At around 7.30 this morning, a section on the Gokhale bridge in Andheri, Mumbai, collapsed. The bridge was a part of the Andheri railway station and collapsed on the tracks. The highly dangerous incident has reportedly injured five people, but fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.

The fallen bridge was certainly a threat to those on the platform, but it was even more so for the local train which was just a few meters away from where it collapsed.

The local train travelling from Churchgate to Dahanu was approaching the Andheri station. Another local had passed the route, just a few seconds ago.

Speaking to The Better India, Chandrashekhar Sawant, who was driving the Western Railways train said, “The train was running at the speed of about 50km/hour. We were just 50-60 meters away when I saw the bridge collapsing. It happened right in front of me. So I applied the emergency brakes and stopped just in time.”

It’s scary to think what tragedy could have befallen the train passengers, had Sawant been just a little late in applying the emergency brakes.

When we contacted him, Sawant was still on duty, unmoved by the tragedy that he had averted just this morning.

“We can’t just leave our vehicle,” he said, adding, “In the morning, after stopping the train, I informed the guards and authorities about what had happened, put on the flasher light as a signal and stood with a red flag to stop other trains. We are trained to do this.”

You may also like: Ghatkopar Crash: Pilots Steered Away From Homes, Saved Lives at Cost of Own!

Siddhesh Sawant, the heroic driver’s nephew, told TBI, “He is an ex-army man. So protecting lives is his duty. Nevertheless, I am proud of him. In fact, we all are!”

The early morning local carried hundreds of passengers. The delay of a few seconds could have been a tragedy that we would rather not imagine.

People quickly took to Twitter to thank Sawant on his presence of mind. His quick action saved hundreds of Mumbaikars from a horrible mishap today.

Saluting d presenc of mind of d driver who put an emergency break juz 100mts b4 d #bridge wich collapsed #Andheri. Imagine d huge mishap orelse. @bmcmumbai @AUThackeray @uddhavthackeray #AndheriROB #MumbaiBridgeCollapse #MumbaiRains @RailMinIndia

— Mrinalini Singh (@i_mrinalini) July 3, 2018

Hats off to #ChandrashekharSawant Hero motorman who saved train passing thr collapsing bridge @PiyushGoyalOffc @PiyushGoyal Hats off to him @ZeeNewsHindi @ZeeNews

— Pankaj Bhayani (@pankaj_bhayani) July 3, 2018

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

IRCTC offers a facility that safeguards you from losses in case something untoward happens with your ticket booking, and there are many clauses and conditions, which determine whether the partial or entire amount will be refunded to you if you claim it.

However, there are other conditions which will invalidate your claim.

Here are 11 scenarios, as reported by the Financial Express, in which you will be ineligible for a refund.

1. If the TDR is not filed or a confirmed ticket is not cancelled up to 4 hours before the train’s scheduled departure, you will not receive a refund.

2. If you have a RAC (Reservation against cancellation) e-ticket, and you don’t cancel it or file a TDR online up to 30 minutes before the train’s scheduled departure, you will not get a refund. If there are less than 30 minutes left before the train’s departure, there will be no refund on RAC or waitlisted tickets.

3. If you have booked your tickets using the Tatkal scheme, you do not get a refund. However, if there is a contingent cancellation or waitlisted Tatkal ticket cancellation, the Railways will deduct charges as per the existing rules, and grant a partial refund.

4. You may cancel the waitlisted i-ticket at the computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counter, up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train, irrespective of distance. Once again, those who do not apply for a refund before 30 minutes of the train, won’t get it.

5. If you did not travel, and the train is running more than three hours late, no refund will be given by the Indian Railways, if the ticket has been cancelled or surrendered, or if you file the request after the train’s actual departure. Additionally, in case the train is running more than three hours late, and the TDR is filed after the actual departure, no refund will be granted.

6. If you book CNF/RAC tickets in premium special trains, you won’t get a refund upon cancelling. However, if the train is cancelled, a refund will be granted by the PRS system, as per existing Railways Refund Rules.

7. The Railways will not refund amounts for partially confirmed e-tickets against which none of the passengers have travelled, if the TDR is filed 30 minutes before the train’s actual departure. Also, no refund will be given on partial RAC/waitlisted tickets, against which no passenger has travelled, if TDR is filed after 30 minutes before the train’s scheduled departure.

8. For partially used reserved tickets of the Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Jan Shatabdi express trains, you will not get a refund from IRCTC.

9. For lost or misplaced i-tickets, there will be no refund of money. To prevent the fraudulent use of lost tickets, you must inform the Railways immediately. In case of a lost, torn or ruined confirmed or RAC tickets, you can issue a duplicate ticket, and travel on the reserved accommodation as per the existing Railway rules.

10. If you do not travel due to ticket being RAC after chart preparation, you won’t get a refund if the ticket is not cancelled, or TDR is not filed up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train.

You may also like:- Good News! Indian Railways to Get 700 Unreserved Coaches with Snazzy Features!

