Indian Economy-News & Updates

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...eens-sanjeev-kapoor-to-finalise-menu-4458643/

By: PTI | New Delhi | Published:January 4, 2017 3:54 pm

The LCD screens will also be used for disseminating passenger-related information and safety instructions. (Source: Facebook/ Mandeep Singh AhluWalia)

Railways is looking to unveil new services in the new year as part of which passengers will be treated to cuisines curated by a celebrity chef coupled with ultra modern facilities to make it a world class journey. “Despite challenges, we undertook several initiatives in 2016 which will bear fruits later. In 2017, we are looking to progress on the many new initiatives we have launched,” Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has said.

“Recently we launched Hamsafar Express. Before that Mahamanya and Gatimaan Express were also launched. Tejas will be launched in 2017,” Prabhu said. Redefining passengers’ travel experience, Tejas coaches will be equipped with 22 new features, including entertainment LCD screens for each passenger along with headphones sockets.

The LCD screens will also be used for disseminating passenger-related information and safety instructions. Quality catering service will be a part of Tejas fares like Rajdhani and Duronto trains and railways is considering an agreement with renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor to finalise the menu shortly.

Railways has undertaken many steps in 2016 which are expected to bear fruit in 2017. Giving an example, Prabhu said, “When you plant a seed, you do not see the tree for three years. But suddenly you see sprouts, then the tree comes out and it grows fast. Exactly that is going to happen in railways.”

Tejas train will be equipped with many modern facilities some of which are the first for Indian Railways. Besides, choicest cuisine and wi-fi facility, there will be toilet engagement boards on the train whose interior colour scheme will match the exterior to give Tejas passengers the feel of world class travel. Prabhu said, “What we are doing today are all structural fundamental initiatives which will create infrastructure. We are launching ERP which will create new efficiency standards, new opportunities in addition to the accounting reforms which we have started this year.”

“2016 was a year of several initiatives and also consolidation and 2017 will be completion of so many initiatives we have started,” he added. Detailing the whole gamut of activities in the rail sector since he took over the reins, Prabhu said, “2015 was the beginning, 2016 was taking the next step. 2017 will be the year of consolidation and 2018 will be the year of seeing huge benefits, the real year when the benefits will start coming out.”

 

[MKC]

8 Railway Stations in India with the Most Fascinating Stories to Tell
Railway stations are fascinating places. It might be because they have withstood everything from wars to urban development. It might be because of their historic buildings that inspire writers to weave stories around them. It might also be due to the train journey itself, an exciting adventure to foreign lands or a return to familiar settings.

Whatever it is, railway stations aren't just transportation hubs; they are places that take you into another world before your train even leaves the platform.

Wellington station, India
Photo Source
In India, visiting railway stations can often be a throwback to another era –the nostalgia, the architecture and the interesting history.

Here are 8 Indian railway stations with stories that will leave you fascinated.

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Photo Source
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was originally known as the Victoria Terminus when it was built in the 19th century. Its whole design is a combination of Victorian Gothic Revival and traditional Indian architecture shown by three stories of turrets, spires, domes, gables, water-spouting gargoyles and floral and animal patterns. An octagonal ribbed dome atop the structure is its crowning glory. In the past, Bori Bandar station, located in east Mumbai, was the main station for all commercial and trade activities in the city. It was designed by F. W. Stevens during the colonial era, who named it Victoria Terminus (VT), after the then-reigning Queen Victoria. The complete construction of the building took ten years, which was the longest time taken by any building of that era in Bombay. It was opened to the Queen on her Golden Jubilee in 1887 and was the most expensive building in Bombay, which then cost about 260,000 Sterling Pounds. In 1966, this 19th-century masterpiece was renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in honour of the great Maratha warrior.
http://www.examinationtoday.com/chhatrapati-shivaji-terminus-india/

2. Kachiguda Station, Telangana

Photo Source
The Kachiguda Railway Station may seem lost in the hustle and bustle of the city that has grown around it but that only belies the station's structural and historical significance. The station was first built in 1916 during the period of Nizam Osman Ali Khan as a part of the Godavari Valley Light Railway to create wider trade connectivity for the state to western cities like Mumbai. Interestingly, other than its eye-catching architecture and 100-year-old wooden staircases, the Kachiguda railway station also had a distinct ladies' area with a purdah wall that allowed women to alight and disembark trains in privacy. The railway museum at the station is also a great way for passengers to learn about the history of the Nizam's State Railway.

