Latest news with #PrayagrajDivision
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
4K sqm rly land reclaimed in anti-encroachment drive
1 2 Prayagraj: The Prayagraj Division of North Central Railway (NCR) on Wednesday launched an extensive anti-encroachment drive and successfully reclaimed over 4,000 sqm of railway land from illegal occupation. The recovered land, situated between Prayagraj and Naini, is estimated to be worth Rs 8 crore. The operation was jointly carried out by the engineering department of the Prayagraj Division, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the local police. PRO of Prayagraj Division, Amit Kumar Singh said: "Prior notices were issued to encroachers, instructing them to vacate the railway land. However, in cases where these directives were ignored, strict action was taken, and the encroached land was forcefully vacated with the help of law enforcement agencies." The drive is part of a broader strategy to clear railway land for the construction of safety walls and other infrastructure upgrades aimed at supporting high-speed rail operations. Under the ambitious "Mission Raftaar" initiative, Indian Railways is working to facilitate trains running at 160 kmph between Delhi and Howrah. This involves upgrading tracks, modernising signaling systems, eliminating level crossings and constructing boundary walls to enhance operational safety. The railway administration has emphasised that such drives will continue in a phased and intensified manner.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Sarang Integrated Command Center inaugurated in Varanasi for forest monitoring and grievance redressal
Representative Image VARANASI: Chief conservator of Forests , Prayagraj, Shesh Narayan Mishra, inaugurated the Sarang Integrated Command Center in Varanasi on Wednesday. The center has been established for the efficient operation and information exchange of Forest Helpline-1926. It is designed to receive and promptly address complaints and suggestions related to forest crimes such as illegal tree felling, unauthorised timber storage and transportation, illegal sawmills, charcoal kilns, and wildlife poaching and trade. Ravi Kumar Singh , Conservator of Forests, Varanasi Division; Tulsi Das, Conservator of Forests, Prayagraj Division; and all district forest officers — including Swati (Varanasi), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jaunpur), Jagdambika Prasad (Pratapgarh), Ramanuj Tripathi (Fatehpur), and Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Divisional Forest Officer, Varanasi — were present on the occasion. Singh stated that each year, a target of planting 3.5 billion saplings is set under the Tree Plantation Mega Campaign. Coordination and monitoring at the divisional level, involving all 27 departments, will be carried out through the PMS (Plantation Monitoring System) and NMS (Nursery Management System) portals via the Command Center . The use of new technologies in plantation activities — such as the preparation of action plans by departments and the submission of online sapling demand forms — will be reviewed, and the progress of geo-tagging after plantation will be assessed. He added that the Sarang Command Center is also equipped to promptly address public complaints received via the Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS) portal. Additionally, the center will monitor forest fire incidents and track the patrolling activities of forest personnel in forest areas. Instructions for organised action against human-wildlife conflict and illegal logging have been issued to all district forest officers by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Southern Region, Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj, and the Conservator of Forests, Varanasi Circle. Historically, Varanasi — located along the holy Ganga — was rich in deer populations, with several deer parks mentioned in ancient records. The term Sarang means "deer." Lord Buddha chose the deer park in Sarnath for meditation during his stay, at the site where the Dhamek Stupa stands today. This ancient deer park is currently maintained by the Forest Department. Lord Shiva is also referred to as Sarang Nath, and the name Sarnath is believed to be derived from this title. 'Considering the significance of deer in our ecological and cultural heritage, the Integrated Command Center has been named Sarang,' Singh explained.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
8 catering stalls at Chheoki rly stn fined 3 lakh
Prayagraj: Eight catering stalls at Prayagraj Chheoki railway station were slapped with a collective fine of Rs 3 lakh for not meeting standards after a surprise inspection on Saturday. The caterers have also been warned against any overcharging. Earlier on Friday, a collective fine of Rs 5 lakh was imposed on 18 catering stalls at Prayagraj Junction for not complying with the standards. On Saturday, the inspection was led by senior divisional commercial manager/coaching, Prayagraj Division, Himanshu Shukla. "During my visit to the Chheoki station, I personally reviewed the functioning of the paid waiting hall and passengers found the services to be satisfactory. The facility was clean and organised," said Shukla. "Although at the stalls, we imposed a fine because we have approved 30 items to be made available across the stalls. They should offer at least 10 varieties for better options. Additionally, I have emphasised that there must be no overcharging under any circumstances, and vendors have been strictly warned against this practice," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scarlett Johansson Shows Off Her Jaw-Dropping Figure - See Photos 33 Bridges Undo As part of the inspection, the officer interacted with over 100 passengers, particularly from general and sleeper coaches, to gather a direct feedback. "Based on their response, we have instructed that the ' Janta food package ' be revised to better suit the needs and expectations of the passengers," said Shukla. It has also been directed that catering or Multi-Purpose Stalls (MPS) be strategically placed between every three coaches to improve accessibility. Regarding station discipline, RPF (Railway Protection Force) will take strict action against haphazardly parked vehicles around the station premises to ensure smooth movement and passenger safety. Earlier, on Friday, an intensive inspection was carried out at Prayagraj Junction to inspect if food stalls are adhering to quality and hygiene standards.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Second rail bridge to come up over Yamuna in Prayagraj by 2031
1 2 Prayagraj: Indian Railways is set to construct a second rail bridge beside the existing old railway-cum-road bridge over river Yamuna connecting Naini with Prayagraj. The new bridge is expected to be completed by 2031, the year when Sangam city will host the next Kumbh. "The Railway Board has approved the proposal for the construction of a new railway bridge over Yamuna under the Prayagraj Division. We have hired an expert agency that has started Geotechnical Investigation (GTI), which includes a gamut of extracting information from the nature of the soil to the recommendation of whether the foundation should be pile or well type. The agency will soon submit its report, which will be forwarded to the Board," said the public relation officer of Prayagraj division of NCR, Amit Kumar Singh. The new bridge will initially be a single-line bridge but will have a provision for accommodating a second line as and when required. "After the bridge becomes operational, it is up to the ministry to decide whether the old bridge shall continue to be used for light vehicular traffic or be dismantled," said Singh. The experts of the division are also looking for documents related to the construction of the present bridge, which has outlived its life. It was constructed way back in 1865 for a lifespan of 100 years. "Although engineering and technology have changed drastically since the old bridge was constructed, if the experts find something, the information could be valuable," said the PRO. The new rail bridge will probably be of 'open web girder' based construction with a life span of 200 years and strong enough to sustain any natural disaster like an earthquake. The present bridge is around 900 metres long, but the second bridge could probably be around 200 metres longer, possibly starting from near Jeevan Jyoti Hospital and extending to SHUATS across Yamuna from next to ECC. However, this new bridge will only be a rail bridge, unlike the present bridge, which supports both road and railways. "The National Highway Authority of India will be constructing a new road bridge over Yamuna in the Kareli area of the city. It would have been better if the state govt and the road and transport ministry joined hands with the railway ministry, and this second rail bridge was made in a way to support both, the road and rail traffic like the current bridge. That would have solved the problem for both the railways and the commuters of Sangam city to a larger extent," says former head of the department of Medieval and Modern History, Allahabad University, prof Yogeshwar Tiwari.
