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Tuesday, September 24, 2013
STAIN 0N KHAKI GRP fleeces labourers carrying tobacco
Monday, September 23, 2013
‘Stretches in SoBo, central Mumbai most unsafe on WR’
Nitasha Natu TNN
Mumbai: Stung by repeated instances of attacks on woman commuters, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has identified vulnerable stretches on Western Railway (WR).
Most of these locations are in south and central Mumbai. The RPF will be cracking down on drug addicts and beggars in these stretches.
“The most sensitive stretch identified in the survey is the Marine Lines-Mumbai Central belt. Maximum deployment of RPF personnel is being made here. After that comes the stretch between Mahalaxmi and Dadar,” a senior official said.
“Office-goers throng the Mahalaxmi to Dadar belt during weekdays. But the belt is not as crowded on Sundays and public holidays,” the official added.For its “zero tolerance” drive, train ticket examiners have been roped in. “We want to ensure that not a single drug addict or beggar is present at the stretches ranked most sensitive. We do not want woman commuters to feel unsafe,” said senior RPF divisional security commissioner (WR) Rajendra Rupnawar. Nearly 1,500 drug addicts and beggars were rounded up by the Government Railway Police on WR and CR lines after a US national was mugged recently.
RPF’s woman squads have been interacting with female commuters on WR and briefing them about the helplines and how it is necessary for them to intervene in case a co-passenger is in distress. “We are facing an urgent personnel crisis,” an RPF official pointed out. “In order to guard areas outside each ladies compartment on platforms between Churchgate to Virar, we need 765 men in a single shift, assuming that only 12-coach rakes ply,” he added.
CRACKDOWN ON MISCREANTS RPF CAMPAIGN At sensitive stretches, beggars and drug addicts will not be allowed to remain on station area premises
Train ticket examiners will be enlisted for enforcement
WR’S SENSITIVE STRETCHES Marine Lines-Mumbai Central
Mahalaxmi-Dadar
WOMEN UNDER ATTACK Aug 18
US national Michelle Marks (24) is mugged by a drug addict between Marine Lines and Charni Road stations. Rajkumar Tiwari (31) is nabbed in connection with assault July 27
A nurse is molested in a 5.41am local at Mahalaxmi after GRP escort missed train.Commuters catch assailant May 2
Acid is flung at Delhi native Preeti Rathi after she alights at Bandra Terminus. Rathi succumbs to injuries after month. Pawankumar Gehlaun is arrested and later secures bail
HC upholds 1.2L damages for railway mishap victim
Rosy Sequeira TNN
Mumbai:It is time to amend the prescribed compensation in railway accidents, said the Bombay high court while upholding a railway accidents tribunal’s order granting Rs 1.20 lakh compensation to a commuter who lost two fingers in an accident at Borivli station.
In 2003, Usha Kamdar fell in the gap between the platform and a train while waiting for a train to Miyagam-Karjan on platform no. 4 at the Borivli station. She was seriously injured. Her middle and index fingers of the right hand were amputated and she was under medication for a long time for other injuries.
Taking note of her injuries, on July 18, 2005, the tribunal awarded her Rs 1.20 lakh compensation, including Rs 80,000 as treatment cost and Rs 40,000 for pains and sufferings. The tribunal directed 6% interest from the date of the order till realization. In 2006, the railways challenged the “excessive and unreasonable” compensation in the HC.
Dismissing the railways’ appeal, the HC proposed the need for amendments to the Railway Accident (Compensation) Rules 1990 under the Railways Act, 1989, which was last amended in November 1997. “More than 15 years have passed without any further amendment as to prescribed quantum of compensation in respect of untoward incidents in working of railway administration,” noted Justice A P Bhangale in his September 21 order. The victim had filed a cross appeal saying the compensation awarded was inadequate. The judge noted that the compensation prescribed is restricted to the Rules, “discretion cannot be exercised so as to award compensation beyond the prescribed extent of those Rules”.
The judge added that in several cases claimants suffer permanent disability that may incapacitate them to work with full capacity and full ability for their livelihood and in cases of deaths, their families lose their bread-earner forever.
Upholding the railway accidents claim tribunal’s order and finding “no merit” in the railways’ appeal, Justice Bhangale “hoped” that the authority concerned will do the needful in this (amending the rules) regard.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Railway helpline ensures twins have smooth delivery
ANURADHA VARANASI and RICHA PINTO
Commuters called the RPF helpline, notifying them that a woman is about to give birth in a moving train; railway officials arranged for a doctor and stretcher at CST station to take pregnant woman to Cama hospital
FOR a city not known for its coordination or response time when dealing with an emergency situation, especially while traveling on a local train, an incident on the Harbour line came as a pleasant surprise for commuters yesterday.
