With Suresh Prabhu taking over, the Railways has initiated a number of steps to bring about efficiency with former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan also being roped in as part of this process.
Prabhu hoped that during this 3-4 years period, railways would be able to absorb the impact from their resources
The amount is from a total of Rs 19,000 crore (Rs 190 billion) granted by the Railway ministry to Southern Railway for various works like gauge conversion and construction of railway stations.
Seeking more funds, Railway Minister Mukul Roy requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to provide additional allocation to meet the rising demands of the Railways to achieve efficiency and provide more safety.
Railway officials said important projects at crucial stages would now be stuck for a long time.
As many as 21 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected across the country till now, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said on Wednesday but asserted that there was no need to panic.
As part of efforts to strengthen Indo-Pak trade ties, Railways is mulling to provide 50 diesel locomotives on hiring basis to Pakistan.
The Rail Budget will announce introduction of AC suburban trains in Mumbai.
While a total of 22 stations have been identified to be developed as world class, six stations have been chosen to be taken up in the first phase, a senior railway ministry official said.
The Minister of Railways Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced her ministry will follow a twin strategy of adopting the highest level of technology and pressing into force well-trained manpower, as emphasised in Vision 2020 for safety and security.
'The Centre brought down expenses by as much as Rs 12,000 crore (Rs 120 billion).'
'There is tension between the zones all the time.'
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to question railway board members, including its chairman, in connection with the Rs 10 crore bribery scandal involving suspended board member Mahesh Kumar and nephew of Railway Minister P K Bansal.
The projects include commissioning of new lines, gauge conversion and doubling of existing tracks in certain busy stretches.
Suresh Prabhu, the new railways minister, not only needs to save the railways from the clutches of bureaucracy and politics but also attract foreign investment to revive the once potent force.
The solution for railways lay in understanding the strengths of the system,
The Indian Railways has decided to introduce a mobile radio communication facility in its trains to ensure security.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that her ministry would clear the backlog of two lakh vacancies countrywide within six months and the process was already on for class III posts.
Despite the hope that lessons will be learnt, the next accident invariably shows that nothing has been learnt -- or if learnt, they have been ignored, observes Prosenjit Datta.
The railway minister's indifference to her portfolio, the hesitation to install anti-collision devices that cost Rs 250,000 per km and the debate over the efficiency of home-grown technology are leading to more accidents.
The railway ministry has decided to install Closed-circuit television cameras in ladies' compartments in phases in order to provide enhanced security to women passengers, the Rajya Sabha was told on Friday.
Contrary to expectations, the revised fare structure under the 'Tatkal' scheme of the railways has given a boost to the ticketing earnings of the railways.
Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took charge as the sixth Minister of Railways in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's second term.
'There is corruption at various levels'.
Former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Wednesday said the railway budget will make it clear if the performance of the PSU during his tenure was better than what it is at present.
The railways is collaborating with various companies from Germany, South Korea, Japan and China to work out the fine prints.
The total earnings in Q1 rose 14.54 per cent, while working expenses grew at a measly 4.22 per cent.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said his party would conduct a "caste census" if elected to power as only such an exercise would ensure the "participation of OBCs, Dalits, tribals and women".
Opposition parties on Monday blamed the Railways and the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh for the "avoidable" stampede during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad that left 36 people dead and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
Out of the total of 25,359 complaints received during 2010, the highest of 8,330 were against Railways, 6,520 against banks, 1,836 against petroleum department and 1,572 were against telecom officials.
Without making big-ticket changes in the economic ministries, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday shifted Law Minister M Veerappa Moily to the ministry of corporate affairs and inducted young Milind Deora in his council of ministers.
Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal is likely to be quizzed soon by the CBI in connection with the alleged Rs 10 crore bribery scandal involving his nephew V Singla and Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, both of whom reportedly met at his residence.
The national transporter is also mulling a hike in passenger fares in the Rail Budget next year to tide over the loss in passenger sector
Although the CPI-M has emphasised that the railway panel's post is its top choice, Congress floor managers have already conveyed to the comrades that 'it will be difficult' to fulfil their dreams. The CPI-M is likely to get the chairman's seat in the Standing Committee on coal and steel or energy.
Central Bureau of Investigation has said that the Central agency is likely to question former Bihar chief minister and Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case.
To facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI) in high- speed rail projects, the government is likely to allow private sector entry in operations.
The Government of India has decided to launch a massive rural public works scheme, 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan', to "empower and provide livelihood opportunities to the returnee migrant workers and rural citizens". Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch this scheme on June 20 through video conference in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
Projects about to be completed include the first rail connectivity projects in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, along with crucial gauge conversion between Rangpara and North Lakhimpur, which would connect Arunachal Pradesh to the rest of the country.
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