Indian Railways: You can book an entire train! Just know the right procedure

Indian Railways: You can book an entire train! Just know the right procedure

Pritam SantraMarch 06, 2025 - 08:10 AM

Indian Railways: The wedding season has commenced, leading many individuals to reserve train tickets for extended travels. To facilitate this, one has the option to book an entire coach or multiple seats simultaneously. According to railway regulations, any individual is permitted to make such bookings.

Know the process

There are two available methods for this process. You may either visit the ticket counter to secure a seat for the entire journey in one transaction or opt to apply online from the comfort of your home. Indian Railways provides passengers with the opportunity to reserve an entire coach or several coaches at once, which is particularly advantageous for transporting individuals or groups from an organization. To proceed with this, you can access the railway’s official website for bookings or utilize the online platform.

For those interested in reserving an entire train coach, please visit IRCTC’s FTR website at www.ftr.irctc.co.in and log in using your user ID. This platform will present you with options to book coaches and trains. Upon selecting this option, you will need to input travel-related information, including the travel date and coach details. After completing this information, you will proceed to make the payment, thereby securing the entire coach. It is important to note that when booking an entire railway coach, individual details for each passenger are not required; only the information of the person making the booking is necessary. Consequently, the entire coach will be reserved under the name of a single individual, allowing all passengers to travel together.

Book train online

To book a train online, you must reach out to the Digital Commercial Manager or Station Master and provide comprehensive journey details. After calculating the fare, they will facilitate the booking of the entire coach. Please be aware that booking a complete coach will incur an additional charge of 30 to 35 percent over the standard fare, along with a security deposit of Rs. 50,000 for the coach, which will be refunded after the journey concludes.

However, should you wish to reserve an entire train, a separate fare will apply. Usually, there are 18 coaches in a train. So along with all these coaches, you will also have to pay the train engine fare. The reason for this is that when the entire train is booked, the engine goes to the place you have booked.

முன் பதிவில் லாமல் முன் பதிவு பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்க டி-ரிசர்வ் டு டிக்கெட்!

3/5/25, 6:52 AM 

முன் பதிவில் லாமல் முன் பதிவு பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்க டி-ரிசர்வ் டு டிக்கெட்! 

விரைவு ரயில்களில் முன்பதிவு பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்க டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட்!

அவசரமாக ரயிலில் பயணிக்க வேண்டியவர்கள், முன்பதிவு செய்யாவிட்டாலும், முன்பதிவு பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்கும் வசதி உள்ளது. அதுதான் டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட். 

வட மாநில தொழிலாளர்களால், முன்பதிவு செய்த பெட்டியிலேயே, தங்களது இருக்கையில் நிம்மதியாக பயணிக்க முடியவில்லை என்று அண்மைக் காலமாக ரயில் பயணிகள் புலம்பி வரும் நிலையில், முன்பதிவு செய்யாமலேயே, முன்பதிவு பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்கும் வசதியை அளிக்கும் டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட் பற்றி அறிந்துகொள்ள வேண்டும். இது மிகவும் பழைய வசதிதான் என்றாலும், இது பற்றி பயணிகள் பலருக்கும் தெரியாமல் இருப்பதால்தான், இது பற்றி தற்போது விளக்கங்கள் வெளியாகி வருகிறது.

முன்பதிவு செய்யாமல், முன்பதிவு ரயில் பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்கும் வசதியை இந்த டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட் வழங்குகிறது.  இந்த டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட் முறையை தெற்கு ரயில்வே அறிமுகப்படுத்தி செயல்படுத்தி வருகிறது. இந்த டிக்கெட் எடுத்தவர்கள் முன்பதிவில்லா மற்றும் முன்பதிவு பெட்டிகளில் பயணிக்க முடியும். 

இந்த டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட்டை, ரயில் நிலையத்தில் உள்ள டிக்கெட் கவுண்டர்களில் மட்டுமே எடுக்க முடியும். 

இந்த சேவையை முன்பதிவு செய்ய முடியாது.  முன்கூட்டியே பெறவும் முடியாது. நாம் டிக்கெட் கேட்கும் ரயில் நிலையத்திலிருந்து ரயில் புறப்படுவதற்கு ஒரு மணி நேரத்துக்கு முன்பாக மட்டுமே இந்த டிக்கெட்டை எடுக்க முடியும். டிக்கெட் கவுண்டர்களில் டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட் என கேட்க வேண்டும். நாம் கேட்கும் ரயிலில் டி-ரிசர்வ்டு படுக்கை அல்லது இருக்கை காலியாக இல்லை எனில் வழங்கப்படாது. 

