Indian Economy-News & Updates

[anant_s]

On the western borders, in diverse terrain, on the northern borders, counting three sectors at least?

Specifically in considering a defence of Arunachal?

Sir, i'm not privy to policy matters, but there is one notion that our government held for years. After 1962, the very thought of putting any kind of infra structure (be it railways, all weather roads, high capacity bridges) were seen with a very negative angle. It was thought (a very rotten mindset) that in case of another Chinese confrontation, the troops could use this very infra structure to move quickly inside India.
What this meant that now even after half a century later, though no war came, but people in NE states suffered on account of poor connectivity. Industries didn't develop and educated youth had to move out of their states in search of jobs. Agriculture sector (specifically produce farming) too, which had great potential in area didnot prosper enough.
All this led to a situation where a forward looking decision of putting a rail line, could have made a huge difference to lives of people, myopic vision led to regression.
Project Unigauage (conversion of all meter gauge network to Broad gauge) too didn't bother much about east.

However some of this is changing now. Government seems to serious in connecting all state capitals of NE states with a BG network and in this regard, Tripura, Manipur and Arunanchal Pradesh have direct connectivity with main land network, electrification will follow soon.

Certain border areas are highly challenging from engineering point of view (That Desert, Rann of Kutch, Lower Himalayas) but here again, new methods of construction (such as New Austrian tunnel boring) is now allowing faster and safer construction of rail infra-structure possible. More cities in J&K are getting connected to mainline network.

I suppose one lesson that everyone else should learn from is Chinese Tibet Railway project. By all strech of imagination, Lhasa line is the greatest civil engineering project in a century where engineers braved all odds to comeup with mind boggling solution to conquer a terrain, where others would have accepted defeat. but now that it has been done, we know the kind of strategic and economic benefit that line brings.
Connecting far off lands is a costly and challenging exercise, but sometimes larger picture and future needs to be kept in mind. imho, connecting people and not isolating them is the way to earn their respect.
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Developments in NE States

@Tshering22 Sir, you may want to say more on this issue!

 

[luckych]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...t-india-in-bumper-q2/articleshow/53462167.cms

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Ministry of Railways
30-July, 2016 14:38 IST

Indian Railways working on an action plan on eliminating unmanned level crossings from the railway network

The exercise is a sub-mission of the Railways “Mission Zero Accident”

Regular awareness campaigns are underway to sensitize public about taking precautions while crossing unmanned level crossing

Ministry of Railways concerned over loss of innocent lives in incidents taking place at railway level crossings is working on a comprehensive scheme to eliminate all level crossings in the Indian Railways system expeditiously in a phased manner. Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhu in his Railway Budget 2016-17 had announced “Mission Zero Accident” and “elimination of unmanned level crossings” formed a ‘sub-mission’ of this. It was announced that Indian Railways intends to eliminate all unmanned level crossings on Broad Gauge in the next 3-4 years for which innovative financing mechanisms are being developed.
There are total 28607 level crossings in all in Indian Railways. Out of which 19267 level crossings are manned and 9340 level crossing are unmanned. Out of the total unmanned level crossings, around 6388 level crossing or on broad gauge network and need priority attention for elimination. Remaining 2952 unmanned level crossings exist on Meter-Gauge/Narrow Gauge network. The traffic density movement on a particular level crossing is defined by the concept called Train Vehicle Unit (TVU) which is multiplication of ‘number of train units’ by the ‘number of road vehicle units’ passing through that level crossing in 24 hours period.
Indian Railways is endeavouring to eliminate all level crossings on Broad Gauge in a phased manner by either of the following methods.
i. Closure -Closing unmanned level crossings having NIL/negligible Train Vehicle Unit (TVU)
ii. Merger - Merger of unmanned level crossing to nearby manned/unmanned level crossing or subway/Road Under Bridge (RUB)/ Road Over Bridge (ROB) by construction of diversion road.
iii. Provision of Subways/RUBs
iv. Manning - Phased manning of unmanned level crossings, which cannot be eliminated by above means.
v. Unmanned level crossings on Meter Gauge/Narrow Gauge will preferably be eliminated during gauge conversion.
The current action plan is focusing no eliminating almost all the Broad Gauge unmanned level crossing numbering 6352 in the next 3-4 years. While Indian Railways has eliminated 1148 level crossings and 1253 level crossing in 2015-16, it has scaled up its target and now plans to eliminate 1440 level crossings.
It may be mentioned that substantial funds are required in the task of eliminating unmanned level crossing. Till such time when all the unmanned level crossings are eliminated from the railway network, Indian Railways have been taking measures to prevent accidents at such level crossings. The data indicates that most of the accidents at unmanned level crossing have taken place because of the negligence and carelessness on the part of the road user. As a temporary measure Ministry of Railways has deployed Gate Mitras (Gate Counselors) on outsourcing on contractual basis at identified vulnerable unmanned level crossings. The Gate Mitras have been sourced from Home Guard, Ex-Servicemen etc. also at various places and are provided suitable training for carrying out their duties by the Zonal Railways. They counsel and guide road users to take appropriate precautions while passing through level crossings. The deployment of Gate Mitras has led to reduction in a number of incidents at unmanned level crossings. In 2014-15, 50 accidents took place at unmanned level crossings while in 2015-16 it came down to 29. Till 1st April, 2016 a total 4326 Gate Mitras were deployed at vulnerable level crossings.
Simultaneously, Indian Railways has been conducting awareness campaigns to prevent occurrence of such unfortunate incidents. The campaigns include organizing Nukkad Nataks (street plays), distribution of leaflets in and around unmanned level crossings, sending of mass SMS alerts to road users at around level crossings, advertisements and posters, special lectures in the educational institutions etc. Periodic special awareness drive to sensitize the public regarding usage of unmanned level crossings are also organized at regular intervals. Various steps like provision of road signages, repairing of approach roads, availability of height gauges, availability of danger mark over the height gauges, etc are being checked and ensured.
Under the existing Motor Vehicles Act (Section131), the road user is supposed to take appropriate precautions while passing through the unmanned level crossing. Clause 131 prescribes certain duties for a driver approaching an unmanned level crossing to ensure safe crossing of the vehicle in the interest of public safety. The text of the Section 131 is reproduced below : -
“131. Duty of the driver to take certain precautions at unguarded railway level crossings. - Every driver of a motor vehicle at the approach of any unguarded railway level crossing shall cause the vehicle to stop and the driver of the vehicle shall cause the conductor or cleaner or attendant or any other person in the vehicle to walk up to the level crossing and ensure that no train or trolley is approaching from either side and then pilot the motor vehicle across such level crossing, and where no conductor or cleaner or attendant or any other person is available in the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle shall get down from the vehicle himself to ensure that no train or trolley is approaching from either side before the railway track is crossed”
Till all unmanned level crossings are eliminated,
Railway administration once again appeals to the public that they should take adequate precautions while passing through the unmanned level crossings.
AKS/DK/AK