11. If for some reason you couldn’t cancel your ticket because the chart was prepared at the originating or previous remote location, you must cancel your ticket or file a TDR up to 4 hours before the train’s scheduled departure, if you want a refund. Also, for RAC e-tickets, in case the ticket is not cancelled, or the TDR is not filed online up to 30 mins before the train’s scheduled departure, you won’t get a refund from IRCTC.

The IRCTC’s rules are fairly comprehensive and should provide clarity to you in case you decide to cancel a Railways ticket.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Featured Image Credit: Prabir Bibar.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Are you worried about leaving your documents somewhere, or losing them while you travel? Well, thanks to the IRCTC DigiLocker, you can now leave your important documents like the passport, PAN Card, driving licence, Aadhaar, card at home reports the Hindustan Times.

The DigiLocker is a digital storage service operated by the Government that enables Indian citizens to store certain documents on the cloud. The IRCTC has sent a directive to all zonal principal chief commercial managers, stating that issued soft copies of Aadhaar cards and driving licences saved in DigiLocker will be accepted as valid proof of identity of a passenger.

The order also clarified that documents in the ‘uploaded documents’ section would be considered as valid proof of identity.

DigiLocker too confirmed this collaboration with the Railways and stated that they would accept soft copies of Aadhaar and driving licences saved on their cloud storage.

If you sign up for a DigiLocker account, you will get a dedicated cloud storage space, that is linked to your UIDAI number. You will also get a shareable private space on a public cloud, making all documents/certificates available on it.

Digilocker was integrated with UIDAI as a registered user in January 2017.

Departments like the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Petroleum have already enabled DigiLocker. Additionally, states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have enabled the filing of birth, income and caste certificates directly into DigiLocker accounts. Education boards like the CBSE also send results directly to DigiLocker.

In January 2018, the Ministry of Skills India Development agreed to issue all its certificates into the DigiLocker accounts of citizens, and the Agriculture Ministry, which issues certificates on fertilisers, pesticides, etc., is soon poised to come onboard DigiLocker.

You may also like:- IRCTC Refund Rules: 11 Instances Under Which Railways Will Disqualify Your Claim!

The cloud-based platform has also tied up with the Central Board of Secretary Education (CBSE) to provide digital versions of mark sheets. Subscribers can also integrate their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with DigiLocker.

The Central Government wants to make India digital by 2020. Well, bringing IRCTC on-board is a huge step in this direction!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

What would you do if you were on a train and saw a group of girls crying and looking rather uncomfortable? Would you turn away and mind your business or would you make it your business to find out more?

Adarsh Shrivastava, a  passenger onboard the Muzaffarpur-Bandra Awadh Express on July 5, made it his business to find out why a group of 26 girls on the train were crying and looking scared.

What is significant to mention here is that Adarsh’s account was created only on July 5, 2018, and the first post he put out was alerting the authorities about the girls.

He immediately put out a tweet mentioning all the details of the coach and the train he was on.

I am traveling in Avadh express(19040). in s5. in my coach their are 25 girls all are juvenile some of them are crying and all feeling unsecure.@RailMinIndia @PiyushGoyal @PMOIndia @PiyushGoyalOffc @narendramodi @manojsinhabjp @yogi

— Adarsh Shrivastava (@AdarshS74227065) July 5, 2018

A report in Hindustan Times states that officials in Varanasi as well as Lucknow saw the tweeted and swung into action. Within half an hour, they had started investigating the matter.

The publication further stated, “26 girls were found with two men, aged 22 and 55 years. All of them are from West Champaran in Bihar. The girls were being taken from Narkatikyaganj to Idgah. When questioned, the girls were unable to answer anything convincingly, so they have been handed over to the child welfare committee.”

The quick action taken by the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Police Force (RPF) saved the girls who were between 10 and 14 years of age.

In June 2018, an awareness programme was launched about the number of vulnerable children coming in contact with the Railways as passengers or abandoned, trafficked, runaway children separated from their families.

The programme was launched by Ashwani Lohani, Chairman, Railway Board, along with Stuti Kacker, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

Speaking at the launch, Ashwani had said, “This campaign has been launched to address the issue of protection of Children across the entire railway system and to sensitise all stakeholders, passengers, vendors, porters. Currently, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Railways to ensure Care and Protection of Children in contact with Railways is successfully implemented at 88 stations. Now, we intend to implement in 174 stations.”

Such campaigns are indeed helping spread the message and help vulnerable children.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Cover Photo

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Planning to go somewhere during the next long weekend? Well, according to this NDTV report, booking a round-trip makes sense because you’ll get the ticket and that too at a reasonable rate, thanks to circular journey tickets—a new facility introduced by IRCTC —which can be purchased for all booking classes.

By booking circular tickets, you will save time, and avoid the repeat effort of booking the ticket for each leg of the journey.

Photo Source

The Indian Railways offers tourists the facility of booking standard circular journey tickets that cover popular destinations, for their convenience. As a passenger, here are five things you should know.

