Days before railway minister Suresh Prabhu presents his budget, nine passengers were killed and 16 seriously injured when nine bogies of the Ernakulam-bound Express train from Bengaluru derailed&nb
Even while invoking the almighty ‘prabhu’ on bring his ministry back on rails; Suresh Prabhu unveiled a five-point programme on reforms and governance. As he presented th
After computerization of ticket booking that was a big relief to passengers, railway minister Suresh Prabhu took another big leap in passengers’ amenities on Thursday. These co
The railway ministry wants people travel in trains out of willingness and not out of compulsion, Manoj Sinha, MoS, has said. Talking about efforts made by the Indian railways to ensure safe and com
Wednesday was the first day of booking railway tickets four months in advance and there was a huge rush at counters. But the record seems to have been set by IRCTC website with 13.45 lakh tickets b
Opposing private players in railways, the employees’ union has given a call for observing ‘black day’ on June 30 (Wednesday). “We have decided to observe blac
The Supreme Court will take up the plea for a CBI probe in the Vyapam scam today. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had declared on Wednesday that he would also back such a reques
The union cabinet on Thursday approved several proposals in infrastructure and power sectors, and also opened up investment doors. The cabinet has opted for a new Swiss Challenge Met
With the kind of attacks it is facing, the railway ministry needs to keep up the morale of its staff. A personal birth greeting would be one such booster. Railway minister Suresh Pra
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is integrating the e-wheelchair facility with its tourism portal for the benefit of old, sick and differently-abled people who can pre-book w
Celebrating its 16th foundation day on Wednesday, government-run RailTel’s chief said that the company earned revenue of Rs 555 crores in the previous financial year. RK Bahugu
Manoj Sinha, union minister of state for railways, said that as soon as the NDA government came into power, the focus shifted to decongesting and expanding the railway network. Speaking at th
The Indian railway budget for 2016 clearly indicates that the government’s investment plans are high for the next five years. This means that many people will be hired by the recruitment boar
Should Railway Budget be scrapped?
The Indian Railways want its catering and tourism enterprises IRCTC to convert the old coaches of Palace on Wheels into theme-based restaurants. These restaurants will be placed strategicall
It is like a dream come true as we were disconnected from the rest of the country,” said an ecstatic Babloo Rai, a resident of Mau town in Uttar Pradesh after it was announced that a 51-km br
Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha, who doesn’t hesitate to call a spade a spade, has also taken charge of the telecom ministry, which is conducting the largest-ever spectrum auct
Facing criticism on dynamic surge pricing for premium train tickets, the railway ministry has clarified that the dynamic pricing is being done for experimental basis and will be reviewed after some
Indian railways has given catering responsibility of 23 more trains to IRCTC as part of its efforts to bring the management of food supply services on trains under the national transporter&rs
Niti Aayog, in its report Impact of `Social Service Obligations` by Indian Railways, said that inefficiency in railways cost structure significantly contributes to the losses in passenger service b
Indian Railways’ plan of providing free wi-fi internet service at 100 stations by the end of this year got a boost on Friday after RailTel, in collaboration with Google, unveiled the service
Railway board chairman A.K. Mital on Friday said that the conversion of metre gauge tracks into broad gauge in the north eastern states would be completed by the end of current fiscal to give a boo
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the commercial arm of Indian Railways, intends to push the production of Rail Neer to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
Concierge service, introduced by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), can now be availed through round the clock 139 Interactive Voice Response (IVR) facility. The concierge ser
Railways reservation for senior citizens will be directly linked to Aadhaar or Unique Identification (UID) cards on a mandatory basis for both counter and e-tickets from April 1, 2017.
The ministry of railways has come up with National Rail Plan, 2030 to provide long term perspective to plan for augmenting the railway network. In order to give a platform to concer
After getting promising results of the trials of TRI-NETRA system, the railways plans to install the device in loco engines to ensure timely operations of trains during foggy weather.
“Accuracy and real time updation of arrival/departure timings of trains may be ensured to provide accurate and reliable information to the passengers,” recommended the C
The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has bagged a major order for the supply of 118 traction converters for 3 Phase 6,000 HP Electric Locomotives. Indian Railways’ Chit
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and ministry of shipping’s joint venture, Indian Port Rail Company Limited (IPRCL), has completed the pre-feasibility study of a heavy haul rail co
Over a month after hundreds of people lost their lives in Indore-Patna Express accident at Pukhrayan in Kanpur, railways has decided to double the compensation paid to train accident victims.
