On Mother's Day, Indian Railways has presented a special gift to new mothers. It is small yet unique. &nbsp;

Wondering what it is, actually? Well, it is foldable “baby berths”. Never heard of it? &nbsp;

These are small births attached to the regular ones to accommodate a new born comfortably. These berths have been introduced on select trains on a trial basis. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It will surely make the journey of new mothers comfortable when they are travelling with their infants as it will help them to sleep comfortably. &nbsp;

The initiative has been started with concerted efforts of the Northern Railway's Lucknow and Delhi divisions. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/witness-a-new-marvel-indian-instructor-in-dubai-holds-tough-yoga-pose-for-29-min-to-set-new-world-record-477874" hreflang="en">Witness a new marvel! Indian instructor in Dubai holds 'tough' yoga pose for 29 min to set new world record</a>

It has been introduced on berths 12 and 60 of an AC three-tier coach in Lucknow Mail (12230). &nbsp;

On its official handle on Twitter, the Northern Railway shared a few photos of the baby berth and the message regarding the inauguration. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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On Mother's Day, Lucknow Divn of N.Rly. introduced a baby berth on experimental basis in Coach No.194129/B4, berth No 12 &amp; 60. This will facilitate mothers travelling with their babies. 
 
The fitted baby seat is foldable &amp; secured with a stopper. <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AshwiniVaishnaw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RailMinIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RailMinIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/4jNEtchuVh">pic.twitter.com/4jNEtchuVh</a>
— Northern Railway (@RailwayNorthern) <a href="https://twitter.com/RailwayNorthern/status/1523605855400202240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The “fitted baby seat is foldable and secured with a stopper,” the tweet said. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;India to re-examine the relevance of its colonial law- Sedition law

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The arrangement of baby berth, which is attached to the lower berth, is in such a way that baby cannot fall off the seat while sleeping. Straps have also been provided to secure the baby. &nbsp;

The baby berth can be used after being rotated to bring it to the same level as the lower berth. A slider must also be locked to guarantee that the berth is safe. &nbsp;&nbsp;

When it is not in use, it can be fixed with the help of a stopper, which is underneath the lower berth. &nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

On Mother's Day, Indian Railways has presented a special gift to new mothers. It is small yet unique. Wondering what it is, actually? Well, it is foldable “baby berths”.

On Mother's Day, Indian Railways has presented a special gift to new mothers. It is small yet unique. Wondering what it is, actually? Well, it is foldable “baby berths”. Never heard of it? These are small births attached to the regular ones to accommodate a new born comfortably. These berths have been introduced on select trains on a trial basis. It will surely make the journey of new mothers comfortable when they are travelling with their infants as it will help them to sleep comfortably. The initiative has been started with concerted efforts of the Northern Railway's Lucknow and Delhi divisions. Also Read: Witness a new marvel! Indian instructor in Dubai holds 'tough' yoga pose for 29 min to set new world record It has been introduced on berths 12 and 60 of an AC three-tier coach in Lucknow Mail (12230). On its official handle on Twitter, the Northern Railway shared a few photos of the baby berth and the message regarding the inauguration. On Mother's Day, Lucknow Divn of N.Rly. introduced a baby berth on experimental basis in Coach No.194129/B4, berth No 12 & 60. This will facilitate mothers travelling with their babies. The fitted baby seat is foldable & secured with a stopper. @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/4jNEtchuVh — Northern Railway (@RailwayNorthern) May 9, 2022 × The “fitted baby seat is foldable and secured with a stopper,” the tweet said. Watch: India to re-examine the relevance of its colonial law- Sedition law The arrangement of baby berth, which is attached to the lower berth, is in such a way that baby cannot fall off the seat while sleeping. Straps have also been provided to secure the baby. The baby berth can be used after being rotated to bring it to the same level as the lower berth. A slider must also be locked to guarantee that the berth is safe. When it is not in use, it can be fixed with the help of a stopper, which is underneath the lower berth. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Railways presents new mothers with foldable 'baby berths’ on Mother's Day. Find out how is it  

With India facing acute coal shortage, Indian Railways, which is run by the central government, has cancelled over 753 passenger trains, the government said. &nbsp;

The government-run Coal India has already hiked production by 27.2% in April to meet the demand, the federal coal ministry said. &nbsp;

The passenger trains have been cancelled to help the coal reach different destinations in the country on time by freeing up the rail tracks, the officials said on Friday. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reports-3324-new-covid-cases-and-40-deaths-475355" hreflang="en">India reports 3,324 new covid cases and 40 deaths</a>

In total, Coal India accounts for around 80% of coal output of the country. &nbsp;

This comes as the Indian government is making concerted efforts to overcome its worst power crisis in recent years.&nbsp;

"The government has decided to cancel ... passenger trains in order to prioritise the movement of coal rakes (trains) across the country to deal with an unprecedented shortage of the vital input at thermal power plants," the government said. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Indian PM Modi's Europe trip: India looks to boost ties with Europe

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The government has not said how long the train service will be cancelled for, media reports said. &nbsp;

Around 75% power generation is carried out with the help of coal in India. &nbsp;&nbsp;

And these power plants use over three-fourths of the more than one billion tonnes of coal consumption annually. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

With India facing acute coal shortage, Indian Railways, which is run by the central government, has cancelled over 753 passenger trains, the government said. The government-run Coal India has already hiked production by 27.

With India facing acute coal shortage, Indian Railways, which is run by the central government, has cancelled over 753 passenger trains, the government said. The government-run Coal India has already hiked production by 27.2% in April to meet the demand, the federal coal ministry said. The passenger trains have been cancelled to help the coal reach different destinations in the country on time by freeing up the rail tracks, the officials said on Friday. Also Read: India reports 3,324 new covid cases and 40 deaths In total, Coal India accounts for around 80% of coal output of the country. This comes as the Indian government is making concerted efforts to overcome its worst power crisis in recent years. "The government has decided to cancel ... passenger trains in order to prioritise the movement of coal rakes (trains) across the country to deal with an unprecedented shortage of the vital input at thermal power plants," the government said. Watch: Indian PM Modi's Europe trip: India looks to boost ties with Europe × The government has not said how long the train service will be cancelled for, media reports said. Around 75% power generation is carried out with the help of coal in India. And these power plants use over three-fourths of the more than one billion tonnes of coal consumption annually. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies)

To move coal fast by freeing tracks, Indian Railways cancels 753 passenger trains amid shortage  

According to police, a sensational case of robbery at gun-point, in the early hours, has turned out to be a drama staged by a railway staffer to steal money. &nbsp;&nbsp;

On Monday, Tika Ram Meena, a railway ticket issuer at Chennai's Thiruvanmiyur local train station, had approached the police saying he was robbed at gun-point by three assailants, who stole Rs 1.32 lakh cash from the ticket counter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As per his complaint, the assailants had entered the ticketing counter, threatened him at gun-point and tied him up, before getting away with the cash and his mobile phone. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-indias-state-of-delhi-to-impose-weekend-curfew-from-this-week-amid-rising-covid-cases-442129" hreflang="en">Omicron: India’s state of Delhi to impose weekend curfew from this week amid rising COVID cases</a>

Based on this, cops registered complaints under multiple sections and started a probe, which was led by&nbsp;Tambaram Police Commissioner, ADGP Dr Ravi (IPS). &nbsp;

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Sensational early mrng gunpoint robbery case at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chennai</a> Thiruvanmiyur local train station was a staged drama.. Rly ticketing staff asked wife to visit stn, tie him up, escape wit cash &amp; his phone.. he then filed police complaint. cops say he lost money in online gambling.. (1/2) <a href="https://t.co/AWBiCdgMAt">pic.twitter.com/AWBiCdgMAt</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1478265743590379523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On receiving evasive replies from the complainant amid the questioning, cops suspected something amiss and visited the complainant's residence to investigate. Cops found the stolen amount of Rs.1.32 lakh in cash and the mobile phone of Tika Ram, at his residence. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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The Rs.1.32lakh that was said to be stolen and his phone was recovered from his residence by cops... Thet cracked the case after railway staffer (victim) gave evasive replies to cops during questioning... (2/2)
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1478266246126653445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Later, they found that Tika Ram had asked his wife to visit the station where he was working, in the wee hours on Monday. On his instructions, she had tied him up and decamped with the cash and his mobile phone, following which he had filed a police complaint based on the imagined gun-point robbery. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reports-over-37000-new-cases-124-deaths-as-omicron-tally-reaches-to-1892-442124" hreflang="en">India reports over 37,000 new cases, 124 deaths as Omicron tally reaches to 1,892</a>

It was also learnt that Tika Ram had lost upto Rs 1.9 lakh, while playing online rummy.&nbsp;

According to police, a sensational case of robbery at gun-point, in the early hours, has turned out to be a drama staged by a railway staffer to steal money. On Monday, Tika Ram Meena, a railway ticket issuer at Chennai's Thiruvanmiyur local train station, had approached the police saying he was robbed at gun-point by three assailants, who stole Rs 1.

According to police, a sensational case of robbery at gun-point, in the early hours, has turned out to be a drama staged by a railway staffer to steal money. On Monday, Tika Ram Meena, a railway ticket issuer at Chennai's Thiruvanmiyur local train station, had approached the police saying he was robbed at gun-point by three assailants, who stole Rs 1.32 lakh cash from the ticket counter. As per his complaint, the assailants had entered the ticketing counter, threatened him at gun-point and tied him up, before getting away with the cash and his mobile phone. Also Read: Omicron: India’s state of Delhi to impose weekend curfew from this week amid rising COVID cases Based on this, cops registered complaints under multiple sections and started a probe, which was led by Tambaram Police Commissioner, ADGP Dr Ravi (IPS). Sensational early mrng gunpoint robbery case at #Chennai Thiruvanmiyur local train station was a staged drama.. Rly ticketing staff asked wife to visit stn, tie him up, escape wit cash & his phone.. he then filed police complaint. cops say he lost money in online gambling.. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/AWBiCdgMAt — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 4, 2022 × On receiving evasive replies from the complainant amid the questioning, cops suspected something amiss and visited the complainant's residence to investigate. Cops found the stolen amount of Rs.1.32 lakh in cash and the mobile phone of Tika Ram, at his residence. The Rs.1.32lakh that was said to be stolen and his phone was recovered from his residence by cops... Thet cracked the case after railway staffer (victim) gave evasive replies to cops during questioning... (2/2) — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 4, 2022 × Later, they found that Tika Ram had asked his wife to visit the station where he was working, in the wee hours on Monday. On his instructions, she had tied him up and decamped with the cash and his mobile phone, following which he had filed a police complaint based on the imagined gun-point robbery. Also Read: India reports over 37,000 new cases, 124 deaths as Omicron tally reaches to 1,892 It was also learnt that Tika Ram had lost upto Rs 1.9 lakh, while playing online rummy.

Indian Railways staffer fakes robbery at gun-point to steal money, reveal cops  

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-railways-to-run-392-special-trains-during-festive-season-336841">Railway</a> minister Piyush Goyal today announced the successful completion of 180 kmph speed trial of the new design of Vistadome tourist coach.

The state-of-the-art coaches will mainly operate in tourist locations namely in Kashmir Valley, Darjeeling, Kalka Simla Railway, Nilgiri mountains among other popular destinations.

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Ending the Year on a Great Note: Indian Railways' 🚆 successfully completed 180 kmph speed trial of new design Vistadome tourist coach 
 
These coaches will make train journeys memorable for the passengers 🛤️ &amp; give further boost to tourism 🚞 <a href="https://t.co/3JxeVbQClg">pic.twitter.com/3JxeVbQClg</a>
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1343863326430830593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The coaches have large glass windows, glass roofs and observation lounge which makes viewing a "delightful experience" on these trains.

According to South Western Railway, Kalka - Shimla Railway which recognised by UNESCO offers see-through glass rooftop Vistadome coach for its special train (Him Darshan) express.

"Travelling in the Vistadome coach is a delightful experience," the South Western Railway said in its tweet.

The seats in the coaches can reportedly rotate 180 degrees and is equipped with Wi-Fi. It also has laminated glass sheets to protect it from shattering.

The coaches were rolled out by Indian Railways' Integral Coach Factory(ICF) in Chennai. The ICF had launched nine rakes in three phases.

According to the Railways, the ICF has also played a major role in the fabrication of first integrated sell-by Marathwada Rail Coach Factory at Latur.

Railway minister Piyush Goyal today announced the successful completion of 180 kmph speed trial of the new design of Vistadome tourist coach. The state-of-the-art coaches will mainly operate in tourist locations namely in Kashmir Valley, Darjeeling, Kalka Simla Railway, Nilgiri mountains among other popular destinations.

Railway minister Piyush Goyal today announced the successful completion of 180 kmph speed trial of the new design of Vistadome tourist coach. The state-of-the-art coaches will mainly operate in tourist locations namely in Kashmir Valley, Darjeeling, Kalka Simla Railway, Nilgiri mountains among other popular destinations. Ending the Year on a Great Note: Indian Railways' 🚆 successfully completed 180 kmph speed trial of new design Vistadome tourist coach These coaches will make train journeys memorable for the passengers 🛤️ & give further boost to tourism 🚞 pic.twitter.com/3JxeVbQClg — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) December 29, 2020 × The coaches have large glass windows, glass roofs and observation lounge which makes viewing a "delightful experience" on these trains. According to South Western Railway, Kalka - Shimla Railway which recognised by UNESCO offers see-through glass rooftop Vistadome coach for its special train (Him Darshan) express. "Travelling in the Vistadome coach is a delightful experience," the South Western Railway said in its tweet. The seats in the coaches can reportedly rotate 180 degrees and is equipped with Wi-Fi. It also has laminated glass sheets to protect it from shattering. The coaches were rolled out by Indian Railways' Integral Coach Factory(ICF) in Chennai. The ICF had launched nine rakes in three phases. According to the Railways, the ICF has also played a major role in the fabrication of first integrated sell-by Marathwada Rail Coach Factory at Latur.

Indian Railways completes 180 kmph speed trial of Vistadome tourist coach

More than one crore passengers could not travel by trains despite buying tickets in 2019-2020 because of being waitlisted, a query filed under the RTI has found, indicating a shortage of trains on busy routes in the country.

The RTI reply has said in 2019-2020, a total of 84,61,204 Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers, against which 1.25 crore passengers were scheduled to travel, were automatically cancelled due to being waitlisted.

The Railway Ministry has for the first time taken measures to reduce waitlisting for train travel with the introduction of private trains.

The Railways has also introduced special ''clone trains'' on the routes which generally have high passenger traffic. These trains have limited stoppages/halts and faster transit time. They primarily have 3-tier AC coaches and will run ahead of the already operating special trains on the same route. The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) of these ''clone trains'' is 10 days.

The waitlisting of passengers and the automatic cancellation of tickets have been a problem for the Railways over the years with the national transporter unable to meet the demands of its growing customers.

After cancellation of PNRs, the ticket fare is refunded to the passengers.

In the last five years, almost five crore PNRs were automatically cancelled because of being waitlisted, said the RTI filed by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur.

While in 2014-15, the number of cancelled PNRs stood at 1,13,17,481, the number in 2015-2016 was 81,05,022, in 2016-2017 it was, 72,13,131, the next year it was 73,02,042 and in 2018-2019, the number stood at 68,97,922.

Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board too in a press briefing earlier had acknowledged the need for reducing waitlisting in trains and said with the introduction of private trains, the number of waitlisted passengers will decrease.

According to official figures, the passenger sector requirement in 2019-2020 was 8.4 billion. The average drop in the waiting list was 8.9 per cent in 2019-20. During the busy season, 13.3 per cent passengers were not able to get confirmed reservations.

More than one crore passengers could not travel by trains despite buying tickets in 2019-2020 because of being waitlisted, a query filed under the RTI has found, indicating a shortage of trains on busy routes in the country.

More than one crore passengers could not travel by trains despite buying tickets in 2019-2020 because of being waitlisted, a query filed under the RTI has found, indicating a shortage of trains on busy routes in the country. The RTI reply has said in 2019-2020, a total of 84,61,204 Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers, against which 1.25 crore passengers were scheduled to travel, were automatically cancelled due to being waitlisted. The Railway Ministry has for the first time taken measures to reduce waitlisting for train travel with the introduction of private trains. The Railways has also introduced special ''clone trains'' on the routes which generally have high passenger traffic. These trains have limited stoppages/halts and faster transit time. They primarily have 3-tier AC coaches and will run ahead of the already operating special trains on the same route. The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) of these ''clone trains'' is 10 days. The waitlisting of passengers and the automatic cancellation of tickets have been a problem for the Railways over the years with the national transporter unable to meet the demands of its growing customers. After cancellation of PNRs, the ticket fare is refunded to the passengers. In the last five years, almost five crore PNRs were automatically cancelled because of being waitlisted, said the RTI filed by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur. While in 2014-15, the number of cancelled PNRs stood at 1,13,17,481, the number in 2015-2016 was 81,05,022, in 2016-2017 it was, 72,13,131, the next year it was 73,02,042 and in 2018-2019, the number stood at 68,97,922. Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board too in a press briefing earlier had acknowledged the need for reducing waitlisting in trains and said with the introduction of private trains, the number of waitlisted passengers will decrease. According to official figures, the passenger sector requirement in 2019-2020 was 8.4 billion. The average drop in the waiting list was 8.9 per cent in 2019-20. During the busy season, 13.3 per cent passengers were not able to get confirmed reservations.

Over 1 crore waitlisted passengers denied train travel in 2019-20: RTI

392 new festival special trains -&nbsp;&nbsp;The festive season is just around the corner and number of people intending to travel to their hometowns and other places within the country is expected to rise. Keeping this massive demand in mind, Indian Railways has decided to run 392 special trains during the festive season.

These special trains will be operated from October 20 to November 30.

"To clear the festive rush, Ministry of Railways has approved 196 pairs (392 trains) of “Festival Special” services over Indian Railways to be operated from 20th October 2020 and 30th November 2020. Zonal Railways will notify their schedule in advance," The railways announced on October 13.

Check out the full list of&nbsp;392 new festival special trains -&nbsp;&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

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392 new festival special trains list-&nbsp;&nbsp;

The trains will mainly be run for destinations such as Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow among others to facilitate travel during festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali, Chath Puja and more

Ticket price for these trains will be at par with the special trains. These trains will mostly have third AC coaches.

392 new festival special trains - The festive season is just around the corner and number of people intending to travel to their hometowns and other places within the country is expected to rise.

