Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

By Ananya Sengupta(Eds: Updating with details in para 8) New Delhi, Apr 16 () The Indian Railways turned 167 on Thursday but for the first time ever in its over one-and-half-century-old life, it celebrated its birthday with its trains standing idle in yards and without carrying passengers amid the nationwide lockdown. It was on this day 167 years ago in 1853 that the first passenger train in the country had run from from Bori Bunder in Mumbai to Thane. Indians had experienced life without trains for the first time in 1974. In May 1974, during the railways strike that lasted for around three weeks, drivers, station masters, guards, track staff and many others had gone on 'chakka jam', demanding fixed working hours for train drivers and an across-the-board pay hike."I can recall those times vividly. I remember that our leader George Fernandez had almost secured a deal with the then railway minister, but it fell through when it was taken to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi," All India Railwaymens Federation General Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra, who was an apprentice in the railways at that time, told . "Fernandez was arrested in Lucknow. The workers went through a lot at that time. But those were the days when angry workers had refused to give in and took great risks to get their demands met," he said. Just like this time, four decades ago too, freight trains carrying essential supplies had been run and the unions had agreed to let some passenger trains run on the trunk routes like the Kalka Mail from Howrah to Delhi."Never ever in its history, there has been such a long interruption of services. Not during the World Wars, not during the 1974 railway strike, or any other national calamity or natural disaster," a railway spokesperson said. The first Indian Railways passenger train was flagged off on April 16, 1853, from Mumbai to nearby Thane. The 14-carriage train was flagged off with a 21-gun salute, which was hauled by three steam locomotives - Sindh, Sahib and Sultan, carrying 400 passengers. On Thursday, the Railway Ministry wished the railways a happy birthday on Twitter, "Today, 167 years ago with the zeal of 'never to stop' the wheels of the first passenger train from Mumbai to Thane started rolling. For the first time, passenger services are stopped for your safety. Stay indoors &amp; make the nation victorious," it said. Railway has suspended all passenger services since March 25 till May 3 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Around 15,523 trains run by the railways have been affected including 9,000 passenger trains and 3,000 mail express services which are run daily. It caters to over 20 million passengers every day. According to the Union health ministry, the death toll due to coronavirus rose to 414 and the number of cases to 12,380 in the country on Thursday. ASG GJS GJS RAXRAX

Corona lockdown: First time in 167 years, railways didn't  ferry passengers on its birthday

Almost 45 days after suspending the passenger, mail and express train services amid the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> (Covid-19) crisis, the Indian Railways on Sunday announced they would run 15 air conditioned (AC) express trains equivalent to its premium Rajdhani Express from May 12 with limited stops. <keyword id="54441" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Railway-ministry">Railway Ministry</keyword>'s Executive Director, Media, <keyword id="315364" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajesh-Dutt-Bajpai">Rajesh Dutt Bajpai</keyword>, in a statement said: "The national transporter is planning to gradually restart special AC passenger train operations from Tuesday with 15 trains, including their return journey, with limited stops." <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75666997" title="India's Defence Research and Development Organisation develops devices to sanitise phones and currency notes" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> He said the online booking forn the trains will start at 4 p.m. on Monday. Bajpai said in the initial phase, the 15 pairs of trains will run as special AC trains from New Delhi Station to Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, <keyword id="6357416" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="thiruvananthapuram">Thiruvananthapuram</keyword>, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi. He said, all the coaches will be all AC with limited stoppage and the fare will be equivalent to Rajdhani Express train. Bajpai said that in AC three-tier coaches, 52 passengers will be allowed while in AC two-tier coaches, 48 passengers will be allowed keeping in mind the protocol of social distancing amid the Covid-19 pandemic. "The Indian Railways shall start more special services on new routes, based on the available coaches after reserving 20,000 coaches for Covid-19 care centres and adequate number of coaches being reserved to enable operation of up to 300 trains everyday as 'Shramik Special' for stranded migrants," he said. Booking for the reservation in these trains will start at 4 p.m. on Monday and will be available only on the IRCTC website. The railways had suspended the passenger, mail and express train services in view of the nationwide lockdown since March 24. On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat Covid-19. He again extended the lockdown for 19 more days till May 3 and then government once again extended the lockdown for to more weeks till May 17. Only freight and special parcel trains were running to transport the essential items across the country. The railway official further said that ticket booking counters at the railway stations shall remain closed and no counter tickets, including platform tickets shall be issued. "Only passengers with valid confirmed tickets will be allowed to enter the railway stations. It will be mandatory for the passengers to wear face cover and undergo screening at departure and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the train. Further details including train schedule will be issued separately in due course," he said. The Indian Railways started to run the Shramik Special trains from May 1 to transport the stranded migrant workers, students, pilgrims and tourists across the country on the request of the state governments. So far, over 350 Shramik special trains were operated by the Railways carrying 3.5 lakh migrant workers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/data-of-coronavirus-patients-state-wise-in-india/articleshow/74669748.cms">Coronavirus cases in India state wise</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-the-name-of-coronavirus-containment-zones-in-mumbai/articleshow/75045928.cms">List of coronavirus hotspot in mumbai</a>