1. A circular journey ticket is charged as two single journeys, where the length of every single journey is calculated as half the total distance.

2. Approach the Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) of the journey commencement station, once your itinerary is finalised. The DCM or the station authorities will calculate the ticket-cost based on your itinerary, and inform the Station Manager.

3. Purchase circular journey tickets by presenting this form at the Booking Office of the journey-commencement station. After purchasing the circular journey ticket, approach the Reservation Office to reserve accommodation for various laps of your journey. You will then receive the reserved ticket for the journey.

4. The Southern Railways only issue non-standard circular journey tickets.

You may also like:-Alert Train Passenger’s Tweet Saves 26 Underage Girls From Being Trafficked!

5. Male and female senior citizens get a 40% and 50% concession on fares, respectively, when travelling a minimum distance of 1000 kms.

So, the next time you travel, ensure you save time and benefit from the reduced rates of these circular journey tickets, courtesy IRCTC.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Featured Image Source

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Do you often get bored while travelling by train, and have nothing to do once you have exhausted your options of online entertainment? Well, you can shop onboard during your journey, just like you do so in aircraft. The Mumbai division which falls under the umbrella of the Central Railway Zone of the Indian Railways has proposed an onboard shopping service for long-distance train passengers, reports the Financial Express.

This is the second time the Railways has taken a leaf out of the aviation industry’s books to enhance the passenger experience. In May 2018, the national transporter had decided to roll out ‘combo meals’ consisting of two or three high-quality items, similar to the fare served on flights, and had implemented AI modules to monitor food quality.

As for the onboard shopping experience, it has been implemented by airlines for years now, where you can buy anything from a ball-point pen to a power-bank or even jewellery, choosing from the catalogue the flight attendants give you.

Three premium trains–the Konark Express, the Chennai Express and the Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Duronto Express, have been selected for this project, and the shopping facility will be provided in the AC coaches of these trains.

Choose from gadgets like earphones, or cosmetic and beauty products, among other things when you travel on these trains.

According to a Central Railway official quoted in a report, a tender would be floated in the next few days. The official also mentioned that passengers could pay through cash or online transfer, for the articles they bought.

The official mentioned that it would be launched on a trial basis and spread to other trains, if successful. The report also quotes another railway official, who said that a collapsible trolley would be used for the purpose. The Railways is optimistic and hopes that the passengers enjoy and appreciate the initiative

You may also like:- Around Rs 720 Crore Will Be Saved by the Indian Railways Thanks to This Fantastic Step

Well, if you happen to be travelling on any of the three trains that will run the trial, be sure to buy something off the trolley, and let us know what you thought!

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

How many times have you cursed yourself because you are stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the Railway station?

Well, instead of alternating between rueing your luck, and sending up silent prayers to the sky, you can do something proactive and useful. Thanks to the Railway’s new feature, you can check train statuses on WhatsApp, and make provisions beforehand, reports Business Today.

In association with MakeMyTrip, the Indian Railways will provide live WhatsApp status updates of trains, including information about train timings, booking statuses, cancellation and the platform number on which the train will arrive, all on WhatsApp.

So, how do you avail this facility?

1. Save the phone number 7343989104 (via MakeMyTrip), on your mobile phone.

2. When an update is required, send the number of your train to the number above.

3. If the server isn’t busy, you can expect a response, with the details of the respective train, within 10 seconds of making the request.

4. Please check for the two blue ticks, so, you know that the message was delivered and read successfully, and do ensure you are connected to the internet as well.

This passenger-centric measure should free up the 139 line, which people call to find out train statuses, and comes close on the heels of other initiatives, which have made the lives of passengers, easier.

You may also like:- 8 New Feature-Packed Trains That Could Change The Way Indians Travel

The new IRCTC website, allows you to log in without an ID or password, has a ‘waitlist prediction’ feature, and allows you to mark up to 6 cards as favourites so that you can transact with ease. Read about the above features and more, and learn how to navigate the IRCTC website here.

Feature Image Source: Mumbai Live

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Earlier this year, the Indian Railways had inducted thirteen 09-3X Dynamic Tamping Express machines, in an effort to introduce state-of-the-art integrated track maintenance technology.

Now, according to a tweet by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, the national transporter has introduced five new track maintenance machines, which will completely mechanise the monitoring, relaying and maintenance of tracks for the safety of commuters.

According to a release by the PIB, the machines include three Dynamic Track Temping Machines, one Ballast Cleaning Machine and one Points and Crossings Tamping Machine.

Additionally, coaches that will take care of the accommodation needs of the track machine’s staff have been refurbished as well, at the cost of Rs 18 lakh per coach. The machines were inaugurated and flagged off by Shri Goyal, at the Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi, in the presence of other dignitaries.

