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Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Minister of Railways Flags off Country’s first Antyodaya Express running between Ernakulam - Howrah
Minister of Railways Flags off Sri Ganganagar - Tiruchirappalli Humsafar Express
Minister of Railways Launches New Catering Policy
Minister of Railways Launches New Partnership with India
Post for Business Parcel
Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar
Prabhu flagged off the fourth Humsafar clan of trains and first
Antyodaya clan of trains through video conferencing from Rail Bhawan:
1. Train No 14715/14716 Sri Ganganagar - Tiruchirappalli
Humsafar Express (Weekly) (via Krishnarajapuram, Pune, Ahmedabad)
2. Train No 22877/22878 Ernakulam - Howrah Antyodaya Express
(Weekly) (via Salem, Katpadi, Visakhapatnam)
He also launched the following
policies:
1. New Catering Policy 2017.
2. New partnership in Parcel Business with Department of Post.
Chairman, Railway Board, Shri A. K.
Mital, Member Traffic Shri Mohd Jamshed, other Railway Board Members, Secretary
Department of Post Shri Boyapati V. Sudhakar and other senior officials were
also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Ministry of
Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu said that “This is the fourth Humsafar
Express to be launched and it will cross the entire country from North to
South. Humsafar train is a fully Air Conditioned 3 AC service having
facilities like GPS based Passenger Information System, Passenger announcement
System, fire and smoke detection and suppression system, CCTVs, comfortable
seats, mobile and laptop charging points, integrated Braille display, LCD
display above compartment doors in the aisle, Fire retardant curtains, etc.”
He also said that “Today we are
launching the country’s first Antyodaya Express to be launched. Tejas and UDAY
Express will be launched soon. Antyodaya Express is a long-distance, fully
unreserved, superfast train service, for the common man to be operated on dense
routes. Antyodaya Express will have facilities like Cushioned luggage
racks which can serve as seats Additional hand holds in doorway area,
J-Hook near longitudinal luggage racks, Multiple Unit cables at both ends of
the coach, Vestibuled ends for internal movement of the passengers, Potable
Drinking water dispenser, Mobile charging points, Fire Extinguisher with
anti-theft lock, FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Modular Toilets, Pleasing
interior colour scheme, Toilet Occupation indication display board, LED Lights,
SS Slip-free flooring at Doorway & Gangway, Anti-Graffiti coating for
exterior painting, etc.”
Shri Prabhu further said that “In
this new Catering Policy food production and food distribution will be
delinked. This will be a marriage between the best of both worlds. Food can be
cooked anywhere like the state of the art kitchens of IRCTC in a hygienic
manner using mechanized system. Food can be distributed using professionals
from the hospitality industry. For making of food SHGs especially women SHGs
can be used which will benefit them.”
He also said that “Parcel is the
fastest moving freight business of Indian Railways. Through this new Business
Parcel Policy not only India Post but any private player can also book space in
trains for movement of their Business Parcel. Before rolling out this scheme on
All India basis test was done on 2 trains viz, Train No. 15959
Howrah-Guwahati-Dibrugarh Kamrup Express between Howrah and Guwahati and Train
No. 12721 Hyderabad-Nizamuddin Deccan Express between
Hyderabad and Nizamuddin . After the success of the test today this scheme is
rolled out at All India level.”
Salient
Features of Services / Policies launched:
Humsafar Express
Indian Railways introduced a new
Humsafar Express between Sriganganagar and Tiruchchirapalli viz. 14715/14716
Sriganganagar-Tiruchchirapalli Humsafar Express (Weekly). The train service
inaugurated on27.02.2017 by Minister of Railways through video
conferencing from Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. As announced in Railway Budget
2016-17, Humsafar Express are fully air-conditioned third AC service with an
optional service for meals. Till date, 3 Humsafar Express trains have been
introduced on Indian Railways.