(Release ID :148050)

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Station foundation stone laid, Imphal one more step closer to see railway train


"This will not only connect Imphal to the rest of the country but also open up new vistas for economic development of the region,” he said.
WRITTEN BY SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP | GUWAHATI |
Published On:July 30, 2016 10:28 Pm

Imphal, the Manipur state capital, on Saturday moved one step closer to seeing a railway train chugging into the historic city with Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu laying the foundation stone for the proposed Imphal railway station there.

Speaking on the occasion, Prabhu said that connectivity was the prime driver of development and the railway ministry would not spare any resources for bringing in speedy development of rail connectivity in the Northeastern region.
“Indian Railways have taken a holistic approach towards development and the 111-km long new broad gauge railway line from Jiribam to Imphal. This will not only connect Imphal to the rest of the country but also open up new vistas for economic development of the region,” he said.
Prabhu also announced commencement of work on Tunnel No 12 in the Jiribam-Imphal section and said the tunnel would not just connect two parts of Manipur by rail but would also be a symbolic representation of the state getting connected to the Indian mainland. Tunnel No 12 incidentally will be the longest tunnel in the entire Indian Railway network and have a distance of 11.55 km. That apart, the Jiribam-Imphal section will also have the world’s tallest railway bridge over the Iring river. With a pier height of 141 metres, it will be almost equal to two Qutub Minars stacked over each other.

He also said that the rich cultural heritage of Manipur would find due importance in the proposed Imphal Station with the design incorporating various architectural elements of the Kangla Fort Gate and the Shri Govindji Temple – two historical monuments of Manipur.
The 111-km Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal broad gauge railway project, which was taken up in 2008, was soon declared a National Project because of its strategic importance. The 12.5-km Jiribam to Dholakhal section was already completed and commissioned for freight train in March 2016. Of the 37 tunnels in the 84-km Jiribam-Tupul section, 25 have been already completed and the works on the rest are also progressing well, a railway official in Guwahati said.

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...ore-step-closer-to-see-railway-train-2944961/

@anant_s Is the claim about highest bridge and longest tunnel correct ?

 

[ashok321]

 

[ashok321]

 

[Local_Legend]

Filing ITR? Here's your one-stop guide

It is that time of the year when we all are busy fiddling with the ITR forms. Time is less and thus you need to be more careful. We got in touch with an expert of the matter, advocate Sameer Jain, who listed 10 pointers to keep in mind to make the process full-proof.