392 new festival special trains - The festive season is just around the corner and number of people intending to travel to their hometowns and other places within the country is expected to rise. Keeping this massive demand in mind, Indian Railways has decided to run 392 special trains during the festive season. These special trains will be operated from October 20 to November 30. "To clear the festive rush, Ministry of Railways has approved 196 pairs (392 trains) of “Festival Special” services over Indian Railways to be operated from 20th October 2020 and 30th November 2020. Zonal Railways will notify their schedule in advance," The railways announced on October 13. Check out the full list of 392 new festival special trains - pic.twitter.com/QdBjR3JufV — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 13, 2020 × pic.twitter.com/QdBjR3JufV — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 13, 2020 × 392 new festival special trains list- The trains will mainly be run for destinations such as Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow among others to facilitate travel during festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali, Chath Puja and more Ticket price for these trains will be at par with the special trains. These trains will mostly have third AC coaches.

Indian Railways to run 392 special trains during festive season

Nepal on Friday started the trial of its&nbsp;first broad-gauge railway service after&nbsp;procuring railway engines, coaches from India.

After reamining halted for a period of six years because of a lack of upgrade,&nbsp;the previous narrow-gauge, now a broad gauge is expected to come into operation after Dashain-Tihar.

With its operation, the first trans-border railway connection between India and Nepal&nbsp;will be established&nbsp;again.

The Konkan Railways on Friday said that it delivered two DEMU train sets, designed and developed by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, to Nepal Railways.

"Konkan Railway is happy and privileged to deliver two modern DEMU train sets to Nepal Railways today," it said in a statement. 
 
The Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd had signed a contract agreement on May 10 last year with Nepal`s Department of Railways for supply of two 1600HP DEMU train sets.

Nepal's railway department has procured the rail engines and coaches from Kokan India for 84 crore 65 lakh&nbsp;Nepali rupees&nbsp;operated using diesel and electricity, each set has 5 bogies (coaches). Out of them one is an AC coach while three are general bogies.

One of the set's engine has been designed with the capacity to accommodate passengers. Combining the 5 bogies, it bears the capacity of 1300&nbsp;passengers at a time.

It would revive the earlier Janakpur-Jaynagar railways connection between India and Nepal. Further work of extending railways track from Kurtha to Bijalapur of Mahottari measuring 17 Kilometers is underway.

The 34-km-long Jayanagar-Kurtha Railway Link has been built by IRCON with a financial grant from the Indian government under the India-Nepal Development Partnership programme.

The railway is likely to come into operation after Dashain and Tihar festivals.

Nepal on Friday started the trial of its first broad-gauge railway service after procuring railway engines, coaches from India. After reamining halted for a period of six years because of a lack of upgrade, the previous narrow-gauge, now a broad gauge is expected to come into operation after Dashain-Tihar.

Nepal on Friday started the trial of its first broad-gauge railway service after procuring railway engines, coaches from India. After reamining halted for a period of six years because of a lack of upgrade, the previous narrow-gauge, now a broad gauge is expected to come into operation after Dashain-Tihar. With its operation, the first trans-border railway connection between India and Nepal will be established again. The Konkan Railways on Friday said that it delivered two DEMU train sets, designed and developed by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, to Nepal Railways. "Konkan Railway is happy and privileged to deliver two modern DEMU train sets to Nepal Railways today," it said in a statement. The Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd had signed a contract agreement on May 10 last year with Nepal`s Department of Railways for supply of two 1600HP DEMU train sets. Nepal's railway department has procured the rail engines and coaches from Kokan India for 84 crore 65 lakh Nepali rupees operated using diesel and electricity, each set has 5 bogies (coaches). Out of them one is an AC coach while three are general bogies. One of the set's engine has been designed with the capacity to accommodate passengers. Combining the 5 bogies, it bears the capacity of 1300 passengers at a time. It would revive the earlier Janakpur-Jaynagar railways connection between India and Nepal. Further work of extending railways track from Kurtha to Bijalapur of Mahottari measuring 17 Kilometers is underway. The 34-km-long Jayanagar-Kurtha Railway Link has been built by IRCON with a financial grant from the Indian government under the India-Nepal Development Partnership programme. The railway is likely to come into operation after Dashain and Tihar festivals.

India supplies engines, coaches as Nepal begins first broad-gauge railway service trials

Private entities have to pay heavy penalties in case the trains they operate are delayed or reach the destination early, according to a draft key performance indicators for private operators released by the Railways.

The draft document released on Wednesday states that private train operators have to maintain 95 per cent punctuality through the year.

Private operators also have to pay penalties for misreporting their revenue or in case of train cancellations for reasons attributable to them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bombardier-alstom-gmr-attended-meeting-on-running-private-trains-railways-319988#:~:text=As%20many%20as%20twenty%2Dthree,first%20step%2C%20the%20Railways%20said.&amp;text=The%20project%20would%20entail%20private%20sector%20investment%20of%20about%20Rs%2030%2C000%20crore.,-The%20private%20entities">Bombardier, Alstom, GMR attended meeting on running private trains: Railways</a>

According to the draft, if the arrival of a train at its destination is delayed by over 15 minutes it will be deemed to have lost punctuality.

In this case, the private operator has to pay the Railways extra haulage charge worth 200 km for every one per cent "reduction in punctuality" compared to the guaranteed punctuality, the document states.

The Railways has said the haulage charge -- the fee that private operators will pay to use Railways' infrastructure -- will be Rs 512 per km.

If a private train reaches destination at least 10 minutes in advance, the operator will have to pay the Railways penalty in the form of haulage charge for 10 kilometres.

Officials said these measures are to ensure that private trains maintain punctuality.

The draft document also states that if a train doesn't reach its destination on time because of the Railways, the private operator will be paid for every one per cent reduction of punctuality compared to guaranteed punctuality by the private entity in the form of haulage charge for 50 km.

In the event of cancellation of a train service due to the reasons attributable to the operator, it will pay the Railways one-fourth of the haulage charge for such train service as damages.

However, if a train is cancelled because of the national transporter, it will pay the private operator the same amount, the document said.

But, if the loss of punctuality of a train is attributable to both the Railways and the private entity, it shall be treated on account of the entity having more than 70 per cent contribution in the total loss of punctuality of that train.

In case the punctuality of a train is affected because of reasons such as bad weather, cattle run over, human run over, law and order, public agitation, miscreant activity, accident, heavy traffic at level crossing gates, and operation of passenger alarm system, neither will be liable to pay damages.

The document also states that since the Railways will share revenue with the private entity to ensure that it was reporting gross revenue honestly and faithfully, the national transporter will depute its representatives to the project and offices of the private operator.

"If verification of revenues pursuant to this demonstrates that the Gross Revenue is more than the amount reported by the concessionaire by more than 1 per cent thereof, the difference between such amount reported by the Concessionaire and the gross revenue shall be multiplied by 10 and the product thereof shall be paid as damages by the concessionaire to the government,"&nbsp;it said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Private entities have to pay heavy penalties in case the trains they operate are delayed or reach the destination early, according to a draft key performance indicators for private operators released by the Railways.

Private entities have to pay heavy penalties in case the trains they operate are delayed or reach the destination early, according to a draft key performance indicators for private operators released by the Railways. The draft document released on Wednesday states that private train operators have to maintain 95 per cent punctuality through the year. Private operators also have to pay penalties for misreporting their revenue or in case of train cancellations for reasons attributable to them. Also read | Bombardier, Alstom, GMR attended meeting on running private trains: Railways According to the draft, if the arrival of a train at its destination is delayed by over 15 minutes it will be deemed to have lost punctuality. In this case, the private operator has to pay the Railways extra haulage charge worth 200 km for every one per cent "reduction in punctuality" compared to the guaranteed punctuality, the document states. The Railways has said the haulage charge -- the fee that private operators will pay to use Railways' infrastructure -- will be Rs 512 per km. If a private train reaches destination at least 10 minutes in advance, the operator will have to pay the Railways penalty in the form of haulage charge for 10 kilometres. Officials said these measures are to ensure that private trains maintain punctuality. The draft document also states that if a train doesn't reach its destination on time because of the Railways, the private operator will be paid for every one per cent reduction of punctuality compared to guaranteed punctuality by the private entity in the form of haulage charge for 50 km. In the event of cancellation of a train service due to the reasons attributable to the operator, it will pay the Railways one-fourth of the haulage charge for such train service as damages. However, if a train is cancelled because of the national transporter, it will pay the private operator the same amount, the document said. But, if the loss of punctuality of a train is attributable to both the Railways and the private entity, it shall be treated on account of the entity having more than 70 per cent contribution in the total loss of punctuality of that train. In case the punctuality of a train is affected because of reasons such as bad weather, cattle run over, human run over, law and order, public agitation, miscreant activity, accident, heavy traffic at level crossing gates, and operation of passenger alarm system, neither will be liable to pay damages. The document also states that since the Railways will share revenue with the private entity to ensure that it was reporting gross revenue honestly and faithfully, the national transporter will depute its representatives to the project and offices of the private operator. "If verification of revenues pursuant to this demonstrates that the Gross Revenue is more than the amount reported by the concessionaire by more than 1 per cent thereof, the difference between such amount reported by the Concessionaire and the gross revenue shall be multiplied by 10 and the product thereof shall be paid as damages by the concessionaire to the government," it said.

'Pvt train operators must maintain 95% punctuality; penalty for delay, early arrival'

The Railways has stated that all regular passenger train services will remain suspended till further notice, but 230 special trains will continue to be in service.

"This is to bring to the notice of all concerned that as decided and informed earlier as well, regular passenger and suburban train services will continue to remain suspended till further notice," a statement from the Railways said.

"It may be noted that 230 special trains, which are running at present, will continue to operate. Local trains in Mumbai which are presently being run on limited basis only on the requisition of state government, will also continue to run," it said.

The occupancy of special trains is being monitored on a regular basis and additional special trains may be run based on the requirement, the national carrier said.

However, all other regular trains and suburban trains run before the lockdown will remain suspended for the time being, it said.

