Latest news with #IndianRailways'
India Today
a day ago
- Business
- India Today
Railway tracks to turbines: How RVNL's pivot signals India's green infra shift
Battery packs the size of small warehouses and run-of-the-river hydro plants chiselled into Himalayan valleys are not the first pictures that come to mind when one thinks of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). Yet the public sector engineering firm, which has spent decades laying India's steel arteries, building bridges and metro rails, now wants to generate—or at least secure—the clean power that will run trains over those same lines. The ambition is grand but hardly unrealisable. And not a day too Railways must decarbonise at speed, and RVNL believes its civil works expertise can be redeployed to build reservoirs, solar parks and battery farms that steady the grid long after are exploring opportunities to install solar power with battery storage because Indian Railways' goal is to become net zero by 2030, and traction power requirement is itself around 10,000 MW,' says M.P. Singh, director (operations), RVNL.'Solar power with battery storage for assured power supply Indian Railways has also indicated that they want Its goal is to become net zero by 2030, and traction power requirement is itself around 10,000 MW,' says M.P. Singh, director (operations), RVNL. The publicly listed PSU (public sector undertaking), thanks to its size and reach—a market capitalisation of around Rs 78,000 crore and net worth of around Rs 7,000 crore—is often a bellwether of the trend of infrastructure spend in clean power ambition colours practically every conversation at RVNL today. Nearly the entire broad-gauge system now runs on electric traction, yet the network lacks a reliable 24-hour source of green power. Singh argues that hybrid renewables, paired with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), can bridge that gap and provide RVNL with a predictable new revenue company's plan leans on ground it already knows. In hill states such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, RVNL wants to develop small hydro schemes, drawing on the tunnelling skills honed on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line.'Our aim is to have a concrete execution methodology so that there are no unforeseen situations and no mishaps,' says Singh, pointing to the 14-km-long Himalayan tunnels his teams bored without incident. Small hydro supplies steady base-load power and dovetails neatly with solar-rich afternoons and gusty nights along the western over cost and policy remain. Battery prices while falling are still high and the regulations that will reward storage for grid support are in a flux. Private utilities, with deeper balance sheets, have already snapped up much of India's solar-plus battery counters that its anchor customer, the railways, is both huge and credit worthy, thus limiting market risk. 'It's a new sector We want to have a good presence in the [renewable] power sector,' says Singh, noting that the first projects could be captive and insulated from tariff disputes with state RVNL is cutting its teeth through joint ventures. A 320 MW solar station in Uzbekistan and a 400 MW plant in Saudi Arabia are nearing completion—partnerships that supply expertise the company admits it lacks. Closer home, it bids to build turbine foundations and evacuation lines for wind farms, work squarely in its comfort zone even if another firm erects the most eye-catching idea in Singh's portfolio involves nuclear power. 'We are trying to tie up with the Russian company Rosatom. Russians are experts in this. So we are entering into some kind of MoU with them,' he compact 55-60 MW units, he notes, 'take not more than 24 acres of land', small enough to fit on surplus railway plots and spare RVNL the cost and headache of long transmission lines. Whether India's nuclear regulator and local communities will embrace the concept is an open various climate goals would require more and more players who identify opportunities in clean energy and facilitate the shift from coal to clean power sources at industrial levels—for profit. Financially, the pivot is already rail contracts still account for just under half of an order book, worth roughly Rs 1 lakh crore, yet the turnover from competitively bid non-rail projects has risen sharply and could form a majority within three years. Diversification may cushion RVNL against the vagaries of public-works spending, but it will also test its ability to manage projects that carry merchant risk instead of cost-plus the behemoth RVNL can marry construction prowess to power-sector finesse, its future balance sheets may be tallied not only in kilometres of track but megawatts delivered and megawatt-hours to India Today Magazine- Ends
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Insect found in 'daal' served on Vande Bharat Express; passenger expresses frustration, railways respond
A passenger traveling on the New Delhi Vande Bharat Express on July 22 raised serious concerns about onboard catering after spotting a black insect in the 'daal' served during the journey. Sharing a photo on X, the user revealed the contaminated food item was provided in an aluminium container, igniting widespread backlash over hygiene and food safety standards on one of Indian Railways' most premium services. The post, which has since gone viral, stated: "Insect found in food during journey in Vande Bharat train dated 22 July 2025: Train no 22440 c3 53 seat No." Following the outrage, Indian Railways' official grievance handle, RailwaySeva, responded with an apology and urged the passenger to file a formal complaint. "We regret the inconvenience! Please share the details, PNR and mobile no. You may also raise your concern directly on for speedy redressal," their reply read. The incident has reignited public criticism of catering standards on Vande Bharat Express, with many social media users demanding tighter scrutiny of food suppliers, mandatory hygiene inspections, and improved staff training to uphold safety norms. This isn't the first time food safety has come under scrutiny on the Vande Bharat. In a similar episode last year, another traveler reported finding insects in their sambhar, drawing sharp reactions online. Repeated complaints of this nature have cast a shadow on the train's reputation, which has been promoted as a symbol of modern, high-speed rail travel in India.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Now, book Vande Bharat seats from enroute stations
Bengaluru: In a move aimed at maximising seat occupancy and enhancing passenger convenience, Southern Railway has introduced a system upgrade allowing current booking of Vande Bharat Express trains from enroute stations up to 15 minutes before departure. The modification, effective from July 17, marks a key improvement in the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) for eight high-speed train services originating in the Southern Railway zone. Until now, passengers at intermediate stations could not access current bookings once the train had departed from its originating station. As a result, seats left vacant due to last-minute cancellations or no-shows often went unutilised. The latest update eliminates this inefficiency by unlocking those vacant seats for current booking at subsequent halts. Railway officials say the move will especially benefit passengers in tier-two cities and smaller towns where these trains have scheduled halts. It allows greater flexibility for last-minute travellers and reduces the number of unoccupied seats on premium trains. 'The system upgrade enables real-time inventory access and reflects Indian Railways' commitment to modernising operations and improving efficiency,' a senior railway official said. Passengers can avail this facility at station reservation counters or through digital platforms, depending on availability.