Indian Railway's to start 15 premium passenger trains from May 12 — booking on IRCTC starts today at 4 pm

New Delhi, May 12 () Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sought views from Delhiites on how to ease the curbs after May 17, but said the lockdown cannot be lifted completely as a high number of coronavirus cases were being reported daily in the national capital, which saw the biggest spike in death toll with 13 fatalities in 24 hours. According to a health bulletin, with 406 fresh instances, the total number of coronavirus cases reached 7,639 while the death toll has risen to 86. In the bulletin, the Delhi health department, however, carried a footnote that certain figures mentioned in it, including death toll, were subject to change on receipt of additional information. A 31-year-old Army jawan suffering from coronavirus was found hanging from a tree in the premises of an Army hospital here, police said. An IPS officer with the Delhi Police has also tested positive for coronavirus. On a positive note, an 88-year-old man from Himachal Pradesh who had worked with the IAF has now fully recovered after successfully battling coronavirus infection at a city hospital here. Seeking suggestions from people to ease the curbs, Kejriwal said people can send their views by calling toll-free number 1031 or through WhatsApp number 8800007722, or by sending an e-mail to delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com by 5 pm Wednesday. Sources said the Delhi government received around three lakh messages on WhatsApp within seven hours as well as 25,000 recorded messages on the 1,031 helpline and 5,000 e-mails. "On one hand, we will have to save ourselves from coronavirus. But on other, we will also have to maintain the health of the economy," Kejriwal told an online media briefing. Earlier this month, he had said people will have to be ready to live with coronavirus. "I seek suggestions from the people of Delhi. Obviously, lockdown cannot be lifted completely from the city given the spike in cases of COVID-19," he said. The chief minister said his government will send a proposal on lockdown relaxations for Delhi to the Centre on Thursday after discussing the suggestions with experts and doctors. "I want to ask whether there should be relaxation in lockdown (post May 17). How much relaxation should be given and in which areas?" the chief minister sought to know from Delhiites. He also asked whether buses, metro, taxis and auto-rickshaw should now be allowed to operate in Delhi and if schools, markets and industrial areas should be opened after May 17, when the lockdown 3.0 ends. Barring COVID containment zones, economic activities should be allowed to resume in the national capital, Kejriwal had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with chief ministers. During the media briefing on Tuesday, he said the central government has asked all states to submit by May 15 their proposal on lockdown relaxations. The Delhi government has already demanded from the Centre that all 11 districts of the city not be treated as ''red zones'' so that more economic activities are allowed, the sources said. They said the city government wants that ''red zones'' in Delhi to be identified as per municipal wards instead of districts, they said. Recently, the Union Health Ministry classified the entire national capital, which has 11 districts, as a red zone. The city has 272 wards. Meanwhile, as the Raiways resumed its passenger service after over 50 days, three trains departed from the national capital to Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), Dibrugarh (Assam) and Bengaluru carrying people who have been stranded since the lockdown came into force. Five other trains bound for Delhi left from Patna, Bengaluru, Howrah, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, they added. The Delhi government on Tuesday issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for screening of passengers arriving here from outside in special trains. In an order, the health department said that only asymptomatic persons coming to the national capital would be allowed to go home after ascertaining that they are asymptomatic. For passengers found symptomatic, standard protocol for testing and quarantine shall be followed, it said. Hundreds of passengers gathered at the New Delhi Railway Station with mixed feelings of relief and apprehension, with many arriving before the scheduled train departure. The Chelmsford Road leading to the New Delhi Railway Station was heavily barricaded by police, as those who had to catch the trains walked with their luggage or hired rickshaws. The entrance of the railway station was also barricaded by police. People gathered outside as policemen queued up the passengers to different destinations. Announcements were made to maintain social distancing as people packed the road outside the railway station. Swami H B, employed with a bakery in Gurgaon, reached the station hours before the departure of his train to Bengaluru at 9.15 pm. "I came early as I had to commute from Gurgaon and also because I cannot afford to miss the train," he said. He said he was apprehensive of his journey forward from Bengaluru to his hometown Chikmagalur. BUN NIT VIT KND AMP ASG PR RTRT

Kejriwal seeks Delhiites' views on how to ease curbs; 13 more coronavirus deaths, over 7,600 cases

You Searched For "Howrah Mumbai Mail" and got 3 results

Corona lockdown: First time in 167 years, railways didn't ferry passengers on its birthday

PTI

Indian Railway's to start 15 premium passenger trains from May 12 — booking on IRCTC starts today at 4 pm

IANS

Kejriwal seeks Delhiites' views on how to ease curbs; 13 more coronavirus deaths, over 7,600 cases

PTI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides