Latest news with #AFT
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
How Indian Railways increased its share of car dispatches to 20% of all PVs manufactured in India
Amid the push for lowering carbon emissions in the automobile sector, the share of passenger vehicles dispatched by the Indian Railways has increased to more than 20 per cent of the total car production in the country in 2024-25, a significant increase from 1.7 per cent share in 2014-15. This has opened up a new arena for the railways to increase its revenue, alongside meeting India's net zero emission target by 2070. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday inaugurated the country's largest automobile Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (MMCT) or railway siding at the Maruti Suzuki India Ltd facility in Manesar, Haryana. The plant can dispatch a maximum of 4,50,000 vehicles annually at full capacity. Total car loading in the Indian Railways is expected to increase to nearly 15 lakh annually. A total of 10.41 lakh cars were transported by the Indian Railways in 2024-25. How has the 'Rail Coefficient' increased? A senior official of the Ministry of Railways said the Automobile Freight Train Operator (AFTO) scheme has been liberalised to encourage car manufacturers to transport passenger vehicles using the Indian Railways. 'The Registration fee for AFT Operators has been done away (with). Earlier, this fee was Rs 5 crore, now it is zero. Along with this, the minimum number of rakes (required) to be procured for transportation has been relaxed from three rakes to one rake. Auto ancillaries and spares have been permitted for carriage in both onward and return directions,' said the official. Regular meetings are being held with all the stakeholders in the automobile industry, including the Society for Indian Automobiles Manufacturers (SIAM), the official added. 'On the basis of the issues raised by the stakeholders, the AFTO policy has been liberalised. The 'applicant net-worth' criteria for registration as AFTO, has been removed. Along with this, the requirement for procurement of maintenance of spare wagons has been reduced from 4 per cent per rake to 4 per cent of the total cumulative holding. All Container Terminals have been permitted to deal with automobile traffic,' said the official quoted above. The Ministry of Railways has also added many automobile loading terminals in recent years namely Chitpur (Eastern Railway), Penukonda (South Western Railway), Nasrala (Northern Railway), Nautanwa and Bakshi ka Talab (North Eastern Railway), Mesra (East Central Railway), Hirakud (East Coast Railway), Champaner and Chharodi (Western Railway), Baihata, Salchapra, Furkating, New Tinsukia, Jirania, Agthori (Northeast Frontier Railway), Loni, Khadki, AJNI, Vilad (Central Railway) etc. What type of wagons are being used by the railways to transport cars? Railway officials said that the induction of modern rakes to accommodate large four wheelers have helped in increasing car transportation. 'There was a time when Parcel Van or VP loading was the only option for the transportation of automobiles. There was no separate rake for this and it was attached to passenger or mail/express trains. Then came the Bogie Open Military (BOM) wagons. But it had limitations for dispatching cars and these wagons were mostly used in transporting military vehicles and equipment. In 1995-96, NMG (New Modified Goods) coaches were introduced in the Indian Railways. This really made a major difference in the transportation of automobiles by railways. More NMG rakes are being added to the Indian Railways. One rake of 25 NMG coaches (can) carry 100 to 125 cars, 125 to 175 tractors or 1,500 to 1,675 bikes.' said the official. The railway official added that three more types of wagons, namely, bogie covered auto car bi-level (BCACBM)wagon, auto car taller (ACT1 and ACT2) wagons have been added to transport larger passenger vehicles such as SUVs. 'These are specialised double-decker railway wagons designed for transporting automobiles and automotive parts. A rake of 27 BCACBM wagons can dispatch 318 cars or 135 SUVs. Similarly, a rake of 33 ACT1 wagons can carry 330 cars or 264 SUVs and a rake of 27 ACT2 wagons can transport 324 cars or 270 SUVs,' said the official. Which companies are India's top car transporters by railways According to data available with the Ministry of Railways, Maruti Suzuki's share is highest when it comes to total railway car loading. In fact, almost 50 per cent of the total car transportation by railways is done by Maruti Suzuki. The company, which is India's largest car manufacturer, dispatches key models such as the Brezza, Ertiga, Wagon R, Dzire, Baleno, Swift, etc., by railways. Hyundai is in the second position in terms of car transportation by railways, followed by Tata Motors and Mahindra Group in the third and fourth position, respectively. Almost 80 per cent of the cars transported via railways are meant for domestic sales, according to officials. There are a total of 133 railway siding in the country where loading and unloading of cars take place. Maruti transports its cars to a total of 17 hubs, which further cater to a total of 380 cities. Total car despatches by the Indian Railways According to Railway Ministry data, a total of 10.41 lakh cars were dispatched by the Indian Railways in different parts of the country in 2024-25 (FY25). Similarly, the total car loading in railways stood at 9.69 lakh in FY24, 7.70 lakh in FY23, 4.91 lakh in FY22, 3.98 lakh in FY21 and 3.09 lakh cars in FY20. The total car loading has increased significantly from just 54,219 cars in 2014-15. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Hyderabad-Tirupati SpiceJet flight returns due to snag
