Category Archives: Indian Rail Info

Indian Rail Info

Government expediting Rs. 42000 crore railway locomotives unit project in Bihar

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Before the state elections take place, the government has decided to expedite a much delayed project to set up engineering units for the railway locomotives, which will bring in a ton of money of around Rs. 42,000 crore in Bihar. Two global majors are against each other currently in the race.

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According to sources connected who are a part of the development, USA based GE are coming in to the picture for the diesel locomotives plant, which is going to be arranged at Marhowra. Alstom, French major is winning the rat race of the manufacturing unit set ups for electric engines. A senior executive of the Railway board stated that the plans have suffered a lot in the past for about 10 years but now, they are very sure of rewarding them on the last week of this month. He also added that the interest that the foreign companies are showing is very encouraging and will bring in more and more investment from outside India for the railways.

This project had been first talked about in the years 2006 by Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Railway Minister. But now BJP government has put a lot of light on this project as they are gearing up to battle with the Yadav & Co in the forthcoming Bihar elections. The projects are going to be a big employment initiator for Bihar.

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The projects have been set under the private and public partnership model in which the Railways owe 26% and private developers control the remaining 76%. The proposals opened on Monday for the electric locomotive units for Rs. 20,000 crore, and it had 3 global engineering leaders, which are Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom.

The project has a fixed procurement of about 800 engine units by Indian Railways in the next upcoming ten years. The Rs. 22,000 crore bids for diesel locomotive units began on Tuesday.

It also involves a guaranteed offtake of about 1000 units over the upcoming decade. GE won from the 2nd bidder, which was the Electro-motive diesel. Many related to this project have said that global majors are noticing the growth of Indian transport.

Indian Rail Info, IRCTC, Railway Station, Railway Stations

The 4 most luxurious Indian trains that will give you a royal treatment

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The fanciest way to explore and discover the Indian cities, regional areas and coastal towns in comfort is only through the medium of trains. Indian Railways has few of the most unforgettable and spectacular rail journeys and is the world’s 4th largest railway network. However, what most of us are not aware of is that Indian railway also runs a number of luxury trains that cater to tourist throughout India. These 5-star trains are named as Heritage on Wheels, Fairy Queen, The Splendor of South and the Indian Maharaja. These trains will leave you with a life time experience of pure Indian royalty.

  1. Palace on Wheels
    Palace on Wheels, India’s very first pan-country train, was started on Indian Republic Day, January 26, 1982. The train service was then remodeled and relaunched in 2009 with great new looks and more luxurious services. Palace on Wheels is India’s best royal train and the 4th best luxury train of the world. The train has 15 salons, which are named after the various provinces of Rajasthan. It has two fine restaurants named as Maharani Restaurant and Maharaja Restaurant respectively. Other class facilities include exotic bar, live TV, spa, internet connectivity, television and music. Another train to explore Rajasthan is Heritage on Wheels.
  2. The Maharaja Express
    This luxurious train is a joint venture of the IRCTC and Kings India. The train embarked on its first journey on January 9th, 2010. The Maharajas Express is the newest and by far the costliest train in India. It is equipped with facilities of international standards such as large dining, lounge, bar, generator, direct dial phones, LCD TVs, internet connection, in suit bathrooms and individual temperature controls. The train on a whole offers royal experience to discover the top destinations in India. The journey is of 8-9 days from Mumbai to Delhi.
  3. The Golden Chariot
    Yet another luxury train, the Golden Chariot was started by KSTDC for a journey across the most popular tourist destinations of Karnataka and Goa. This royal train has 19 coaches painted purple and gold, two restaurants, conference room, a lounge bar, spa and a huge gym. The train was named after the Stone Chariot of Hampi and went on its first voyage on March 10, 2008. Discover the amazing architectural designs and fascinating natural landscapes of the Southern part of India on the Golden Chariot.
  4. The Deccan Odyssey
    This luxury train, called the Deccan Odyssey was started by a joint venture of MDTC and IRCTC together. This 5-star train covers the heritage sites of the western state of Maharashtra on the Konkan railway route and boosts the state tourism. This latest luxury train of India carries 21 coaches and is equipped with a bar and a restaurant, a sauna, computers, internet and business canter.

