Page 3 - Indian Railways

Railways on fast track to achieve its 100% electrification target by 2024

India is now much ahead of other large railway networks in the world in terms of electrification - with the US at just 1 per cent, China at 72 per cent and Europe at 60 per cent

PM praises railways for 100% electrification of broad guage routes in UP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed happiness over 100 percent electrification of broad gauge rail network in Uttar Pradesh. The railways achieved a significant milestone on Tuesday by completing the electrification of all broad guage routes in Uttar Pradesh with the completion of the Subhagpur-Pachperwa Broad Gauge (BG) route in North Eastern Railway. "Very good!", the prime minister posted in response to a tweet by the Railway Ministry, declaring the 100 percent electrification of broad gauge rail network in the state. With this, the Railways has completed electrification of broad guage routes in six railway zones namely East Coast Railway, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and West Central Railway. Also, Highly Utilized Network (HUN-5) of Jhansi-Muzzaffarpur-Katni is fully electrified now. This will improve connectivity between Jhansi-Lucknow-Barabanki-Burhwal, Gonda-Anandnagar-Gorakhpur-Valmikinagar-Sugauli, ..

Railways may shift to 'single-rate per container' policy to lure FMCG

With an eye on high-value freight like computer parts, engineering spares, electronic and FMCG, the Indian railways plans to shift to a 'single rate per container regime'

Indian Railways conducts exams for 929 vacancies in Group 'B' posts

The railways conducted a centralised computer-based exam on Sunday against a 70-per cent quota for 929 vacancies. The exam was conducted in 14 cities and 19 centres for Group "B" (officer-level) posts, the Indian Railways said. A total of 6,031 candidates were scheduled to appear in the exam. These exams are being held after a policy was introduced last year as part of the measures taken by the Railway Board for bringing in reforms in the selection process for promotion to Group "B" posts in the railways. It was decided to introduce the Centralised Computer Based (CBT) objective-type examination for conducting 70 per cent selections and 30 per cent Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCEs) in all departments that have organised services from the vacancy cycle starting January 2023. The selections and LDCEs for promotion to Group "B" posts are presently conducted by the respective zonal railways or production units independently. On Sunday, 1,987 (84 per cent) of the 2,

Railway orders trains with German brakes to follow prescribed speed limit

The Railways on Sunday directed its zones to instruct loco pilots to follow prescribed speed limit in trains fitted with a controversial German-made braking system, a day after a preliminary report revealed that the faulty brakes were likely to have caused the Sultanpur collision. It has also instructed the zones to monitor the loco pilots' braking techniques. After a series of complaints and accidents involving goods trains fitted with the German-made Bogie Mounted Brake System (BMBS), railway zones were last year instructed to restrict the maximum speed of loaded trains, with more than 50 per cent wagons fitted with the system, to 50 kmph on down gradients of 1 in 100, 65 kmph on level tracks of IR and 80 kmph on DFC. On Thursday, two goods trains collided near the southern cabin of Sultanpur district. One of the trains involved in the accident was loaded and running at 65 kmph on a route that had a downward gradient and the brakes were ineffective, an initial report said. On ..

Railways, India Post launch Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service

Indian Railways and India Post have formally launched Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service, Joint Parcel Product of Railways, and India Post

Indian Railway to achieve record production of locomotives, coaches in FY23

Indian Railways' have manufactured 785 electric locomotives and 4,175 LHB coaches in FY23 up to January 31

Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express records 100% occupancy: Data

The Bilaspur-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express had the lowest occupancy among the eight such trains in the country till January this fiscal while the Mumbai-Gandhinagar route recorded the highest, official data showed. The Bilaspur-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express had a 55-per cent occupancy rate while the train running between Mumbai and Gandhinagar recorded 126 per cent, the data showed. The low occupancy of three Vande Bharat trains marred the perfect record of the five other indigenous trains, capable of running at 180 kilometres per hour. The occupancy rates of two more Vande Bharat trains launched on February 10 to take the total number of these trains to 10 are not part of the data. Vande Bharat trains between Bilaspur and Nagpur, New Delhi and Amb Andaura (Himachal Pradesh) and Chennai Central (MAS) and Mysore Junction recorded an average occupancy of 55 per cent, 70 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively, during the current financial year, lower than the 100 per cent average register