A Hyderabad-Tirupati SpiceJet flight returned to the city on Thursday shortly after take-off due to a snag, sources said. Flight SG 2696, which was scheduled to depart at 6.10 AM, took off at 6.19 AM and was expected to land in Tirupati at 7.40 AM, according to live flight tracking website However, it returned and landed back at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport shortly after take-off, it added. SpiceJet, in a statement, said a Q400 aircraft operating the Hyderabad-Tirupati flight experienced an intermittent illumination of the AFT baggage door light after take-off and cabin pressurisation remained normal throughout. 'As a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to return to Hyderabad. The aircraft landed safely and passengers were deplaned normally,' it said. The aircraft did not make an emergency landing. An alternate aircraft has been arranged to operate the onward journey to Tirupati, it added. The airline did not provide how many passengers were on board.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Tirupati-bound SpiceJet flight returns to Hyderabad due to technical snag
A SpiceJet flight bound for Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati returned to Telangana's Hyderabad on Thursday shortly after takeoff due to a snag. Flight SG 2696, which was scheduled to depart at 6.10 am, took off at 6.19 am and was expected to land in Tirupati at 7.40 am. However, the SpiceJet flight returned and landed back at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport of Hyderabad shortly after takeoff. SpiceJet released a statement on the issue saying that the flight experienced a 'intermittent illumination of the AFT baggage door light.' They also stated that the flight returned as a precautionary measure. 'On June 19, 2025, a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft operating the Hyderabad-Tirupati flight experienced an intermittent illumination of the AFT baggage door light after take-off. Cabin pressurization remained normal throughout. As a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to return to Hyderabad. The aircraft landed safely and passengers were deplaned normally. The aircraft did not make an emergency landing. An alternate aircraft has been arranged to operate the onward journey to Tirupati,' SpiceJet said in a statement. Also read: IndiGo flight enroute to Leh returns to Delhi due to technical snag This comes amid reports of multiple flights returning due to technical snag, with the latest Delhi-Leh IndiGo flight returning to the national capital after being airborne for over two hours.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Teachers union head Randi Weingarten resigns from DNC
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten is departing the Democratic National Committee (DNC), citing disagreements with DNC Chair Ken Martin. Weingarten told Martin in a letter dated June 5 and obtained by The Hill on Sunday that she was declining to be reappointed as an at-large member of the committee. 'While I am a proud Democrat, I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging, and I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our community,' wrote Weingarten, who has served as a DNC member for 23 years. Weingarten backed then-Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler to serve as DNC chair during elections earlier this year. Weingarten was later removed by Martin from the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee. A source close to the DNC told The Hill they were not surprised by Weingarten's move to step down, noting her differences with Martin. 'Ever since the horse she bet on in the Chairs race lost, she has always been on the other side of the fence as Ken — this is no surprise,' the source said. A longtime Democratic strategist criticized Weingarten's resignation for being poorly timed, alluding to the weekend 'No Kings' protests across the country with large crowds turning out to criticize President Trump's administration. 'Especially when the country just showed up by the millions across all demographic and geographic boundaries to take on Trump grassroots style it's flabbergasting to me that a senior DNC member, much less one as supposedly committed as Randi, would take the moment to make it all-about-her,' the strategist said. 'Today, party leadership should figure out how to not just ride a wave but lead a movement, not continue with internecine persona-driven drama.' Weingarten is a powerful figure on the political left. The AFT boasts roughly 1.8 million members and has significant influence on the Democratic Party and its candidates. Her exit comes as the DNC has had to grapple with internal divisions being laid bare in recent weeks. Former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg has been vocally critical of the party's leadership, writing in a post on the social platform X last week that the party's leaders have been 'asleep at the wheel.' The infighting has threatened to stall the party's efforts to rebuild seven months after Trump won a second term. Hogg faced backlash from many Democrats, including from within the DNC, for launching an organization that would primary incumbent House Democrats in an effort to bring about generational change within the party. Hogg said he would not be vying for his spot as vice chair in the DNC after an overwhelming majority of DNC committee members voted to redo the vice chair elections of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who was elected again to the post on Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Critics slam Randi Weingarten's bizarre No Kings ‘meltdown,' activism in wake of abrupt DNC departure