These are the machines:

1) 09-3X-Dynamic Tamping Express:

Costing about Rs 27 crore each, the New 09-3X- Dynamic Tamping Express is a latest high output integrated tamping machine having multiple functions, which are currently being carried out by different machines.
It works with the tracks, correcting geometry, tamping sleepers and measuring various parameters thus eliminating the need for a separate stabilisation machine which reduces operating costs and track possession times.

2) Ballast Cleaning Machine:

This machine will be used to screen ballast under the sleepers on plain tracks and turnouts for restoring drainage and resilience of tracks, to improve the mobility, safety and passenger comfort.

3) Points & Crossing Tamping Machines (UNIMAT-4S):

These are Tamping Machines for track geometry correction on turnouts. Presently 32 such machines are in service, and the Indian Railways plans to induct 62 more in the next three years.

You may also like: Check out the Swanky New Look of Indian Railways’ Upgraded AC Coaches!

As reported across several publications, the Indian Railways aims to completely mechanise inspection, monitoring, relaying and maintenance of railway tracks by 2020 on the trunk route and on the entire network of the Indian Railways, by 2024.

You can check out these machines in action, in this fantastic video below:-

Inducted 5 new track maintenance machines which will completely mechanise the monitoring, relaying & maintenance of tracks for the safety of commuters.https://t.co/XDfvqZVEBb pic.twitter.com/399wpu0wLC

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) July 26, 2018

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Indian Railways, for the most part, offers a large network for viable and affordable transportation. Along with that, it offers a concession for people in need. And did you know that almost 50 categories of people can avail concessions?

So, I took to the internet to find out what concessions are available and who all can avail them.

My period of search did yield some answers. And it was, in fact, insightful. For example, girls till graduation and boys till class 12 can travel for free between home and school in Second and SL classes.

There are also concessions for farmers to the disabled, foreign tourists, to even unemployed individuals searching for a job.

Here are a few lists of different types of concessions available. You can check out the entire list here.

But my period of search soon came to a standstill with a doubt. How does anyone apply for a concession?

I was looking for details on this when I came across the Indian Railways website redirecting me to a manual called the IRCA Coaching Tariff, Part I (Vol. II) which contained information like detailed rules, procedures, entitlement, purposes, etc., for concessions.

The 500-page document, linked here, is available in Hindi as well as English and consists of a list of recognised authorities and institutions, the rules for concession and most importantly, the certificates needed to apply for a concession.

The compilation is very comprehensive, so I have added a few images of the specimen of selected certificates for your ease.

Concession certificate for patients.

Concession for students participating in particular sports events.

Concession for students traveling for specific examinations

Conditions for students travelling with concession.

As you can see, most of the certificates are addressed to the Station Manager. Other officials are specified on the certificate. You can also simply address “The authorised officer”. But the signature to authenticate your concession should be from the proper delegates, and wherever stamp is required, must be present.

There are other rules to keep in mind while availing concession, as it is only applicable for the first 300 kms, except for entrance exam students, handicapped (visually or orthopedically), paraplegic, and different types of patients listed in the manual.

Other conditions include that one cannot avail more than one concession on a journey. A return journey concession should be made by the same route. Certain concessions require the passenger to carry an authorised letter.

For more details, check out the full detailed concessions list here.

With a varied range of concessions available to students and the senior public, the national carrier is making sure to be accessible to the nation.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Hey, you may also like: Watch: Indian Railways Inducts 5 Futuristic Machines For Safer Train Travel!

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Stinking toilets in long-distance trains making you reconsider your travel decision? Soon, these clogged and foul-smelling toilets may become obsolete.

When Indian Railways first began its experiment to help commuters by installing bio-toilets, it was met with criticism.

At first, these bio-toilets were lauded for converting human waste into water and bio-gas through anaerobic bacterial action and having a cross-ventilation system.

But with their installation a few years ago, frequent complaints of choking, foul smell and non-functional bio-toilets surfaced.

A major cause for these issues was considered to be the fact that these bio-toilets completely blocked the ventilation system in old trains which had an open commode chute.

To tackle this, the South East Central Railway (SECR) had invented the Natural Draft Induced Ventilation System (NDIVS).

According to an Economic Times report, the SECR won the first prize of Rs 3,00,000 in the Railways’ ‘Suggestion scheme of best innovation 2017-18’ category, and will soon be implemented in all zones.

The innovation was developed at the coaching depot in Bilaspur. The idea of the design is to remove humidity and bring in fresh air in the toilets with its cross-ventilation system. Deemed to be a cost-effective model, it was also studied by the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur.

How is it different you ask?

The system has two funnels. One of which faces forward and the other, in the reverse direction of the train. These are connected to the coach toilet with the help of plastic pipes.

While the front-facing funnel takes in fresh air and pumps it into the toilet as the train moves, this fresh air pushes out the foul smell in the toilet through the reverse-facing funnel.
The mechanism is credited to the ‘venturi effect’ which ensures a vacuum is created at the mouth of the reverse-facing funnel, which helps purge out of the odour.

While the innovation has now been installed in 50 coaches, the report mentions that it will be implemented across the national carrier in the long run.