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So if you want a mesmerizing experience on a train, check the train ticket availability and the train seat availability with the help of travelkhana. Happy Royal Journey!

Indian Rail Info

Are the central railway employees still on hungry strike against Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra Scheme?

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On 25th August 2015, the employees of central railway went on a hunger strike for an entire day in Mumbai. This strike was against the Railway Board’s recent Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra Scheme. Around 50 employees of the different groups with the other staff like the commercial and running gave up food under the sign of CRMS (Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh). This strike took place at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. The act was done to oppose The YTSK scheme, which enables agents to make ticket booking and they can apply additional fee charges on the fare.

The CRMS has referred to this strike as an unnecessary action and also said that it was exploiting passengers. The employees have made a demand to the board to change their decision. Currently, there is no update on how the board has reacted and if the employees are still on strike but as on the day, they were adamant on their decision.

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The CRMS President, R P Bhatnagar had stated that this act is a defilement of the Contract Labour Act, 1970. He also added that due to the corruption in all the departments in the India Railways and because of association dealing with the administration and secretive players, the railway has to adopt such ways of outsourcing.

Under the YTSK scheme, the operator will add a fee of around Rs. 30 for the sleeper class and around Rs. 40 for the A/C class. The CRMS President also told that this is a small amounted fare hike and that the operators will only make about Rs. 50,000 every day. The members of CRMS observed the same fast in places like Nagpur, Pune, Bhusawal and Solapur divisions yesterday.

Invited Talk on Safety in Rail Transport

The general secretary of the CRMS, Praveen Bajpayee had stated that, the rail administration is not targeting passengers or the railway staff by any means. He also said that the money earned by the private players must have already gone in the railway’s coffer. He supported the strike act and said that there is no assurance that passengers won’t be overcharged.

“The problem will be given consideration if it is put in front of the correct authority at the right time,” said a senior CR official.

Since the rail sector is coming up with a lot of developments, there could be a chance of hikes in the prices.

Indian Rail Info

The Deepavali early scheme is a success!

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For all those who want to visit their loved ones for Deepavali this year can take benefits of the special support the Indian Railways started in the month of July. The advance reservations opened from July 9th, 8 am onwards. This 120 days scheme has been good for those who wanted to acquire their seats on certain crowded trains.

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Though Diwali is going to be celebrated on the November 10th this year, there are some people who are planning to go out of their houses to celebrate the festival from November 6th. This was a major reason why this year the reservations started in the month of July.

According to sources, most people have booked their tickets for the weekend that is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This early advantage has shown an increase in the bookings. This new booking scheme came in force on April 1st 2015. We must say that this has been quite a successful idea.

People have also made multiple bookings on different dates that are not sure about their travel dates. Other than this, all the refunds of the tickets will be done through the banking systems.

For all those who missed out this special service in the month of July can still head to the IRCTC website or to their respective stations to make train reservations for Diwali festival. The special trains are yet to be announced.

The Railways had introduced special trains for Kawad Yatra, which was a successful plan since most of the devotees benefitted through the service. Not just Deepavali, but there are special trains for Durja Puja and Ganesh Chaturthi, which are going to be a major help for all the travellers, who go from one place to another to celebrate these festivals.

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Apart from all this, the Railway Minister came out with another special benefit for the travellers. The differently abled passengers will have an exclusive support by which they can buy concessional e-tickets after one time registration. The growth in the rail sector is commendable, and soon, we will have a modernised pattern with high end stations for our services.

Indian Rail Info

Railways to form SPVs with 17 states for infra development

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Suresh Prabhu, the Railway Minister, announced to a gathering, in a function held at Pernem Railway Station, where had gone to flag off the train between Pernem and Karwar,  that his ministry will form SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) with 17 states in the country to develop the railway infrastructure.