Also, all special trains 12 pairs running on the Rajdhani routes since May 12 and 100 pairs operating since June 1 will continue.

The limited special suburban services which began recently in Mumbai to ferry essential services personnel identified by the local authorities will also continue to run, officials said.&nbsp;Earlier, the national transporter had suspended all services till August 12.

With the suspension of passenger trains indefinitely, Indian Railways has estimated a loss of around Rs 40,000 crore in its passenger business for this fiscal.

The extension of the suspension comes at a time when active COVID-19 cases in India stand at 6,39,929, while 15,83,489 people have recovered, according to the Union Health Ministry.

On Tuesday, a single day spike of 53,601 COVID-19 cases pushed India's virus caseload to 22,68,675 with the death toll climbing to 45,257.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Railways has stated that all regular passenger train services will remain suspended till further notice, but 230 special trains will continue to be in service.

The Railways has stated that all regular passenger train services will remain suspended till further notice, but 230 special trains will continue to be in service. "This is to bring to the notice of all concerned that as decided and informed earlier as well, regular passenger and suburban train services will continue to remain suspended till further notice," a statement from the Railways said. "It may be noted that 230 special trains, which are running at present, will continue to operate. Local trains in Mumbai which are presently being run on limited basis only on the requisition of state government, will also continue to run," it said. The occupancy of special trains is being monitored on a regular basis and additional special trains may be run based on the requirement, the national carrier said. However, all other regular trains and suburban trains run before the lockdown will remain suspended for the time being, it said. Also, all special trains 12 pairs running on the Rajdhani routes since May 12 and 100 pairs operating since June 1 will continue. The limited special suburban services which began recently in Mumbai to ferry essential services personnel identified by the local authorities will also continue to run, officials said. Earlier, the national transporter had suspended all services till August 12. With the suspension of passenger trains indefinitely, Indian Railways has estimated a loss of around Rs 40,000 crore in its passenger business for this fiscal. The extension of the suspension comes at a time when active COVID-19 cases in India stand at 6,39,929, while 15,83,489 people have recovered, according to the Union Health Ministry. On Tuesday, a single day spike of 53,601 COVID-19 cases pushed India's virus caseload to 22,68,675 with the death toll climbing to 45,257.

Regular passenger train services to remain suspended, special trains to continue: Railways

India has opened up its vast railway sector to private companies, allowing firms to operate trains on certain routes -- in a bid to boost its virus-hit economy.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the railway ministry said it would now permit businesses to run trains along 109 routes, inviting bids from firms. This has come in the aftermath of New Delhi opened up coal mining to the private sector.

"This is the first initiative of private investment for running passenger trains over Indian Railways network," the ministry said in a statement.

"The objective of this initiative is to introduce modern technology rolling stock with reduced maintenance, reduced transit time, boost job creation, provide enhanced safety, provide world class travel experience to passengers," it added.

The project will require an investment of $39.8 million and private players will have to pay the government fixed haul charges and a percentage of profits determined during the bidding process.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to privatise a range of industries that have been under state control for decades, sparking criticism from the opposition Congress party.

Asia's third-largest economy has been clobbered by the pandemic and a months-long lockdown, growing at its slowest pace in at least two decades last quarter. The shutdown, which put millions out of work overnight, is widely expected to plunge the country into recession.&nbsp;

Fears for the economy prompted the government to allow many businesses to resume operations starting last month despite an ongoing increase in infections, which have now crossed 6,00,000.

India has opened up its vast railway sector to private companies, allowing firms to operate trains on certain routes -- in a bid to boost its virus-hit economy. In an announcement on Wednesday, the railway ministry said it would now permit businesses to run trains along 109 routes, inviting bids from firms.

India has opened up its vast railway sector to private companies, allowing firms to operate trains on certain routes -- in a bid to boost its virus-hit economy. In an announcement on Wednesday, the railway ministry said it would now permit businesses to run trains along 109 routes, inviting bids from firms. This has come in the aftermath of New Delhi opened up coal mining to the private sector. "This is the first initiative of private investment for running passenger trains over Indian Railways network," the ministry said in a statement. "The objective of this initiative is to introduce modern technology rolling stock with reduced maintenance, reduced transit time, boost job creation, provide enhanced safety, provide world class travel experience to passengers," it added. The project will require an investment of $39.8 million and private players will have to pay the government fixed haul charges and a percentage of profits determined during the bidding process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to privatise a range of industries that have been under state control for decades, sparking criticism from the opposition Congress party. Asia's third-largest economy has been clobbered by the pandemic and a months-long lockdown, growing at its slowest pace in at least two decades last quarter. The shutdown, which put millions out of work overnight, is widely expected to plunge the country into recession. Fears for the economy prompted the government to allow many businesses to resume operations starting last month despite an ongoing increase in infections, which have now crossed 6,00,000.

India opens railway network to private players

The Indian Railways has decided to suspend the regular train services till August 12 -- in the wake of the coronavirus-induced crisis.

"During the lockdown period, booking of tickets were allowed till April 14, 2020 with advance reservation period of 120 days. Some of the passengers had booked tickets for regular trains being run before lockdown for the journey up to August 12, 2020 (120 days from 14 April 2020)," the Railways said in a statement.

"In order to facilitate full refunds to those passengers, who had booked tickets on or prior to April 14, 2020, the Railways has decided to refund the amount of the tickets."&nbsp;

All 230 Special Trains, however, which are presently operational and tickets have been booked on or after May 21, 2020 will continue to run as scheduled.

Railways is monitoring occupancy position of these special trains on a regular basis and whenever a decision is taken to introduce new special trains, the schedule will be notified.

Earlier, on the implementation of the lockdown in the country, regular timetabled trains of Indian Railways were stopped and later the booking of tickets in these trains was also stopped from April 14.

However, as a result of the 120-day advance ticket booking facility, booking was done in trains till August 12. The tickets amount was refunded by the Indian Railways by cancelling the regular time-tabbed trains till June 30.

The Indian Railways has decided to suspend the regular train services till August 12 -- in the wake of the coronavirus-induced crisis. "During the lockdown period, booking of tickets were allowed till April 14, 2020 with advance reservation period of 120 days.

The Indian Railways has decided to suspend the regular train services till August 12 -- in the wake of the coronavirus-induced crisis. "During the lockdown period, booking of tickets were allowed till April 14, 2020 with advance reservation period of 120 days. Some of the passengers had booked tickets for regular trains being run before lockdown for the journey up to August 12, 2020 (120 days from 14 April 2020)," the Railways said in a statement. "In order to facilitate full refunds to those passengers, who had booked tickets on or prior to April 14, 2020, the Railways has decided to refund the amount of the tickets." All 230 Special Trains, however, which are presently operational and tickets have been booked on or after May 21, 2020 will continue to run as scheduled. Railways is monitoring occupancy position of these special trains on a regular basis and whenever a decision is taken to introduce new special trains, the schedule will be notified. Earlier, on the implementation of the lockdown in the country, regular timetabled trains of Indian Railways were stopped and later the booking of tickets in these trains was also stopped from April 14. However, as a result of the 120-day advance ticket booking facility, booking was done in trains till August 12. The tickets amount was refunded by the Indian Railways by cancelling the regular time-tabbed trains till June 30.

Indian Railways suspends regular train services till August 12

The Indian Railways has decided to terminate the contract of a Chinese company due to "poor progress" on the signalling and telecommunication work on the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor's 417-km section between Kanpur and Mughalsarai.

The Railways had given the contract worth Rs 471 crore to Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group in 2016. They were supposed to complete the work by 2019, but only 20 per cent of the work has been completed so far, the Railways said.

The move comes after 20 Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in a fierce clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region.

Officials, however, said it was poor performance and inability to deliver the project on time that led to the decision by the implementing agency to terminate the contract.

The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor or Eastern DFC is a freight specific railway under construction from northern to eastern part of India and is scheduled to be completed by 2022.

The work entrusted with the Chinese engineering major includes design, construction, supply, testing and commissioning of signalling, telecommunication and related works for the 417-km section.

Apart from performance issues, the Chinese company had also shown reluctance in furnishing technical documents, as per the contract agreement, such as logic design of electronic interlocking.

It also did not have engineers or authorised personnel at the project site which was a serious concern.

The company also failed to have tie-ups with local agencies which harmed the physical progress of the work, officials pointed out.

The Indian Railways has decided to terminate the contract of a Chinese company due to "poor progress" on the signalling and telecommunication work on the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor's 417-km section between Kanpur and Mughalsarai.

The Indian Railways has decided to terminate the contract of a Chinese company due to "poor progress" on the signalling and telecommunication work on the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor's 417-km section between Kanpur and Mughalsarai. The Railways had given the contract worth Rs 471 crore to Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group in 2016. They were supposed to complete the work by 2019, but only 20 per cent of the work has been completed so far, the Railways said. The move comes after 20 Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in a fierce clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region. Officials, however, said it was poor performance and inability to deliver the project on time that led to the decision by the implementing agency to terminate the contract. The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor or Eastern DFC is a freight specific railway under construction from northern to eastern part of India and is scheduled to be completed by 2022. The work entrusted with the Chinese engineering major includes design, construction, supply, testing and commissioning of signalling, telecommunication and related works for the 417-km section. Apart from performance issues, the Chinese company had also shown reluctance in furnishing technical documents, as per the contract agreement, such as logic design of electronic interlocking. It also did not have engineers or authorised personnel at the project site which was a serious concern. The company also failed to have tie-ups with local agencies which harmed the physical progress of the work, officials pointed out.

