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India.com
12 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
First Ride Joy: Students Celebrate Vande Bharats Inaugural Journey In Bihar
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express connecting Pataliputra in Bihar to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah, a wave of excitement swept through young passengers boarding the high-speed train for the first time. The gleaming new Vande Bharat Express not only marked a technological leap for the region but also brought immense joy to students who were experiencing premium train travel for the first time. IANS spoke to several students onboard, many of whom were filled with gratitude and admiration for the initiative. 'This is my first train journey ever, and I couldn't have imagined a better start,' said one student. 'I am really happy and thankful to Prime Minister Modi. He has already done so much for the country, and now he has gifted us this wonderful experience.' Another student shared, 'I'm travelling on Vande Bharat for the first time. Compared to general trains, this one is incredibly clean and modern. The facilities are excellent.' 'This train feels so good. The seating, air conditioning, and overall ambience are impressive. I'm really proud that it started from here. Thank you, PM Modi, " said another young traveller. 'I am really enjoying this journey. Everything is so comfortable. The train is fully air-conditioned, equipped with automatic doors and sensor systems. It feels like a flight on rails,' another student told IANS. A woman passenger who was also in the Vande Bharat train said, 'Throughout the journey, we received clear information updates. The train offers several modern amenities. Toilets are cleaned automatically, cleanliness is well-maintained, and the seats are very comfortable.' Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity at the Railway Board, noted the rising appeal of the service. 'Vande Bharat is becoming extremely popular, especially among the youth. Its speed, style, and service set a new benchmark in Indian Railways," he told IANS. During his visit to Siwan on Friday, Prime Minister Modi reiterated the commitment of the double-engine government to Bihar's holistic development. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 5,700 crore. Among them was the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line project, valued at over Rs 400 crore. He also flagged off a new train service on this route, further bolstering regional rail infrastructure.
New Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
‘Circular Railway DPR around Bengaluru to be ready by August'
BENGALURU: The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the 288-km Circular Railway Project around Bengaluru will be completed and submitted to the Railway Board by August 2025, stated Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru Division, South Western Railway (SWR), Ashutosh Kumar Singh, on Thursday. Singh said the DPR is part of a larger push to expand rail infrastructure. The project is designed to decongest urban traffic through a seven-leg rail network circling the city. Final Location Survey has already been sanctioned, and DPR preparation is under way. Addressing the delays in the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), the SWR officials clarified that while the project is managed by K-RIDE, the Railway division has provided all requested land for Corridors 2 and 4 of the total 4 corridors. 'For Corridor 1, the process is still on. Once it's finalised, we will hand it over,' an official said. Meanwhile, the KSR Railway Station is set to receive two additional platforms, to the existing 10 platforms, at an estimated cost of Rs 222 crore. The expansion will involve the demolition of a portion of the MG Railway Colony, and a fourth entrance to the station is also planned. Other major infrastructure upgrades include the redevelopment of the Bengaluru Cantonment Station at a cost of Rs 484.58 crore, and the ongoing quadrupling of the 38-km Bengaluru Cantonment-Whitefield section.
Deccan Herald
19 hours ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Railways bets big on quadrupling lines from B'luru to nearby towns
The Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for the Bengaluru-Tumakuru, Bengaluru-Mysuru and Bangarpet-Jolarpettai quadrupling projects will be submitted to the Railway Board between July and December this year, while the DPR for the Whitefield-Bangarpet quadrupling project, which was submitted in May, is being reviewed.