The Minister said that they are making special purpose vehicles with each state separately and there are 17 states that have shown interest in this idea. He also added that it would be a joint project. He stated that Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states are not a part of this scheme.

In a candid interview, Suresh Prabhu spilled some more details regarding this plan. “We will create special purpose vehicles for 17 states. These states as well as the centre will invest the capital. All this will be used for the development of railway infrastructure.” The Minister recently went out to meet some biggies of corporate and banking companies in Maharashtra and expects an investment of Rs 10,000 crore for upcoming 5 years from them for this company.

He also said that all the states are gradually accepting the idea and are interested in signing. “Together we can develop additional structure and also extra bandwidth,” the Minister said. Other than this, he also declared 250 additional trains especially for the forthcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which is celebrated across Maharashtra’s Konkan region and Goa in September.

“The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is the most celebrated and important festival in Goa, and we have decided to run around 250 additional trains to clear off the rush.” A lot of railways divisions like the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd, Southern railway, Central railway and many others will be pitching in to commence these special trains.

Not just this but the Railway Minister has more in store for the rail sector. He also announced that 17 stations on KRCL route will be having Wi-Fi services and escalators, including Margao, Ratnagiri, Kankavali and Thivim stations. Besides these, he has also proposed the plan of putting water vending machines at the stations to help the passengers. The bottled water rate is moderate and affordable to all.

The Minister also had meetings in Mumbai few days ago where he let out his idea to modernise Indian Railways and asked reputed public and private sector companies to fund some amounts in order to help in the betterment of the rail sector.

With all this ongoing, we are sure that the Indian Railways are going to become better and better for passengers.

Indian Rail Info

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu finalises investment plans with CEOs in Mumbai

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Railway Minister is always seeking the best for the rail sector. Trying to bring in investment for this sector, the Railway Minister decided to talk to CEOs of business companies and commercial corporates in Mumbai to apprise them of the developing opportunities in India’s public transporter. The conference of senior railway officials with the founders and CEOs of FIs and other corporate was held on 7th August at the BSE Tower in Mumbai. The meeting uncovered substantial investment ideas for revolutionising and making the railway infrastructure stronger in the country. The Minister also met banks and financial institutions to get their heads up on the investment plans.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu

The reason the conference was held in Mumbai this time was to increase revelation and visibility to the investment plan of the Indian Railways. The IRFC (Indian Railways Finance Corporation), the financial intermediate for the Railways were a part of the conference too. Also, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha and RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan had attended the meeting.

The Minister stated that he was looking for private sector investment too. He also added that private sectors would have to help in giving large funds. Public institutions like LIC have promised to contribute Rs. 1.5 trillion worth of RFC bonds or through economic support.

Suresh Prabhu is a likable, professional and committed Railway Minister. His plans for the rail sector are pushing all the right buttons. Our trains have TVs for entertainment, Wi-Fi at a lot of stations, a choice of meals, many ticket counters and AVM machines, escalators and much more. For all the ecologically conscious people, the Minister has plans in reducing transport of goods by road and instead increasing by rail, which saves 90% energy and 80% carbon emission from these vehicles.

Not just this but selected railway stations will switch to green solar power, which will be generated on site. This will be done using the ample land, which is available with government. Though the rates of railway tickets have increased than what they were before yet they are still affordable by middle and lower class.

The best part about the Railway Minister’s investment plan is that it is accurate and not just a talk over the moon which will not come in action. He is determined to bring in 8.5 trillion reserves in the next five years. With the way Suresh Prabhu is determined about improving and modernising the Indian Railways, we are sure that soon we will see more and more growth in the rail sector.