Conservatives and critics on social media slammed American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten for her animated "No Kings Day" speech targeting President Donald Trump in the wake of her abrupt departure from the Democratic National Committee (DNC). "Randi Weingarten is once again on stage bouncing around, flailing her arms, and screeching like a lunatic. Another ad for homeschooling!" popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted Sunday, accompanied by footage of Weingarten at a "No Kings Day" protest in Philadelphia on Saturday. Footage of Weingarten's speech has since spread across social media as reports circulated Sunday evening into Monday morning that the teachers union chief declined the DNC's offer for her to stay on as an at-large member. Fellow union official Lee Saunders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees also denied the DNC's offer to stay on, Fox News Digital reported Monday. The pair's exit follows former Vice Chair David Hogg's exit from the DNC earlier in June after choosing not to run for re-election. "I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging, and I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our communities," Weingarten wrote in a letter dated June 5 to DNC Chair Ken Martin explaining her departure. Conservatives and other critics slammed Weingarten and her leadership over AFT, while also resurrecting footage from Saturday of Weingarten's speech slamming Trump while jumping up and down in an animated manner. "You are the community to this president's chaos, and together we build a future of opportunity and justice for all," Weingarten said during her "No Kings" remarks in Philadelphia. "Hope over fear, aspiration over anger. The promise of America for each and every American, that is what we are fighting for today." Some on social media called footage of her Saturday speech a "meltdown," while others rehashed how Weingarten pushed to shutter schools during the pandemic. "DEMOCRATS: The Democrat Party just lost the support of the nation's second largest Teachers Union led by Randi Weingarten. The DNC board member and superdelegate resigned from the party the day after she led the nationwide 'No King's protest. The Democrats are in complete disarray as they can't decide who to support much less what they stand for..." X account Amuse posted, accompanied by a clip of Weingarten's speech. "Randi Weingarten has RESIGNED from the DNC after 23 years of wrecking American education. This is the same woman who kept your kids masked, locked classrooms, and turned schools into activist training camps. The damage she caused won't be forgotten but her exit is the first sign the rot is being scraped out. One radical down... a whole party to go," another conservative X account posted. "JUST IN: Randi Weingarten steps down from the DNC. This comes after her massive meltdown at the 'No Kings' protest," one critic posted to X, accompanied by the footage. "Randi Weingarten's resignation from the DNC post- 'No Kings' protest meltdown reflects deepening divisions within the Democratic Party," another conservative X account posted. "This was Randi Weingarten yesterday at the 'No Kings' protest. She just retired. The trash is taking itself out," another conservative commentator said in reaction to the video. Weingarten was among vocal Democrats pushing for Trump critics to take to the streets on Saturday as part of the national "No Kings Day" protests, including sharing a link on X to the AFT's website promoting the protests. "On June 14, we're coming together, peacefully and powerfully, to stand up against Presidents being Kings. It's about strong public schools, supporting working families, and our fundamental freedoms . This day of action is about making our democracy work for all. It's about we the people not just about responding to what's wrong—it's about building something better," she posted to X June 10. The "No Kings Day" protests were held on the same day as Trump's military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, which also fell on the president's birthday and Flag Day. An estimated 1,500 "No Kings Day" protests unfolded across the nation, including in Los Angeles, which has been rocked by violent anti-Trump and anti-ICE riots since June 6, when federal law enforcement officials converged on the city to conduct immigration raids. Protests in Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, spiraled into violence Saturday. Four law enforcement officers were injured during a riot in Portland, while law enforcement in Los Angeles were forced to deploy tear gas, flash-bangs and a dispersal order, with the LAPD citing "people in the crowd (were) throwing rocks, bricks, bottles and other objects" at officers. Fox News Digital reached out to the AFT for additional comment from the union and Weingarten regarding the DNC departure and negative conservative reactions but did not immediately receive a reply.