Indian Railways to terminate Chinese company's contract due to 'poor progress'

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Monday issued an advisory for passengers to travel on a special train from Bhubaneswar on May 13, asking them to carry their own food and linen and arrive at the city station at least 90 minutes before departure for health screening, according to news agency PTI.

The train, with all AC coaches, will leave from the Bhubaneswar railway station at 10 am on Wednesday and terminate at New Delhi, the report said quoting an ECoR official.

"Only limited food and packaged drinking water will be available on payment inside the train and the passengers are advised to carry their own food," the official said, adding that the linen will not be provided.

The tickets for the special train were sold out in 30 minutes after the railway began online booking through the IRCTC website, the official said.

Online cancellation of tickets will be permitted up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, but the cancellation charge will be 50 per cent of the fare.

The railway said passengers with confirmed tickets will only be allowed into the platform.

"All passengers will have to clear medical screening before being allowed to board the train. Only asymptomatic passengers shall be permitted to travel," it said.

The Railways has announced the resumption of a limited number of&nbsp;passenger services after an almost 50-day hiatus due to an ongoing lockdown.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Monday issued an advisory for passengers to travel on a special train from Bhubaneswar on May 13, asking them to carry their own food and linen and arrive at the city station at least 90 minutes before departure for health screening, according to news agency PTI.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Monday issued an advisory for passengers to travel on a special train from Bhubaneswar on May 13, asking them to carry their own food and linen and arrive at the city station at least 90 minutes before departure for health screening, according to news agency PTI. The train, with all AC coaches, will leave from the Bhubaneswar railway station at 10 am on Wednesday and terminate at New Delhi, the report said quoting an ECoR official. "Only limited food and packaged drinking water will be available on payment inside the train and the passengers are advised to carry their own food," the official said, adding that the linen will not be provided. The tickets for the special train were sold out in 30 minutes after the railway began online booking through the IRCTC website, the official said. Online cancellation of tickets will be permitted up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, but the cancellation charge will be 50 per cent of the fare. The railway said passengers with confirmed tickets will only be allowed into the platform. "All passengers will have to clear medical screening before being allowed to board the train. Only asymptomatic passengers shall be permitted to travel," it said. The Railways has announced the resumption of a limited number of passenger services after an almost 50-day hiatus due to an ongoing lockdown. (With inputs from PTI)

Special train passengers told to arrive 90 minutes before departure; carry food, linen

India's ministry of civil <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bsf-reports-more-coronavirus-cases-delhi-records-13-deaths-in-last-24-hours-298200">aviation </a>issued guidelines today stating that people above 80 years of age will be restricted from travel in phase I of flight resumption.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/need-globalisation-template-based-on-fairness-indian-envoy-on-covid-19-298135">Also Read:&nbsp;'Need globalisation template based on fairness': Indian envoy</a>

The flight SOP issued by the ministry includes no cabin baggage in the initial phase with checked-in baggage to be only one piece. According to the ministry, if the Aarogya Setu app does not reflect "green" then the passenger won't be allowed to enter the airport terminal.

Expanding further, the civil aviation ministry said that Air India along with its subsidiary Air India Express is operating 64 flights to twelve countries including UK, US, Singapore, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

"6,037 citizens have been flown back to India in 31 inbound flights operated by Air India and Air India Express under Vande Bharat Mission in five days beginning from May 7," the ministry said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways said that a total of 575 “Shramik Special” trains have begun operating in various states with 463 trains having reached its destination and 112 trains in transit.

A special train left from New Delhi railway station for Dibrugarh in Assam today with Railways resuming services for 15 pairs of special air-conditioned trains. A special train also left for Chhattisgarh from the national capital on Tuesday.

On the movement of trains, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: "Nine trains are coming to West Bengal, one is coming today. We are considering the movement of a hundred more trains."

In Punjab, the sixth special train carrying 1,201 migrant workers left for Chhapra in Bihar.

(With ANI inputs)

India's ministry of civil aviation issued guidelines today stating that people above 80 years of age will be restricted from travel in phase I of flight resumption.

India's ministry of civil aviation issued guidelines today stating that people above 80 years of age will be restricted from travel in phase I of flight resumption. Also Read: 'Need globalisation template based on fairness': Indian envoy The flight SOP issued by the ministry includes no cabin baggage in the initial phase with checked-in baggage to be only one piece. According to the ministry, if the Aarogya Setu app does not reflect "green" then the passenger won't be allowed to enter the airport terminal. Expanding further, the civil aviation ministry said that Air India along with its subsidiary Air India Express is operating 64 flights to twelve countries including UK, US, Singapore, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. "6,037 citizens have been flown back to India in 31 inbound flights operated by Air India and Air India Express under Vande Bharat Mission in five days beginning from May 7," the ministry said. Meanwhile, the Indian Railways said that a total of 575 “Shramik Special” trains have begun operating in various states with 463 trains having reached its destination and 112 trains in transit. A special train left from New Delhi railway station for Dibrugarh in Assam today with Railways resuming services for 15 pairs of special air-conditioned trains. A special train also left for Chhattisgarh from the national capital on Tuesday. On the movement of trains, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: "Nine trains are coming to West Bengal, one is coming today. We are considering the movement of a hundred more trains." In Punjab, the sixth special train carrying 1,201 migrant workers left for Chhapra in Bihar. (With ANI inputs)

In first phase, India's aviation ministry restricts air travel for people over 80

PM Modi to discuss COVID-19 crisis with CM's at 3 pm via Video-conferencing India is currently under its third phase of lockdown that will going to end on May 17th, but prior that, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to hold meeting with Chief Ministers of Different states to discuss current situation of the pandemic.

PM Modi to discuss COVID-19 crisis with CM's at 3 pm via Video-conferencing

Indian Railways Ministry&nbsp;has issued guidelines&nbsp;regarding the operation of 'Shramik special trains'. These special trains have been started after the lockdown was extended for the second time in the country.

These trains will be used to&nbsp;transport workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other stranded people, from one point to another, and will help the stranded people reach their hometowns safely.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/over-2500-coronavirus-cases-in-24-hours-as-india-nears-40000-mark-296339">Also read:&nbsp;Over 2,500 coronavirus cases in 24 hours as India nears 40,000-mark</a>

These trains will follow all the safety, health and social distancing protocols laid by the government and the health experts.

As per the guidelines issued on Sunday, Indian Railways will print train tickets to the specified destination as per the number of passengers indicated by the originating state. The tickets will be printed only for the passengers who have been verified and allowed by the state government to travel. Anybody who hasn't been allowed by the government to travel will not be allowed to enter the premises.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-says-doctors-had-contingency-plans-ready-if-he-died-of-coronavirus-296328">Also read:&nbsp;Boris Johnson says doctors had contingency plans ready if he died of coronavirus</a>

The state governments will&nbsp;handover these pre-printed tickets to the respective passengers after collecting the specified&nbsp;ticket fare, which will be then handed over to the Indian Railways.

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Guidelines to operate ‘Shramik Trains’-Railways to print train tickets to specified destination as per no. of passengers indicated by originating state.Local state govt authority to handover tickets to passengers&amp;collect ticket fare&amp;handover total amount to Railways: Railways Min <a href="https://t.co/JAAsZW9YEr">pic.twitter.com/JAAsZW9YEr</a>
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Indian Railways has specified in these guidelines that all passengers will have to wear face masks at all time during the course of this journey.

Ministry has also announced that one meal will be provided to the passengers if the total journey time is more than 12 hours. State governments will be distributing food and water packages at the origin station of the journey.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-south-korea-exchange-gunfire-at-guard-post-in-dimilitarised-zone-296348">Also read:&nbsp;North, South Korea exchange gunfire at guard post in dimilitarised zone</a>

No parents, guardians or family members need to cme to railway stations or any other point to receive the passengers, The state governments will make every possible arrangement for receiving the passengers, followed by proper screening, quarantine (if needed) and then dropping the passengers to the decided destination within the state.

Other than this, Indian Railways has also issued a statement requesting people to not to travel to the railway stations to book tickets, as all bookings have been cancelled till the end of the lockdown period.

Indian Railways Ministry has issued guidelines regarding the operation of 'Shramik special trains'. These special trains have been started after the lockdown was extended for the second time in the country.

Indian Railways Ministry has issued guidelines regarding the operation of 'Shramik special trains'. These special trains have been started after the lockdown was extended for the second time in the country. These trains will be used to transport workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other stranded people, from one point to another, and will help the stranded people reach their hometowns safely. Also read: Over 2,500 coronavirus cases in 24 hours as India nears 40,000-mark These trains will follow all the safety, health and social distancing protocols laid by the government and the health experts. As per the guidelines issued on Sunday, Indian Railways will print train tickets to the specified destination as per the number of passengers indicated by the originating state. The tickets will be printed only for the passengers who have been verified and allowed by the state government to travel. Anybody who hasn't been allowed by the government to travel will not be allowed to enter the premises. Also read: Boris Johnson says doctors had contingency plans ready if he died of coronavirus The state governments will handover these pre-printed tickets to the respective passengers after collecting the specified ticket fare, which will be then handed over to the Indian Railways. Guidelines to operate ‘Shramik Trains’-Railways to print train tickets to specified destination as per no. of passengers indicated by originating state.Local state govt authority to handover tickets to passengers&collect ticket fare&handover total amount to Railways: Railways Min pic.twitter.com/JAAsZW9YEr — ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2020 × Indian Railways has specified in these guidelines that all passengers will have to wear face masks at all time during the course of this journey. Ministry has also announced that one meal will be provided to the passengers if the total journey time is more than 12 hours. State governments will be distributing food and water packages at the origin station of the journey. Also read: North, South Korea exchange gunfire at guard post in dimilitarised zone No parents, guardians or family members need to cme to railway stations or any other point to receive the passengers, The state governments will make every possible arrangement for receiving the passengers, followed by proper screening, quarantine (if needed) and then dropping the passengers to the decided destination within the state. Other than this, Indian Railways has also issued a statement requesting people to not to travel to the railway stations to book tickets, as all bookings have been cancelled till the end of the lockdown period.

