Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal wants Mumbai to be the best transport hub in India by August 2022. In a meeting of officials from the railways, state government, MMRDA and BMC and attended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, Goyal told the officials to work in coordination to ensure the city has the best public transport system in India.

Goyal is pushing for implementation of Rs.50,000-crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3A, which includes improving the current suburban railway network, building new projects such as elevated railway and also extending the suburban railway network to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), which is implementing MUTP-3A was asked to complete all projects by 2022, said an official, who was present at the meeting.

Some of the major projects include CSMT-Panvel elevated corridor, Panvel-Virar suburban railway line, harbour railway extension till Borivli, fifth and sixth line between Borivli and Virar, third and fourth line between Kalyan and Badlapur and communication-based train control (CBTC) on harbour line.

The project will be funded jointly by the state government and the MRVC. “Coordination of work is required in order to meet the deadline. The minister has asked all nodal agencies to work together and solve commuting woes and make the city the best transport hub. The work has already begun in full swing,” said a senior MRVC official, who attended the meeting.

“We have submitted a proposal to the state government. The approval is expected within a week. The project approval will then go to the railway board, after which the plans for diversification of different works will be made,” said the official.

The different projects under MUTP-3A will give the much-needed relief to commuters. A case in point could be the elevated corridor between CSMT and Panvel, which will not just help people living in Navi Mumbai, but will also become a connecting point to the new airport in Navi Mumbai and the existing airport.

The Panvel- Virar suburban line will help commuters from Navi Mumbai travel on the western railway. They currently switch between central and western line at Dadar railway station.

The fifth and sixth lines between Borivli and Virar will improve punctuality of local trains, as it will segregate the suburban and long-distance trains up till Virar.

The CBTC will help railways to operate more trains on the harbour line.

The procurement of the new trains will increase the number of air-conditioned (AC) local trains in the city. The MRVC plans to procure 210 AC local trains under MUTP-3A and the railways later plans to convert all regular 0local trains into AC ones.

38 trains are going to arrive late, while seven have been rescheduled and fifteen cancelled due to dense fog in the Delhi and neighbouring regions in north India.

Residents of the national capital and adjoining cities of Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Faridabad woke up to a foggy morning. The minimum temperature recorded at Delhi’s Palam station this morning was 8.1 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal temperature for this time of year. The lowest temperature recorded at the weather station in Delhi’s Safdarjung was 7 degrees Celsius.

Trains running across noth, northwest and eastern India were affected by dense fog. These include places in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and isolated places over Punjab and Haryana. At 25 metres, the lowest visibility was observed in UP’s Bahraich and Gorakhpur, while Amritsar, Hisar and Patna had visibility at 50 metres. Visibility in Delhi was lower than 200 metres.

COMMENTSAccording to the weather department, Delhi will have a clear sky with moderate fog and medium visibility through the day.

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If you happen to be a frequent train traveller who is tired of waiting for those much-delayed trains, then here’s a little good news for you. The Indian Railways’ waiting room will soon have TVs, beverage dispensing machines and light refreshments.

“The Delhi Division will undertake a pilot project for upgradation of waiting rooms with modern facilities for dispensing beverages, light refreshments, TVs, upgraded furniture, toilet facilities and other prescribed amenities and services under PPP mode through open bidding process,” a set of instructions sent from the railways’ transformation cell to the Northern Railway general manager said.

As a pilot project, the Delhi Division has been asked to undertake the upgradation of its waiting rooms by providing modern facilities for passengers. According to a senior railway official, “Passengers have to wait in waiting rooms for hours sometimes, especially during foggy weather when trains get delayed indefinitely. So, equipping the waiting room is just to make the passengers comfortable during the long wait.”

COMMENTSThe railway officials also said that once, the division implements the project successfully; the board might issue instructions to replicate the model across the railway network.

Railways officials are considering an internal committee’s recommendations, which may make it cheaper for railway passengers who have planned their journey in advance. The Railways fare review committee, which submitted its report earlier in January, had suggested graded discounts depending on the number of vacant seats in a train, a concept that is similar to airlines which offer heavy discounts to passengers if they book their tickets months in advance. The committee recommended discounts from 20 per cent to 50 per cent depending on the number of vacant seats available at the time of booking, the Press Trust of India reported.

Here are five things to know about the recommendations by the Railways fare committee:

The panel has also proposed discounts for tickets booked after charting. It has said that discounts can be offered in slots from two days to two hours before the departure of the train.

The committee has also said that passengers will have to pay more for choosing lower berths, just like air travelers pay more for front-row seats. However, officials say that senior citizens, people with disabilities and pregnant women could be allotted these seats free of charge.

