we are the fastest growing economy today.”

He also referred to journalists as ‘Chowkidars’ of the government.

Indian Railway has released an important update about RRB Group D recruitment which was announced last year. RRB Group D result for Computer-based test has already been announced and now RRBs will begin the fee refund process. RRBs would refund examination fee to the candidates who had attended CBT for RRB Group D postsadvertised in 2018. RRB Group D exam was conducted from September 2018 to December 2018.

Though candidates had provided bank details at the time of RRB Group D application, it has come to the notice of the boards that the refund was not successful/could not be initiated for many candidates due to following reason(s):

a) Incorrect bank details furnished by candidates such as incorrect account number, incorrect IFSC code of the bank branch, filling up of customer ID in place of account number etc.

b) Same account number furnished for large number of candidates.

c) Account number not provided by the candidates.

RRBs will provide such candidates another opportunity to correct their bank account details.

“Accordingly an Update Bank Account Link will be provided on the official websites of RRBs which will be live from 22/03/2019 to 28/03/2019. SMS and email will also be sent to these candidates on 22/03/2019 to correct/provide their correct Bank Account Details.”

The link to correct bank details will be activated on RRB official website on March 22, 2019. Candidates should make sure that they submit correct Bank Account Number and IFSC Code because modification in the bank details will not be possible after submission.

RRB Group D 2019: RRB Group D 2019/ RRC Group D 2019 application began on March 12, 2019. There are more than 1,00,000 group D vacancies. Indian Railway had released the detailed advertisement for RRC Group D recruitment on March 11, 2019 and has now made some amendments in the same. The changes have been made to registration process details and selection process details.

RRB Group D 2019: Registration Process Made Easy

 

Candidates who were earlier facing problem in registering for the RRB Group D 2019 recruitment can find relief with the amendment. In one of the steps for registration, candidates have to provide their registration number for SSLC/Matric/ITI/NAC qualification. However, the registration number may not be provided on the certificate for some candidates. Such candidates can provide their roll number instead while registration for the RRB Group D 2019 recruitment.

The amendment says,

“NOTE :- 1. During process of Online registration of application, candidates may enter Roll Number in place of Registration Number, if it is not available in their SSLC/Matric certificate/mark sheet. Similarly, candidates with ITI/NAC qualification alone may enter Roll Number in place of Registration Number, if it is not available in their ITI/NAC certificate/mark sheet.

2. Candidates must bring the same certificate during Document Verification whose Registration Number or Roll Number has been filled up while making Online registration and application.”

RRC Group D 2019 Recruitment: Who Qualifies For EWS Category Reservation

RRB Group D 2019 Selection Process: Change In PET Pattern

 

Indian Railway has also made changes to the RRB Group D /RRC Level 1 selection process. In the detailed advertisement released earlier, it is said that candidates who qualify in the RRB Group D Computer Based Test (CBT), will have to appear for Physical Efficiency Test (PET). As per the RRB Group D PET requirements, candidate should be able to lift and carry weight for a specified distance, and be able to run for a specified distance within a given time (weight and distance are different for male and female candidates).

After the amendment, now candidates will be tested for their ability to lift and carry weight for a specified distance in a specified time and they will be allowed in the running test only if they qualify in the ‘lift and carry’ round. Between the two rounds, they will be given some recovery time gap.

The amendment notice says,

“The Physical Efficiency Test (PET) consists of two stages. To ensure uniformity, candidates will be tested for Carrying of Weight to specified distance in specified time first and if successful in this test, for the Running Test after a recovery gap. Failing in the first Test, i.e. Weight carrying will mean elimination at that stage itself. The Weight carrying test will involve lifting a sand bag (without any handle) from a bench/platform at around waist height and carrying it in whichever manner candidate wants to carry above the ground till the destination point without dropping the sandbag on ground.”

All other aspects of the RRB Group D 2019 detailed advertisement remain same.

 

Indian Railways offer concessions on ticket prices to different categories, the quantum of which ranges from 10 per cent to 100 per cent. The reductions in fares are available for senior citizens, disabled passengers, students, war widows, patients, among others. IRCTC (Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation), the online ticketing platform of Indian Railways, offers concession on senior citizen tickets only. Other concession tickets can be availed at the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at any railway reservation office, according to Indian Railways’ website- indianrail.gov.in.

Here are 10 things to know about Indian Railways’ ticket concessions:

1. All concessional fares are calculated on the basis of fares for mail/express trains irrespective of the type of train, i.e. mail or express or passenger, by which the passenger travels, according to Indian Railways.

2. Only one type of concession is admissible at a time at the choice of passenger and no person is allowed two or more concessions simultaneously.

3. All types of concessions can be availed only when tickets are purchased across the counter at stations and reservation/ booking offices etc. No one is granted concession on the train.