Indian Railways issues guidelines for 'shramik special trains'

Indian railways is preparing to set up 3.2 lakh isolation & quarantine beds by modifying 20000 coaches, said Lav Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health, during a media briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Indian railways prepare to help during coronavirus outbreak

The Indian Railways is converting train coaches into isolation wards to prepare for a fight against coronavirus to meet the increasing demand for beds.

Indian Railways step up efforts to contain COVID-19

Indian Railways has launched a new initiative to give free platform tickets to those who do squats at the installed 'Squat Kiosk' at Anand Vihar Railway Station.

Indian Railways has launched a new initiative to give free platform tickets to those who do squats at the installed 'Squat Kiosk' at Anand Vihar Railway Station. In a first-of-its-kind scheme, the Indian Railways has installed a squat machine at the Anand Vihar station and 30 squats in 180 seconds in front of the machine will generate a free platform ticket. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal posted a video clip of young man doing squats on Twitter and wrote: "Savings along with fitness. To encourage fitness, a unique experiment has been on at Delhi's Anand Vihar railway station. Platform tickets can be had for free after exercising on the squat machine installed here." फिटनेस के साथ बचत भी: दिल्ली के आनंद विहार रेलवे स्टेशन पर फिटनेस को प्रोत्साहित करने के लिए अनूठा प्रयोग किया गया है। यहां लगाई गई मशीन के सामने एक्सरसाइज करने पर प्लेटफार्म टिकट निशुल्क लिया जा सकता है। pic.twitter.com/RL79nKEJBp — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 21, 2020 × Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju responded and said: "What a unique step by Railway Minister Piyush Goyalji. Fitness for free and saving money too! Exercise in front of this machine at Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi and get a free platform ticket. Let's make Narendra Modiji's initiated FitIndiaMovement a people's movement." ''It is an initiative to promote 'Fit India' campaign. We have programmed the machine in a manner that if you do 30 squats in 3 minutes, you will get as an incentive a free platform ticket,'' SK Lohia, MD, Indian Railway Stations Development Corp Ltd said.

Indian Railways: Do 30 squats and get free ticket 

Indian Railways will operate a new train based on Ramayan theme from March, officials said on Saturday.

According to the statement, the train which&nbsp;will start operating from last week of March will take pilgrims to locations associated with Lord Rama.

The train's interior and exterior will be based on Ramayana theme and it will give passengers feel of a temple on wheels.

The Ram bhajans will also play inside the train.

Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said, "The train will take people to all places related to Ramayana.&nbsp;The theme of this train will be based on Ramayana.&nbsp; Pictures, thoughts and poems related to Ramayana will be displayed on coaches outside and pictures related to the epic and music will also be played inside."

Earlier, the Railways ran a special train named after Lord Ram, "Shri Ramayana Express", which began its services in November last year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)

 
&nbsp;

Indian Railways will operate a new train based on Ramayan theme from March, officials said on Saturday. According to the statement, the train which will start operating from last week of March will take pilgrims to locations associated with Lord Rama.

Indian Railways will operate a new train based on Ramayan theme from March, officials said on Saturday. According to the statement, the train which will start operating from last week of March will take pilgrims to locations associated with Lord Rama. The train's interior and exterior will be based on Ramayana theme and it will give passengers feel of a temple on wheels. The Ram bhajans will also play inside the train. Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said, "The train will take people to all places related to Ramayana. The theme of this train will be based on Ramayana. Pictures, thoughts and poems related to Ramayana will be displayed on coaches outside and pictures related to the epic and music will also be played inside." Earlier, the Railways ran a special train named after Lord Ram, "Shri Ramayana Express", which began its services in November last year. (With inputs from ANI)

Railways to operate new train based on Ramayana theme

At least 19 trains are running late due to low visibility in the Northern Railway region.

However, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures have increased by 3-4 degree Celsius over most parts of Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan and at isolated places over Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and west Madhya Pradesh. The weather body has predicted that there will be no cold wave in Delhi till January 4.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi continued to be in the 'severe' category.

According to data provided by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), AQI was recorded at 420 (severe category) in Anand Vihar, 364 (very poor) in RK Puram, and 428 (severe) in Rohini at 7 am on Friday.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 is marked as severe/hazardous.

At least 19 trains are running late due to low visibility in the Northern Railway region. However, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures have increased by 3-4 degree Celsius over most parts of Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan and at isolated places over Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and west Madhya Pradesh.

At least 19 trains are running late due to low visibility in the Northern Railway region. However, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures have increased by 3-4 degree Celsius over most parts of Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan and at isolated places over Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and west Madhya Pradesh. The weather body has predicted that there will be no cold wave in Delhi till January 4. Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi continued to be in the 'severe' category. According to data provided by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), AQI was recorded at 420 (severe category) in Anand Vihar, 364 (very poor) in RK Puram, and 428 (severe) in Rohini at 7 am on Friday. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 is marked as severe/hazardous.

Trains running late due to low visibility in north India

Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav on Monday said that the rail property worth Rs 80 crore was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/railway-property-worth-rs-88-crore-damaged-during-caa-protest-269449">damaged</a> during protests against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/i-appeal-for-calm-dont-listen-to-rumours-pm-modi-on-anti-caa-protest-270189">Citizenship Amendment Act</a> and that the recovery will be made from the vandals. 
 
"There has been damage of railway property approximately worth Rs 80 crore during the protests, of which Rs 70 crore is of the Eastern Railway and Rs 10 crore of the North Frontier Railway," Yadav told reporters here. 
 
The chairman said that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is working with the state governments to identify those involved in the violence and arson and recovery will be made from them. 
 
"The RPF is coordinating with the state governments to identify the culprits. Once they have been identified, efforts will be made to recover the damage," said Yadav. 
 
"Panels were set on fire. Signaling systems were damaged at seven railway stations while there was also partial damage at 15 other stations," he added. 
 
Violence had broken out at several places across the country against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/15-dead-in-citizenship-amendment-act-protests-in-up-705-arrested-269499">amended citizenship law</a> in the past two weeks.

Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav on Monday said that the rail property worth Rs 80 crore was damaged during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and that the recovery will be made from the vandals.

Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav on Monday said that the rail property worth Rs 80 crore was damaged during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and that the recovery will be made from the vandals. "There has been damage of railway property approximately worth Rs 80 crore during the protests, of which Rs 70 crore is of the Eastern Railway and Rs 10 crore of the North Frontier Railway," Yadav told reporters here. The chairman said that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is working with the state governments to identify those involved in the violence and arson and recovery will be made from them. "The RPF is coordinating with the state governments to identify the culprits. Once they have been identified, efforts will be made to recover the damage," said Yadav. "Panels were set on fire. Signaling systems were damaged at seven railway stations while there was also partial damage at 15 other stations," he added. Violence had broken out at several places across the country against the amended citizenship law in the past two weeks.

Recovery to be made from those who damaged rail property during anti-CAA protests: Railways

The inaugural run of the second Tejas train by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) will be flagged off from Ahmedabad on January 17, 2020, and will start running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai from January 19.

According to a press release by IRCTC, after the successful run of Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express by IRCTC, the second premium Tejas train is ready to run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

The commercial run of the train will start with effect from 19th January 2020 from Ahmedabad.

The release stated that the booking for this train has commenced and passengers can book their tickets exclusively on the IRCTC website&nbsp;and its mobile app "IRCTC Rail Connect".

There will be no booking at railway reservation counters. However, passengers can get their tickets booked through IRCTC authorized agents.

The train will also be available for booking through IRCTC`s online travel portal partners like Paytm, Ixigo, PhonePe, Make My Trip, Google, Ibibo, Railyatri etc.

This train 82902/82901 would run on the Ahmedabad - Mumbai- Ahmedabad route for 6 days a week with Thursday as an off-day for maintenance activities.

The train will be equipped with all modern onboard facilities to ensure a high level of comfort to the passengers."IRCTC endeavors to provide a world-class travelling experience to its passengers through the newly announced Premium Tejas Train," said the release.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The inaugural run of the second Tejas train by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) will be flagged off from Ahmedabad on January 17, 2020, and will start running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai from January 19.

The inaugural run of the second Tejas train by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) will be flagged off from Ahmedabad on January 17, 2020, and will start running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai from January 19. According to a press release by IRCTC, after the successful run of Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express by IRCTC, the second premium Tejas train is ready to run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The commercial run of the train will start with effect from 19th January 2020 from Ahmedabad. The release stated that the booking for this train has commenced and passengers can book their tickets exclusively on the IRCTC website and its mobile app "IRCTC Rail Connect". There will be no booking at railway reservation counters. However, passengers can get their tickets booked through IRCTC authorized agents. The train will also be available for booking through IRCTC`s online travel portal partners like Paytm, Ixigo, PhonePe, Make My Trip, Google, Ibibo, Railyatri etc. This train 82902/82901 would run on the Ahmedabad - Mumbai- Ahmedabad route for 6 days a week with Thursday as an off-day for maintenance activities. The train will be equipped with all modern onboard facilities to ensure a high level of comfort to the passengers."IRCTC endeavors to provide a world-class travelling experience to its passengers through the newly announced Premium Tejas Train," said the release.