3. Charbagh Station, Uttar Pradesh

Photo Source
An architectural masterpiece, one glance is enough to fall in love with the the gorgeous red-and-white Charbagh Railway Station. Built in 1914 in the City of Nawabs, Lucknow, the station was designed by J,H Hornimen who used both Mughal and Rajasthani elements in its architecture. The magnificent structure is resplendent with domes, minars and cupolas, and overlooks a sprawling garden located outside its front entrance. While from outside the structure of the station resembles a Rajput palace, from the sky it appears like a chessboard laid out with pieces. A unique quality about the railway station is that while standing on the portico, you cannot not hear the noise coming from incoming and outgoing trains. The station was also the site of the first personal meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in 1916. An engraved stone has been placed outside the railway station to mark this special meeting.

4. Royapuram Station, Tamil Nadu

Photo Source
A simple red-and white colonial building with grand Corinthian pillars, the Royapuram station is probably the oldest surviving station in the entire sub-continent, as the original structures of Bombay and Thane stations no longer exist. The Royapuram station was inaugurated on July 1, 1856 by the then Governor of Madras Presidency, Lord Harris. The first services to be operated were between Royapuram and Ambur and between Royapuram and Tiruvallur. Built by Madras Railway Company, Royapuram was selected as the site as it was on the edge of a settlement of British traders and locals near Fort St. George. In 2016, the Madras High Court prohibited the Southern Railway from disturbing the 160-year-old heritage building of Royapuram Railway Station even for any expansion works.

5. Howrah Station, West Bengal

Photo Source
Kolkata's most iconic symbol, the Howrah Bridge which spans the Hooghly river, leads to another iconic landmark-the Howrah station. The huge, brick-red building is the second oldest station and one of the largest railway complexes in India. On December 1 2016, the Howrah station completed 111 years. It was on this day in 1905, that the station with six platforms began functioning. Back then, it was the proverbial feather in the cap for British engineers, representing a new era in the colonial dream of expansion. Today, the terminus is the lifeline for the entire eastern India, with 23 platforms that are used by over one million people every day. A mix of Romanesque and traditional Bengali styles (designed by British engineer Halsey Ricardo), the station built on the banks of the Hoogly river is very much in sync with its surroundings. The station's most familiar fixture is its 'boro ghari' (big clock), a twin faced clock standing back-to-back that was mounted on heavy wooden frames in 1926.

 

[MKC]

6. Rashidpura Khori Station, Rajasthan

Photo Source
Rashidpura Khori is small rural junction on the Sikar-Laxmangarh narrow gauge of North Western Railway is one of it's kind. This one-of-a kind railway station is run and operated by the villagers. The station was declared closed by Jaipur division of the North-Western Railway zone of Indian railways in 2005, citing the reason of poor income. As this would have affected nearly 20000 people of Rashidpura Khori and several nearby villages, the villagers wrote to the railways officials but to no avail. In 2009, the railways agreed to open the station again on one condition - the sale of tickets worth 3 lakhs. Villagers came together to crowdfund the revival of the station. Since becoming operational once again in 2009, the station is being run by villagers who take care of the cleanliness and maintenance of the station. The person who has been given the job of selling tickets is given 15% of the sales as salary. Other persons have been appointed to check if someone is travelling without tickets

7. Begunkodor Station, West Bengal

Photo Source
Famous as the haunted station of Purulia, the Begunkodor railway station was abandoned for 42 years because of fears that it was haunted. Begunkodor village is 43km (26 miles) from the district headquarters in Purulia, the westernmost district of West Bengal. The story goes that in 1967, a railway worker is said to have died days after he saw a "woman ghost" draped in a white sari. Spooked by the rumour, all the employees of the railway station abandoned their posts and refused to be posted to the station. Finally, in 2009, Mamata Bannerjee, the then-railway minister decided to reopen it for the people of the village.