இந்த ரயில் டிக்கெட், ரயிலில் பயணிக்கும் தூரத்தைப் பொறுத்து கணக்கிடப்படுகிறது. அதிகபட்சம் 100 கிலோ மீட்டருக்குள்தான் இந்த டிக்கெட் மூலம் பயணிக்க முடியும். தெற்கு ரயில்வேயில் இயக்கப்படும் 35 ரயில்களில் டி-ரிசர்வ்டு படுக்கை வசதி பெட்டிகள் பயன்பாட்டில் உள்ளன. இந்த வசதியை மேலும் விரிவுபடுத்தவும் தெற்கு ரயில்வே திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது.

இந்த வசதி எப்படி செயல்படுத்தப்படுகிறது? உதாரணமாக கொல்லம் விரைவு ரயிலை எடுத்துக் கொள்வோம். இந்த ரயிலில் நெல்லை - சென்னை பயணிக்க ஒரு படுக்கை வசதி முன்பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. அப்போது நெல்லை - கொல்லம் வரை அந்த இடம் காலியாகவே இருக்கும். எனவே, இந்த காலியாக இருக்கும் படுக்கை வசதியை நெல்லை - கொல்லம் செல்லும் பயணி பயன்படுத்த அனுமதி அளிக்கும் வகையில் செயல்படுத்தப்பட்டிருப்பதே இந்த டி-ரிசர்வ்டு டிக்கெட். 

ஒருவர், முன்பதிவில்லா பெட்டியில் பயணிக்க டிக்கெட் எடுக்கும்முன்பு, அதே ரயிலில் டி-ரிசர்வ்டு இருக்கை காலியாக இருக்கிறதா என்பதை கேட்டுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். இருந்தால், சற்று அதிகக் கட்டணம் செலுத்தி அந்த டிக்கெட் எடுத்து கூட்டம் இல்லாமல் பயணம் செய்யலாம். இல்லை என்றால் முன்பதிவில்லா டிக்கெட் எடுத்துக் கொள்ளலாம். 

Chennai Metro Rail services on Poonamallee-Porur stretch to be operational by year-end: CM

Chennai Metro Rail services on Poonamallee-Porur stretch to be operational by year-end: CM

Infrastructure push: Once the ongoing works are completed, Chennai will set new standards in connectivity, urban mobility and public transportation, says the Chief Minister.B. Jothi Ramalingam

Inspecting the ongoing CMRL works on Thursday, Mr. Stalin instructed officials to speed up the work on the remaining sections. He further urged the Union government to swiftly approve Metro Rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai

The Hindu Bureau  14.02.2025

CHENNAI

The Metro Rail services on the Poonamallee-Porur stretch would be operational by the end of 2025, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Thursday.

In a social media post, Mr. Stalin said he had instructed officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to accelerate the work on the remaining sections.

Once the ongoing works were completed, Chennai would set new standards in connectivity, urban mobility and public transportation, he said.

After “delays in the previous administration”, Mr. Stalin said his government took the lead in implementing Phase II, making Tamil Nadu the first State to “continue metro expansion through its own funding.”

With the recently approved Union contribution, we are expediting the works further, the Chief Minister said.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Stalin, accompanied by officials, inspected the ongoing CMRL works.

“I was elated to witness our vision taking shape and expanding. At this moment, I once again urge the Union government to swiftly approve Metro Rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai,” he said.

Mr. Stalin further said the Chennai Metro Rail project, initiated during the tenure of the late DMK leader and former Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, was advancing rapidly under his government.

AC EMU trains soon; tickets to cost three times more than ordinary

AC EMU trains soon; tickets to cost three times more than ordinary

Feb 13, 2025, 04.02 AM IST

Chennai: Southern Railway’s first fully air-conditioned Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train will soon be introduced on two key routes — Chennai Beach to Tirumalpur and MGR Chennai Central to Arakkonam. The ticket prices may be three times that of regular trains.

While the present 12-rake EMU can seat 1,168 people and 2,336 people can stand, the new AC EMU 12-car rake has only 1,116 seats but space for 3,798 to stand.

With the maximum speed of 110kmph, the train has advanced bogies with fully suspended traction motors, wheel-mounted disc brakes and air spring suspension, similar to Vande Bharat trains.

The rake designed by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) is stationed at the commissioning shed in Anna Nagar.

Deputy chief mechanical engineer Udhayakumar said ticket prices have not been finalised, but early estimates suggest fares could be three times higher than regular EMU trains. Southern Railway adopting Western Railway's fare model would mean commuters traveling 29km from Chennai Beach to Tambaram pay 95, with fares set at 35 for 9km, 70 for 24km, and 95 for 34km.

The stainless-steel coaches have wide entrances and automatic sliding doors. Passengers will have access to aluminium luggage racks, GPS-based LED display boards, an announcement system and CCTV cameras in all compartments.