Had it not been for the railway officials, especially the Railway Protection Force (RPF), a passenger would have given birth in the second- class ladies compartment of a CSTbound local train. But, the twin babies said hello to the world from the bed of a hospital, thanks to the concerted and well- coordinated effort between railway staff and Cama hospital officials.
35- year- old Govandi resident Sunita Dongre, who was in her last trimester and was expecting twins, started developing severe labour pains while traveling in the train.
She, along with a relative, was making her way to the Cama and Albless Hospital in south Mumbai hospital after boarding the train at Govandi railway station at noon.
“ Sunita started feeling uneasy at home and we suspected that she could go into labour anytime. We immediately set out for Cama hospital in CST. After boarding the train she, however, started experiencing severe labour pains, so we got off at Kurla station. I asked her if I should take her to a hospital in Kurla, instead of taking a risk by going to CST. But, she was adamant and wanted to deliver in Cama hospital, as her previous two deliveries had taken place there,” said Asha Bohal, a relative who accompanied Sunita in her journey.
The duo boarded another train from Kurla. A few minutes in to the journey, Sunita’s pain increased, and her shrieks attracted the attention of fellow commuters. What transpired next was also a lesser- known side seen of the city’s commuters who have on several occasions in the past drawn flak for the disregard of fellow citizens.
A few commuters decided to call the railway helpline (1275) for help, and to their surprise the operator responded in the affirmative, assuring them that a doctor, a few lady constables and a stretcher would be waiting for them at CST railway station.
“ Taking her till CST was turning out be precarious, as her pains were increasing. The passengers swung into action, laying her down, and offered her comfort,” added Bohal.
When the train snaked into CST station, a site rarely seen in the city was observed — a railway doctor, few RPF officials and a stretcher were awaiting Sunita to take her to the hospital.
Smooth delivery
The railway official had contacted the authorities at the hospital and they were also prepared, waiting for the patient with bated breath.
After reaching the hospital, Sunita gave birth to two identical girls at 2.30 pm.
A doctor from the hospital said the twins are healthy and are doing fine and the mother would soon be shifted to the general ward. Sunita already has a seven- year- old girl and a three- year- old son. Her husband is employed as a driver.
Railwayspeak
Alok Bohra, senior chief security commissioner, Central Railway, said, “The help line number is set up for helping passengers and we keep doing such things regularly. Our staff immediately informed the deputy station superintendent and then he arranged the stretcher and she was sent to the hospital.”
(With inputs from Vedika Chaubey)
WHY THIEVES CAN SCAN YOUR LUGGAGE AT LTT
VEDIKA CHAUBEY
PASSING through Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) to catch a train? The safety of your luggage could be at stake, ironically because of the baggage scanners installed inside the premises. The computers connected to the baggage scanners have been placed injudiciously, allowing all and sundry to get a good glimpse of all the contents of your baggage when it is being scanned.
LTT’s new building was thrown open to passengers on August 15, months after its inauguration in April by Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Since its inception, the poor planning inside the building premises has drawn flak from passengers — amenities like the bookshop and drug store have been left behind in the old building, causing inconvenience to passengers and huge losses to shopkeepers.
Now, the placement of screens connected to baggage scanners has been causing uneasiness to passengers, exposing the contents of their luggage to the passers- by.
The new LTT building has three spanking new baggage scanners, which cost Rs 30.58 lakh each.
The officials, however, have placed them at ill- chosen spots, from where the screens are exposed to the view of potential thieves, who can get a good look at the valuables carried in the bags that pass through the scanners.
“ This is a serious issue and we have observed this and also talked about it. We have also seen people just stare at the computer screen from outside, and so we have turned one of the computers to make it face the ticket counter side,” said a railway official from LTT. He admitted though, that this measure is anything but foolproof, as anybody can observe the screen from the ticket window side.
The solution to the problem is quite a no- brainer. All the authorities have to do is place screens to shield the computers from prying eyes.
While thefts are common and frequent on railway stations, the ill- placed scanners are almost an invitation to criminals to continue stealing from passengers.
After the 26/11 attacks, the railway board installed baggage scanners at all important railway stations in the city. Under the Integrated Security System, all railway stations should have foolproof security systems. Hitech doorframe metal detectors, CCTV cameras and the bigger baggage scanners were installed to help authorities nab explosives carried into the station premises, hidden in luggage.
