RAILWAY SAMACHAR

Miles to go, but no water in sight

BANGALORE : It looks like the various transport departments do not plan toprovide as basic a thing as drinking water at transit centres, while at the drawing board. This is the impression one gets, considering that millions of rupees are being spent on beautification and maintenance of transit centres, but it will be hardto find adequate drinking water facilities at these centres. No wonder then that even the locally-manufactured bottled water leaps off the shelves at the Bangalore International Airport, the concourse areas of Bangalore city railway station and other railway stations in the city and the BMTC bus station. Thankfully, adequate drinking water facilities have been provided at the railway platforms in these places. As summer approaches, the demand for drinking water increases manifold and not everyone can afford to fork out Rs 15 per litre. Raghavendra who spoke to Express when he was at the reservation counter of the Bangalore city railway station said: It will be appreciated if the railway authorities provide drinking water in the concourse area of the railway stations. Why would anybody buy bottled water if the railway department provides safe drinking water? A senior railway officer admitted that drinking water is not provided in the concourse areas of any of the railway stations of the country. Moreover, he lamented, people dirty the railway stations by spitting around the area where drinking water facility is provided. Divisional Railway Manager Akhil Aggarwal said: Concourse areas are openareas. Any body can come and go. It is difficult to provide drinking water inthese areas. One becomes our customer as soon as one buys railway ticket. Weprovide them safe drinking water in the platforms. Passengers at Bangalore International Airport are not so lucky, considering they do not have access toeven a single drinking water tap. The BMTC has provided just one water dispensing centre at the entire BMTC bus station at Majestic and it does not suffice for the thousands who throng the bus station on a daily basis. Only KSRTC seems to have understood the gravity of the situation by providing fivewater-dispensing points at the Kempegowda bus terminal.

Track cleared for Metro Rail

KOCHI: Finally, the signal has turned green for the Metro Rail project. With theGovernment allotting Rs 50 lakh for the office work of the project, the controversial office space provided by the GCDA (Greater Cochin Development Authority) to EMRC (Ernakulam Metro Rail Corporation) will soon see some action. The EMRC is planning to have its technical office in the space provided in thecity. The primary facilities will come from Delhi. We will only have technical and civil staff here. The office will be mainly for technical and construction activities. We are planning to start the work at the earliest with three officers,said K Gopinathan, liaison officer, EMRC. The government had allotted the second floor of the eastern entry building nearthe South Railway station, which belongs to the GCDA, for the Metro rail projectin 2006. But with no progress in the commissioning of the city dream project, the space has been lying idle since then. The space has already been allotted by the State Government. And we provided the space as per the directions way back in December 2006, but nothing has beendone about it,” said Vijay Kumar, estate officer, GCDA. With the project heading nowhere, the GCDA authorities had taken steps to takeback the property. According to officials, this place in the prime locality ofthe city has been turned into a 'no mans land.' The Metro Railauthorities did not take the initiative to open an office here and consequently no rent was paid by them for the last two years. Facing a huge loss, the GCDA did its best to regain the property which could earn them a good amount as monthly rent. But now, with the government allotting the funds, the office is expected to start functioning.

Compensation for victims of train-tractor collision

New Delhi : Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has announced a compensation of Rs. one lakh each to the next of the kin of those killed in Sunday's train-tractor collision near Raebareli. He also announced a compensation of Rs 20,000 for each of those seriously injured in the mishap while Rs 5,000 will be provided to each of those who suffered minor injuries. The ministry will also consider offering jobs to the family members of victims of poor families. At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 25 others seriously injured when a tractor trolley they were travelling in collided with a speeding train at Unchahar railway crossing near Raebareli.

SR celebrates 153rd anniversary of India's first rly station

Chennai, Jan 26 (PTI) Southern Railway (SR) today celebrated the 153rd anniversary of the country's first railway station at Royapuram, by operating aheritage steam engine from Royapuram to Tambaram station here. Royapuram station, the oldest and the second major railway station in India wasbuilt in 1856, a SR release said here.History of railways in South India dates back to May 8, 1845, the day offormation of the Madras Railway Company. The company commenced its operationswith the opening of the 65 km rail line between Royapuram and Wallajah Road on May 28, 1856, the release said. General Manager (SR) Rakesh Chopra, flagged off the steam engine, which left Royapuram to Tambaram and then it came back to Chennai Egmore station, which isalso one of the oldest stations in India. Egmore was built in the Mughal styleof architecture and was opened for traffic on June 11, 1908. SR's network now spreads across 3,717 kms on the broad gauge and 1,452 kms onthe metre gauge, the release said.