8. Barog Station, Himachal Pradesh

Photo Source
Barog, a quaint little railway station on the Kalka-Shimla train track has a colourful history. Built in 1903, the building of Barog station has Scottish-style gabled roofs and is surrounded by stunning mountain views. According to local folklore, the British railway engineer who developed this tunnel in the Kalka-Shimla railway is said to haunt the very place he helped build. In 1898, Colonel Barog started boring into the Shimla hill from both sides, hoping they would meet in the middle. The British authorities fined Barog Re 1 for wasting government money when a miscalculation resulted in both the ends not meeting each other. Humiliated, the dejected colonel shot himself inside the incomplete tunnel and was buried near it. Not surprisingly, tales of ghosts have haunted the station ever since. A new tunnel was later completed by British engineer H.S. Harrington with the help of a local holy man called Baba Bhalku. Today, the pretty station is a popular stop on this UNESCO heritage route.
https://in.news.yahoo.com/8-railway-stations-india-most-113043449.html

 

[MKC]

Railway Stations Across India Are Getting Amazing Makeovers. Here Are 10 Most Spectacular Ones.
Tanaya Singh
February 12, 2016
Makeovers seem to be the latest trend in the world of railway stations in India. Mumbai, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Chennai, and more – stations across the country are getting swanky walls with beautiful paintings, clean platforms, colourful stairs, and a very welcoming environment. The beautification everywhere is being done by citizens and the government alike. There are NGOs, students, volunteers, government organizations and many others who just want their stations to look fabulous – instead of giving the same dull feeling we usually get on entering a station.

1. Chennai Central railway station:

All Pictures: Twitter

 

[MKC]

2. Bikaner railway station:

Source: Twitter
3. Udaipur City railway station:

Source: Twitter
4. Hazaribagh Road railway station:

Source: Twitter
5. Borivali station, Mumbai:

Source: Twitter

 

[MKC]

6. Gandhinagar Jaipur railway station:

Source: Twitter

 

[MKC]

7. Sawai Madhopur railway station, Rajasthan:

Source: Twitter
8. King’s Circle railway station, Mumbai:

Source: Twitter

 

[MKC]

9. Bhubaneshwar railway station:

10. Govindpuri Metro Station, Delhi:

http://www.thebetterindia.com/45969/railway-station-beautification-india/

 

[Hindustani78]

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi performing the “Bhumi Pujan” for redevelopment of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani are also seen.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi performing the “Bhumi Pujan” for redevelopment of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani are also seen.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi performing the “Bhumi Pujan” for redevelopment of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi unveiling the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Governor of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Shri O.P. Kohli, the Union Minister for Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani are also seen.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being briefed about the Model of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani are also seen.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being briefed about the Model of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani is also seen.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being briefed about the Model of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017. The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani is also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the Public Meeting, after the “Bhumi Pujan” for redevelopment of Gandhinagar Railway Station Complex, in Gujarat on January 09, 2017.

 

[Hindustani78]

 

[MKC]

 

[ashok321]

Gujarat inks Rs 66000 cr MoU with railways for manufacturing parts of bullet train:

Reliance will be relied upon by Gujarat/Modi. Period.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...-manufacturing-parts-of-bullet-train-4470541/
By: Express News Service Written by Leena Mishra | Gandhinaga | Published:January 12, 2017 1:53 pm

Big budget for railways this year. (File)

Gujarart Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the state government has inked an Memorandum of Understanding with the Railways for manufacturing parts of bullet train wherein Rs 67000 crore of work will done in the state

“We are inking an MoU with Railways where by parts of high-speed bullet train will manufactured here. This will be attract work worth Rs 67000 crore to Gujarat,” said Rupani after stepping out of a seminar for MSMEs at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on Thursday.

“Apart from this (an MoU) for a container depot in Rajkot will be constructed. There is a lot of exports happening from Morbi and Saurashtra region. This will cost about Rs 100 crore,” he added.

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