1. Correct Income Tax Return form
There are seven Forms of return, out of which, ITR 1 to 4 are applicable to individuals/HUFs, while ITR 5 is for Partnership Firms and LLP, ITR 6 is for Companies other than those claiming exemptions & ITR 7 is for persons including companies.
Important: However, it should be noted that the Forms of return may be changed in the middle of the year. Therefore, need to file in the new form.

2. Timely filing
The government mandates that individuals who earn a specified amount of annual income must file a tax return within a pre-determined due date. So timely filing of returns is important and will help avoid interest and penalty.

3. Accurate entry of details
Quoting the correct PAN, the address for communication etc., are very necessary as to avoid any consequent inconvenience.
Important: In case the refund is opted to be received via ECS direct into the bank account, adequate care should be taken to correctly fill in the MICR code.

4. Disclose exempt income
Individuals are required to disclose all exempt income while filing returns even though no tax is required to be paid on the same. The deduction for interest incomes is withdrawn which comes through from bank deposits or NSC certificates. In respect of Interest on SB Account, an assessee can claim deduction U/s. 80TTA.

5. Claim deductions
The deduction for the investment made for pension such as Sec. 80C, Sec. 80CCC, and Sec. 80CCD is restricted to a certain limit. Benefits under Section 80C can also be claimed for tuition fees paid by an individual for their children and for the repayment of the principal amount in respect of home loan taken by him.

6. Claim loss return
In case of a loss return, the same must be claimed and the return filed within the due date as prescribed by the Income Tax Act. A delay in filing means the loss under the specified head cannot be carried forward.

7. Online filing
The online filing of return or submission of Form ITR-V is a mere formality which can be completed anytime. If the return is filed online without digital signature, a duly verified ITR-V form should be signed and submitted to CPC within 120 days from the date of e-Filing.
Important: If Form ITR-V is filed beyond 120 days, it would be deemed as if the return was not filed online in the first place and it might be too late by then.

8. ITR acknowledgement
Assessees may file income tax returns (ITR) with their digital signatures. If they don't have one, they can opt to receive an acknowledgement form - ITR-Verification which must be signed physically and forwarded to the Income Tax Department.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-your-one-stop-guide/articleshow/53465758.cms

 

[anant_s]

Is the claim about highest bridge and longest tunnel correct ?

Not sure.
Presently the highest bridge under construction is Chenab bridge in Kashmir valley, with a maximum height of ~ 360 meters.

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Massive tunneling Work on Udhampur Srinagar Rail Link

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Details of Alstom Electric Loco project for DFC

@Abingdonboy

Train to Kashmir

 

[Local_Legend]

Lifeline Express in Bhatkal from Aug. 1

Celebrating its silver jubilee year of foundation, the mobile medical clinic, Lifeline Express, will be stationed at Bhatkal Railway Station in Uttara Kannada district from August 1 to August 21.

This is a collaborative effort of Impact India Foundation, Union Ministry of Health and Indian Railways, to offer on-the-spot diagnostic, medical and advanced surgical treatment for people in inaccessible rural areas. The Konkan Railway hosts this mobile hospital in association with the Central Railway.

The express will provide medical check-up and surgeries for patients suffering from cataract, cleft lips, problems related to orthopaedic, ear, dental, fits etc. Well-known surgeons will conduct health examinations and surgery in the train itself, Konkan Railway said in a press release.

Started on July 16, 1991, the Lifeline Express has so far clocked over 90,000 km across the country and treated over one million disabled poor in rural areas treating and restoring sight, movement, hearing and correction of cleft lips with dental and neurological treatment free of cost.

The campaign is sustained with the help of the collaborators as well as donors from within and outside the country. The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and equipment to cater to the needs of rural patients.


Started on July 16, 1991, the Lifeline Express has treated over 1 million people in rural areas


http://www.thehindu.com/todays-pape...ress-in-bhatkal-from-aug-1/article8924122.ece


Railways, Tata-led panel clash on roadmap

The move to transform the Indian Railways has apparently hit a roadblock. There seems to be a clash of views between the ministry of Railways and the Ratan Tata-headed Kayakalp Council, set up to suggest a roadmap for the enterprise.

There has not been a single meeting of the council since November last year. The council was set up in 2015.

While the Tata-headed council wants the ministry to identify a particular sector, such as safety, and improve upon it, the ministry is against the idea of focusing on only one particular rail sector or zone.

“There has been no meeting of the Kayakalp council for almost eight months now. In all, the council has met three times in the last 17 months. The council in those three meetings tried to familiarise itself with the functioning of the Railways and various other issues.

However, there seems to be no forward movement on the mandate given to the council in the Rail Budget,” said a member of the Kayakalp council, nor has there has been any report from it yet on any area.

Incidentally, the Kayakalp council came into being when the Narendra Modi government was new in office and gave signals of big reforms.

