Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said former TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi tried to do good work during his stint as railway minister, but his efforts were thwarted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mr Trivedi served as railway minister from 2011 to 2012.

Mr Goyal said Mr Trivedi must have gauged the defeat of Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls before he took the decision to join the BJP.

“Dinesh Trivedi had tried to do good work as railway minister, but Mamataji cut him off. He did not fit her scheme of things. In the history of parliament, find a comparable case wherein someone who has five years and two months left as a Rajya Sabha MP, has quit without thinking about the future.

“Elections are yet to happen and if TMC wins, Mr Trivedi would have lost his seat, and only if BJP wins, he has a chance of getting re-nominated.”

“There was no commitment from our side, we did not promise him anything, we did not tell him to resign. Imagine the pain he must have felt to take the decision. He himself said that his conscience did not allow him to continue in an atmosphere of violence,” Mr Goyal said.

The railway minister said Mr Trivedi “exposed the TMC’s truth in Parliament”.

“It was a bold move and it reflects the pain of the people in Bengal. He was pushed to leave. The other aspect is that when he joined the BJP, he must have had the confidence that BJP would win.

“He could have joined the party after the election. But the courage of conviction of the man that he is willing to forgo a five year term. However principled a man is, there is no parallel for this. This clearly shows the winds of change and the momentum for us in Bengal is to be seen to be believed,” Mr Goyal added.

Asked to comment on West Bengal CM’s allegations of being manhandled in Nandigram, the Union minister claimed that the TMC supremo has lost the plot and is showing signs that her game is over.

Mamata Banerjee alleged on Wednesday that she was attacked by “four-five men” who manhandled her during election campaign in Nandigram, because of which she was injured in the left leg.

3CommentsThe incident happened around 6.15 pm when Banerjee was about to leave Birulia area near Reyapara after praying at a temple

Nine people were killed in a huge fire that broke out in an office building in central Kolkata’s Strand Road on Monday evening.

Among the dead are four firemen, a police officer, a Railways officer and a security person, officials said.

Five of the nine bodies were found in an elevator on the 12th floor. The victims appeared to have suffocated and burnt to death inside the lift.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has expressed grief over the incident and ordered a high-level probe to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Taking to Twitter, he said, “Sincere condolences to the families of the 9 brave deceased including the 4 firefighters, 2 Railways personnel and an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) who have been fighting the fire at the Eastern Railways Strand road office in Kolkata.”

“Railway officials including the GM are at the site and are working in coordination with the State Govt for rescue and relief efforts. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure safety of all concerned,” the minister said in another tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the incident and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.

Kolkata Building Fire: The fire broke out at the New Koila Ghat Building on Strand Road.

26

Kolkata:

Nine people were killed in a huge fire that broke out in an office building in central Kolkata’s Strand Road on Monday evening.

Among the dead are four firemen, a police officer, a Railways officer and a security person, officials said.

Five of the nine bodies were found in an elevator on the 12th floor. The victims appeared to have suffocated and burnt to death inside the lift.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has expressed grief over the incident and ordered a high-level probe to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Taking to Twitter, he said, “Sincere condolences to the families of the 9 brave deceased including the 4 firefighters, 2 Railways personnel and an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) who have been fighting the fire at the Eastern Railways Strand road office in Kolkata.”

“Railway officials including the GM are at the site and are working in coordination with the State Govt for rescue and relief efforts. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure safety of all concerned,” the minister said in another tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the incident and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.

Mamata Banerjee Is An Outsider In Nandigram: BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari
“Mamata Banerjee’s Mantras Wrong”: BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari Plays Recording
PM, Ministers, Mithun Chakraborty: BJP’s Full Arsenal For Bengal Campaign

“Saddened by the loss of lives due to the fire tragedy in Kolkata. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest,” the Prime Minister tweeted. President Ram Nath Kovind also condoled the deaths.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the spot at around 11 pm.

Earlier in the evening, immediately after the fire broke out at 6.30 pm, the fire and emergency services minister, the urban affairs minister and police officers rushed to the spot. At least 25 fire engines were deployed to put out the blaze that began on the 13th floor.

The fire started at around 6:30 pm

“Seven people are dead. The police commissioner says two more may be missing. The tragedy took place because the elevator was used during the fire. We will give ₹ 10 lakh to the families of those killed,” Ms Banerjee said.