Now, you may book smart lockers at Ghaziabad, Sahibabad RRTS stations

Now, you may book smart lockers at Ghaziabad, Sahibabad RRTS stations

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK 24.01.2025

New Delhi : Smart locker facilities are now available for passengers in the operational section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, offering a secure and affordable storage solution at a minimal hourly cost. While the service is currently available at Sahibabad and Ghaziabad stations, it will be introduced at other stations soon too. Passengers can use the lockers not only for storing their luggage, but also for receiving ecommerce parcels. The service is available at Delhi Metro stations too. 

“The locker facility will soon be available at all operational Namo Bharat stations, including DPS Raj Nagar, Guldhar, Duhai, Muradnagar, Modinagar South, Modinagar North, and Meerut South. Installation work for the lockers has already begun at these stations. The service will also be accessible at Anand Vihar and New Ashok Nagar stations in Delhi soon,” said an official. 

The option to book lockers will be available on the Namo Bharat and DMRC Momen- tum apps. Passengers can access the facility through the ‘Rent a Locker’ option, and choose the station name and date for which they wish to book the locker. They will need to make an online payment of Rs 20 per hour for a small locker, Rs 30 per hour for a medium locker and Rs 40 per hour for a large/ extra-large locker. Once the payment is made, the locker will be booked, and the passenger will receive a unique access code. This code will be required to open₹400 and close the locker, ensuring that no one else can access it. “This digital booking process will further enhance convenience and accessibility for commuters,” said the official. If the passenger wants to order an e-commerce parcel, he will have to tell his access code and phone number to the delivery person. When the delivery person reaches the station, after the parcel security check, he will have to inform the customer care booth of the Namo Bharat station about the parcel delivery. After this, the delivery person will be allowed to put the goods in the locker

Man taken for a ride after using IRCTC app, loses savings

Man taken for a ride after using IRCTC app, loses savings 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 20.01.2025

Ahmedabad : A retired senior citizen, resident of Vadaj, fell victim to a cyberfraud while attempting to make an online payment through the IRCTC mobile application on Jan 3. Dipak Parikh, 66, lodged a complaint with cybercrime police on Saturday, detailing the incident and expressed his concerns about the growing menace of online scams targeting innocent individuals.

According to the complaint, Parikh was attempting to load funds into the IRCTC wallet using his AU Small Finance Bank savings account. Despite multiple attempts, the transaction failed. Seeking assistance, he used the “Ask Disha” help section on the IRCTC app and provided all necessary details to get the problem fixed. Shortly thereafter, he received a call from an individual claiming to be a representative from IRCTC customer service. The caller assured Parikh that his issue would be resolved and guided him to share his banking details under the guise of troubleshooting. 

Unaware that he was being scammed, Parikh followed the instructions, leading to unauthorised access to his bank accounts. Within minutes, a significant amount of money was siphoned off from both his savings and overdraft accounts. Realising he had been cheated, Parikh approached the cops. Cybercrime police registered a complaint of cheating, breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and under the Information Technology Act against the unknown accused.

Passengers caught sneaking Indian Railways bedsheets into their luggage

Watch: Passengers caught sneaking Indian Railways bedsheets into their luggage

The video has gone viral with 5.2k likes and a slew of comments criticizing poor civic sense among the public.

Posted by Veena Nair | Published: 19th January 2025 8:22 pm IST

 

Trains are an affordable mode of transport popular with a majority of the citizens. Almost anyone you meet will have a story to share about the crazy encounters they had while travelling on the Indian Railways.

In a similar incident, a family was caught sneaking in bedsheets provided by the railways along with their luggage.

A video that was shared on Reddit under r/indianrailways shows a frustrated railway employee going through a passenger’s luggage on the platform and retrieving several bed sheets from it.

The video, seemingly from Prayagraj, has gone viral with 5.2k likes and a slew of comments criticizing poor civic sense among the public.

One Reddit user says how such actions are glamorized in society as “kand” with youth being encouraged into problematic behaviour to seem cool. “The problem is there are parents who also encourage such actions, there are men who talk about these acts “Kand” that they did in school and college. People normalize such behaviour(u)rs. In a friend group(s) it’s an achievement and instead of calling out bad behaviour(u)r people laugh and make jokes about how they stole things or broke things in school and college. So to combat it we as a society should start teaching accountability, honesty, kindness, good manners and many important things to people around us.” said the commenter.

Other people wondered how someone would even use the sheets with the railways logo on them to which some people replied that people would boast about the stolen goods to their guests while someone else replied “My landlord who was a manager is a reputed bank, also had the bedsheets and pillow covers from Indian Railways symbol everywhere, when we rented the apartment we were surprised to see that.”