The abstract schedule including
timings, composition, stoppages etc. of the train service to be introduced is
as under:
14715/14716
Sriganganagar-Tiruchchirapalli Humsafar Express (Weekly)
Arrives
|
Departs
|
Stoppage
|
Day ↑
|
Station Code
|
Station Name
|
Distance (km)
|
Day ↓
|
Arrives
|
Departs
|
Stoppage
|
13:30
|
Thu ↑
|
TPJ
|
Tiruchchirappalli Junction
|
0
|
Thu ↓
|
23:30
|
||||
11:27
|
11:30
|
3m
|
Thu ↑
|
KRR
|
Karur Junction
|
76.2
|
Fri ↓
|
1:07
|
1:10
|
3m
|
10:54
|
10:55
|
1m
|
Thu ↑
|
NMKL
|
Namakkal
|
110.1
|
Fri ↓
|
1:39
|
1:40
|
1m
|
9:55
|
10:05
|
10m
|
Thu ↑
|
SA
|
Salem Junction
|
161.8
|
Fri ↓
|
2:45
|
2:50
|
5m
|
6:08
|
6:10
|
2m
|
Thu ↑
|
BWT
|
Bangarapet Junction
|
357
|
Fri ↓
|
6:42
|
6:45
|
3m
|
5:08
|
5:10
|
2m
|
Thu ↑
|
KJM
|
Krishnarajapuram
|
413.3
|
Fri ↓
|
7:38
|
7:40
|
2m
|
4:48
|
4:50
|
2m
|
Thu ↑
|
BAND
|
Banaswadi
|
419.4
|
Fri ↓
|
7:53
|
7:55
|
2m
|
3:20
|
3:25
|
5m
|
Thu ↑
|
TK
|
Tumakuru (Tumkur)
|
498.4
|
Fri ↓
|
11:15
|
11:20
|
5m
|
1:30
|
1:35
|
5m
|
Thu ↑
|
ASK
|
Arsikere Junction
|
594.7
|
Fri ↓
|
13:10
|
13:15
|
5m
|
0:38
|
0:40
|
2m
|
Thu ↑
|
RRB
|
Birur Junction
|
640.1
|
Fri ↓
|
13:58
|
14:00
|
2m
|
22:52
|
22:53
|
1m
|
Wed ↑
|
DVG
|
Davangere
|
754.8
|
Fri ↓
|
15:43
|
15:45
|
2m
|
22:33
|
22:35
|
2m
|
Wed ↑
|
HRR
|
Harihar
|
767.6
|
Fri ↓
|
15:58
|
16:00
|
2m
|
20:15
|
20:25
|
10m
|
Wed ↑
|
UBL
|
Hubballi Junction (Hubli)
|
898.7
|
Fri ↓
|
19:10
|
19:20
|
10m
|
19:18
|
19:20
|
2m
|
Wed ↑
|
DWR
|
Dharwad
|
918.7
|
Fri ↓
|
19:40
|
19:42
|
2m
|
17:08
|
17:10
|
2m
|
Wed ↑
|
BGM
|
Belagavi (Belgaum)
|
1040.5
|
Fri ↓
|
22:10
|
22:12
|
2m
|
14:50
|
15:00
|
10m
|
Wed ↑
|
MRJ
|
Miraj Junction
|
1177.8
|
Sat ↓
|
1:10
|
1:20
|
10m
|
13:55
|
14:00
|
5m
|
Wed ↑
|
SLI
|
Sangli
|
1185
|
Sat ↓
|
1:32
|
1:35
|
3m
|
10:52
|
10:55
|
3m
|
Wed ↑
|
STR
|
Satara
|
1311.7
|
Sat ↓
|
3:42
|
3:45
|
3m
|
7:40
|
7:50
|
10m
|
Wed ↑
|
PUNE
|
Pune Junction
|
1457.3
|
Sat ↓
|
8:05
|
8:15
|
10m
|
6:18
|
6:20
|
2m
|
Wed ↑
|
LNL
|
Lonavala
|
1521
|
Sat ↓
|
9:33
|
9:35
|
2m
|
4:47
|
4:50
|
3m
|
Wed ↑
|
KYN
|
Kalyan Junction
|
1595.3
|
Sat ↓
|
11:00
|
11:03
|
3m
|
3:38
|
3:40
|
2m
|
Wed ↑
|
BSR
|
Vasai Road
|
1636.9
|
Sat ↓
|
12:10
|
12:12
|
2m
|
0:01
|
0:06
|
5m
|
Wed ↑
|
ST
|
Surat
|
1852.8
|
Sat ↓
|
15:30
|
15:35
|
5m
|
21:43
|
21:48
|
5m
|
Tue ↑
|
BRC
|
Vadodara Junction
|
1982.6
|
Sat ↓
|
17:18
|
17:23
|
5m
|
20:58
|
21:00
|
2m
|
Tue ↑
|
ANND
|
Anand Junction
|
2018.3
|
Sat ↓
|
17:58
|
18:00
|
2m
|
20:41
|
20:43
|
2m
|
Tue ↑
|
ND
|
Nadiad Junction
|
2036.8
|
Sat ↓
|
18:14
|
18:16
|
2m
|
19:35
|
19:55
|
20m
|
Tue ↑
|
ADI
|
Ahmedabad Junction
|
2082.4
|
Sat ↓
|
19:10
|
19:20
|
10m
|
17:59
|
18:01
|
2m
|
Tue ↑
|
MSH
|
Mahesana Junction
|
2151.7
|
Sat ↓
|
20:41
|
20:43
|
2m
|
15:50
|
16:00
|
10m
|
Tue ↑
|
ABR
|
Abu Road
|
2269.1
|
Sat ↓
|
23:05
|
23:15
|
10m
|
13:00
|
13:02
|
2m
|
Tue ↑
|
MJ
|
Marwar Junction
|
2434.5
|
Sun ↓
|
2:28
|
2:30
|
2m
|
10:50
|