Hindustan Times
19 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Wait list capped at 25% in long-distance trains
MUMBAI: The Railway Board has capped the number of Wait List (WL) tickets in long-distance trains in an attempt to ease overcrowding on railway platforms across the country. According to the new rule, in force since June 16, the quota has been capped at 25% for each class of coach – Sleeper, 3AC, 2AC and 1AC. Until now, the number of WL tickets was arbitrary, varying between railway zones. Senior railway officials said that on the Central and Western railways, WL tickets used to comprise 20-40% of the total seats available in the trains. Sometimes, their number would go up to 500-700 on a single train. However, the circular issued by the Railway Board earlier this week states, 'It has been decided that the maximum current waiting list limits will be revised to 25% of the redefined capacity of each class available at originating as well as roadside stations. This logic will also be applicable for issuing of waitlisted tickets from remote locations as well as tickets booked under the Tatkal Scheme'. (Examples of 'roadside stations' would be Thane, Kalyan, Andheri or Borivali, from where passengers can board long-distance trains) Explaining how the new quota works, a railway official said that if a 3AC coach has 64-83 berths (depending upon the make of the train), then 25% of tickets would be set aside for WL passengers after this the booking for this coach was complete. Preference will be given to tatkal ticket booking, after which general ticket booking will follow. Also, passengers applying in concessional categories such as physically challenged, women etc, will not be included in the 25% quota. Railway officials say they are yet to assess the impact the new quota will have on revenue. In 2024-25, the Indian Railways earned ₹75,500 crore from passenger revenue, that is, the sale of tickets. 'All these years, there was a fixed percentage for WL tickets. That's why, during peak summer season or the Ganesh festival, the number of WL tickets in Sleeper and/or 3AC coaches was as high as the total capacity of these coaches. This used to cause chaos as WL passengers would travel with passengers with unconfirmed tickets, causing fights and arguments inside long-distance trains. The new quota will give us some control over this. Moreover, passengers would know whether seats are available in a particular train at the time of booking,' said a senior railway official. The new quota has brought some relief to the Railway Protection Force (RPF). 'The pressure on us to keep the crowds in check is immense. With fewer WL tickets being issued, this will make it more manageable,' said an RPF officer. This is one of the primary reasons for overcrowding at CSMT, Dadar and Panvel stations during the annual Ganesh festivals. It also contributed to the stampede at Surat railway station on November 11, 2023, where a massive crowd of passengers, many of whom were migrant workers heading home for Diwali and Chhath Puja, rushed to board a Bihar-bound train. Railway Passenger Associations have welcomed the move. 'This will hopefully ensure a peaceful journey. It will reduce quarrels inside trains, where WL passengers would gang up on valid ticket holders,' said Madhu Kotian, president, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Railways caps waiting list to 25% of berth capacity to curb overbooking
Mumbai: The Railway Board has revised the upper limit for wait-listed tickets across all classes to 25% of the available berth capacity to streamline the ticketing system and curb overcrowding. The change, communicated via a directive to all zonal railways, is set to bring predictability and discipline to the long-standing issue of unregulated waiting lists. Until now, the waiting list system had no fixed cap, with numbers often soaring beyond 300 in Sleeper Class and over 150 in AC Chair Car during peak travel seasons. "This created a mismatch between confirmed bookings and the number of passengers boarding trains, leading to chaos, especially during festivals like Diwali and Chhath," a railway official said. Under the new framework, the waiting list will be calculated as 25% of the identified berth count in each coach. Identified berths refer to those available for general booking after accounting for quota allocations such as for senior citizens, women, foreign tourists, and differently abled passengers. For instance, if 400 berths are available for booking after quota removal, the waiting list will be capped at 100. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How Middle-Class Americans Waste Money [Learn More] DollarPerks Learn More Undo "This change will apply uniformly across all classes — sleeper, second AC, third AC, chair car — and also cover tatkal and remote-location bookings," the official said. The revised cap will not apply to tickets issued on concessional fares or under govt warrants. The move follows a series of passenger complaints about overcrowding caused by excessive wait-listed ticket holders boarding trains despite not having confirmed seats. A previous attempt to curb this trend was rolled out temporarily during festive rushes, but this new cap marks a permanent shift in policy. A circular issued by the WR said: "The implementation will be carried out through software modifications by CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems), with the effective date to be announced shortly." CR, too, said the rule was applicable to it.