Second run of Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express to be flagged off on January 17

Ministry of Railways said RailTel has created over 50000 users in 58 establishments of the Indian Railways which have adopted paperless work culture and has also trained all executives to handle the platform. 
 
"RailTel has created 50000+ users in 58 establishments of Indian Railways which have adopted paperless work culture and also trained all the executives to handle the platform," said the Ministry of Railways in a release. 
 
"Indian Railways adopted the e-office system to make it paperless, efficient, transparent and expeditious. The implementation of phase-I of NIC e-office suite has been completed ahead of time by RailTel under an MoU with Indian Railways in March 2019 with a mandate to complete the work by March 2020," said an official statement. 
This would enable quick disposal of files and systematic, timely monitoring of pending files. 
 
With the above advantages, Indian Railways will be changing the work culture for providing better services to the public. e-Office fosters a paper-less culture which will not only save operational cost but also reduce the carbon footprint. 
 
e-Office implementation is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the National e-Governance Programme of the Government of India. 
 
The project aims to usher in paperless, more efficient, effective and transparent inter-government and intra-government transactions and processes.

Ministry of Railways said RailTel has created over 50000 users in 58 establishments of the Indian Railways which have adopted paperless work culture and has also trained all executives to handle the platform.

Ministry of Railways said RailTel has created over 50000 users in 58 establishments of the Indian Railways which have adopted paperless work culture and has also trained all executives to handle the platform. "RailTel has created 50000+ users in 58 establishments of Indian Railways which have adopted paperless work culture and also trained all the executives to handle the platform," said the Ministry of Railways in a release. "Indian Railways adopted the e-office system to make it paperless, efficient, transparent and expeditious. The implementation of phase-I of NIC e-office suite has been completed ahead of time by RailTel under an MoU with Indian Railways in March 2019 with a mandate to complete the work by March 2020," said an official statement. This would enable quick disposal of files and systematic, timely monitoring of pending files. With the above advantages, Indian Railways will be changing the work culture for providing better services to the public. e-Office fosters a paper-less culture which will not only save operational cost but also reduce the carbon footprint. e-Office implementation is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the National e-Governance Programme of the Government of India. The project aims to usher in paperless, more efficient, effective and transparent inter-government and intra-government transactions and processes.

Indian Railways expands e-office mechanism

Railway passengers from the city boarded the Delhi-Allahabad Duronto Express train for the final time as the train departed from Allahabad on its last run on Thursday night.

Passengers boarding the train expressed hope that the replacement of Duronto will also provide them with good service.

"Duronto was a good train. It is unfortunate for people in Allahabad that this train is being discontinued. However, if the Humsafar express train runs daily then it would be good. Now, it operates only on four days," Aftab Ahmad, a passenger told ANI.

Reportedly, the railway has decided to replace Duronto Express with another express train. Duronto Express covered the distance between Delhi and Allahabad in 7 hours and 30 minutes.&nbsp;

Railway passengers from the city boarded the Delhi-Allahabad Duronto Express train for the final time as the train departed from Allahabad on its last run on Thursday night.

Railway passengers from the city boarded the Delhi-Allahabad Duronto Express train for the final time as the train departed from Allahabad on its last run on Thursday night. Passengers boarding the train expressed hope that the replacement of Duronto will also provide them with good service. "Duronto was a good train. It is unfortunate for people in Allahabad that this train is being discontinued. However, if the Humsafar express train runs daily then it would be good. Now, it operates only on four days," Aftab Ahmad, a passenger told ANI. Reportedly, the railway has decided to replace Duronto Express with another express train. Duronto Express covered the distance between Delhi and Allahabad in 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Duronto train service discontinued on Delhi-Allahabad route

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Tuesday announced a reduction in the convenience fees charged from the customers for booking e-tickets online through its website.

The company will now charge Rs 15 per ticket for booking Non-AC classes online while it will charge Rs 30 per ticket for booking AC and First Classes tickets.

It is a 25 per cent&nbsp;decrease in the earlier service charges of Rs 20 per ticket for Non-AC Class tickets and Rs 40 per ticket for AC First class.

To incentivise customers to make online payment through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) applications, from November 1, the company has further decided to charge only Rs 10 per ticket for booking Non-AC class tickets and Rs 20 per ticket for AC and First Class tickets for customers paying through the two applications.

The company further announced that it is focusing on the capacity enhancement of the existing ticketing and e-ticketing system to support more ticket bookings.

"IRCTC is also focusing on the capacity enhancement of the ticketing system to support more number of ticket bookings in the near future and to also modernize the e-ticketing system in synchronization with the modernization of the Indian Railway Passenger Booking System which currently has an inventory of 10 lakh reserved tickets per day," the press release read.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Tuesday announced a reduction in the convenience fees charged from the customers for booking e-tickets online through its website.

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Tuesday announced a reduction in the convenience fees charged from the customers for booking e-tickets online through its website. The company will now charge Rs 15 per ticket for booking Non-AC classes online while it will charge Rs 30 per ticket for booking AC and First Classes tickets. It is a 25 per cent decrease in the earlier service charges of Rs 20 per ticket for Non-AC Class tickets and Rs 40 per ticket for AC First class. To incentivise customers to make online payment through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) applications, from November 1, the company has further decided to charge only Rs 10 per ticket for booking Non-AC class tickets and Rs 20 per ticket for AC and First Class tickets for customers paying through the two applications. The company further announced that it is focusing on the capacity enhancement of the existing ticketing and e-ticketing system to support more ticket bookings. "IRCTC is also focusing on the capacity enhancement of the ticketing system to support more number of ticket bookings in the near future and to also modernize the e-ticketing system in synchronization with the modernization of the Indian Railway Passenger Booking System which currently has an inventory of 10 lakh reserved tickets per day," the press release read.

IRCTC announces reduction in convenience fee on e-tickets

Over 2 lakh bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 train coaches of Indian Railways, the Ministry of Railways said on Saturday.

Taking to Twitter, the ministry said that 2,18,515 bio-toilets have been installed and the work is going at a rapid pace to installed it in remaining coaches as well.

"Indian Railways is making a significant contribution in keeping the environment clean and tidy. Under this, bio-toilets are being installed in trains, which will help in keeping the train and track clean. 2,18,515 bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 coaches till now. Bio-toilets are being installed in the remaining coaches at a rapid pace," the Ministry of Railways tweeted.

The 'Bio-Toilet project'&nbsp;of Indian Railways is an innovative and indigenous development of technology. This technology is first of its kind being used by any railroad in the world for on-board accelerated digestion of human waste.

These bio-toilets are fitted underneath the lavatories and the human waste discharged into them is acted upon by a colony of anaerobic bacteria that convert human waste mainly into water and small amounts of bio-gases.

The gases escape into atmosphere and waste water is discharged after chlorination onto the track.

Human waste, thus, does not fall on the railway tracks thus improving cleanliness and hygiene at platforms, and facilitate track and coaches maintenance staff to perform their work more efficiently.

The Bio-toilet project is aligned with 'Swachh Bharat Mission', launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The technology for Bio-toilets have been innovated, designed and is 'Made in India'.

It has been developed jointly by Indian Railways'&nbsp;Engineers &amp; DRDO's scientists. It is one example where the technology developed for defence applications has been utilised for civilian purpose.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Over 2 lakh bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 train coaches of Indian Railways, the Ministry of Railways said on Saturday. Taking to Twitter, the ministry said that 2,18,515 bio-toilets have been installed and the work is going at a rapid pace to installed it in remaining coaches as well.

Over 2 lakh bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 train coaches of Indian Railways, the Ministry of Railways said on Saturday. Taking to Twitter, the ministry said that 2,18,515 bio-toilets have been installed and the work is going at a rapid pace to installed it in remaining coaches as well. "Indian Railways is making a significant contribution in keeping the environment clean and tidy. Under this, bio-toilets are being installed in trains, which will help in keeping the train and track clean. 2,18,515 bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 coaches till now. Bio-toilets are being installed in the remaining coaches at a rapid pace," the Ministry of Railways tweeted. The 'Bio-Toilet project' of Indian Railways is an innovative and indigenous development of technology. This technology is first of its kind being used by any railroad in the world for on-board accelerated digestion of human waste. These bio-toilets are fitted underneath the lavatories and the human waste discharged into them is acted upon by a colony of anaerobic bacteria that convert human waste mainly into water and small amounts of bio-gases. The gases escape into atmosphere and waste water is discharged after chlorination onto the track. Human waste, thus, does not fall on the railway tracks thus improving cleanliness and hygiene at platforms, and facilitate track and coaches maintenance staff to perform their work more efficiently. The Bio-toilet project is aligned with 'Swachh Bharat Mission', launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The technology for Bio-toilets have been innovated, designed and is 'Made in India'. It has been developed jointly by Indian Railways' Engineers & DRDO's scientists. It is one example where the technology developed for defence applications has been utilised for civilian purpose.

Over 2 lakh bio-toilets installed in 60,906 train coaches

In a bid to eliminate single-use plastic in the country, Indian Railways on Wednesday directed all units to enforce a ban on single-use plastic, with less than 50-micron thickness, from October 2 onwards in its premises and trains.

The decision comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, urged people to shun single-use plastic from October 2, on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Directing the Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to implement the return of plastic drinking water bottles as a part of Extended Producer Responsibility, the Ministry of Railways also urged the corporation to set up plastic bottle crushing machines in major railway stations expeditiously.

The Indian Railways, in a circular, said the emphasis is on making necessary arrangements to minimize the generation of plastic waste and its eco-friendly disposal.