One day last December, Shyam Kishore got into an argument with a railway clerk at Meerut City station. Kishore, who commutes daily by train between Meerut and Ghaziabad, had decided to renew his mo
This time of the year, the corridors of Rail Bhawan on Delhi’s Raisina Road, would normally have been abuzz with activity as officials would be at work tightening the nuts and bolts of the ra
The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) – a body of representatives and associations of railway caterers – has asserted that its suggestions should be considered by the
Three horrific train accidents have taken place in quick succession. The latest accident took place on January 21, when the Hirakhand Express was derailed in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh
At a time when we are thrilled at the thought of the arrival of hyperloop transportation technology enabling high-speed travel inside a partially vacuum tube and introduction of the bullet trains,
Presenting the union budget 2017-18, finance minister Arun Jaitely announced 1.31 lakh crore for the capital and development expenditure of Indian Railways. A total of Rs 55,000 crore has been allo
An online petition prompted union women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi to help facilitate comfortable train travel for a wheelchair bound woman. Recently, the petition
Before privatisation and corporatisation, the Indian Railways need to undertake major reforms including commercial accounting, decentralisation and human resource among others, said Bibek Debroy, e
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a Maharatna enterprise, has signed an agreement with the railways to install 2 MWp roof top solar photo voltaic (SPV) systems at diesel loco modernisa
Thanks to the high-speed broadband connectivity, practicals and complex subjects are taught using YouTube at the school. “Life-saving activities like heart pumping during a cardiac arrest can
Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has urged global technology players to come forward to co-develop technologies with India. “India is not just another destination where we can i
Gone are the days of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Madhav Rao Scindia and Nitish Kumar who hogged the limelight and even moral space by resigning after train accidents that claimed human lives. Railway mi
The derailment of Puri-Haridwar Kalinga Utkal express at Khatauli has once again raised serious questions on the railways’ safety claims. At least 21 people were killed and many were in
With two major train accidents in succession this week, we list the major train accidents that have occurred since 2014: 26 May 2014 –
Railway minister Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday dropped a hint that he has offered to resign while Chairman Railway Board AK Mital tendered his resignation following two major train accidents.
Former Air India chief Ashwani Lohani on Thursday took the charge as Chairman Railway Board and said his main thrust would be to put an end to corruption and VIP culture. Lohani tol
An express train headed to Mumbai derailed on Tuesday. Railways said that no one sustained serious injuries. The derailment took place barely six days after an express train derailed near
Chairman railway board (CRB) Ashwani Lohani wrote a letter to railwaymen to ensure highest level of safety, just hours after the derailment of Nagpur-Mumbai CST Duranto express on Tuesday.
Piyush Goyal, who took over as the railway minister on Monday, lauded his predecessor Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu for building the roadmap of railways’ extensive growth and for bringing in
Two express trains—Shaktipunj express and Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani -- were derailed in Sonbhadra and Delhi respectively on Thursday. However, railways claimed that none of the passenge
There has been growth of 17 percent in coal based thermal power generation, primarily due to reduction in hydro power generation by 12 percent, in nuclear power generation by 36 percent and o
Poor safety, slow trains and demand fast outpacing the capacity are the main challenges being faced by the Indian Railway (IR). The question that should be asked is why Indian Railways is not abl
Railway minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said the safety issue is of paramount importance and more measures are being taken to ensure safer operations. He laid emphasis on making t
Once is a mistake. Twice is a pattern. And thrice is a habit. The working of Indian Railways reflects all three at the same time. Yes, it is one of the busiest networks in the world and transports
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in separate reports, had focused on railway foot over bridges (FOB) and called for building more FOBs of prescribed size. As many as
The derailment of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express on August 19 at Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh which killed 23 people has raised serious questions on the functioning of the railway board.
Union steel minister Birender Singh criticised Steel Authority of India (SAIL) officials for tardy progress in critical areas of strategic importance. The m
In order to strengthen coal transportation and coal production, Coal India Limited (CIL) transported 250 rakes of goods train through the railways on November 14, the highest ever in November
Different variants of bio-toilets were installed in seven trains on a trial basis during January 2011 to April 2012. However, before the test results in respect of these rakes could be analysed, ra
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has bagged a contract for 146 sets of electrics for AC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains. Mumbai recently got its first AC EMU train.