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Indian Railways passenger steals items from vendors in viral video. Internet reacts
A video of an Indian Railways passenger stealing food items from vendors during a train journey has gone viral on social media. The clip has drawn widespread criticism from users online. The clip, originally posted on Reddit's 'r/IndianRailways' community, shows the man brazenly stealing while laughing, seemingly treating it as a 43-second video shows the man seated on the upper berth of a sleeper coach, fully aware that he is being recorded. As vendors carrying food carts on their heads navigate the crowded aisle, he shamelessly takes items from their trays. advertisement He first steals a packet of mango drink, then grabs a samosa, and later even takes a bottle of water, all while grinning and video was allegedly recorded by a fellow passenger sitting on the side upper berth opposite him. The Reddit post that shared the clip read, 'He thinks stealing from poor vendors is 'comedy'. This guy needs to be detained.'However, has not been able to independently verify the time or location of the a look at the viral Reddit post here: Watch the viral video here: The video has sparked anger online, with a section of the internet calling out not just the man's behaviour but also the indifference of other passengers. 'Why are other passengers laughing and encouraging him?' a user said, while another added, 'How can someone even think of doing this? These vendors work hard to earn a living, and people are stealing from them as if it's a joke.'Several users also suggested better safety measures for vendors. 'Vendors should use covers or lids. It not only protects food from dirt but also from idiots like these,' a user expressed concern over the lack of accountability. 'Why isn't anyone stopping him? This moral bankruptcy is becoming far too common,' one of the users said. The viral clip sparked strong reactions online, and it also triggered much-needed conversations on empathy and respect for hardworking vendors who earn their livelihood through sheer effort.- Ends
NDTV
5 days ago
- NDTV
Train Passenger Turns Luggage Rack Into Cozy Berth, Pic Amuses Internet
A viral photo capturing an Indian Railways passenger casually lounging on the luggage rack of a chair car train has taken social media by storm, sparking a wave of amusement and witty reactions online. The image, originally posted on Reddit's 'r/IndianRailways' community, depicts a man nonchalantly stretched out across the overhead luggage compartment, scrolling on his phone with an air of utmost comfort. Surrounding him are neatly arranged bags belonging to fellow passengers, adding to the absurdity of the scene. The image has been captioned, "Bro needs to hesitate," on Reddit along with a description that reads, "Bro was so desperate, he literally lied into the luggage compartment of the chair car. Lmao." See the post here: Bro needs to hesitate by u/AGuywithBigMouth in indianrailways The unconventional choice of "seating" has left internet users both baffled and amused. The viral photo has also reignited discussions about the state of India's railway infrastructure, with some users jokingly suggesting that luggage racks might soon be marketed as "premium reclining seats." One user joked, "He isn't carrying luggage! He is the luggage !" Another commented, "Tbh an average indian is considered as luggage here , the way our trains are packed (UP and Bihar trains specifically ) it's clearly a luggage because no sane human travel this way." A third said, "How is that even allowed, even in CCs running in Bihar, at most they allow people in alleyways, but never on luggage racks." A fourth added, "He must be an extrovert." This incident is not an isolated one, as Indian Railways often makes headlines for quirky passenger antics. From squeezing into impossibly tight spaces to balancing precariously on footboards, passengers have long devised ingenious ways to navigate the challenges of overcrowded trains. Earlier, a video of a ticketless passenger creating a makeshift hammock inside a crowded train went viral. The clip opened to show a general class of a local train coach with several people sitting on the floor. One passenger tied a bedsheet on two sides of the upper bunks of the coach and created a hammock. However, as soon as he tried to make himself comfortable inside it, the hammock broke and the man fell to the floor.