“This is a railways property. Railways has a responsibility. Railways was unable to provide a map of the building. I don’t want to do politics over the tragedy but no one from the railways has come to the site,” she added.

The fire started on the 13th floor of the New Koilaghat  Building, an office building shared by the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway, next to the Hooghly River on Strand road.

The building houses railway ticketing offices, and as per reports, online bookings have been hit with the power being switched off.

26CommentsFire Minister Sujit Bose said he was “pained” by the incident and an inquiry will be ordered into why the elevator was used.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday flagged off Siddhabali Jan Shatabdi Special Train that will run between Kotdwar in Uttarakhand and Delhi junction.

Mr Goyal flagged off the train through video conferencing and during the ceremony, he expressed his gratitude to the railway employees who served the country during the COVID-19 pandemic by supplying medicines, coal and other essential items.

He said the Kotdwar-Delhi route electrification is almost complete with only around 15 km stretch pending which is expected to be completed by this month.

“After this, trains on electric traction will ply from Kotdwar to Delhi. It will also save the environment. Going forward all the trains will run on electric traction in the entire Uttarakhand. This will ensure net zero carbon emission and protection of the environment in the state,” the minister said.

He also said that railway projects in Uttarakhand are progressing well and ₹ 4,432 crore has been allocated for the projects in the budget 2021-22 which is almost 23 times more than the average budget of 2009-14 for the state.

The three new lines projects are underway in Uttarakhand, the work of the railway line between Rishikesh and Karnprayag is progressing swiftly, Mr Goyal said.

Development of Dehradun station is planned at the cost of ₹ 212 crore.

Kotdwar-Delhi Siddhabali Jan Shatabdi Express special train (train no. 04047) will depart from Kotdwar at 15.50 hours and will reach Delhi Junction at 22.20 hours daily, while Delhi Jn.- Kotdwar Siddhabali Jan Shatabdi Express train (train no. 04048) will depart from Delhi at 07.00 hours and will reach Kotdwar at 13.40 hours daily.

It will have stoppages at Najibabad Juction, Muzzampur Narain Junction, Bijnor, Haldaur, Chand Siau, Mandi Dhanaura, Gajraula, Hapur, Ghaziabad enroute in both directions.

1CommentsOn Wednesday, the train was run as the “Inaugural Special Train”

For the ongoing RRB NTPC exam, which is currently in the fourth phase, the railway recruitment boards or the RRBs have extended a facility to those candidates from Kerala who have been allotted centres in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu but could not appear for the exam due to travel restrictions. These candidates have been asked by the RRBs to submit their requests for rescheduling the exam.
“Keeping in view of the new travel measures stipulated by the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu State Governments, it is decided to consider and reschedule the exams of the affected Kerala candidates whose exams are scheduled in Karnataka from 16.02.2021 and in Tamil Nadu from 24.02.2021 and who have represented in the Help Desk,” the RRBs have said.

“All the affected candidates who desire to have their exams rescheduled should register and submit their requests through HELP DESK LINK available in the official websites of RRBs on or before 05.03.2021,” the boards have said.

The fourth phase of RRB NTPC exam will continue till March 3.

 

The fifth phase will begin on March 4 and admit cards for all the candidates who have been scheduled in this phase has already been released. The exam is expected to be completed within March. After this exam, another computer based test for selection to group D posts in the railways will begin. This exam will be conducted by the railway recruitment cells.

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal today said that National Education Policy (NEP 2020) has given focus to innovation, entrepreneurship and skill development. Addressing the FICCI Higher Education Summit, he said that the Education Policy will transform the way we educate our children. The urge to expand education and knowledge will give this initiative a new thrust that will make India the knowledge capital of the world, he added.

Mr Goyal said, “With the NEP, we will feel proud that every child in the country is entitled to, and getting the equal quality of education.” The Minister said that NEP allows students to be more creative in their chosen fields. The policy has been formulated after extensive consultations, and hence has been widely accepted, he added.

He said that the Indian education system has to attain that level where the students from even the developed nations would come for higher study in our country, even in institutes other than IITs and IIMs.

The Minister lauded the contribution of schools and teachers in nation-building, to deal with the future and to alleviate poverty.Mr Goyal said that education is a great equalizer, empowers everyone, and helps in taking the right decisions at the right time.