Indian Rail Info, Indian Railway News, Special Trains

Indian Railways Announce Three Special Trains for Kawad Yatra

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The KawadYatra is scheduled to begin on the 1st of August and post the terrorist attack in Gurdaspur, the safekeeping for this annual Yatra has increased for all the devotees. Not just this, but the Northern Railway declared that they would run three exclusive trains for Kawad Yatra. Two trains will run daily from the capital city, Delhi to Haridwar through Shamli and the other special train will run every day passing through Hapur. These trains will be active from 1st to 12th August.

With this facility in force, it is also decided that one magistrate and officer would be posted in each sector from where the routes pass. There are CCTV cameras installed at all the sensitive areas. Plus, inspectors dressed in casuals will go along with the devotees throughout the route for safety reasons.

The health department of Uttar Pradesh has booked a ward in the district hospital and about hundred beds are reserved for any aid for the travellers. Other than this, about 24 mobile vans are arranged to provide any sort of treatment.

About KawadYatra: –

Kawadias are Lord Shiva devotees and followers, who come together and gather at Haridwar every year to take a dip and collect water of the holy river Ganga to offer it to Lord Shiva. This Yatra starts from August 1st and ends by August 12th. The followers pay respect and homage at several Shiva temples along the route. A lot of devotees observe a fast on Mondays during the month of Shravan when this yatra takes place. Most of the pilgrims are men, but these days a lot of women are participating in the Yatra too. Different modes of travel are taken up by these followers. Few opt for bicycles, motor cycles, scooters, mini trucks or jeeps. A lot of Hindu organizations set up camps along the National Highway during this time to provide food, shelter, medical help and other things when the travellers are tired or need some support.

The Kawad Yatra, also known as Kanwar Yatra, is related to the blending of ocean of milk in the Hindu Puranas. When poison came out before Amrita and the universe started scorching from the heat, it was Lord Shiva who agreed to inhale this poison in order to save the world. But after inhaling it, he was in agony from the negatives of the poison. In Treta Yuga, Lord Shiva’s sincere follower Ravana did meditation. He got holy water of Ganga by using kanwar and poured it on Lord Shiva’s temple in Puramahadev. This released the Lord from negatives of the poison.

The Yatra began in 1960 and is now a big affair for all the saints and devotees of Lord Shiva.

Indian Rail Info, Indian Railway News, Trains

Indian Railways Facts

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Train being the most popular way to connect from one place to the other has been used by us least more than once.  In the past few years, the Indian Railways have improved their service a lot. Owing to lesser cost of fares, cleaner toilets, availability of charging points and private food delivery portals providing hygienic train food service, many people prefer this mode of transport. Associated with the Indian railways are many facts that will make for an interesting read. Hold your breath!

maxresdefault1 . Speediest and Slowest Train –

At an average speed of 90 kmph and a whopping high speed of 150kmph, The New Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express barrels faster than light! The Nilgiri Express is the certified slowest train with a speed of 10kmph only!

2 . The Longest and Shortest Distance –

Covering a vast distance of 4,275 km, the Vivek Express carries passengers from Dibrugarh in the East to Kanyakumari in the South, the longest distance in terms of the total time. On the other hand, train services are provided from the station of Nagpur to its neighbor Ajni, located at a distance of just 3km.

3 . Train with Most Halts –
115 stations in between, the Howrah-Amritsar Express is known for its maximum halts.

4 .Two Destinations with a Common Location –

Belapur and Srirampur are two individual stations in the Ahmednagar district of Maharahtra, sharing a common location on the rail route, each on one side of the platform.

5. Most Unreliable Train –

Indian Railways, like its passengers is often late to work! The Guwahati-Trivandrum Express, however, has become notorious for being the least punctual one. 10-13 hours are delayed at every trip when the scheduled hours of the journey are already 65!

6. The Toughest and Easiest Station to Pronounce –
 Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta that runs on the Arakkonam-Renigunta route of Tamil Nadu holds the record for the station with the longest name. Ib, close to Jharsuguda and Od, in Gujarat hold the distinction for the shortest names.