Some people took the incident on a lighter note saying “Insaan souvenir bhi na collect kare ab?” (Are people not allowed to collect souvenirs now?).

Be it over-crowding, hygiene or the quality of food, this incident highlights just one of the many problems that the Indian Railways faces.

Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express now running with 16 coaches – Check schedule, timings, route, stoppages and more

Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express now running with 16 coaches – Check schedule, timings, route, stoppages and more

Southern Railway has revealed an upgrade to the Tirunelveli–Chennai Egmore–Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express.

Written by FE Online

January 19, 2025 11:47 IST

The train covers a distance of 653 km in 7 hours and 50 minutes, making it the fastest service on the route. (IE)

In a move aimed at enhancing passenger comfort and convenience, Southern Railway has announced a change in augmentation of the Tirunelveli–Chennai Egmore–Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20666/20665). Since January 15, the train has been operating with an upgraded 16-car composition, replacing the previous 8-car setup.

Earlier this month, the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express (train number 20634/20633) was converted from 16 to 20 coaches. Additionally, the Vande Bharat Express operating between Tirunelveli and Chennai Egmore (train number 20666/20665) was upgraded from an 8-car to a 16-car composition.

Both of these semi-high-speed trains are managed by the Southern Railway (SR) zone.

The Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express now operates with a 16-car rake, consisting of 14 AC Chair Car coaches and 2 Executive Chair Car coaches.

Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express: Distance and travel time

The train covers a distance of 653 km in 7 hours and 50 minutes, making it the fastest service on the route. The train operates daily except on Tuesdays.

Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express: Route and stoppages

The train halts at Virudunagar Junction, Madurai Junction, Dindigul Junction, Tiruchchirapali, Villupuram Junction, and Tambaram during its journey.

Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express: Timings

Train 20666 departs from Tirunelveli Junction at 06:05 hrs and reaches Chennai Egmore at 13:55 hrs. Train 20665 departs from Chennai Egmore at 14:45 hrs and arrives at Tirunelveli Junction at 22:30 hrs.

Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express: Ticket Prices

The ticket prices for the Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express are as follows: AC Chair Car: Rs 1665 and Executive Chair Car: Rs 3055.

Govt employees can now use LTC for Tejas, Vande Bharat and Humsafar trains

Govt employees can now use LTC for Tejas, Vande Bharat and Humsafar trains

Under the LTC scheme, eligible Central government employees get their ticket costs reimbursed for round trips and also enjoy paid leave during their travel

Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat 

Md Zakariya Khan New Delhi

 Last Updated : Jan 15 2025 | 5:29 PM IST

The Central government employees now can travel on Tejas, Vande Bharat, and Humsafar express trains under the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme.

This decision was announced by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) after receiving many requests from different offices and individuals. The DoPT worked with the Department of Expenditure to review the rules.

According to the new order, employees can now use these premium trains in addition to the Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto trains, based on their travel entitlement.

Under the LTC scheme, eligible Central government employees get their ticket costs reimbursed for round trips and also enjoy paid leave during their travel.

This move aims to provide more convenient and faster travel options for government employees.

What is LTC?

Leave Travel Concession (LTC) is a travel allowance scheme designed for government employees, allowing them to visit their hometown or any destination within India over a four-year block period.

Under the scheme's provisions, government employees can choose between two options:

Avail Home Town LTC twice within a four-year block, split into two two-year periods.

Visit their hometown once in a two-year period and explore any place in India during the other two-year period.

The government covers the travel expenses for the employee and their eligible family members under this scheme. Additionally, employees and their families can travel in separate groups at different times during the block period. They may also choose different destinations while using the Any Place in India LTC option.

Trains eligible under LTC

Previously, the LTC programme already covered travel on premium trains such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto.

“The matter has been examined by this department in consultation with the Department of Expenditure and it has been decided that apart from existing Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains, travel by Tejas Express, Vande Bharat Express & Humsafar Express trains under LTC as per the entitlement of the government employees has now been allowed,” said the order issued by the DoPT on Tuesday.

(With inputs from PTI)

TTE booked for sexually harassing passenger on train in Tamil Nadu

TTE booked for sexually harassing passenger on train in Tamil Nadu

According to sources, the 34-year-old passenger from Kumbakonam was traveling with her mother and child and boarded the train at Tambaram around 11 pm on Sunday.

Express News Service

07 Jan 2025, 7:36 am

MAYILADUTHURAI: A ticket examiner has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing a female passenger aboard the Uzhavan Express from Chennai to Thanjavur. The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Mayiladuthurai registered a case on Monday and launched a search for the accused.

According to sources, the 34-year-old passenger from Kumbakonam was traveling with her mother and child and boarded the train at Tambaram around 11 pm on Sunday.

