Kolkata-Howrah Suburban, Kolkata Circular, West Bengal Railways

[NiladriG]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c.../15969700.cms?

Dankuni's loss will be Shalimar's gain, thanks to trouble over land acquisition. The Indian Railways has been forced to scrap plans for a coaching terminal at Dankuni. The terminal will now shift to Shalimar in Howrah for which the railways has sanctioned nearly Rs 192 crore.

Engineers of South Eastern Railway (SER) are currently working out plans to develop the facilities at Shalimar into a full-fledged terminal. At present, only a few trains will originate and terminate at Shalimar. If everything goes according to the plan, then most long distance trains of SER will shift to Shalimar and Santragachhi from Howrah. This will create more space at the two terminals of Howrah station for Eastern Railway (ER) trains.

"Though both terminals at Howrah station belong to ER, the new or south complex (Terminal-II) is used exclusively by SER's long-distance trains. The north complex (Terminal-I) is used by ER's long-distance trains and all EMU locals. There is immediate need for a new terminal to reduce the congestion at Howrah station," a source in the railways said.

Several proposals were floated, including a new terminal close to Howrah station for local trains. However, none of these were feasible. Majerhat was also considered, but a bridge from the Howrah side of the Hooghly to Majerhat wasn't technically feasible. Puddapukur was another site that was chosen but didn't match all specifications. Finally, it was decided to develop Shalimar into a full-fledged terminal, he added.

In his budget speech of 2012, former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi announced a feasibility study for a terminal at Dankuni. However, there wasn't sufficient space in Dankuni for a passenger terminal and acquisition wasn't an option. As it is, a freight terminal is coming up at Dankuni that will connect it to the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor.

"The passenger terminal should ideally have been built at Dankuni. However, since land is a hurdle at Dankuni and an outlay of Rs 192.44 crore has been made for Shalimar, officials should proceed with their plans," an official said.

[Ashis Mitra]

Yesterday I took a train from Jashor Road, and I saw the station has not any ticket clerk to sell ticket!!!. The ticket counter is emply and covered with dust, the door of the office is closed, but locked with a nylon rope!! The name board on the ticket counter is broken. So if people want to buy ticket, they can’t because of the absence of ticket seller. I can’t imagine that a station inside a megacity has no tocket selling!! This is not the picture of a village station, it is of such a station, which opened only in 2006, and just after 6 years, it turned to a semi-condemned station!!! Glasses, chairs and lights are broken, and everybody including me has no other way but to use this station without ticket. I took the train for Majherhat with cost of Rs. 0/-.

It was not such position only one year ago. After increasing local trains much than before, it is used by more passengers than before, but it gradually declining on the map of railway. Everyday every people uses this station without paying. Perhaps it is only possible in KOLKATA.

[Bombay2Calcutta]

TOI
Stations get blue-and-white makeover

KOLKATA: Government buildings, flyovers, boulevards, dividers, railings and now railway stations. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee's dream to turn the city blue-and-white seems to go in the right direction.

The rail authorities have started to paint the platforms, walls and sheds blue and white. In the Sealdah south section, stations like Jadavpur, Dhakuria and Sealdah south platforms are now getting a fresh coat of paint. Even work at BR Singh Hospital has started to give the railway hospital in Sealdah a new look.

Rail authorities have remained tightlipped on this matter so far. The spokespersons of Eastern and Southeastern Railway said that no instruction of painting the rail premises has been given by the railway authorities. However, Sealdah DRM Suchitto Kumar Das has admitted that walls at several places of Sealdah station have been painted blue and white. "The decision was taken at the local level, no such circular was issued from the division," he said.

Many have started expressing their displeasure over the railway authorities breaking the prescribed colour code with such new combination. A section of officials also said the enforcement of this new colour scheme was nothing but a "waste of money".

It is mentioned in the Railways works manual that platforms and walls should have only aluminium or dark battleship grey colours. Even all steel work of platform shelters should be coloured either in grey, aluminium or red. Doors, windows and other structural wooden works inside offices should have white cream or brown.

Earlier, following instructions of Mamata Banerjee when she was the rail minister, the platforms were coloured yellow and green, breaking the conventional color code.

Shaoli Mitra, the chairperson of the culture and heritage committee of the Railways, confirmed that the rail authorities did not discuss anything with the committee on this new colouring

[Bombay2Calcutta]

Invites bids under single stage two packet system for the work of the proposed Bridge over River Bhagirati in Nabadwip Ghat to Nabadwip Dham project of Eastern Railway in the State of West Bengal, India.”

[Ashis Mitra]

Wow! great news.

[anamitra]

Originally Posted by Bombay2Calcutta

Invites bids under single stage two packet system for the work of the proposed Bridge over River Bhagirati in Nabadwip Ghat to Nabadwip Dham project of Eastern Railway in the State of West Bengal, India.”

Before jumping in joy, I would like to know the status of following bridges:
1) Jubilee Bridge between Garifa and Hooghly Ghat
2) Bridge between Nasipur Road and Azimganj - lying idle at the behest of (political spoilers)
3) Bridge between Pujali and Birshibpur

Even if I go by the belief that all these projects will be concurrently completed by 2020, the opportunity loss and economic deprivation in the interim years will have gigantic adverse effect.

Without getting into various projects, more focused efforts by political leadership were necessary.

[rupakd]

DOUBLING OF THE JIRAT - AMBIKA KALNA SECTION NEARING COMPLETION

[Bombay2Calcutta]

[Bombay2Calcutta]

[infra desperados]

looks very nice/

[anamitra]

Howrah Arambag EMU service will start from today. Also, from Bishnupur end the MEMU service will be extended upto Maynapur.

[NiladriG]

Originally Posted by anamitra

Howrah Arambag EMU service will start from today. Also, from Bishnupur end the MEMU service will be extended upto Maynapur.

That's good news, to that.

[Suncity]

Originally Posted by Bombay2Calcutta

Looks very nice.

Hope people will maintain it. Jai ho Didi. Please don't leave the Rail Ministry in haste.

[NiladriG]

Originally Posted by Suncity

Looks very nice.

Hope people will maintain it. Jai ho Didi. Please don't leave the Rail Ministry in haste.

As it is most Metro projects in the city are in a state of limbo, leaving the Cabinet will be like giving the Rly ministry to Mulayam on a platter.

[studdmanster]

Jairam Ramesh is all set to become the new Rail Minister.

My wishlist from the new RM:

* increase the fare.
* stop introduction of new trains, instead allocated a lion share of budget for maintenance of current and rolling stock.

[Bombay2Calcutta]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/16537175.cms

Buddha Trail to enthral tourists

KOLKATA: The state government is all set to start a 'Buddha Trail', on the lines of the Palace on Wheels in Rajasthan. Spread over the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim, the trail will connect cities where Lord Buddha had a spent a part of his life.

The project, being prepared in consultation with railway officials, will not only require financial support from the Centre but also it's approval. Once the project is finalized and accepted by the Indian Railways, it will be forwarded to the Centre.

Palace on Wheels may have its very own Bengali incarnation. West Bengal government has embarked upon an ambitious plan to start a 'Buddha Trail', connecting the cities related to Lord Buddha. The project is being prepared in consultation with railway officials and the Buddhist trail is being considered by the Indian Railways. Since other state governments are also involved in the project, the trail will require a nod from the Centre as well as financial support. After the project is finalised and accepted by the Indian railways, it will be further sent to the center.

After a preliminary discussion, the trail had been conceptualised to be spread over the four states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.

"The main aim of the project is to attract Buddhist tourists from Southeast and East Asia. A huge number of footfall is experienced in each places linked with Buddha. Most of these tours are organised from Delhi. Now, we plan to start a similar trail from Kolkata," said a senior tourism department official. "The tourists travelling from Southeast Asia will find the tour very lucrative because of cost benefits. The airfare from Southeast Asia to Kolkata is way less than that in any other Indian city."

A tentative itinerary has also been chalked out and sent for approval. According to it, the Buddha Trail will first pass through Gautam Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini and then through UP's Kushinagar where Buddha attained nirvana. This will be followed by a stop at Shravasti in the state's Gonda district. Tourists will then be taken to Sarnath in Bihar. "There are ruins and relics which the travellers will visit. Sarnath is also an important place of pilgrimage for those who practice Buddhism

," said the official.

After a visit to Varanasi, tourists will be taken to Bodh Gaya where Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment. In the final leg of the tour, travelers will be taken to two monasteries - Rumtek in Sikkim and Ghoom, around 8km from Darjeeling. The monastery at Ghoom has a 15-feet hight Buddha statue.

The tentative itenary which has been discussed and sent for an approval includes places like Lumbini - the birth place of Gautam Buddha and Kushinagar - place where Buddha attained nirvana in Eastern U.P. Followed by Shravasti in the Gonda district of U.P. At Sravasti Buddha had spent a long time after he became a monk. It is also near Tetavana monastery where he had spent his life. The tourists will be then taken to Sarnath in Bihar. "There are ruins and relics which the travelers will visit. Sarnath is also an important place of pilgrimage for those who practice Buddhism. The place houses a deer park," said the official. Tourists will be then taken to Varanasi situated just 13 kms away from Sarnath.

Next on the tour will be stop at Bodh Gaya - a place where Gautam Budhha had attained his enlightenment. The temple located at Bodh Gaya has been identified as a Unesco protected world heritage site.

In the final leg of the tour, travelers will be taken to Rumtek monastery in Sikkim and the famous monastery at Ghum near Darjeeling. "Rumtek is famous for a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and is closely associated with Karmapas - religious gurus of the Tibetan sect. At Ghum in West Bengal which is only 8kms from Darjeeling is also a place of tourist interest. The monastery at Ghum houses a 15-feet high Buddha statue," added the tourism department official.

The tour will be expensive since the cost will include accommodation, travel and food expenses of all travelers

. "The tourists will be put up at star hotels whenever there are overnight stays

. Moreover, an entire train will have to be reserved with grand decor, global cuisine and other luxuries which the travelers can experience in the Palace on Wheels," added the official.

The state government will also start a tour to the rare heritage sites of West Bengal. "A seven-day tour will start from Malda and end in Darjeeling," said Vikram Sen, secretary of tourism department.

Bengali tourists too shall have no regrets as the TMC led government is also working on a plan to start a package showing the travelers rare heritage sites and natural beauty of West Bengal. "A seven-day tour will start from Malda and end in Darjeeling," said Vikram Sen, secretary of tourism department. Bodh Vihar, Bara and Chota Sona Masjit, Imambara of Malda along with Bangarh in South Dinajpur will be toured on dau 1. The second day itenary includes places like Gorumara, Chaba, Jalpaiguri and stone temples in Moinaguri. On day 3 the tourists will be taken to Jaldapara and Jayanti. On day 4, tourists will travel on bus from Malbazar and reach Kalimpong. The next two days will be spent at Darjeeling. Finally on day 7, the tourists will visit Mirik lake and then start for Kolkata from Siliguri.

"The total package will cost Rs 16,000 per head and will include accommodation, travel and food costs," said Sen.

[Bombay2Calcutta]

TOI
Bengal rail projects won't be junked: C P Joshi

NEW DELHI: Amid concerns over the fate of rail projects in West Bengal after Trinamool Congress's exit from UPA, railway minister C P Joshi assured party leaders from the state that these were UPA's projects and would not be affected due to change of guard.

Joshi's assurance came after a meeting with a delegation of West Bengal Congress leaders as there were apprehensions that UPA would junk projects in the state announced in the last three years.

"Whatever rail projects were announced for Bengal with financial sanction will be implemented. Because all these projects are of UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," Joshi told reporters.

The move is seen as Congress's attempt to send a signal that UPA will remain committed to all projects in Bengal and to blunt the TMC's campaign about Centre depriving the state after its ouster.

A six-member Congress delegation led by former Bengal minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia submitted a memorandum to Joshi seeking assurance on the continuation of all rail projects announced for the state.

Bhunia told reporters that there was a strong campaign going on in Bengal against the Centre that all rail projects would be abandoned due to change of railway minister.

"He (the minister) assured us that all rail projects announced with financial approval earlier would be completed in time because these are UPA projects," Bhunia said, adding that they had invited Joshi to visit Bengal to inaugurate some rail projects such as coach factory at Haldia and Howrah electrical projects.

As reported by TOI, four extensions of Kolkata Metro, several new lines, gauge conversion, doubling of tracks and electrification of tracks costing around Rs 35,000 crore were announced by railway ministers belonging to TMC.

Bhuniya also met rural development minister Jairam Ramesh and commerce minister Anand Sharma and urged them to continue to support state projects. Ramesh has already promised to visit Lalgarh on October 16 for the first Congress rally to be held in the naxal-infested region since the TMC-Congress government took over last year.It is important for the Bengal Congress to showcase development in the state aided by the Centre to survive electorally. The immediate purpose of such a message is targeted towards the panchayat elections in the state coming up next year.

[NiladriG]

Originally Posted by Bombay2Calcutta

TOI
Bengal rail projects won't be junked: C P Joshi

So congress now wants to take credit for the Metro and other rail projects of Bengal. Smart move. Hopefully things won't slow down.

[studdmanster]

Originally Posted by NiladriG

So congress now wants to take credit for the Metro and other rail projects of Bengal. Smart move. Hopefully things won't slow down.

mauke pe chauka...

[Ashis Mitra]

Originally Posted by todscreen

Kolkata-Digha DMU, WB

from irfca.org

This was an old photo of Digha DMU passenger. As Digha line has now elctrified and EMU service started on it from Mecheda, has this train now converted to MEMU service from Santragachhi? I hope so.

Surprsingly, the Duronto Express towards Digha is still hauling by diesel loco!!!!!!!!!! Really a matter or shame!!