4. The holder of a concession ticket is not permitted to change the ticket to a higher class even by paying the difference of actual fares.

5.  However, the categories of people eligible for concession in first class (and not in AC 2-tier) can purchase tickets for AC 2-tier sleeper also on payment of the first class concessional fare plus difference of actual fares of AC 2-tier sleeper & first class, noted Indian Railways.

6. Except senior citizens, concessions on Indian Railways tickets are admissible only on production of the requisite certificate from the concerned person/organization. The documents issued by persons/organizations in other countries are not considered valid for the purpose of concession in India, according to railway’s website.

7. In the case of senior citizens, no proof of age is required at the time of purchasing tickets.

8. Break of journey en-route is not allowed on a concession ticket for a journey for a specific purpose. It is allowed only where a break of journey is a natural event.

9. Concession is not admissible for a journey where the cost of travel is borne by central/state governments/ local bodies/ corporations or government undertakings, universities, etc.

10. In case where concessional single/return journey tickets or season tickets or circular journey tickets are to be issued for two or more persons, the concessional fare is calculated separately for each person.

 

As part of weekly maintenance of rail tracks, the Central Railway will conduct a Mumbai mega block tomorrow causing disruptions on the city’s local trains – the Central and Harbour lines. “These maintenance mega blocks are essential for infrastructure upkeep and safety. Passengers are requested to bear with the Railway Administration for the inconvenience caused,” the Central Railways said.

Here’s The List of Local Trains That Will Be Affected Due To Mumbai Mega Block:

Trains that will be diverted:

The slow line services leaving Matunga from 11:25 AM to 3:21 PM will be diverted on fast line between Matunga and Mulund stations stopping at Sion, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup and Mulund stations and then re-diverted to slow line at Mulund station.

Trains that will be delayed:

Down slow line services will not be available at Vidyavihar, Kanjur Marg and Nahur stations on Sunday. The passengers can, however, travel via Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Mulund stations.

Up fast/semi-fast services leaving Kalyan from 10:54 AM to 3:06 PM will arrive at their destination 15 minute behind schedule. It will stop at Diva, Mulund, Bhandup, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar and Kurla stations in addition to their respective scheduled stoppages.

Down fast/semi-fast services leaving Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus from 10:48 AM to 3.40 PM will arrive at their destinations 20 minutes behind schedule. It will stop at Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Mulund and Diva stations in addition to their respective scheduled halts.

All Down and Up slow services leaving/arriving Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus between 11 AM and 5 PM will arrive at their destination 10 minutes behind schedule.

Trains that will be cancelled:

All Down Harbour line services leaving from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai to Vashi/Belapur/Panvel from 10:34 AM to 3:08 PM and all Up harbour line services leaving from Panvel/Belapur/Vashi towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus from 10:21 AM to 3 PM will remain cancelled.

Special train services:

Special services will be available during the block period on Panvel-Vashi and Kurla-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus sections.

Harbour line passengers are permitted to travel via mainline and Transharbour line from 10 AM to 4.30 PM.

Indian Railway has begun the application processes for the recruitment announced for 2019. In February, the transport giant had released indicative advertisement for 4 recruitment processes and has begun the application process for all 4 since then. The first recruitment to kick start 2019 was recruitment for vacancies available in Non Technical Popular Categories (NTPC). The online application for RRB NTPC 2019 began on February 28, 2019.

The recruitment process for NTPC vacancies is being conducted by RRBs. RRBs recently released a corrigendum regarding the RRB NTPC recruitment and have made some changes to the official advertisement/notification released for the RRB NTPC recruitment.

Some of the important changes that have been made to the RRB NTPC 2019 notification are given below:

1. When a candidate is qualified 1st stage CBT and short listed for subsequent stages as OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwBD, he/she will continue to be considered as OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwBD respectively in all the subsequent stages.

2. Candidates who are applying for EWS reservation will have to produce Income and Asset Certificate issued by competent authority on the date of document verification. The certificate should be for the financial year 2017-18 as the last date of registration of applications is 31.03.2019.

3. The list of competent authorities that can issue Income and Asset Certificate for EWS category reservation is given in the Annexure III of the RRB NTPC advertisement pdf.

4. If a candidates fails to comply with the requirements of EWS category reservation, their claim for reserved status under EWS will not be entertained and the candidature/application of such candidates, if fulfilling all the eligibility conditions for General (UR) category, will be considered under General (UR) vacancies only.

5. The recruitment board has removed the condition for scribes. Earlier, it was stated in the advertisement that the academic qualification of the scribe for a PwBD must be one step below the applicant but this condition has been deleted from the notification now.

6. The clause that says that any application even under RTI act seeking any information will not be entertained till the completion of the entire recruitment process has also been removed.

7. As per the changes MD which was earlier to be read as ‘Muscular Dystrophy’, should now be read as ,Multiple Disabilities’.