11:05
|
15m
|
Tue ↑
|
JU
|
Jodhpur Junction
|
2538.6
|
Sun ↓
|
4:05
|
4:15
|
10m
|
5:55
|
6:20
|
25m
|
Tue ↑
|
BKN
|
Bikaner Junction
|
2814.4
|
Sun ↓
|
9:25
|
9:35
|
10m
|
2:50
|
2:55
|
5m
|
Tue ↑
|
SOG
|
Suratgarh Junction
|
2996.2
|
Sun ↓
|
12:10
|
12:15
|
5m
|
1:25
|
1:50
|
25m
|
Tue ↑
|
HMH
|
Hanumangarh Junction
|
3046.7
|
Sun ↓
|
13:15
|
13:25
|
10m
|
0:25
|
Tue ↑
|
SGNR
|
Shri Ganganagar Junction
|
3113.7
|
Sun ↓
|
15:15
|
● Days of run:
Ex-SGNR – Tuesday
Ex-TPJ – Thursday
● One way distance: 3199
Kms.
Route of Train No.
14715/14716 Humsafar Express
● Stoppages: Hanumangarh, Suratgarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Marwar Jn., Abu
Road, Palanpur, Mahesana, Ahmedabad, Nadiad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch,
Surat, Vasai Road, Kalyan, Lonavala, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Miraj,
Belgaum, Dharwad, Hubballi, Harihar, Davangere, Birur, Arsikere,
Tumakuru, Banaswadi, Krishnrajapuram, Bangerpet, Salem,
Namakkal, Karur
● Composition of regular service: 3AC-16, Power Car-2, Pantry Car-1= 19
coaches
● Primary Maintenance: Sri Ganganagar (NWR)
● Nature of Service: Humsafar Express
*****
Antyodaya Express
Indian Railways introduced the first
Antyodaya Express between Ernakulam and Howrah viz. 22877/22878
Ernakulam-Howrah Antyodaya Express (Weekly). The train service was inaugurated
on 27.02.2017 by Minister of
Railways through video conferencing from Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. As announced
in Railway Budget 2016-17, Antyodaya Express are long-distance, fully
unreserved, superfast train service, for the common man to be operated on dense
routes.
The abstract schedule including
timings, composition, stoppages etc. of the train service to be introduced is
as under:
22877/22878 Ernakulam-Howrah Antyodaya
Express (Weekly)
22878 Ernakulam-Howrah Antyodaya Express
(Weekly)
|
↓
|
Station
|
↑
|
22877 Howrah-Ernakulam Antyodaya Express
(Weekly)
|
||
Arr.
|
Dep.
|
Arr.
|
Dep.
|
|||
-
|
00.25 (Tue)
|
Ernakulam
|
06.00 (Mon)
|
|||
14.50 (Wed)
|
Howrah
|
17.00 (Sat)
|
||||
● Days of run: Ex-ERS – Tuesday
Ex-HWH – Saturday
● One way distance: 2307 Kms.
● One way distance: 2307 Kms.
● Stoppages: Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khurda
Road, Brahmapur, Palasa, Srikakulam Road, Vizianagaram, Duvvada, Rajahmundry,
Vijaywada, Ongole, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Coiambatore,
Palakkad, Thrisur
Route of
Train No 22877/22878 Antyodaya Express
● Composition of regular service: General Coach-20, Power car-2= 22 coaches
● Primary Maintenance: Santragachi on RBPC (SER)
● Antyodaya Express
*****
New Catering Policy 2017
Mobile Units and Base Kitchens:
● IRCTC shall manage catering service on all mobile
units including catering services on all new trains/ trains started on short
notice. Pantry car contracts awarded by zonal railways shall also be reassigned
to IRCTC.