Read more: No More Dirty Tracks: Railways’ Bio-Toilets to Be Here Sooner Than You Think!

The transport giant was reported to explore the option of upgrading its bio-toilets to imported bio-vacuum toilets found in aircraft which would not only consume less water but also prevent erosion of rail tracks, as there would be no discharge.

It would be useful to note that a regular or bio-toilet consumes 10 to 15 litres of water per flush, while the vacuum toilet would consume only 500 ml of water.

The first 100 coaches were reported to be attached to premium trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi and be rolled out in January 2018. Read more about it here

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Come September, the Indian Railways’ (IR) first-ever disaster management village will begin its operations from Hejjala, a village located 25 km from Bengaluru in Karnataka.

This ambitious project of the national transporter has been undertaken across a plot measuring 3.32 sq km on a budget of ₹44.42 crores and will function as a virtual reality centre that will analyse rail accidents.

Spearheaded by the IR, this is a first-of-its-kind initiative, where an entire village is being deployed for the sole purpose of minimising rail accidents that have frequently been occurring across the country in recent times.

According to E Vijaya, the chief public relations officer of South West Railways (SWR), the training centre is all set to open next month. “Railway staff across the country will be trained to handle emergency situations. Training will begin for a few batches in September,” she said to The Times of India.

Besides conventional modes of classroom training, the centre also intends to create a real environment to train officials in various conditions and scenarios of train accidents. For the purpose of practical training as a part of the safety village, tunnel, cutting, embankment, and other conditions and obstructions like overhead structures and platforms are being created.

You may also like: Indian Railways Inducts 5 Futuristic Machines For Safer Train Travel!

Overaged rolling stock such as coaches, wagons and locomotives, along with various tools and equipment, will provide hands-on practical training. Additionally, a water reservoir is being erected in the ‘village’ site that will simulate underwater rescue and relief operations for the trainees.

“Such centres will help new staffers to quickly react during tragedies like train derailments, collisions and the collapse of bridges,” said Abhishek R, a rail enthusiast.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Travelling via trains but forgot your medicines at home? Well, you may soon be able to buy them at multi-purpose stalls in railway stations.

The Railways is now mulling the move to have multi-purpose stalls (MPS) at stations stock low-cost generic medicines for sale, reported the Business Standard.

The government informed the Parliament about the decision made by the Railway Board on Thursday.

Writing to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain, said that there were three chemist stalls already operational in Mumbai’s Churchgate, Mumbai Central and Andheri stations. But the government is now expected to ensure that most major stations have chemist shops that sell low-cost medicines.

“Railway Board has decided that a policy provision will be made that existing Multi Purpose Stalls (MPS) at railway stations may be authorized to stock generic low-cost medicines, also in accordance with the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) scheme,” he added.

He explained that under the existing Multi-Purpose Stall (MPS) policy, it had been decided that books/magazines/newspapers, chemist stall items-OTC (over the counter) medicines and non-pharmacy items like dry/spray milk powder and other such items will be permitted for sale.

Read more: Watch: Indian Railways Inducts 5 Futuristic Machines For Safer Train Travel!

He added that under the policy, retailers/individuals/self-help groups and registered sole proprietorship firms or a partnership firm or company – under the Partnership Act 1932/Companies Act 1956 – are eligible for participating in the bidding process for these stalls.

It could be a great move considering the vast section of the population that uses railway services to travel within the country. Another latest project that the Railways is being lauded for is to tackle stinking bio-toilets with an award-winning innovation!

This innovation will ensure that humidity in these bio-toilets is pushed out and replaced with fresh air through a cross-ventilation system. You can read more about it here.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Did you know that you can opt for the auto-upgradation of your train berth in the Indian Railways, to a tier higher than the one you reserved initially without any additional charges?

Those using IRCTC, the national transporter’s online portal, to book tickets, would have undoubtedly come across this option and also gotten their confirmed berths upgraded to a higher tier!

For those who weren’t aware of this scheme, IRCTC gives all of its customers the opportunity to choose for auto class upgradation at the time of booking mail and express train tickets on its website.

The aim behind this scheme is to achieve optimal utilisation of available berths in trains by reallocating vacant ones to those passengers who opted for the auto class upgrade, which in turn will help move waitlisted ones to the confirmed passenger list.

Here’s everything you need to know about IRCTC’s auto-upgrade scheme that will allow you an upgraded rail travel experience and that too, at no extra cost!

1. One needs to keep in mind that the upgradation process is only applicable to the next level, which means if you have a ticket for the sleeper class berth, it will be upgraded to the AC third tier. Similarly, berths in third and second AC tiers will be upgraded to second and first AC compartments.

2. To be considered for an auto upgrade, you will have to tick the checkbox stating the same at the time of booking the tickets online. If you don’t tick this box while submitting the requisition form for reservation, the answer will be treated as affirmative, and the passengers can still be eligible for upgradation.

