On the 83rd anniversary of the Quit India movement, Utkarsh Mishra recalls the conditions under which the Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi, launched the final struggle for independence.
As an IAS officer in Kerala, Gyanesh Kumar -- who the Congress described as Amit Shah's 'right hand man' -- had a good working equation with the state's Congress and Left leaders.
It was written in the email that the "building will explode as bomb is planted", a police officer said and added that the IP address and other details of the mail are being checked.
A woman loco pilot was killed in the Malda division of West Bengal after being hit by a speeding train while returning from a washroom break. The incident has sparked outrage among loco pilots' unions who have been demanding improved washroom facilities and safety measures for female drivers. This incident highlights the ongoing struggle for safe working conditions for women loco pilots, who face numerous challenges due to the lack of basic amenities and support.
'Currently, 81 per cent of all reserved tickets are booked through e-ticketing.'
A deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station occurred on Saturday evening as passengers confused two trains with similar names, "Prayagraj Express" and "Prayagraj Special," and rushed to change platforms after an announcement. The confusion led to a surge of people on the stairs, resulting in the tragic deaths of 18 people. The Railway Ministry stated that the arrival of the "Prayagraj Special" at platform 12 caused panic among those waiting for the "Prayagraj Express" at platform 14, leading to the stampede. An unprecedented rush of passengers due to the Maha Kumbh and the delay of multiple trains heading to Prayagraj contributed to the chaos. The incident highlighted the dangers of inadequate crowd management during peak travel periods.
Heavy security has been deployed at vital installations in Delhi, including government buildings and areas with high footfalls, following Pakistan's drone attacks on Indian military sites. Police have strengthened vigil in areas with high footfalls and have canceled leaves for all Delhi Police personnel. The developments come after India swiftly thwarted Pakistan's attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles.
India conducted nationwide civil defence mock drills simulating multiple hostile scenarios like air raids, fire emergencies, and rescue operations across several states and union territories. The drills, dubbed 'Operation Abhyaas,' aimed to enhance emergency preparedness in light of recent terror attacks. The exercises involved coordinated efforts by various agencies, including civil defence personnel, police, fire and emergency services, and the military. Mock drills were conducted at various locations, including railway stations, malls, and high-rise buildings, showcasing the response capabilities of authorities in different emergency scenarios. The drills highlighted the importance of public awareness and cooperation in dealing with real-time emergencies.
Experts say Prabhu displays a clear intent of reforms but has not been able to fully shake-up the mammoth railway system.
The EC is learnt to have invoked the 'party in power' clause of the poll code in the case as it could be averred that party in power' is using government transporter for election publicity.
Roads, railways, and coal together are likely to account for 70 per cent of the government's takings from the upcoming second edition of the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), set to run from FY26 to FY30. In comparison, these three sectors are estimated to have contributed 66 per cent in the first edition of the NMP - FY22 to FY25.
The new Vande Bharat Express train is specially designed to operate seamlessly in Jammu & Kashmir's challenging winter conditions for the upcoming Katra-Srinagar rail route.
The Union Home Ministry has asked several states to conduct mock drills on May 7 amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The drills will include operationalising air raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil defence, and rehearsing evacuation plans. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been holding high-level meetings as India considers countermeasures against the April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians.
Under the plan being worked out, the labour component of the railway projects, which include the expansion of train lines or conversion of line gauge, would be funded from NREGS, as most of these projects require a large labour force and generate employment opportunities in rural areas.
How to conduct the mock exercise with active public participation of people was discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan. Top civil and police officers of the country participated in the meeting, official sources said.
A multi-agency team has gone to the US and all paperwork and legal issues are being completed with US authorities to bring him to India, they said.
The railways on Tuesday said the RPF constable accused in the Jaipur-Mumbai train shooting incident kept the treatment he would have been undergoing for any mental condition a "secret" and no such ailment was detected in the last periodic medical examination for the force's personnel.
Every wheelchair at the Armed Forces' Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre in Pune is a story of sacrifice and strength, of courage, resilience and unbreakable spirit.
'We carry 6.5 billion passengers every year. We have crossed seven billion this year, and are targeting 10 billion by 2030.'
