Latest news with #IndianRailways'
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Newly constructed Bokaro railway stn leaks rainwater
1 2 Bokaro: The Bokaro Steel City railway station, currently being redeveloped under the Indian Railways' Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 34 crore, has reported leaks following rain. Hyped as a future world-class station, the leaks in the newly constructed sections raised questions over construction quality. Adra railway division's divisional railway manager Sumit Narula on Monday was at the station for an on-ground inspection. While walking through platforms and building premises, he was taken aback to see rainwater dripping from multiple ceiling spots. Strict instructions were given to fix the issues immediately. TNN
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
AC coach or general compartment? Overcrowded train in Katihar leaves passengers fuming
If you thought booking an AC 3-tier ticket guaranteed peace and privacy, think again. A video of the Sikkim Mahananda Express—where unreserved passengers allegedly stormed an AC coach at Katihar station—has gone viral, and it's chaos on wheels. The viral video has raised fresh concerns about Indian Railways' ability to manage crowd control and passenger safety. The clip, originally posted by the X handle 'ILoveSiliguri', with the caption read, 'Despite being an AC coach, it turned into a packed general compartment, raising serious concerns about railway management.' Watch the video here: As the video picked up steam online, Indian Railways' 'Railway Seva' issued the standard regret note and asked for details via DM. 'We regret the experience you had. Please share your journey details (PNR / UTS no.) and Mobile no. preferably via DM to enable us to take immediate action,' Railway Sena said in a post on X. The response added that the issue had been escalated to the Katihar division. However, this video didn't go well with users as some of them commented: "So what exactly are we paying reservation charges for?" One of the users also said, "No matter how empty a train is, once it passes through Bihar, there's not even space left to place your foot. Seriously, the kind of chaos Biharis create on trains is unbearable — they barge into every coach, whether it's AC or sleeper. It's a complete mess." Another said, "At some point Railways has to have trains that do not stop at Bihar... Let them have an all General class a all standing ."
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Video of overcrowded 3rd AC coach in Sikkim Mahananda Express angers Internet
A video from the Sikkim Mahananda Express showing a 3rd AC coach packed like a general compartment sparked outrage online, with the internet slamming railway officials for the now-viral video of passengers storming into the 3rd AC coach of the Sikkim Mahananda Express reportedly at Katihar station, has raised fresh concerns about Indian Railways' ability to manage crowd control and passenger safety. advertisementThe clip showed passengers, seemingly without reservation, barging into the AC coach, which left those with confirmed tickets visibly distressed. The clip, originally posted by the X handle 'ILoveSiliguri', showed passengers flooding the corridor and even occupying the space near reserved seats. The caption read, 'Despite being an AC coach, it turned into a packed general compartment, raising serious concerns about railway management.'Watch the video here: Yesterday, 3rd AC coach of Sikkim Mahananda Express (15483) was overcrowded at Katihar, leaving reserved passengers distressed. Despite being an AC coach, it turned into a packed general compartment, raising serious concerns about railway management. I Love Siliguri (@ILoveSiliguri) July 24, 2025Indian Railways' official handle 'Railway Seva' reacted to the video, saying, 'We regret the experience you had. Please share your journey details (PNR / UTS no.) and Mobile no. preferably via DM to enable us to take immediate action.' The response added that the issue had been escalated to the Katihar However, the clarification didn't sit well with several users who reshared the video and criticised the poor enforcement of ticketing rules. One user, The Skin Doctor, posted: 'Look at the beautiful new 3rd AC coach of Sikkim Mahananda Express. Truly remarkable. But what's the point of such infra if the railways can't uphold the rule of law?'He further tagged Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and wrote, 'This unchecked rule-breaking has turned into entitlement. Now people neither fear nor feel ashamed—they do it with a smile. Someday you'll have to say enough and deploy railway police in all reserved coaches of trains passing through hotbeds of such behaviour.'He added, 'Those who pay deserve the service they paid for. If someone else can't afford a ticket or couldn't book in time, that's not the responsibility of reserved ticket passengers. Why should they be made to suffer for it?'Another user suggested concrete steps to prevent this chaos: '1. Mandatorily check confirmed tickets for entering platforms. 2. Abolish platform ticket system. 3. Remove chain pulling system. 4. Increase the number of trains for busy routes.'One post read, 'The infrastructure upgrade is commendable - but what's the use if lawlessness tramples over it? Reservation means a right, not a suggestion. If people with tickets are being bullied out of their seats, it's not just a railway issue - it's a breakdown of order.'advertisement'You thought you booked a seat. Turns out, you booked a negotiation. 'Bhaiya thoda adjust kar lo' is the new official policy. And if you speak up? You're the problem,' one of the users said. See the comments here: With passengers now using social media as their last resort to raise such complaints, the pressure is mounting on Indian Railways to act before 'adjust kar lo' becomes the default travel policy in reserved compartments.- Ends
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Indian Railways tests first hydrogen-powered coach: What does the project entail?