An inquiry was ordered by the Western Railway after Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express moved past Andheri on Sunday without halting at the scheduled halt.

However, an unscheduled halt was promptly arranged at Dadar where approximately 42 passengers deboarded.

“Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express moved past Andheri today without halting as scheduled halt. The matter was brought to the notice of officials immediately and an unscheduled halt was promptly arranged at Dadar where approximately 42 passengers deboarded. The matter is being inquired,” read a statement by the Western Railway.

A woman escaped being run over by a train yesterday simply by lying low on the track as the carriages passed above her. The incident took place in Rohtak district of Haryana and was witnessed by scores and captured on camera.

The goods train had halted awaiting signal when the woman tried to cross over to the other side through underneath the train. She was trapped when the train suddenly began to move, ANI reported. The woman then lay still till all the bogies passed even as anxious, helpless onlookers watched. A few could be heard asking her to remain motionless.

Moments after the train passed, she was helped to her feet by people and she walked away, as captured by the video.

Last September, a video had emerged of a two-year-old boy emerging scratch-less from under a train that had passed just as he was pushed onto the track by his brother while playing. That incident took place at Ballabhgarh station in Faridabad district near Delhi.

The capex utilisation in the Indian Railways’ dedicated freight corridor (DFC) project increased by 21 per cent as compared to the year-ago period. According to a recent statement by the Railway Ministry, in the first 10 months of the financial year 2020-21, capital expenditure of ₹ 8201 crore was registered as compared to ₹ 6783 crore for year-ago period, even though the pace of the rail infrastructure project got severely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic and induced lockdown. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal directed the authorities to increase the pace of work across all sections of the 1,504 km long Western DFC and the 1,856 km long Eastern DFC projects.

According to the railway authorities, 657 km of the DFC section has already been opened and more than 1000 trains have operated so far. In the first phase, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) is constructing the 1,504 km long Western DFC project and 1,856 km long Eastern DFC project including a public-private partnership (PPP) section between Sonnagar-Dankuni.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 351 km long section of the eastern dedicated freight corridor and the operating control centre, situated at Prayagraj, through video conference on December 29, 2020. Indian Railways’ indigenous Alstom’s WAG 12 e-locomotive was flagged off for the inaugural run on the Bhaupur – Khurja section. Along with this, the 306 km long Rewari-Madar section of the western dedicated freight corridor was inaugurated on January 7.

Two labourers were killed and several were injured in an accident at a tunnel construction site for the railways in Assam.

“The incident happened at 1.30 pm when concrete slabs were being placed after earth-cutting by the staff of the contractor. While placing the concrete slabs, loose soil fell on the labourers,” the Northeast Frontier Railways said in a statement.

“Nine people got trapped in the incident. Seven were rescued with the help of local authorities. However, two died in the accident. Four injured people were shifted taken to hospital,” it said.

“The railway authority is extending all necessary help to the injured labourers. Senior railway officials including additional divisional railway manager and chief bridge engineer from Guwahati are already at the site,” it said.

Railway sources said construction of a road under-bridge between Panbari and Thakurkuchi stations in the Guwahati-Lumding section under Lumding division was going on.

CommentsRoad overbridge is being constructed on railway lines across the country for ensuring safety. The Northeast Frontier Railway said it will hold an enquiry to find the reason leading to the incident.

In line with the government’s initiative “Dekho Apna Desh” to promote domestic tourism, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will run a deluxe train for “Jyotirlinga and Statue of Unity” tour on February 27.

The train will depart from Delhi Safdarjung on February 27 and will cover two prominent Jyotirling temples Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Omkareshwar along with the tallest statue in the world, ‘Statue of Unity’ near Kevadia, Gujarat.

Tourists can board the train at Delhi Safdarjung, Mathura, Agra and Gwalior stations.

The train features two fine dining restaurants, a modern kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, sensor-based washroom functions and foot massagers.

The fully air-conditioned train provides two types of accommodation — the first AC and second AC. Besides CCTV cameras, the train will have a deployment of private security guards for enhanced security.

Situated near Kevadiya in Gujarat’s Narmada district, the ‘Statue of Unity’ is the world’s tallest statue and monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, independent India’s first home minister as well as deputy prime minister.

CommentsThe statue was inaugurated in October 2018 by Prime Minister Modi on the occasion of Mr Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.