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Jaya Varma Sinha, member of operation and business development, Railway Board said, "According to the preliminary findings, there has been some issue with the signalling. We are still waiting for the detailed report from the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Only Coromandel Express met with an accident. The train was at a speed of around 128 km/h."
The year 2015 has seen eight accidents because of derailments.
The Cabinet can take a decision on the matter only after the Election Commission's approval.
India has strongly rejected Pakistan's allegations of backing terrorism against that country following the Balochistan train attack. India said Islamabad should look inwards before shifting the blame on others for its "failures " and that the whole world knows "where the epicentre of global terrorism lies ". Pakistan, on the other hand, has accused India of "sponsoring terrorism " without directly implicating it in the Balochistan train attack that killed 21 passengers.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday due to noisy protests by the opposition, who demanded answers regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Mahakumbh. Opposition members protested after PM Modi's statement and demanded the inclusion of stampede deaths in the statement. The House proceedings were initially adjourned until 1 pm, and when the House resumed, opposition members continued their protests, forcing the Chair to adjourn the proceedings for the day.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved seven multi-tracking projects of Indian Railways at an estimated cost of around Rs 32,500 crore, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The proposed projects, which will be fully funded by the Centre, will help increase the existing line capacity, smoothen train operations, reduce congestion and facilitate ease of travelling and transportation. The projects covering 35 districts in nine states -- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal -- will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 2,339 km and provide employment of an estimated 7.06 crore man-days to the people of the states.
Vaishnaw travelled in the engine of a Kavach-fitted train, which, while speeding at 130 kmph, stopped 50 metres before red signal on its own without any manual interference with the braking function by the loco pilot.
The number of passengers in the suburban sector rose 1.48 per cent to 3,210.93 million between April 2009 and January 2010, from 3,164.05 million in the year-ago period. However, earnings rose around 2.5 per cent to Rs 1,441.72 crore (Rs 14.41 billion) from Rs 1,406.73 crore (Rs 14.06 billion).
As Indian Railways looks to avert the crisis like last summer, preparations are under way to stock up coal at thermal power plants. Much like February and March, thermal coal movement in April was 5 per cent higher than the previous year, data from the Ministry of Railways shows. While India prepares for a hot summer this year, 48.23 million tonnes (mt) of coal for thermal power plants was ferried by Indian Railways in April. The national transporter also moved about 500,000 tonnes--18.4 per cent-- more imported coal for power plants this April than it had done last year.
Focuses on meeting non-traction demand through renewables.
'Imagine what will happen when a train running at 128 kmph moves onto a track that is meant to have only a speed less than 30 kmph!' 'Naturally, it will derail, and the coaches will go for a tailspin.'
There was a shortfall in utilisation of funds for staff welfare to the tune of Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) in 2005-06 and Rs 57 crore (Rs 570 million) in 2006-07, said the Standing Committee on Railways in its latest report.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been taken into 18-day custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India. Rana was extradited from the United States after years of legal battles and will be questioned to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the attacks.
The petition mentions that the scope of inquiry of the Banerjee Committee "extends to more than two states."
'It is not a question of stature. I had expected Railways,' said the Chemicals and Fertilizer Minister.
Currently, Railways is facing a loss of Rs 34,000 cr in passenger segment and its earnings are falling.
The WWF had earlier asked for halting movement of night trains in the New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar section passing through wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks and restricting their speed.
On the complaint of Rudrapur city section railway engineer Rajendra Kumar, an FIR was lodged at GRP Police Station Rampur under sections of the Railways Act 1989 against unnamed people.
'If his health was good he would have become CM again after polls.' 'Those who are with Nitish Babu today will remain with him till the elections to use his name for votes and would definitely play games with him after the polls.'
The government is looking to give Bharat Global Ports a certain amount of domestic exposure after it set up the state-owned consortium to increase India's global maritime heft, officials aware of the development said. The intended domestic exposure is meant to give the consortium experience and build its credentials for international projects.
If the fiscal deficit target of 4.9% of GDP has to be met for 2024-2025, which the government must in view of the uncertainties and challenges emerging both domestically and globally, the finance ministry may see in the composition of the current year's capex a sliver of hope, notes A K Bhattacharya.