It also urged all vendors and railway staffs across Indian Railways to use reusable bags to reduce plastic footprint.

"Strict enforcement of these instructions is to be from October 2, 2019, to give enough time to all concerned to prepare for "Plastic Free Railway." Ministry of Railways has also instructed its Railway units that a pledge can be administered on October 2 to cut the use of plastics," read the circular.

"Information, Education and Communication (IEC) measures are to be adapted to create awareness among railway users," it added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In a bid to eliminate single-use plastic in the country, Indian Railways on Wednesday directed all units to enforce a ban on single-use plastic, with less than 50-micron thickness, from October 2 onwards in its premises and trains.

In a bid to eliminate single-use plastic in the country, Indian Railways on Wednesday directed all units to enforce a ban on single-use plastic, with less than 50-micron thickness, from October 2 onwards in its premises and trains. The decision comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, urged people to shun single-use plastic from October 2, on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Directing the Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to implement the return of plastic drinking water bottles as a part of Extended Producer Responsibility, the Ministry of Railways also urged the corporation to set up plastic bottle crushing machines in major railway stations expeditiously. The Indian Railways, in a circular, said the emphasis is on making necessary arrangements to minimize the generation of plastic waste and its eco-friendly disposal. It also urged all vendors and railway staffs across Indian Railways to use reusable bags to reduce plastic footprint. "Strict enforcement of these instructions is to be from October 2, 2019, to give enough time to all concerned to prepare for "Plastic Free Railway." Ministry of Railways has also instructed its Railway units that a pledge can be administered on October 2 to cut the use of plastics," read the circular. "Information, Education and Communication (IEC) measures are to be adapted to create awareness among railway users," it added.

Indian Railways to enforce ban on single-use plastic from October 2

Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has rejected India's request to review the decision of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-shuts-rail-bus-service-to-india-241886"> closing down the operations of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains</a>, saying that the services will not resume till the time he holds the post.

"Though a final decision will be taken by the Foreign Office over the request to review the closure of the trains, I reject India's request. And till the time I remain the minister for railways, there would be no operation of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains," he said at a press conference at the Pakistan Railways headquarters here on Saturday.

He said the rakes being used for the Samjhauta and Thar Express would now be utilised for trains in his country, Dawn reported.

A day after announcing the suspension of Samjhauta Express in the wake of the scrapping of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan on Friday said it will stop the Thar Express that connects Karachi and Jodhpur.

Ahmad had announced last week that the Thar Express will be shut down at midnight on Friday while the Samjhauta Express will cease to run from Saturday.

The decision to suspend the two trains follows Islamabad`s other moves to remonstrate, including suspending bilateral trade and downgrading of diplomatic relations.

Indian Railways on Thursday had clarified that the Samjhauta Express has not yet been suspended but Pakistan authorities refused to send their crew to India citing security concerns.&nbsp;

The train stood in the Wagah side of the border in Pakistan with around 110 passengers yesterday. An Indian engine brought the train from Wagah to Attari.

The Samjhauta Express is a bi-weekly train Thursday and Monday that runs between Delhi and Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan since 1976 after the Simla Agreement between the two countries.

The last time the operation of the Samjhauta Express were suspended was on February 28, following the Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killing 40 CRPF jawans on February 14. But it was resumed shortly thereafter.

Calling its steps in Jammu and Kashmir an 'entirely internal affair', India has rejected Pakistan's unilateral move to downgrade diplomatic ties and asked Islamabad to review the decision so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has rejected India's request to review the decision of closing down the operations of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains, saying that the services will not resume till the time he holds the post.

Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has rejected India's request to review the decision of closing down the operations of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains, saying that the services will not resume till the time he holds the post. "Though a final decision will be taken by the Foreign Office over the request to review the closure of the trains, I reject India's request. And till the time I remain the minister for railways, there would be no operation of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains," he said at a press conference at the Pakistan Railways headquarters here on Saturday. He said the rakes being used for the Samjhauta and Thar Express would now be utilised for trains in his country, Dawn reported. A day after announcing the suspension of Samjhauta Express in the wake of the scrapping of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan on Friday said it will stop the Thar Express that connects Karachi and Jodhpur. Ahmad had announced last week that the Thar Express will be shut down at midnight on Friday while the Samjhauta Express will cease to run from Saturday. The decision to suspend the two trains follows Islamabad`s other moves to remonstrate, including suspending bilateral trade and downgrading of diplomatic relations. Indian Railways on Thursday had clarified that the Samjhauta Express has not yet been suspended but Pakistan authorities refused to send their crew to India citing security concerns. The train stood in the Wagah side of the border in Pakistan with around 110 passengers yesterday. An Indian engine brought the train from Wagah to Attari. The Samjhauta Express is a bi-weekly train Thursday and Monday that runs between Delhi and Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan since 1976 after the Simla Agreement between the two countries. The last time the operation of the Samjhauta Express were suspended was on February 28, following the Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killing 40 CRPF jawans on February 14. But it was resumed shortly thereafter. Calling its steps in Jammu and Kashmir an 'entirely internal affair', India has rejected Pakistan's unilateral move to downgrade diplomatic ties and asked Islamabad to review the decision so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved.

Samjhauta, Thar trains won't operate till I am in charge of railways, says Pakistan minister

Indian Railways on Sunday announced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/samjhauta-express-arrives-in-delhi-after-pakistan-announces-suspension-241637">cancellation of Samjhauta Express</a> between Delhi and Atari following Pakistan's decision to suspend the train's operation on its side.

"In consequence to Pakistan's decision to cancel the Samjhauta Express 14607/14608 running between Lahore and Atari... the Samjhauta link Express train number 14001/14002 running between Delhi and Atari also stands cancelled," said Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Northern Railways.

The development comes after Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Saturday rejected India's request to review the decision of closing down the operations of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains, saying that the services will not resume till the time he holds the post.

"Though a final decision will be taken by the Foreign Office over the request to review the closure of the trains, I reject India's request. And till the time I remain the minister for railways, there would be no operation of the Samjhauta and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-samjhauta-pakistan-shuts-down-thar-link-express-241745">Thar Express trains</a>," he said at a press conference at the Pakistan Railways headquarters here.

The Samjhauta Express has been a bi-weekly train between Delhi via Attari border to Lahore in Pakistan since 1976 after the Simla Agreement between the two countries was signed in 1972.

The last time the operation of the Samjhauta Express was suspended was on February 28 following the Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killing 40 CRPF jawans on February 14. But it was resumed shortly thereafter.

Indian Railways on Sunday announced the cancellation of Samjhauta Express between Delhi and Atari following Pakistan's decision to suspend the train's operation on its side.

Indian Railways on Sunday announced the cancellation of Samjhauta Express between Delhi and Atari following Pakistan's decision to suspend the train's operation on its side. "In consequence to Pakistan's decision to cancel the Samjhauta Express 14607/14608 running between Lahore and Atari... the Samjhauta link Express train number 14001/14002 running between Delhi and Atari also stands cancelled," said Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Northern Railways. The development comes after Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Saturday rejected India's request to review the decision of closing down the operations of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains, saying that the services will not resume till the time he holds the post. "Though a final decision will be taken by the Foreign Office over the request to review the closure of the trains, I reject India's request. And till the time I remain the minister for railways, there would be no operation of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains," he said at a press conference at the Pakistan Railways headquarters here. The Samjhauta Express has been a bi-weekly train between Delhi via Attari border to Lahore in Pakistan since 1976 after the Simla Agreement between the two countries was signed in 1972. The last time the operation of the Samjhauta Express was suspended was on February 28 following the Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killing 40 CRPF jawans on February 14. But it was resumed shortly thereafter.

India announces cancellation of Samjhauta Express to Pakistan

The Northern Railway on Monday informed that trains plying via the Western Railway zone of the country on Tuesday have been cancelled or diverted due to water-logging in the region.

The Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railways Deepak Kumar issued a release in this regard.

Nine trains which have been cancelled are - 12172 Haridwar - Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express, 12561 Jaynagar - New Delhi Swatantrata Senani Express, 12562 New Delhi-Jaynagar Swatantrata Senani Express train, 12903 Mumbai Central-Amritsar Golden Temple Mail, 12925 Bandra Terminus-Amritsar Paschim Express, 19019 Bandra Terminus-Dehradun Express, 12137 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai-Firozpur Punjab Mail, 12449 Madgaon - Chandigarh Goa Sampark Kranti Express, 19037 Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur Avadh Express.

Three trains plying in the Western Railway region have been diverted through alternative routes.

The Northern Railway on Monday informed that trains plying via the Western Railway zone of the country on Tuesday have been cancelled or diverted due to water-logging in the region.

The Northern Railway on Monday informed that trains plying via the Western Railway zone of the country on Tuesday have been cancelled or diverted due to water-logging in the region. The Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railways Deepak Kumar issued a release in this regard. Nine trains which have been cancelled are - 12172 Haridwar - Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express, 12561 Jaynagar - New Delhi Swatantrata Senani Express, 12562 New Delhi-Jaynagar Swatantrata Senani Express train, 12903 Mumbai Central-Amritsar Golden Temple Mail, 12925 Bandra Terminus-Amritsar Paschim Express, 19019 Bandra Terminus-Dehradun Express, 12137 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai-Firozpur Punjab Mail, 12449 Madgaon - Chandigarh Goa Sampark Kranti Express, 19037 Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur Avadh Express. Three trains plying in the Western Railway region have been diverted through alternative routes.

9 trains cancelled, 3 diverted due to water-logging in Western Railway zone

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