Railways to acquire new rolling stock worth Rs 3.14 trillion in FY24

300 Vande metros, 1000 8-coach Vande Bharats, hydrogen trains in the works

2,359 Kisan Rail services by Railways till Jan 2023, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Railways Minister on Wednesday said 2,359 Kisan Rail services have been provided so far by the country's premier public transport undertaking.In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Railways minister said, "Since the launch of Kisan Rail service on August 7, 2020 and upto January 31, 2023, Railways have operated around 2,359 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables.""Potential circuits for movement of Kisan Rail services have been identified in consultation with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Agriculture/Animal Husbandry/Fisheries Departments of State Governments as well as local bodies and agencies, Mandis and based on demand, rakes are provided on priority for running of Kisan Rail services," the minister added.He said that till March 31 last year, 50 per cent of subsidy in freight was granted by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) for transporting of fruits and vegetables by Kisan rail, ...

Railways earns over Rs 600 cr via convenience fee in FY23 so far: Minister

The Railways has earned more than Rs 600 crore through convenience fee, which it retains from passengers on the cancellation of a ticket, so far in 2022-23, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the cancellation or clerkage charge is levied on cancellation of tickets as per the Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Tickets and Refund of Fare) Rules 2015. In addition to the normal fare indicated on the reserved tickets issued through computerised passenger reservation system counters, the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) also charges convenience fee from passengers who book tickets online. The minister said the convenience fee amount charged is Rs 30 for air-conditioned classes and Rs 15 for non-AC classes. On cancellation of ticket, this convenience fee is not refunded. He said that convenience fee collected by the IRCTC during 2019-20 was Rs 352.33 crore, during 2020-21 it was Rs 299.17 ..

Govt allocated Rs 4,418 cr for railways development in Telangana: Vaishnaw

Vaishnaw lauded the Union Budget stating that the funds will be used to develop the rail facilities and speed up various projects in the state

Statsguru: How Indian Railways is coming out of Covid-related disruption

The money earned from carrying passengers is expected to surpass the pre-Covid level this year

Railways set to introduce Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train to showcase Gujarat

The railways is set to introduce a Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train to showcase Gujarat under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme, according to an official statement on Sunday. The train on "Garvi Gujarat" tour will depart from Delhi's Safdarjung station on February 28. "This train tour has been designed on the lines of the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' scheme to showcase the heritage of vibrant Gujarat," according to the statement from the Ministry of Railways. The state-of-the-art Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train with 1st AC and 2nd AC classes will be operated for the eight-day all-inclusive tour. The train will consist of four first AC coaches, two second AC Coaches, one well-equipped pantry car and two rail restaurants. It can accommodate 156 tourists. The tour will include visit to prominent pilgrimage and heritage sites of Gujarat such as the Statue of Unity, Champaner, Somnath, Dwarka, Nageshwar, Beyt Dwarka, Ahmedabad, Modhera and Patan. Tourists can board

Record allocation for railways in M'rashtra will have good impact: Vaishnaw

The record allocation of Rs 13,539 crore for railways in Maharashtra will have a "very good effect", Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday. Addressing a press conference through video link from Delhi, Vaishnaw said that the allocation in the 2023-24 Budget for Maharashtra was 11 times the average allocation between 2009 to 2014. Saying that the union government was getting good cooperation from the Eknath Shinde-led government, Vaishnaw reiterated the charge that when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister, the bullet train project did not get any clearances from the state government. "The deadline for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project (completion) is August 2026," he added. The production of Vande Bharat Express trains has been ramped up and a train is being manufactured in 7 to 9 days, he said. "We will modernize and redevelop 123 stations in Maharashtra. As for CSMT (in Mumbai), by March end tenders will be opened. Primary pre-work has already begun," Vaishnaw said.

Changing tracks

Investment in Indian Railways must be backed by reforms

11 trains running late in northern India due to dense fog, low visibility

According to railway officials, Barauni- NewDelhi Clone Special and Ayodhya Cantt- Delhi Express are running late by 3:30 hours

Union Budget 2023-24: A great year for Indian Railways, says expert

IR, which stimulates almost all sectors of industries and commerce by transporting raw materials and finished goods, is moving much more BTKMs (Billion Tonne Kms) during and post-pandemic times

Budget 2023-24: Railways gets record Rs 2.6-trillion capex boost

According to a senior official, Railways' prime borrowing arm, Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), has zero borrowings for the fiscal under review

Union Budget 2023: Railways capital outlay at all-time high of Rs 2.4 trn

This is almost 9x the outlay made in 2013-14, says FM; Railways to build 500 Vande Bharat trains, achieve 100% electrification and spearhead an ambitious station redevelopment plan