7. India’s Oldest Loco –
The oldest functioning locomotive of the country is Fairy Queen, started in the year 1885. It also holds the record for being the oldest working steam engine globally.

8. Tunnel Track –
Pir Panjal tunnel, having a great length of 11.220 km is the longest tunnel in the county.  Its construction was finally finished in the December of 2012 in Jammu & Kashmir.

9. The origin of Toilets –

In 1909, Okhil Babu, a commoner who once traveled by a train without toilets, wrote a letter to the Indian Railways about the ordeals he encountered due to absence of toilets. This triggered the introduction of toilets in every train.

10. World’s Longest Platform –
Yes, we also hold the record for having the world’s longest railway platform in Kharagpur, West Bengal. It measures 2,733 ft.

11. The Most Busy Station –
Lucknow, where 64 trains depart daily.

12. Employment –
Another fact of pride, Indian Railways comes ninth on the list of world’s largest employer. It has over 1.4 million employees. Also, it is India’s largest employer.

13. Worst Train Accident –
Dated on June 6, 1981, a passenger train between Saharsa and Mansi was derailed and dived into the Bagmati River. Over 800 people died while hundreds went missing.

So, the next time you travel by train, share these facts with your co passengers!

Indian Rail Info, Indian Railway News, Special Trains

Ganpati Festival Special Trains: A Welcome Move by Indian Railways for an Auspicious Occasion

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Indian Railways, the Central division to be more precise, has brought a lot of cheer to many people this year by facilitating 60 Ganpati festival special trains.

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Mumbai is a city that is known for many wonderful things – its resilience, its love story with the Arabian Sea, its citizens who range from the Bollywood badshaahs to the Dabbawallas, the nightlife that one can enjoy there and its partiality to Ganpati Bappa. Every year, the months of August, September and even a part of October are hectic for people in and away from Mumbai because people are busy moving from one part of the city to another to celebrate this holy yet fun occasion and away, because those whose homes are away from Mumbai would like to be their own families during this festive season. It is no wonder that the transport services, be it air or road, are flooded with orders during these months, and many people end up getting disappointed because they are unable to get the travel tickets they want in time, or they are very expensive during this period, or because there is a shortage of transport vehicles.

This year, Central Railways have decided to introduce special 60 Ganpati special trains to try and minimise the number of stranded and disappointed Mumbaikars.

Here is a list of some of the important trains that are scheduled to operate during this year on a special basis:

  1. Train number 01001 Mumbai-Madgaon CST Mumbai Special is scheduled to depart from CST Mumbai at 12.20 AM (just a little after midnight) every day except on Thursdays. This train will reach Madgaon at 2.10 PM the same day. This train will be available from September 11th to September 29th.
  2. Train number 01002 is scheduled to depart from Madgaon at 2.40 every day except on Thursdays and will reach Mumbai CST at 4.25 AM (wee hours of the morning), the next day. This train will also be available between September 11th and September 29th.
  3. Train number 01033 is scheduled to depart from Mumbai CST 12.20 AM every Thursday, in the place of train number 01001, and will also reach Madgaon the same day at 2.10 PM. This train will be available from September 10th to 1st
  4. Train number 01034 is scheduled to depart from Madgaon at 3.25 PM on every Thursday and will reach Mumbai CST at 4.25 AM, the next day. This train is in the place of train number 01002 which will not depart on Thursday. This train is also available from September 10th to 1st
  5. Train number 01095, called the Dadar-Sawantwadi, will have three runs per week and will be available from September 11th to September 29th. This train is scheduled to depart at 7.50AM from Dadar every Sunday, Tuesday and Friday and will arrive at Sawantwadi the same day at 8.30 PM.
  6. Train number 01096 will depart from Sawantwadi on every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and will arrive at Dadar at 3.50 PM of the same day and will be available from September 11th to September 30th.

Bookings for these special trains have already started since 12th July! So make the most of this seasonal bonanza given by Central Railways and shout Ganpati Bappa Maurya! to your heart’s content this year!