3. This upgradation is automatically processed by the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) while the charts are being prepared and no train conductor or ticket examiner from the Railways has the authority to upgrade any passenger under this scheme on the train.

4. Only waitlisted passengers will get confirmed berths under this scheme. Meanwhile, the remaining vacant berths would be moved for booking on the current counters as per the standing mechanism. So if there is a likelihood of trains with no waiting list, the auto upgrade will not take place.

5. The passengers, whose confirmed berth reservations have been upgraded to the higher tier, will be now included in the Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC)/ Waitlisted (WL) passenger list of that tier and if some berths still remain vacant, passengers from the next lower tier with confirmed tickets will be then allocated these berths.

You may also like: Students, Senior Citizens & More: How To Avail Concessions From Indian Railways!

6. The upgradation process for all single-ticket passengers is administered together. On the other hand, while multiple passengers (up to six) with tickets booked under a single PNR number are eligible for to be considered for an auto upgrade, the unavailability of adequate berths in such cases, however, will mean that none of these passengers will benefit from this scheme.

7. Also, the scheme doesn’t consider block-booking transactions as well as tickets booked under senior citizen or other concessionary categories for upgradation.

8. If a passenger with upgraded reservation cancels his or her ticket, the cancellation charges levied by IRCTC will only reflect that of the class booked initially. Also, the PNR number remains unchanged for passengers with upgraded tickets, and they can continue using this same 10-digit number to place enquiries with the PRS or receive any train-related information.

9. An important thing to remember once you receive upgradation updates from IRCTC is that you will have to make a personal effort to crosscheck the final coach number and berth number allocated to you before occupying it. This is important as any carelessness might lead to untoward arguments and scuffles between passengers, who will both be under the impression of the reserved berth is their own.

10. The final charts prepared before the commencement of the train journey will contain all the upgradation-based changes including names of passengers along with their newly allocated coach and berth numbers that will all carry an indication on the chart denoting their upgraded status.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Feature Image Credits: Belur Ashok/ Flickr.

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

If you aspire to drive the high-speed bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, be prepared to brush up on some Japanese. When the project becomes operational by 2023, drivers will be trained by experts in Japan, most of whom don’t speak English, according to a report in the Hindustan Times.

Achal Khare, Managing Director, National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), said that drivers in Japan took to bullet trains after driving regular trains. He added that a psychometry test would be carried out as responses to situations differ. NHSRCL has been given charge of executing the project.

A psychometric test measures an individual’s suitability for a role, based on personality traits and aptitude. The tests help determine whether a candidate’s personality and cognitive abilities match those required for the role. Clarifying the Japanese language factor, Khare added that those on the ground level in Japan are not fluent in English, which could become an issue during communication.

For those aspiring to drive this high-speed train, the requirements are likely to include a Bachelor’s degree. An Engineering degree will not be compulsory. The NHSRCL will initially start with a team of 56 bullet train drivers, and 50 station masters.

Breaking down the contingent of 360 people who will visit Japan over 2-3 years, Khare said 56 of them would be drivers, while the others would be responsible for track maintenance, signal maintenance and station master categories.

The training in Japan will range from three to nine months, with the hiring process to start by the end of 2019, and training to begin thereafter.

Sarvesh Kumar, who is an advisor to several metro projects and has worked with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), said that the technology the bullet train employs is advanced and that people in Japan are familiar with basic English. He added that Japanese isn’t a difficult language, as he has communicated with Japanese delegations while working on the Delhi Metro.

The state-of-the-art trains will be 35 in number, with each having ten coaches. Initially running on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, each train will have one business class coach and nine standard coaches. Equipped with advanced operational technologies, the trains will sport a variety of passenger amenities.

You may also like:-Fares, Timings & Speeds: All You Need to Know About the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Trains

Land acquisition for the humongous project is already underway. The lowest fare for the 508-km long corridor is expected to be Rs 250, with the highest being pegged at Rs 3,000.

The bullet train will mark a new era in the way the country travels by train. Hopefully, the communication challenges will be overcome for the corridor to be up soon.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Indian Railways has decided to pull the plug on free travel insurance for tickets booked. According to the Financial Express, a senior Railway Ministry official has stated that this will be done from September 1st.

The official said that the IRCTC had been giving free insurance since December 2017 to push for digital transactions. However, travellers who book tickets through the IRCTC website or mobile application will now have to choose from two options–to opt for travel insurance or not.

The national transporter had tied up with various insurance companies, sharing a number of schemes. Some of these were–cover of Rs 10 lakh in case of a person’s death during a train journey, Rs 7.5 lakh if a person was disabled due to an accident, Rs 2 lakh if a person was injured, and Rs 10,000 for the transportation of mortal remains.

The order to charge travel insurance will be generated in a few days, and as of now, no amount has been disclosed.

Along with free insurance, the Railways had also omitted the ticket booking charge for passengers who made payments using a debit card.