She requested the TTE, identified as Thomas Wellesley, for a lower berth as she had been allotted an upper berth during booking, sources said. Although the TTE arranged a lower berth, he harassed the passenger by making inappropriate comments as the train passed from Villupuram to Mayiladuthurai.

When the harassment escalated, the woman raised alarm as the train neared Mayiladuthurai around 3:45 am. Sensing trouble, the TTE got down from the train at Mayiladuthurai and fled. Based on the woman's complaint, the GRP filed a case under Sections 75 (1) (sexual harassment) and 75 (2) of BNS and Section 4 of the TN Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.

Nizamuddin stn porter charges ₹10k for wheelchair assistance

Nizamuddin stn porter charges ₹10k for wheelchair assistance

Abhinav.Rajput@timesofindia.com 02.01.2025

New Delhi : A porter at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station charged Rs 10,000 to assist an elderly man in a wheelchair to the platform. The railways, after investigating the matter, made the porter return Rs 9,000 to the senior citizen’s family and took away the porter’s badge. Payal, the woman who reported the matter, is the daughter of the elderly passenger. Originally from Gujarat, Payal resides in London with her husband Samuel and her parents, Ritesh and Sandhya. She arrived in Delhi on Dec 21 with her family. “After staying in Delhi for a few days, they planned a trip to Agra. On Dec 28, they reached Hazrat Nizamuddin station. The porter charged the family Rs 10,000 for assisting Payal’s father with a wheelchair,” a senior railway official said. 

Upon reaching Agra, the family hired a taxi to see the Taj Mahal and other tourist sites. During this time, Payal told Anil Sharma, the secretary of the Prepaid Auto Taxi Drivers' Union, about the exorbitant amount that the porter had charged for the wheelchair service. Sharma told her that wheelchair assistance at railway stations is free of cost. Porters may charge a nominal fee for their labour, he said. Payal and her husband contacted the GRP at Agra Cantt station. The force there coordinated with their counterparts in Nizamuddin GRP to investigate the matter. The porter was identified through CCTV footage. Rs 9,000 was transferred back to the family, the railway official said. 

The divisional railway manager of Delhi also took away the porter’s badge. The railway administration prioritises passenger welfare and will not tolerate such incidents, adhering to a zero-tolerance policy for such misconduct, Northern Railway said later. Expressing regret over the incident, the DRM of the Delhi division said that the railways is committed to providing safe and convenient travel to passengers. Such incidents tarnish the railways' image and weakens passenger trust. He assured that strict action would be taken against people found guilty in similar cases. “The railway administration appeals to all passengers to immediately contact the railway helpline number if they encounter any issues during their journey,” he said.

In a 1st, special trains included in rail timetable

In a 1st, special trains included in rail timetable 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 02.01.2025

New Delhi : Indian Railways has notified a new timetable for trains with effect from Wednesday. This is for the first time the transporter included 4,056 special trains in the normal timetable for the convenience of passengers. Under the new arrangement, the number of 2,875 trains has been changed, including express and passenger trains. Additionally, the departure and arrival times of several trains at various stations have been changed. Officials said 74 new trains have been included in the timetabl. “Trains cancelled during fog have place in the timetable. Now, passengers will not face issues of last-minute cancellations. The speed of 16 trains have been increased and converted into superfast,” an official said.

Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express service with LHB coaches launched

Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express service with LHB coaches launched

The Southern Railway began operating the service on Saturday.

The Hindu Bureau

Coimbatore 29.12.2024

The Southern Railway began operating the Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai-Coimbatore Jan Shatabdi Express with LHB coaches on Saturday.

Composed of two AC chair cars, 18 second class chair cars, one luggage-cum-brake van with accommodation for the differently abled, and one power car LHB coach, the train no. 12084 departed from Coimbatore Junction with 2,000 passengers on board and 100 % occupancy.

Developed by Linke-Hofmann-Busch of Germany, the coaches that are now being manufactured in India can be operated at higher speeds and have a higher passenger capacity than the conventional coaches, a press release said. The LHB coaches have fire retardant materials for furnishing, and the air-conditioning system of these coaches is of higher capacity, the release said.

Prior to the journey at Coimbatore, passengers celebrated the event by cutting a cake, honouring the Station Manager, Loco pilot and distributing sweets.

Emphasising on the scope for betterment of services from Coimbatore Junction in consideration of its status as the third highest revenue generating station in Southern Railways that includes railway stations in Kerala, train enthusiast and director of Kongu Global Forum J. Sathish voiced the demand of the travelling public for utilisation of the old ICF coaches used in the Coimbatore to Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi express for operating a new Jan Shatabdi train service between Coimbatore and Nagercoil.

