News Analysis India

Tag: indian railways

  • Kanchanjunga Express accident: Mallikarjun Kharge slams Modi govt, says ‘utter mismanagement’ of railway ministry

    NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday slammed the Modi government for “utter mismanagement” of the Railway Ministry as he condoled the loss of lives in the West Bengal train accident. “Extremely distressed by the Kanchanjunga Express train collision accident in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, where many people have lost their lives and several have been injured,” he said.

    “The scenes of the accident are painful. Our heart goes out to the families of the victims. In this hour of grief, we express our solidarity and condolences to each one of them. We wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Immediate and full compensation must be provided to the victims,” he demanded.

    Kharge alleged that in the past 10 years, the Modi government has indulged in “utter mismanagement” of the Railway Ministry. “As a responsible Opposition, it is our bounden duty to underline how the Modi Government has systematically converted the Rail Ministry into a platform of ‘Camera-driven’ self-promotion,” the Congress chief claimed.

    “Today’s tragedy is yet another reminder of this stark reality,” he alleged.

    “Make no mistake, we will remain persistent with our questions and shall make the Modi Government accountable for its criminal abandonment of the Indian Railways,” Kharge said. At least 15 people were killed and around 60 others injured after a goods train collided with the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express near Rangapani station in West Bengal on Monday, police said.

  • Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan: Left govt in Kerala enters fourth year, CM says extreme poverty will be eradicated by 2025

    As the Left government in Kerala marks its fourth year in office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday the government plans to develop a knowledge economy and eradicate extreme poverty in the state by November 1, 2025. Listing out achievements of the Kerala government, Vijayan said in a statement that the consecutive Left governments have focused on developing basic infrastructure in the state.

    “This government is striving to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy, emphasising achievements in infrastructure development and the welfare sector. As part of it, we are addressing deficiencies and eliminating gaps in various areas. Kerala already has the lowest poverty rate in India, and we are now taking steps towards eradicating extreme poverty. By November 1, 2025, Kerala aims to become a state free of extreme poverty,” Vijayan said.

    Vijayan said that while the Union government fails to fill the numerous vacancies in various Central government establishments, including the Indian Railways and other Central public sector undertakings, the Kerala Public Service Commission stands as a model for the entire country. “The Left government has given 2.5 lakh jobs through the PSC since 2016. The government has also created 30,000 more posts, and a special recruitment board was formed for the recruitment in the state public sector undertakings,” Vijayan said. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesVijayan said the Left government has received various global accolades and recognition, but the Union government is choking the state through financial strangulation. He claimed that when the UDF government was in power in 2016, Kerala’s own revenue constituted only 26 per cent of the state’s total revenue, while under the LDF government, it has significantly increased to 73 per cent. “There has been a Rs 30,000 crore increase in tax revenue. In recent years, Kerala has managed to fund most of its expenditures through its own revenue sources. We had achieved this despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Vijayan added.

    Vijayan said the general education system in the state, which was in shambles during the UDF rule, was upgraded to international standards by the Left government.

  • Kashmir’s Vistadome Train: A Swiss-Like Experience To Snow Cladded Valley |

    New Delhi: Indian Railways has launched a new gift for Kashmir, which has boosted the tourism industry in the valley. The railways has introduced a Vistadome train, which has a glass ceiling and offers a 360-degree view of the scenic surroundings. The train runs between Banihal and Baramulla, covering a distance of 135 km.

    The Vistadome train is an all-weather train, which can run smoothly in extreme winter or summer. The train passes through snow-capped mountains and green valleys, giving the passengers a glimpse of Switzerland. The train has been in the headlines for its unique features and design.

    Vistadome Train: Features, Facilities

    The Vistadome train has specially designed coaches, which have double-wide reclining seats that can rotate a full 360 degrees. The passengers can enjoy a panoramic view of their surroundings from the glass dome roof, the huge glass windows, and the observation lounge. The train also has automatic sliding doors, luggage rack, LED screens for entertainment, and a GPS-enabled information system.


    The train runs six days a week and is available to all. The fare for the train tickets is Rs 940 and it runs twice a day. The train has a capacity of 40 seats in each coach. The coaches are produced by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, estimated to cost around Rs 4 crore. The coaches are equipped with air conditioning to effectively manage the harsh cold of winter and scorching heat of summer in the valley.

    The train seats are equipped with trays like airplanes, allowing passengers to enjoy meals. They can also order light meals from the Indian Railways menu during the journey. The train also has a mini pantry and a bio-toilet facility.

    The Vistadome train has received a very good response from the tourists and the locals. Many tourists travel by car from Jammu and get down at Banihal so that they can travel from Banihal to Srinagar by the Vistadome train. They say that the train gives them a very good experience and a view of heaven.

    Railway employee Prabhat Kumar said, “We have received a very good response. A lot of tourists travel here and especially since there has been snow, we get to see a lot of tourists.” Passenger Hakumat Singh said, “It is a very good train, it is very enjoyable, it feels like heaven, it is a very good step for tourists.” Sunita said, “It feels like heaven, there are many sights to see.”

    Tourist Aditi said, “We have come to have this experience, it will be a very good experience, the view is very good, why go to Switzerland, stay here, this is to enjoy.” Satish tourist said, “This is very good, this tourist will be attracted a lot, this coach is very good, the view is like Switzerland.”

    Tourist Mohammad Zaheeruddin said, “It is very good that this glass train is there, we will be able to see the open valley. Indian Railways has taken a good step, we can enjoy Switzerland in our country.”

    The Vistadome train is a part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vocal for Local initiative, which aims to promote local products and services. The train is expected to attract more tourists and promote tourism in the area. The train is also a step towards the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The work on the rail link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country is in the final stages. The day is not far when trains will connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The introduction of Vistadome coaches is another step towards the developmental journey of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Northern Railway had successfully completed a trial run of the Vistadome train from Budgam to Baramulla under the supervision of senior railway officials in July last year. The train was formally launched in January this year.