● Meals for all mobile units will be picked up from the
nominated kitchens, owned operated and managed by IRCTC. IRCTC shall develop
different archetypes of kitchens keeping in view supply of food and usage
assessed.
○ All four Base Kitchens under departmental operation of Zonal Railways
(Nagpur, CSTM, BCT and Balharshah) and all kitchen units i.e. Refreshment Rooms
at A1 and A category stations, Jan Ahaar, Cell Kitchens shall be handed over to
IRCTC on ‘as is where is basis’. Besides IRCTC may set up its own
Kitchens at additional stations if required.
○ Kitchen structures/ land/space will be handed over by Zonal Railways to
IRCTC, for a period of 10 years extendable for another period of 5 years, on a
token license fee of Re.1/- (Re. one) per sqft. p.a. subject to minimum of Rs.100/-
p.a.
○ IRCTC shall develop the Business model for the kitchens so that they can
expand and enhance the service.
○ IRCTC shall prepare and submit a detailed concession agreement for
setting up/development of the kitchens for approval of Railway Board.
○ IRCTC shall not outrightly outsource or issue licenses for provision of
catering services to private licensees.
○ IRCTC shall determine the menu of standard meals and A-la-carte items.
The standard meals served in trains shall be within the fixed tariff approved
by Railway Board.
● IRCTC may involve/empanel Self Help groups for
providing catering related services.
Static
Units
● Zonal Railways will manage static units (catering/milk
stalls, trolleys etc.) except base kitchens and kitchen units to be handed over
to IRCTC. IRCTC shall be responsible for catering services in static unit viz.,
Food Plazas, Food Courts and Fast Food Units.
● Allotment of all Minor Catering units at all category
of stations to be done through open tender.
● For the first time, it has been envisaged that
Allotment of Special Minor Units (reserved category) at all category stations
will be done through open tendering system within the similar reserved
category. The technical eligibility criteria has been simplified
● Allotment of Milk Stalls at all stations shall be done
through open tender system as against calling application.
● For Milk Stalls, in addition to dairy cooperative
federations/members of NCDFI bodies/agencies registered/certified by FSSAI for
sale of milk and milk products have been made eligible to participate at all
category of stations.
● Provision of perpetual renewal has been done away
with. Now it has been envisaged that tenure of all static units (except kitchen
units and Food Plaza) shall be 5 years only.
● For smooth implementation of renewal, ceiling limit on
holding of minor units including milk stalls, computation of units has been
defined.
● 33% sub quota for women in allotment of each category
of minor catering units at all category of stations has been provided.
****
Partnership in Parcel Business with Department of Post
1. In order to provide end to end parcel services to the customers by
effective partnership between Indian Railways and Department of
Post, certain sectors have been identified in which the parcel traffic offered
by DOP can be transported by IR.
2. Department of Post has identified following trains for allotment of
parcel space in the assistant guard compartment of front
SLR :
○ 15959 Howrah-Guwahati- Dibrugarh Kamrup Express.(Howrah-Guwahati)
○ 18646 Hyderabad-Howrah East Coast Express.(Hyderabad-Howrah)
○ 12322 Mumbai-Howrah Mail.( Mumbai-Howrah)
○ 12721 Hyderabad-Nizamuddin Dakshin Express.( Hyderabad-Delhi)
○ 17230 Hyderabad-Tiruvananthapuram- Sabari Express. (Hyderabad-Cochin).
3. Out of the above 5 trains, AGC space was made available for use of
Department of Posts on RMS rates in two trains (i) 15959
Howrah-Guwahati-Dibrugarh Kamrup Express between Howrah and Guwahati at Rs 7115
per trip and (ii) 12721 Hyderabad-Nizamuddin Deccan Express
between Hyderabad and Nizamuddin at Rs 10020 per trip on pilot basis for six
months.
4. The permission could not be granted in remaining trains due to reversal
of engine enroute.
5. DoP has commenced operations on the 12721 Hyderabad-Nizamuddin from
01.02.2017 and on 15959 Howrah-Guwahati from 20.02.2017.
6. Now DOP has been permitted to use AGC of train 12322 from 27.02.2017
as engine reversal enroute is not involved
anymore. The per trip earning from the service will be Rs 12,954/- and
the assured transit time from Mumbai to Howrah is 38 hrs.
*******
AKS/MKV/AK
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