The committee has also suggested that fares be increased for those trains, which reach their destinations at “convenient” times such as early morning as against those that arrive at “odd hours” for example between 0000 and 0400 hours and 1300 and 1700 hours, the officials said.

The committee has also recommended that instead of having flat fares, the railways should increase fares during festive seasons, and reduce them during lean months.

The committee consists of some Railway Board officials, NITI Aayog adviser Ravinder Goyal, Executive Director (Revenue Management) of Air India Meenakshi Malik, professor S Sriram, and Iti Mani, Director, Revenue, Le Meridien, Delhi.

Just like air travellers, railway passengers planning their journey in advance could get cheaper deals, if the recommendations of a fare review committee are approved by the Railway Board.

The committee, which submitted its report earlier this week, has suggested graded discounts depending on the number of vacant seats in a train, sources said. Similar to the modus operandi of airlines, which offer heavy discounts to passengers if they book their tickets months in advance, the committee, officials said recommended discounts from 50 per cent to 20 per cent depending on the number of vacant seats available at the time of booking.

The panel has also proposed discounts for tickets booked after charting. It has said that discounts can be offered in slots from two days to two hours before the departure of the train.

The committee has also said that passengers will have to pay more for choosing lower berths, just like air travelers pay more for front-row seats.

However, officials say that senior citizens, people with disabilities and pregnant women could be allotted the seats free of charge.

The committee has also suggested that fares be increased for those trains which reach their destinations at “convenient” times such as early morning as against those that arrive at “odd hours” for example between 0000 and 0400 hours and 1300 and 1700 hours, the officials said.

Sources said the Railway Board, however, is likely to make changes before approving the recommendations.

They said that there are also suggestions to leave the fare differentials for the zonal railways to decide on as they can take the decision based on local demand and supply ratio.

The committee has also recommended that instead of having flat fares, the railways should increase fares during festive seasons, and reduce them during lean months.

The committee, the sources said, has also recommended premium charges for overnight trains and trains with pantry cars.

The committee consists of some Railway Board officials, NITI Aayog adviser Ravinder Goyal, Executive Director (Revenue Management) of Air India Meenakshi Malik, professor S Sriram, and Iti Mani, Director, Revenue, Le Meridien, Delhi.

The committee has proposed these changes in the flexi-fare system which led to up to 50 per cent increase in fares of premium trains, drawing opposition from certain sections.

Under the flexi formula, base fares increase by 10 per cent (up to 50 per cent) after every 10 per cent of berths booked.

“If these changes mean that I can get a discount on my ticket if I book early and get cheaper tickets if I take a train that arrives late in the night at the station, then I am all for it,” said Shyamali Sinha, who works as a cleaner in a multi-storied building.

 

 The cameras with facial recognition software would help trace past movements of any offender on a local train and arrest the person when he travels next. Jain said at least 30 special train services and 20 bus services have been arranged to facilitate commute during the block hours. With better face recognition technology in cameras, arrests would become easier,” said a senior CR official. Meanwhile, toy train services between Neral and Matheran are scheduled to become operational from January 26. (Representational Image) The cameras with facial recognition software would help trace past movements of any offender on a local train and arrest the person when he travels next.

The cameras with facial recognition software would help trace past movements of any offender on a local train and arrest the person when he travels next. (Representational Image) The cameras with facial recognition software would help trace past movements of any offender on a local train and arrest the person when he travels next. (Representational Image)

To tackle the persistent problem of male commuters boarding coaches reserved for women on the suburban local railways, the Central Railway (CR) has come up with plans to procure cameras that will store facial details of commuters. The cameras with facial recognition software would help trace past movements of any offender on a local train and arrest the person when he travels next.

At least six such cameras would be installed in each coach of the suburban rakes of the CR by the end of 2018. With 76 cameras to be fitted in each rake, a total of 11,160 cameras would be procured. Women passengers have frequently complained about illegal entry of men commuters in coaches reserved for them during non-peak hours. In the past six months, three cases have been registered wherein women have jumped off trains upon the entry of men in reserved coaches.

Officials of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have complained against poor quality of existing cameras at the stations. “If the movement of the accused was not registered in the cameras installed at the stations, nabbing him would become difficult. With better face recognition technology in cameras, arrests would become easier,” said a senior CR official. S K Jain, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of the CR, said: “We have asked for a certain set of requirements in the cameras to be procured. Face recognition and analytics must remain the key features of these cameras. After the cameras recognise a face, the technology will be able to trace the movement of that commuter in the past 10 days. We plan to catch habitual offenders.”

The total cost to procure the cameras would be Rs 276 crore. Two talk-back units would also be installed in every ladies’ coach by the year-end.