Railways wants to jazz up 400 major railway stations by providing large, airy foyers, comfortable sitting areas, snazzy lounges, smart ticketing system, escalators and the works. But
“It’s a national shame,” rues Ali Akbar Peerbhoy, grandson of the founder of the Matheran hill railway, which plies the Matheran toy train. For today, the railway is struggling fo
As the government allocates Rs 1.48 lakh crore for the railways for 2018-19, it is expected that this would improve safety and create better infrastructure. The railways got the Cape
After every major accident Indian Railways claims that it would intensify efforts to fill safety category vacancies to reduce the count of fatal accidents. But data shows something e
While train accidents get much attention, there’s something else that should equally be attended to: the railway’s drinking water supply, which could well have caused many more deaths t
All railways assets are to be mapped and these will be subsequently used to develop Indian Railways’ GIS portal, authorities said on Thursday. Railways have large number of ass
Railways has lagged behind due to inadequate investment, union minister Rajen Gohain informed parliament. The minister said that railways has a huge throw-forward in its capita
One of the major issues affecting railways is punctuality which is accorded prime importance in train operations. At times, trains get delayed not only due to the factors related to its internal wo
Even as the union minister of railways Piyush Goyal claims of improving railways’ infrastructure and safety, Indian Railways still needs to put in massive efforts to curtail derailment accide
The railway infrastructure consulting PSU, RITES Limited is coming up with its IPO on June 20, 2018, as the government of India is selling its 24 million equity shares (12%) stake in the Mini Ratna
The derailment of nine coaches of the New Farakka Express near Raebareli, in which seven people have been killed and dozens sustained grievous injuries, has once again exposed the hollow claims of
The railways are making concerted efforts to significantly enhance the speed of freight trains from 65 kmph to 100 kmph for raising revenue and give a fillip to the goods segment.
Sunday marked a watershed in India’s battle with the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus outbreak: following prime minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for a “janta curfew”, people stayed
As the world’s most extensive and arguably strictest lockdown completes 50 days, India remains in double mind: there are good arguments for and against extending the movement restrictions. Th
India has decided to extend the lockdown, in place since March 24, once again – till May 31 now – though with more and more relaxations, even as the number of infections in the country
As India begins to learn to live with Covid-19 and come out of nearly two-month long lockdown, regular train services are set to resume from June 1 in a graded manner, even as more ‘shramik&r
Before the novel coronavirus hit it, Mumbai about 10-12 lakh labourers from elsewhere had made it their home. The figure for the state of Maharashtra was another 18-20 lakh. As the pandemic spread
Close to 48 lakh migrant labourers have been able to reach home from the cities they were working in, as the Indian Railways have run a total of 3,543 “Sharmik Special” trains from May
In the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, travelling can be hazardous, but the railways have come up with new coaches designed to help the passenger avoid the risk of infection to the maximum extent.
A large section of the youngsters wishing to make a career in the government sector will not have to face a lot of hurdles as the cabinet has moved forward with a major reform in the recruitment pr
The ‘Restaurant on Wheels’, set up by the Central Railway Zone of Indian Railways at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM) last month, has turned out to be a big hit among peo
To ensure bigger access to farm produce and provide new markets with quick transportation and subsidy at 50%, the Kisan Rail has been bringing prosperity, joy, and hope to farmers of Maharashtra. O
Railway Protection Force personnel of the Central Railways saved 47 lives over Mumbai suburban system in 2021. As part of ‘Mission Jeevan Rakshak’, the lives of several n
The Vistadome coaches on Central Railways have received an overwhelming response from passengers. Not only have they boosted tourism and registered an occupancy of 20,407 passengers but also clocke
On mission mode, Indian Railways` Freight loading for first ten months of this financial year 2022-23 has crossed last year’s loading and earnings for the same month. On cumula
We are not paying sufficient attention to the rapidly growing oil imports (from pre-Covid-19 to post-Covid, in 2022). They surged from 102 million tons (MT) in 2019-20 to 168 MT in 2022-23, an incr
Central Railways has earned Rs 17.58 crore revenue from scrap sale of 138 mail/express coaches between April 2022 and June 2023 with average earnings of Rs 12.73 lakh per condemned coac
For the development of railway stations on a continuous basis with a long term vision, prime minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for 508 Railway stations across the nation under th
Kolkata Metro Railway has decided to use composite aluminium third rail in all the upcoming corridors being undertaken for construction along with retro fitment in existing corridor with steel thir
Hardeep Singh Puri, the minister for housing & urban affairs, has emphasized on government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the urban transport network across the country. He was
The Indian Railways is celebrating 171 glorious years of its existence. Going back in time, the first train in India (and Asia) ran between Mumbai and Thane on April 16, 1853. It was flagged off fr
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, has approved three projects of the ministry of railways with a total estimated cost of approximately Rs. 6
One of the busiest and oldest railway systems in the world, Indian Railways, is the country’s lifeline. Prime minister Narendra Modi has given increased focus on the modernisation of the nati