However, the strong muscle of the railway unions appears to have slowed down the resolve of the Modi government to go for big reform in the Railways. “The approach of the Railways appears to be to strike a balance between its social obligation and incremental reforms being pursued by the Union minister of railways Suresh Prabhu. This has apparantly squeezed the mandate of the Kayakalp council,” sources said.

Mr Tata has been reportedly keen for the Railways to accord top priority to safety and wanted the authorities to study the safety standards of the Jamnagar unit of Reliance Petroleum and Tata Steel at Jamshedpur. But, sources said, that the Railway Board did not follow up on the suggestion. The Kayakalp Council is said to have last been working on a report on safety, which it wanted to submit, but there has been no progress on that front either.

“Kayakalp members expressed surprise when told that the Railways cross-subsidize passenger fares to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore each year. But afterwards the idea dawned among the members that the Railways cannot be seen to be giving up their social obligation and embrace reforms in a big way to attract private investment,” sources added.

Mr Tata had attended all the three meetings at Rail Bhavan, Delhi, and is said to be against the idea of holding deliberations in Mumbai.

http://www.asianage.com/india/railways-tata-led-panel-clash-roadmap-192

'Water Train' To Maharashtra's Drought-Hit Latur Completes 100 Trips

The first 'water train' started on April 11 from Miraj to Latur with 10 tanker wagons.



LATUR, MAHARASHTRA: Heavy rains in most parts of Maharashtra notwithstanding, the parched Latur city and surroundings continue to be supplied drinking water through the 'Jaldoot' special train operated by Indian Railways, an official said in Latur on Saturday.

On Friday, the train completed its 100th ferry run between Miraj in Osmanabad to Latur carrying its precious cargo of fresh drinking water over a distance of 343 km.


The first 'Jaldoot' started on April 11 from Miraj to Latur with 10 tanker wagons each carrying 50,000 litres water.

Later, the number of wagons was increased to 50 and till date it has supplied nearly 24 crore litres to Latur and some adjoining areas.

The official said that although Latur and other parts of the dry Marathwada received good rainfall in June-July, the catchment areas of Manjara Dam on the Osmanabad-Beed border continues to remain deficient.

The wagons were procured from Kota, Rajasthan, cleaned and then filled up, each refill taking around 12-14 hours before dispatch to the thirsting population of Latur and nearby villages.

The idea of operating 'Jaldoot' trains - a first for the Indian Railways, was jointly proposed by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in view of the extremely critical water crises in Latur last summer.

In view of the severe water crisis in Latur and certain other pockets in the state, for the first time, the state government provided police security to water tankers, reservoirs and imposed prohibitory orders at water distribution points.

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/wate...drought-hit-latur-completes-100-trips-1438292

 

[AndrewJin]

Not sure.
Presently the highest bridge under construction is Chenab bridge in Kashmir valley, with a maximum height of ~ 360 meters.
View attachment 322096

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Massive tunneling Work on Udhampur Srinagar Rail Link

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Details of Alstom Electric Loco project for DFC

@Abingdonboy

Train to Kashmir

http://highestbridges.com/wiki/index.php?title=Chenab_River_Railway_Bridge

 

[Local_Legend]

East India Rail OF the East India Company
It was but natural that the East India Company should seek a base in Bengal. With the decline in the Mughal empire, the Company increasingly grew more powerful, until it replaced Mughal rule completely. While Delhi or Agra had been the political capital of the Mughals, Bengal's commercial importance meant that Calcutta became the capital city from where the East India Company traded and ruled.

With the setting up of the East India Rail, closer links emerged between Calcutta and Delhi and made trade and commerce easier. Between 1882 to 1866, the East India Rail (which originally connected Calcutta to Varanasi) was extended up to Delhi and Agra.

A railway bridge near Darjeeling, c.1890's

 

[anant_s]

IR's Fastest Train: Bhopal-Shatabdi (runs at a speed up to 140 Km/ph)

This honor has now gone to Gatimaan express!

Longest Railway Platform in the World: Kharagpur

Gorakhpur (1370 meters, if i recall correctly) is probably longer than Kharagpur now.

Trains without Commercial Halts

Duronto expresses too don't have any commercial stops.

 

[Local_Legend]

This honor has now gone to Gatimaan express!


Gorakhpur (1370 meters, if i recall correctly) is probably longer than Kharagpur now.


Duronto expresses too don't have any commercial stops.

Thank you sir .
I too doubted the data might be old . I'll edit my post accordingly later .

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

@anant_s
There are some private railway lines operated by power stations , steel plants and port trusts using IR rolling stock , are those independent of IR in their day to day operations ?

I know about one private line of Adani in Gujarat , and except for its rolling stock , the line and operations are handled 100% by Adani group. Are these public sector companies operate their lines similarly or depend upon IR ?

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

Highest Railway Station in India :- Qazigund(QG) at the elevation of 1724 m above sea level. ( Broad Guage )