“We also plan to install at least one pair of escalators (upward and downward directions) in each suburban railway station by the end of the year. An additional 52 escalators will be in place by March 31, 2018,” Jain added.

The Mumbai division of the CR will also see an additional 25 foot overbridges this year. “We expect to invite the chief minister to inaugurate certain passenger amenities on January 26,” said an official.

While the foot overbridge developed by the Army at Ambivali station would be commissioned by January 31, the other two at Currey Road and Elphinstone Road stations would be commissioned by February 15. On Thursday, the Army would launch girders of the foot overbridge at Ambivali during a five-hour mega block of train services between Ambivali and Asangaion. Jain said at least 30 special train services and 20 bus services have been arranged to facilitate commute during the block hours.

Meanwhile, toy train services between Neral and Matheran are scheduled to become operational from January 26.

In order to clear extra rush of Passengers during Pongal festival season, one special train will be run from Kakinada Town to as detailed below:-

Train No. 07002  Kakinada Town-Secunderabad Special Train will depart Kakinada Town at 20:05 hrs on 19^th January, 2018 and arrive Secunderabad at 06:55 hrs on the next day.

Enroute, this special train will stop at Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Nidadavolu, Tanuku, Bhimavaram Town, Akividu, Kaikaluru, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Khammam, Warangal and Kazipet stations.

This special train consist of AC II Tier, AC III Tier, Sleeper Class, Chair Car and  Luggage cum brake van Coaches.

SECUNDERABAD: In order to clear extra rush of passengers, South Central Railway will continue running of Special Trains between Secunderabad and Raxaul as detailed below:-

Secunderabad – Raxaul – Secunderabad (20 Services):  Train No. 07091 Secunderabad – Raxaul Special train will depart Secunderabad at 21:40 hrs on 23^rd & 30^th January; 6^th, 13^th, 20^th & 27^th February; 6^th, 13^th, 20^th & 27^th March, 2018 (Tuesdays) and arrive Raxaul at 18:15 hrs on Thursdays.

In the return direction, Train No. 07092 Raxaul – Secunderabad Special train will depart Raxaul at 12:45 hrs on 26^th January; 2^nd, 9^th, 16^th & 23^rd February; 2^nd, 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd & 30^th March 2018 (Fridays) and arrive Secunderabad at 06:55 hrs on Sundays.

Enroute, these special trains will stop at Kazipet, Ramagundam, Mancherial, Balharshah, Sevagram, Nagpur, Betul, Itarsi, Pipariya, Jabalpur, Katni, Satna, Allahabad, Gyanpur,Manduadih, Varanasi, Mughalsarai, Buxar, Ara, Danapur, Patna, Bakhtiyarpur, Mokama, Barauni, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, and Bairgania stations in both the directions.

These trains will comprise of one AC II Tier, four AC III Tier, ten Sleeper Class and six Second class General Coaches.

Central Railway, Mumbai Division won the Championship Rolling Trophy in the 10^th Plants, Fruit, Vegetable & Flower Show “Vrushawali 2018”  organised by Thane Municipal Corporation at Thane from 12.1.2018 to 14.1.2018.  Shri D.K. Sharma, General Manager, Central Railway congratulated the horticulture team for their efforts.

CR won First prize in 7 categories viz. Foliage plants in pots; Annuals grown in pots, Flowering plants, Bougainvillea, Outstanding Orchids, Roses HT in pots, Cut Flowers – Annuals.

Second Prize in 9 categories viz. mass display of potted plants (sunny situation), mass display of potted plants (shady situation), Bonsai/Landscape bonsai, Succulents, Roses Floribunda in pots, Roses miniature in pots, Fruits grown in pots, Vegetable grown in pots, Landscape on the spot.

Third prize in 7 categories viz. Collection of flowering creepers, Cacti, Orchids collection, Cut flower- Biennial and Perennial, Medicinal plants in pots, Flowering and Avenue Tree in pots, Hanging Baskets.

GUNTUR: South Central Railway continues to remain in the forefront towards adopting various energy conservation measures. In this direction, yet another achievement has been attained with Guntur Division getting the  distinction of converting not just all the railway stations, but also the entire Railway Level Crossing Gates and Service Buildings on its jurisdiction to 100% LED Lighting.

The attainment has seen provision of 100% LED lighting at all the 76 Railway Stations, 184 Railway Level Crossing Gates and 99 Service Buildings on the Division. It is anticipated that the Energy Savings will be around 5.8 Lakh Units Per Annum, amounting to Rs. 52.5 Lakh per year, which is a notable saving in terms of Energy Conservation and also in revenue.