 

The collapse of the foot overbridge near Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station is the latest accident that raises concerns over the city’s stressed infrastructure. Soon after the Mumbai bridge collapse, which left 6 dead and 33 injured, a blame game erupted between Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Corporation and the Indian Railways.

The bridge collapse near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is the third such tragedy in the past two years involving the foot overbridges in the city. Safety audits were carried out at about 445 foot overbridges, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after the accident on Thursday. Minor repairs had been carried out on the CST bridge six months ago as part of the audit.

The Railway Ministry has said the overbridge was under the control of Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Corporation – Sena lawmaker Anil Desai has denied the claim. State minister Vinod Tawde said both Railways and the civic body would investigate the matter.

Andheri Bridge Collapse

Part of a 40-year-old bridge at the Andheri station collapsed amid heavy rain in July last year and five people were injured. The bridge, running east to west over the Andheri station, crashed early morning, ripping off overhead wires which were left on the tracks.

The bridge crash damaged a portion of the platform roof, blocked railway lines and damaged high-tension electric wires and overhead power equipment. Five people were injured in the bridge collapse out of which 2 are critical. Incidentally, the bridge, built in 1971, had also cleared the railway’s safety audit just months earlier.

The bridge collapse was held up as an example of the annual civic nightmare in India’s financial capital during rain.

Elphinstone Stampede

In September 2017, a stampede broke out on a railway bridge at Elphinstone station bridgeduring peak office hours where 22 people killed and over 30 were seriously injured. The stampede broke out after just a 20-minute rain, on the foot over-bridge linking two of the busiest stations in Mumbai — Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban stations.

The stampede took place when four trains arrived at the same time and a crowd surged over the narrow bridge connecting the two stations. Sudden heavy rain made a bad situation worse, as a few slipped, leading to the tragedy. Witnesses said there were rumours of the old bridge collapsing which caused panic and chaos.

Railway officials blamed the incessant rains for causing the deadly stampede despite multiple warnings citing safety concerns.

Mumbai’s suburban railway network, a lifeline for the city’s residents, is used by around 8.5 million commuters daily.

 

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All mountain railways in India will now have vistadome coaches, allowing passengers to enjoy the scenic beauty of hilly terrains, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Friday.

The latest addition of vistadome or glass-enclosed coaches have been made to the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

“Given the positive feedback on this initiative of Indian Railways, order for hundred vistadome coaches have been given to the concerned production unit,” said Mr Goyal, while speaking to reporters.

Vistadome coaches have been designed to provide panoramic view to passengers, while enhancing their travelling comfort. These coaches have been provided with large windows on the sides and glass panels on the roof to provide better viewing experience.

Three broad-gauge coaches have been manufactured by the Modern Coach Factory in Raebareli and are running between Dadar and Madgoan in Araku Valley and in Kashmir Valley.

Four mountain railways have been provided with vistadome coaches.

All trains coming to Delhi will be on electric traction from December 2019, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday

The move is expected to lower fuel bills, improve safety and increase speed of the trains, officials said.

The cabinet in September 2018 had approved a proposal for the complete electrification of the Indian Railways in the next four years, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuel and saving revenue for the national carrier.

The move will cost the government Rs. 12,134 crore. “By December 2019, all trains coming to Delhi will be on electrical traction,” Mr Goyal told reporters.

Around 650 trains start, end, or pass through Delhi daily, which handles around 12 lakh passengers everyday.

Sources indicated that a proposal to electrify the heritage Kalka-Shimla route was also under consideration, but as it is a UNESCO site approval from the UN agency is required before a go-ahead can be given.

The minister is likely to write to UNESCO soon, sources indicated.

This marking pattern is being followed for nearly 19 years,” said the Indian Railways in response to the tension over group D result. Score cards, showing marks more than the total marks, shared by candidates on social media went viral after the results were out. The Ministry of Railways, in its first tweet, said that the viral score card is “morphed”. Later it released an official notification on the railway recruitment board portals. The group D result was released on March 4.

RRB Group D Result: Viral Score Sheet Of RRB Exam Is Morphed, Says Indian Railways

Candidates have been sharing the score cards where the marks secured are more than the total marks. In response to this, the Ministry has said, “it is not uncommon that on normalization, marks secured by a candidate would go more than the total marks of the exam paper.”

The highest marks in the said exam, says the Ministry, is 126.13. “Any other marks higher than this, is pure concoction,” it said.

Mark normalization is adopted in government exams where the exam is held across multiple sessions. In order to bring equilibrium in the difficulty levels of all the sessions, the marks of the candidates are normalized. The normalized marks can be higher or lower from the raw scores of the candidates depending upon the session in which the candidate took the exam.

RRB group D exam was held in 152 shifts for 51 days.