Metro Rail begins trial run of its first driverless train

Metro Rail begins trial run of its first driverless train

On track: One of the challenges is to complete the laying of the track between Poonamallee and Porur at the earliest so that the testing can begin in three months. 

CMRL officials say dynamic trials began early this week after the static tests were completed; these will continue until passenger operations kick off on the Poonamallee-Porur stretch by Dec. 2025

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 26.12.2024

Chennai Metro Rail has begun the trial run of the first driverless train in the city.

The three-coach driverless train, manufactured in Sri City,was transported individually as separate coaches to the Poonamallee depot in mid-October. The coaches were then coupled and sent for the initial round of tests.

For the 118.9 km Chennai Metro Rail’s phase II project, three-coach trains will first become operational in corridor 4 between Poonamallee and Porur. For the same, trial runs will be conducted to ensure that the trains operate without glitches and are capable of handling passenger operations.

According to Chennai Metro Rail Limited officials, dynamic trials or trial runs began early this week after static tests were completed. The trials will continue until the passenger operations take off from Poonamallee to Porur by December 2025.

“The train, which was in the inspection bay line, went through static tests and was gradually moved to the test track at the depot, where the trial run began. The train speed, from 10 kmph-40 kmph, will be tested in the depot, while that from 40 kmph-80 kmph will be carried out on the viaduct from Poonamallee to Porur. Braking system will be particularly tested,” an official said.

One of the challenges is to complete the laying of the track between Poonamallee and Porur at the earliest so that the testing can begin at least within three months.

“The viaduct is yet to be finished in a few locations,only after which the track can be laid. It is going to be difficult to complete the track-laying work by March,” another source said.

Once the train is taken to the viaduct, the testing will begin along with the integration of overhead equipment and signalling system, officials said.

Passengers upset over cancellation of Tiruchy-Tambaram intercity express from December

Passengers upset over cancellation of Tiruchy-Tambaram intercity express from December 27

When enquired, railway sources said there is a proposal to run the Tiruchy-Tambaram intercity train thrice a week with the released coaches of the Mayiladuthurai-Coimbatore Jan Shatabdi Express.

N Ramesh

25 Dec 2024, 6:52 am

THANJAVUR: Train users in the delta districts are aggrieved over the announcement that the Tiruchy-Tambaram-Tiruchy intercity special train will stand canceled from December 27.

Heeding to a long-pending demand of train users in the region, the Southern Railway introduced the intercity superfast express on October 11 this year and announced that it will run until December 31 this year on a trial basis.

Barring Monday and Thursday, the train runs on other days of the week. The service departing from Tiruchy at 5.35 am reaches Tambaram at 12.30 pm, and again begins the journey in the opposite direction at 3.30 pm the same day and reaches Tiruchy at 11.35 pm.

The train has stoppage at 12 stations, including Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai and Chidambaram. "When I tried to book a ticket in the train through the IRCTC app for December 31, the train was mentioned as cancelled," said M Dass of Thanjavur, a regular user of the train. Inquiries revealed that the special train will have its last run on December 25.

This has come in as disappointment for the train users. "The intercity train has evoked good passenger response in all general coaches. Due to the special fare structure, reserved coaches saw only moderate crowds on weekdays," said A Giri, the secretary of the Thanjavur District Railway Users' Association.

The train has two AC three-tier coaches, six sleeper coaches and 12 unreserved coaches. While the sleeper class fare from Thanjavur to Chennai Egmore in other express trains is in the range of Rs 230 to Rs 260, the fare is Rs 360 in the intercity express, Dass said.

Stating that the Southern Railway cited operational reasons for suspending the train service from December 27, Giri conveyed the popular demand to keep it running continuously.

When enquired, railway sources said there is a proposal to run the Tiruchy-Tambaram intercity train thrice a week with the released coaches of the Mayiladuthurai-Coimbatore Jan Shatabdi Express. The latter train is expected to be operated with LHB type coaches from Saturday. There, however, is no official notification on running the intercity train beyond December 27, they clarified.

Driverless metro to begin trials at Madhavaram by '28

Driverless metro to begin trials at Madhavaram by '28 

24.12.2024

Chennai : Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will begin testing its first batch of three-car driverless trains at Madhavaram depot by early 2028, following the delivery of the initial train by the end of 2026. The ₹3,657.53-crore contract with BEML Limited includes 70 unattended train operations (UTO) trains, comprising 210 cars, personnel training, and depot machinery. The 14-month testing phase ensures operational readiness before service on corridors 3 (Madhavaram-Sipcot) and 5 (Madhavaram-Sholinganallur) of phase 2. Subsequent trains will be delivered from March 2027 to April 2029. This is the second of three contracts for phase 2. A prototype train under the first contract is already at Poonamallee depot, while the third tender is under process. TNN

Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express to run with LHB coaches from December 28

Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express to run with LHB coaches from December 28

The important features of LHB coaches are that they can be operated at higher speeds and have a higher passenger capacity than the conventional coaches. Special Arrangement

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUCHI  21.12.2024

The Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai-Coimbatore Jan Shatbadi Express (12084/83) will run with LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches from December 28.