Indian Railways successfully tested the first hydrogen-powered coach or driving power car earlier this week at its Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. This marks a key milestone in the national transporter's quest to build India's first hydrogen-powered train, something only a few railways in the world have tried, with a bulk of the projects still in the trial phase. The ICF project is significant for the Railways as it is one of the key players in India's mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix. An increased use of hydrogen, which is a cleaner fuel, will further reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Officials said that the project has reached the final stage, wherein testing of various equipment is being done before hydrogen-powered trains are pressed into commercial service. Indian Railways' Northern Railway zone has undertaken this project which began in 2020-21. The project has two major components. First, the conversion of two conventional 1600 HorsePower (HP) diesel power cars into hydrogen fuel cell-powered traction system, and second, setting up a hydrogen storage and fuelling facility at Jind in Haryana. The total cost of the project is approximately Rs. 136 crore. The primary design, validation, and testing is being undertaken by Indian Railways' Research Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO). A senior official of the Ministry of Railways said that the hydrogen train project was conceptualised for conversion of a 10-coach diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU) into a hydrogen-powered multiple unit, with two 1600 HP Power cars. With a train length of 10 coaches, it will have a capacity to carry more than 2,600 passengers. It has been planned to operate the hydrogen train between Jind and Sonepat stations of Northern Railway in Haryana, two round-trips of 356 km. The hydrogen storage and fueling facility at Jind will have a storage capacity of 3,000 kg of Hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel technology is still an emerging field in Railways. There are many challenges and safety concerns, too, as hydrogen is a highly flammable gas. As the project involves the retro-fitment of two diesel-powered cars into Hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars, each power car will carry 220 kg of hydrogen, stored in specially designed cylinders at 350 bar pressure. The mounting structure of hydrogen cylinders and fuel cells is critical and for that, multiple rounds of testing are on. Hydrogen is the lightest element. It is colourless, odourless, tasteless, and highly flammable. Due to its typical characteristics, safety remains a point of caution while dealing with hydrogen. Officials said that to minimise the risk, Railways have done computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies, wherein the worst cases of hydrogen leak and other failure modes are considered with continuous monitoring. The official further said that an extensive testing of all in-house equipment like vehicle control system, boost converter, traction converter, auxiliary converter, and traction motor have been successfully completed. The hydrogen train will include safety features such as pressure relief valves, leak detection, flame detection sensors, temperature detection systems, and scientifically designed ventilation. An independent third-party safety auditor – 'Technischer Überwachungsverein Süd' (TUV-SUD) of Germany has been roped in for ensuring the safety standards. The engineering design and conversion work is being undertaken at ICF, Chennai by Hyderabad-based Medha Servo Drives. The 3,000-kg hydrogen fuelling facility at Jind will provide the required hydrogen for the operation of the hydrogen-powered train. The storage capacity has been divided into two separate storage spaces — 2320 kg at low pressure and 680 kg at high pressure. The facility will be operated and maintained in accordance with the standards and specification of Petroleum Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), a nodal agency under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Officials said that Northern Railway is undertaking the associated infrastructure works such as power supply, road construction, firefighting tank, etc, to make the facility operational. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Indian Railways: What is the status of Vande Bharat Sleeper trains?
Vande Bharat train, Vande Bharat Sleeper: Indian Railways' Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are set to further transform the rail journey in the country. With a focus on comfort, speed and latest technology, the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains have been planned for long and medium distance journey. The Vande Bharat sleeper trains are being designed with advanced features like automatic doors, ultra comfortable berths, on board WiFi and an aircraft-like design. With the introduction of this new semi-high-speed train, passengers will experience a quieter, smoother and more comfortable journey, equipped with world-class amenities and advanced safety features. After a successful trial run earlier this year, many are still wondering: when will this next-generation train finally be launched? In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Friday (July 25, 2025), Railway Minister stated that the first rake of Vande Bharat sleeper train is undergoing commissioning. 'The first prototype of Vande Bharat Sleeper trainset has already been manufactured. Based on the extensive field trials and the experience gained therein, the first rake of Vande Bharat sleeper train is undergoing commissioning,' the minister said. In a separate response, the Union Minister stated that the design for the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, to be manufactured by Indian Railways, has been finalised. He further informed that production is currently underway for 10 such trains. 'Further production of 50 Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes has been taken up by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. In addition, Contracts for manufacturing of 200 Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes have also been awarded to Technology Partners, out of which, M/s KINET Railway Solutions Limited is required to supply 120 trains of 16 cars each. This is as per the original contract agreement,' Vaishnaw said. The Railway Minister was responding to a query raised by TMC MP Saket Gokhale regarding the Vande Bharat Sleeper coach tender awarded to the JV company Kinet. He also sought clarification on whether the original tender for 120 trains with 16 coaches each had been revised to 80 trains with 24 coaches each. He also inquired about proposed design changes, etc. Anish Mondal is a business journalist with over nine years of experience. He writes on diverse subjects such as Infrastructure, Railways, Roadways, Aviation, Politics, Market, Parliamentary affairs, Corporate earnings, General and International news etc. ... Read More