The Railways has always pushed passengers for digital transactions. It is committed to digital payments and even released its payment gateway called IPAY for this. In yet another boost to cashless spending, the IRCTC had decided to collaborate with the State Bank of India, to provide a debit card to passengers.

You may also like:- ‘Ipay’, the IRCTC Payment Gateway, Will Change the Way You Transact with the Railways

Well, tickets are the primary source of revenue for the Railways and any steps taken to modify the prices is bound to have an effect.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

In the worst ever natural calamity to hit Kerala in over 100 years, what is saving lives and keeping the spirits of people alive in the state, is the help and support that is overflowing from the corners of the country and even, abroad.

Through defence-deployed rescue teams, local volunteering groups as well as relief materials, Kerala and her children are grappling with the floods with solidarity and bravery. The situation is quite similar to the one faced by Chennai almost three years ago.

Now coming to Kerala’s rescue in its moment of need is the Indian Railways, which has dispatched 2.8 lakh litres of drinking water to the state on Friday, through BRN (bogie rail-carrying flatcar with roller bearings) wagons equipped with syntax tanks and also bottled water.

“The Southern Railway (SR) has dispatched one water special consisting of seven wagons with water tanks from the Erode Junction station at 4 p.m. today with 2.8 lakh litres of drinking water,” said Rajesh Dutt Bajpai, Director Media Railway Ministry, reports Business Standard.

The water carrying special train bound to Thiruvananthapuram is running via Dindigul, Madurai and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.

According to The Times of India, another special train with 15 BRN wagons is in the pipeline, and will also be dispatched from Erode.

You may also like: Fighting Fake News Amidst Kerala Floods: How You Can Join The Govt In Tackling Rumours!

Along with the seven wagons of water that have already been dispatched from Chengalpattu, the national transporter has also been supplying bottled water to the flood-affected areas in Kerala.

“Today 2,740 cartons were dispatched from Parassala Rail Neer plant. The dispatch of another 10,000 cartons of water bottles (1,00,000 bottles) from IRCTC’s Parassala plant in Kerala is under progress,” a Railways official said.

Additionally, IRCTC’s Palur Plant in Tamil Nadu is also showing its support to Kerala by dispatching about 15,000 cartons with water bottles through express trains.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

It was a usual Friday evening at the New Delhi Railway Station. Passengers bustled about waiting for their trains to arrive. Nothing unusual—around 400 trains start, end or pass through the station daily, according to this data.

However, there was a buzz as soon as one train started rolling in, and people could just not stop staring at it. Up-front, it looked unlike anything else they had ever seen.

The train in question was the Bihar Sampark Kranti Express, reports the Hindustan Times.
Along with the Vaishali Express for New Delhi, it is the most important train in North Bihar.

But what was so special about the train?

Well, the entire exterior of the train was covered with traditional Mithila artwork, also known as Madhubani art, thus making it a visual treat.

Practised in the Mithila region of Bihar in India, Madhubani art is characterised by eye-catching geometric patterns.

The painting is done with fingers, twigs, matchsticks, and brushes using natural dyes and pigments.

According to Samastipur Divisional Rail Manager (DRM) RK Jain in the Hindustan Times, the train in question is the first to get such a comprehensive makeover showcasing traditional artwork. This is part of a bigger experiment to promote the local art and culture on a larger canvas and showcase nuances of artwork to the public.

“It took four days for a batch of 30 local women artists to paint a coach. The painting work by them in the first phase had commenced here on July 20,” said railway official Chandrashekhar Prasad Singh, to HT.

The train consists of 9 coaches, which comprise a pantry car, 4 AC coaches, 3 Sleeper Class Coaches, and one General Compartment, as of now.

Incidentally, the Madhubani station, under the Samastipur division, was declared the 2nd best at an All India Railway Station Beautification contest held recently. The walls of Patna Junction have also been decorated with Madhubani paintings to popularise the art and culture of Mithilanchal, according to East Coast Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Rajesh Kumar, in the Times of India.

The Railways is anticipating the response of the public. If it is positive, it will consider applying this move on other trains as well.

You may also like:- Get Your Marriage on Track: Take Your Wedding Vows Aboard a Luxury Indian Train

Well, if the pictures of the Bihar Sampark Kranti Express are anything to go by, this ‘Art on Wheels’ project by the Railways is sure to be a visual treat.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

The last thing that you would expect before your much-anticipated train journey is a misplaced ticket. Or worse, a few, if you are travelling with family. Since we can never be careful enough, it is bound to happen. Thankfully, there is no reason to worry, as the IRCTC has got your back. According to NDTV, passengers can now get a duplicated ticket on paying a certain fee.

The Indian Railways Portal outlines two scenarios.

1. If the loss of confirmed/RAC ticket is reported before the preparation of the reservation chart, a duplicate ticket can be issued. The charges are Rs 50 for a sleeper class ticket and Rs 100 for other classes.

2. However, if the loss of ticket is reported after the preparation of a reservation chart, the duplicate ticket will cost you around 50% of the reservation fare.