The LHB coaches are deployed to enhance safety and ensure a comfortable journey for passengers. The trains will be operated with two AC chair cars, 18 chair coaches, one second class (Divyangjan friendly) coach, and one luggage-cum-brake van.

The important features of LHB coaches are that they can be operated at high speed and have a higher passenger capacity than the conventional coaches. They are lighter compared to the conventional coaches and have aesthetically superior interiors and require less maintenance.

Each coach has an advanced pneumatic disc brake system for efficient braking at high speed. Improved suspension system of LHB coaches provides more riding comfort to passengers. They have fire retardant material for furnishing and their air-conditioning system is of higher capacity, a railway press release said.

Strict Liability On Railways To Compensate Kin Of Deceased Who Fell From Train After Mistakenly Travelling Beyond Destination: Karnataka HC

Strict Liability On Railways To Compensate Kin Of Deceased Who Fell From Train After Mistakenly Travelling Beyond Destination: Karnataka HC

Mustafa Plumber

10 Dec 2024 12:37 AM

The Karnataka High Court has upheld an order of the Railway Tribunal granting compensation to the claimants of a deceased passenger who had fallen from the train after mistakenly travelling beyond his destination station.

Justice H P Sandesh dismissed an appeal filed by South Western Railways, challenging the order dated December 28, 2010, granting compensation of Rs 4 lakh along with interest to A Mohan.

He said, "The deceased might have fallen while trying to get down and in that process he could have received injuries, which the fact is in line with the statement of witnesses and also the post mortem report. The fact that the deceased was travelling in the train is not in dispute, but only mistakenly he traveled beyond destiny and also the Apex Court in the Prabhakaran's case also held that principles of strict liability applies, the defendant has to pay damages for injury caused to the plaintiff, even though the defendant may not have been at any fault"

He added “Section 124(a) of the Railway's Act, casts a strict liability on the railway even if the deceased died due to his own fault and the railway is liable to pay compensation. Even travel beyond his destiny, the same cannot be ground to discard the claim of the claimants.”

On February 14, 2009 the deceased had purchased one journey ticket from Whitefield to Kuppam and boarded the train Mysore-Tirupati passenger.

Since, the train was heavily crowded and that when the train reached Kuppam railway station due to the incoming and outgoing passengers the deceased could not get down at Kuppram station but tried to reach the doorway and in the meantime due to sudden jerk and jolt of the train travelling between Kuppam and Mallanur railway station, he accidentally slipped and fallen down from the train, sustained serious injuries and died on the spot.

The railways raised a sole contention that the deceased is not a bonafide passenger and the deceased was holding a ticket to travel from Whitefield to Kuppam and his body was lying beyond Kuppam railway station and that itself shows that the deceased is not a bonafide passenger. Hence, the claimants are not entitled for any compensation.

The bench referred to Apex court judgment in the case of Union of India V/s Prabhakaran Vijayakumar and other (2008) wherein it was held that since the provisions for compensation in the railways act is a beneficial piece of legislation, it should receive a liberal and wider interpretation and not a narrow and technical one. The passenger who has traveled beyond his destination in such a situation would be covered within the definition of the passenger with a valid ticket.

The court observed, “With the advance of industrialization, the Laissez Faire Theory was gradually replaced by the theory of the Welfare State, and in legal parlance there was a corresponding shift from positivism to sociological jurisprudence and the Court has to take note of liberal approach and the same was taken note of by the Railway Tribunal.”

It said that in Prabhakaran Vijayakumar's case it was also held that even if a passenger travel's beyond his destiny, the same cannot be ground to discard the claim of the claimants. In view of the same the court found no error in the Tribunal's order in allowing the claim and granting compensation to the deceased's kin.

Accordingly it dismissed the appeal.

Appearance: Advocate H Shanthi Bhushan for Appellant.

Citation No: 2024 LiveLaw (Kar) 503

Case Title: UnIon of India AND A Mohan & ANR

Case No: MISCELLANEOUS FIRST APPEAL NO.2556/2011

Passengers create ruckus on board Shanti Express over missing belongings

Passengers create ruckus on board Shanti Express over missing belongings 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  07.12.2024

Ahmedabad : Passengers in the First AC coach of the Shanti Express, travelling from Indore to Ahmedabad, were shocked when women travellers discovered that their belongings were missing. A commotion ensued when railway protection force officials declined to record complaints whilst the train was in motion, insisting passengers must alight at a station to do so. Officials were unwilling to stop the train for complaint registration.