Atul Rane, chief PRO for Central Railways, said, “We are in the process of installing these scanners and will take care of the inadequacies.”
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Corporator wants motorman cabin modernisation!
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2013, 9:51 IST | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
Eknath Makne
A Maharashtra Navnirman Sena corporator, Deepak Pawar elected from Malad, has moved a notice of motion, seeking modernisation of cabins for motormen of local trains to avert rail accidents.
A notice of motion is moved to call the attention of the house to a certain issue that needs to be taken up for discussion. However, Pawar’s notice of motion has raised eyebrows as the civic house deals only with local issues, not with matters related to the railways which is a subject of the union government.
The motion reads: “Technical snags cause trouble to Mumbai commuters. Hence, to tackle such problems, it is required to set up modern disaster-tackling mechanism inside a motorman’s cabin”.
Civic officials expressed surprise at how this was allowed to be taken up for discussion at monthly general body meeting. “I wonder why the corporator forwarded the notice. What can the civic body do about modernising cabins of motormen?” said a senior civic official. “What needs to be looked into is how the suggestion came to be listed in the agenda in the first place? The mayor, who is generally kept in the loop, should not have entertained it.”
The corporator, however, justified his move. “Many Mumbaikars take local trains daily. It is a matter of their safety. If approved, it will be forwarded to the state and then to the Centre. If the house wishes, it can shoot the proposal down,” said Pawar.
The mayor said that the motion was listed in the agenda without his knowledge. Asked if he had not been briefed about it by the municipal secretary’s office, Prabhu said, “The department often keeps me posted about issues on the agenda. If the motion is not in line with rules, we’ll reject it,” he said.
Monday, September 9, 2013
‘Compensation for railway accidents must be increased’ The Bombay High Court made the observation in view of inflation and falling value of rupee
Sunil.Baghel @timesgroup.com TWEET @baghels
An accident has forced the Bombay High Court to observe that compensation fixed for the kin of railway accidents’ victims should be increased, considering the inflation and diminishing value of rupee.
The observation was made in a case filed by a Borivaliresident,MadhuriThalkiya,wholosther husband in a train accident on March 30, 2001.
In a judgement pronounced recently, Justice Ashok Bhangale observed, “It is desirable that this limit of compensation of Rs four lakh, payable to the dependants of the victim of untoward incidents, is further amended reasonably considering relevance of the growth of inflation and diminished value of rupee, since the last amendment was made in 1997, to enhance the quantum of compensation amount to make it reasonable, fair and equitable.”
Observing that reasonable time had passed since the amount was fixed, Justice Bhangale further said, “If the victim was the only earning member of the family, the hardship is more acute when the deceased has left minor children behind, who need care and attention for their upbringing and education. The compensation payable by the Railway administration is liable to the prescribed extent only and not more.”
Itfurthersaid,“We hope that the rule-making authority concerned would do the needful in this regard to enhance the quantum of compensation reasonably.”
Setting aside an order passed by the Railway Claims Tribunal, the HC granted relief to Madhuri Thalkiya after 12 years. The HC has directed the Western Railways to pay Rs 4 lakh to the petitioner, along with annual interest of nine per cent, taking the final claim to over Rs 8 lakh.
On the fateful day, Madhuri was travelling towards Churchgate with her 30-year-old husband Anil and their three-month-old baby in a secondclass compartment. Her husband fell down between Goregaon and Jogeshwari stations. Madhuri, who witnessed the incident, pleaded with fellow passengers to pull the chain so that the train would stop. The train, however, came to a halt only at the Jogeshwari station.
As per Madhuri’s case, she then reported the incident to the Jogeshwari Railway Police and went walking with them to the spot, to find that her husband was dead.
Railways then refused to grant her claim for compensation, saying that Anil died while illegally crossing the tracks. To substantiate their claim, the Railways produced the memo issued by the Station Master, which mentioned the same thing.
The HC discarded the evidence given by the Railways’ witness as well, who had stated that he was informed by some unknown person about Anil being knocked down by a train and that he did not receive memo from the either the motorman or the guard of the local.
Recovery of two bonafide local tickets from Anil’s pocket too nailed the Railways. Observing that the “hearsay version” of railway employees was “clearly motivated to save Railway Administration from the liability to pay compensation,” the tribunal should have believed Madhuri’s version, said the court.
“Preponderance of probabilities was clearly in favour of the claimant (Madhuri). The liability of railway administration is strict,” the court observed, while passing the judgement in Madhuri’s favour.
The HC has directed the Western Railways to pay Rs 4 lakh to the petitioner
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