Well, here are five important points to remember about the IRCTC policy of duplicate tickets.

1. A torn or mutilated confirmed or RAC ticket can be issued at the cost of 25% of the fare, after the preparation of the reservation chart. Charges are the same for the issue of a duplicate ticket, instead of the lost/misplaced ticket, before chart preparation.

2. Those who have mutilated waitlisted tickets are not eligible for duplicates.

3. Based on the face of the ticket and extent of damage, a refund is allowed if the mutilation is genuine and authentic.

4. If you are an RAC ticket holder and lose your ticket after the preparation of a reservation chart, you are not eligible for a duplicate ticket.

5. If by a stroke of luck, you manage to find the ticket you originally misplaced, bring it along with the new duplicate ticket before the train departs. You will get a refund for the duplicate, sans a 5% of the total ticket amount, subject to a minimum of Rs 20.

The IRCTC has always been fair with regards to customers who are in genuine need. For those who need to cancel their trips for any reason, the IRCTC has them covered with refunds. However, you must be careful about the rules of disqualification, which you can read about here.

You may also like:- Save Money With IRCTC’s Circular Ticket Scheme: Charges, Concessions & More!

The IRCTC has a revamped website, so ticket booking is indeed a breeze. With its new features, the website is easier to navigate. Read about the eight new features here.

Well, whenever you decide to book your next trip, the Railways has you covered, in case you lose your ticket, or need to cancel your trip!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you think that refunding your cancelled railway ticket is a cakewalk?

Well, Mumbai-based Aniruddha Shembavanekar’s four-year-long consumer dispute against the IRCTC will prove otherwise.

In April 2014, the Vile Parle resident had booked train tickets on the Howrah Mumbai mail for his wife and son, who wanted to travel from Jabalpur to Mumbai in June 2014. He was later informed that the train had been cancelled due to some unavoidable circumstances.

In the light of the events that unfolded, he decided to book a train from Jabalpur to Nagpur and then a flight to Mumbai.

In October 2014, he filed a complaint stating that the IRCTC, (who he had reached out to) failed to refund his ticket money. Instead, he was told that the Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) filing deadline had been revised to 72 hours, and he had missed seeking the refund money within the stipulated time.

Agitated by the firm’s lack of action, Shembavanekar moved to the South Mumbai District consumer dispute redressal commission forum and filed a complaint. His battle to reclaim his money ended after the forum declared its order on the matter recently.

According to a DNA report, the forum ruled that the ticket money had to be refunded since the railways had cancelled the train on its own.

Read More: Lost Your Train Ticket & Need a Duplicate One? Here’s What You Can Do!

It criticised the claim of the railway subsidiary firm that mentioned that the complainant failed to file the TDR within 72 hours as ‘unsustainable and baseless.’ It noted that it was mandatory for the firm to refund the amount as the consumer did not avail of their services and by denying the same, there was a deficiency of service.

In conclusion, the forum ordered IRCTC to refund Shembavanekar the ticket amount of Rs 1,855. In addition, it has been told to additional compensate him with Rs 7,500 towards the mental agony caused and Rs 2,500 towards his litigation charges.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Soon, you will have to say goodbye to AC-2 tier coaches, as AC-3 tier coaches are replacing them.

But why the downgrade you ask?

AC-2 tier coaches are not commonly seen in all trains; they are most prevalent in Rajdhanis and Durontos which are known for their service, their speed and their priority in the Indian Rail Network.

AC-1 and AC-2 coaches are the same when it comes to accommodating passengers, with AC-1 coaches offering a door for added security and also a shower within the coach. Whereas AC-2 and AC-3 completely differ with the AC-3 offering three berths in a single compartment.

The reason for scrapping the AC-2 coaches is due to their unpopularity, both with the passengers and the railway officials.

Passengers seem to prefer the AC-3 coaches as they offer the same comforts as the AC-2 coaches but at a lower price. This is evident by the fact that AC-3 coaches are always in demand as compared to the AC-2 ones.

Additionally, AC-3 coaches bring in some significant profits for the Indian Railways as they attract about 85 million passengers annually, compared to around 55 million in all the other AC segments, including AC-1, AC-2 and AC chair cars.

Due to these reasons, the Railway Board has given instructions to manufacture more AC-3 coaches. As reported in NDTV, if such a replacement is done, for example, in the 50 Rajdhani trains, it will create around 14,400 additional berths for AC-3 passengers.

Another interesting thing to note is that Indian Railways will ensure a smoother ride on the Delhi Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains, beginning October. Speaking to the Financial Express, Ashwani Lohani, the Chairman of the Railway Board said that they are changing the couplers which connect coaches in trains.

The new system for couplers is the centre buffer coupler (CBC) which is equipped with balanced draft gear. These consist of high capacity shock absorbers which will be able to absorb jerks caused by the train.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Hey, you may also like: This Is What the Railways Is Doing To Prevent Thefts On Rajdhani, Shatabdi Trains!

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.