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Faster trains, bullet corridor

     New Delhi: In all likelihood, the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav will introduce two long-distance trains between Delhi and Howrah and Delhi and Chennai with speed of upto 150 km Šper hour in the budget for the fiscal 2005-06, which is in the final stages of preparations. Lalu might also announce the launch of four freight trains at a speed of 100 kms per hour on high-density routes connecting the four metros, informed the Railway Ministry. An all-new high-speed corridor may also be introduced for "bullet" trains between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with a speed of 250 to 300 km per hour. The Prime Minister has agreed for the project, as a part of his effort to modernise the Indian Railways. With some innovative ideas, Prasad may also launch a "frequent travellers scheme", under which frequent travellers will earn points that will win them free tickets. This new idea has been picked up from the already existing offers in Indian Airlines, which is a success story in passenger marketing. To spread awareness about the dreaded disease AIDS, Railways and Health and Family Welfare Ministry have decided to jointly run five pairs of "Red-Ribbon" Express trains to create awareness about the dreaded disease.

Railway Budget being prepared in Patna (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Railway Ministry will be presenting its budget on February 26 in Parliament, but the hullabaloo attached with budget preparations is amiss. And it is all because the Railway Minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav, is busy in an election campaigning in BIhar and Jharkhand. Even security officials of Laloo Prasad Yadav are also whiling away their time. They say that Laloo is busy in election campaigning and will be coming only after election.Even Class Four employees have a good time and they are sanguine that only after election the minister will be coming. Railway Board Chairman RK Singh also refused to comment on how the railway budget is being prepared. His personal staff did not allow to interview him,instead he proposed to interview MY Siddiqui , Director, Public Relation, Railway. Siddiqui revealed the fact that the budget is being prepared in Patna where railway officials go to get the approval of Laloo Prasad Yadav. Siddiqui confirmed that bureaucrats fly to Patna and then discuss the nitty-gritty of forthcoming budget. When asked about the rising expenses on travelling , he said that these expenses are in public interest. It is not only that Laloo Prasad Yadav is not attending the office...even his two juniors are absent. And this fact was confirmed by the personal staff of the Ministers of State for Railways, R.Velu and Naranbhai Rathwa.

Nepal king asks for 100 days (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: Nepal King Gyanendra is believed to have said that he needs 100 days, to bring the situation in his country under control and remove curbs on citizens. The monarch, who triggered a crisis in Nepal and international concern by dismissing prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, taking over power and imposing emergency with censorship and detention of political leaders and rights activists, reportedly made the promise privately to the US ambassador to Nepal.