The incident occurred around 3.30am, between Nagda and Ujjain, when a woman passenger noticed her purse and bag were missing. She alerted other passengers. Himangini Kalantri, another passenger of the AC coach, stated, “I heard noise outside my compartment. A woman passenger was looking for her stuff, her bag, and purse, as everything went missing. As other passengers started gathering near her seat, an attendant came and informed us that he found a bag in the washroom.” Kalantri added, “Usually, when I travel alone, I prefer the First AC coach as it is safe.” After recovering the items, passengers attempted to report the incident on the railway complaint number. However, the responding officers were uncooperative. The ticket checker and officials instead criticised the passengers for not securing their compartment from inside. 

According to Kalantri, she contacted the railway complaint platform, while the staff insisted on filing complaints at Ahmedabad. But other passengers refused to continue the journey. “I pulled the chain on four oc casions as we wanted action. After 20 minutes of ruckus, a police officer came to register the complaint,” she explained. Additional bags were discovered in the washrooms during the complaint registration process. “We found six bags in different washrooms, which were probably stolen. It is suspected that if it was happening across all coaches, there was a gang active on the train,” Kalantri said.  She expressed concern about single women travellers being targeted and suggested possible staff involvement, either directly or indirectly, in such incidents. 

Ticketless travellers paid ₹8.7cr in fines 

Ahmedabad : The Ahmedabad division of Western Railway collected Rs 13.46 crore between April and Nov in fines from passengers who were caught during a ticket checking drive and were carrying unauthorised luggage. The railway authorities said that to ensure comfortable travel and better services for all legitimate passengers, intensive ticket checking campaigns were conducted. The Ahmedabad division collected over Rs 8.71 crore from more than 94,600 passengers for ticketless travel. Additionally, Rs 4.70 crore in fines were imposed on around 81,500 unauthorized travellers. “Usually, passengers are required to book heavy luggage in the luggage van, but they travel with such heavy luggage in the train, and hence they were also booked,” said a senior railway official. TNN

How a station master’s OK sent train & his life on wrong track

How a station master’s OK sent train & his life on wrong track

Partha.Behera@timesofindia.com 07.11.2024 TIMES OF INDIA CHENNAI 

Raipur : A train chugged off where it wasn’t supposed to, railways suffered a ₹3-crore loss, a station master was suspended, and a divorce battle dragged on for 12 years from Visakhapatnam to Supreme Court and Chhattisgarh’s Durg — all because of an ‘OK’. The station master had said ‘OK’ to his wife during a fight over a phone call, which was mistaken for the green light to send a train into Maoist territory, triggering this strangerthanfiction chain of events. 

The station master hails from Visakhapatnam and his now divorced wife is from Durg. They married on Oct 12, 2011, but within a few days, it was evident that it wasn’t going to be a blissful ever-after. From court evidence, it’s learned that the bride was unhappy with the wedding due to her past relationship with another man, and her confession that she wasn’t over it. This led to friction at home. The station master appealed to her parents, who gave assurances, but the woman never stopped communicating with her lover. She would call him even with her husband sleeping right next to her, leaving him feeling insulted. 

The marriage was hanging by a thread when, one night, she called the station master when he was on duty and they again quarrelled. Since he was at work, he ended the call by saying, “We’ll talk at home, OK?” He didn’t realise that his work microphone was on. His colleague on the other end only heard the ‘OK’ and mistook it as green signal to dispatch a freight train down a restricted route in a Maoist affected area. 

Dowry, cruelty charge turns out to be false 

Thankfully, there was no accident, yet it was a violation of night-time restrictions, and caused railways a loss of ₹3 crore. The station master was suspended. The punishment worsened his marital woes and the officer, now at the end of his tether, filed for divorce in Visakhapatnam family court. His wife filed a complaint under IPC section 498A (cruelty and harassment) against him, his 70-year-old father, his elder brother, who is a govt employee, sister-inlaw and maternal cousins. Saying she feared for her life, the woman moved Supreme Court and managed to get the case transferred to Durg. When the Durg family court rejected his divorce petition, the railway man appealed to Chhattisgarh high court, his counsel, Vipin Kumar Tiwari, said. 

In a recent judgment, a division bench of Justice Raja ni Dubey and Justice Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal deemed the wife’s actions as ‘cruelty’, reversed the family court judgment and granted the man divorce. HC found that the wife had falsely accused her husband of having an affair with his sister-in-law. The dowry and cruelty complaint also turned out to be false. The division bench granted the husband divorce while noting that the wife’s arguing with him on the phone, which led to the ‘OK’ incident, the filing of false reports, and making baseless accusations constituted mental cruelty towards him.