Family in stalled train takes shortcut, run over.“During peak hours, there are several long-distance trains which leave from CST and they occupy platforms. If an incoming passenger train is delayed and there’s non-availability of platforms, it may be moved to a loop line. Suburban trains would be given precedence over it. But under no circumstances should commuters get off and cross tracks.” GRP officials said that the Bhusawal PASSENGER is regularly SENT to the LOOP line where it HALTS FOR OVER AN HOUR, prompting many commuters to get off and cross the tracks despite it being ILLEGAL.

Nitasha Natu TNN  http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/10/19&PageLabel=10&EntityId=Ar01000&ViewMode=HTML Mumbai: Three members of a family were killed on Thursday night after they got off a long-distance train and decided to take a shortcut across the tracks at Byculla. A suburban local knocked down Hussain Hawaldar (65), his wife Fatima (50) and daughter Zahra (22). The family had been walking adjacent to the railway tracks and not on them. GRP officials said the trio suffered massive head and facial injuries, which killed them on the spot. They did not sustain injuries on the rest of the body.      The Hawaldars were natives of Banswara in Rajasthan. They were visiting friends at Vasind in Maharashtra. Around 6.15pm on Thursday, they boarded the Bhusawal Passenger from Vasind station. The train terminates at CST. “At 8pm, the train reached Byculla and was halted on a loop line (which leaves a main line and then rejoins it later continuing in the same direction). Nearly 20 minutes later, when the train had not resumed its journey, Hussain, Fatima and Zahra decided to get off and walk down the short distance to Byculla where they had some work,” said senior inspector Surendra Deshmukh, CST GRP. Around 8.20pm, a CST-bound local hurtled in their direction. “The  trio craned their necks to get a better look. The motorman honked repeatedly on spotting the family. By the time he could halt, three bogies of the train had crossed the point where the trio stood. They were hit on their faces,” Deshmukh added.      The motorman got off and carried the bodies into the local. The train was detained for 20 minutes. At CST, he informed the GRP. Fatima was Hussain’s third wife. Hussain had two sons, Mohammad (40) and Murtuza (27) from his first wife who passed away. He then married a second time and had a daughter (Zahra). Hussain and Fatima were looking for a groom for Zahra.      On Friday, Mohammad and Murtuza flew to Mumbai and claimed the bodies. They are both employed at garment stores in Kuwait.      GRP officials said that the Bhusawal Passenger is regularly sent to the loop line where it halts for over an hour, prompting many commuters to get off and cross the tracks despite it being illegal.      A CR spokesperson said, “During peak hours, there are several long-distance trains which leave from CST and they occupy platforms. If an incoming passenger train is delayed and there’s non-availability of platforms, it may be moved to a loop line. Suburban trains would be given precedence over it. But under no circumstances should commuters get off and cross tracks.”  Youth killed A 22-year-old youth was killed while crossing the railway tracks near platform 2 of Ghatkopar station on Friday. The deceased hasn’t been identified yet. He was knocked down by a Thane-CST local around 12.30pm.

Prototype of stain-proof local train finally arrives

Manthan K Mehta TNN 

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Mumbai: The prototype of the new-generation stainless steel-bodied rakes finally arrived in the city on Wednesday, but it will take a while before these coaches are put into service on the Mumbai suburban network as they will first undergo trial runs. 
    The 12-car electric multiple unit is the first of the 72 rakes to be supplied to the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) for both Western and Central railways as part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-II (MUTP-II) to modernize the fleet and traction system, and augment services. It can run at a maximum speed of 120 kmph, as against 100 kmph of the present Siemens rakes. 
    These new-age purple coaches are energy-efficient, have better seats, interior lighting and broader windows. The electrical fitting have been provided by Bombardier Transportation and are compatible to run on 25 KV Alternating Current Traction. The rake will be first introduced on Western Railway as it has already switched to 25 Kv AC traction, said a railway official. 
    “We hope to complete the trials as soon as possible so that inspection certificate from the Research Standards and Designs Organization can be in place by January 2014. We hope to get the two prototype rakes into service by March 2014,” said a senior railway official. Once all approvals are received from the commissioner of railway safety, work on manufacturing three-four rakes can begin by April-May 2014. All this is possible only if there are no glitches during the trial runs. 
    The much-awaited rakes were flagged off from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai on October 1, and should have reached Mumbai in seven days, but the arrival got delayed due to the Telengana agitation in Andhra Pradesh. 
    The prototype was originally scheduled to arrive in the city before March 2013, but delay in getting approval for the designs and other technical issues pushed ahead the date. 
    The World Bank, which is financing the MUTP-II, had also expressed unhappiness over missing the deadline on delivery of prototype on several occasions.

STAIN 0N KHAKI GRP fleeces labourers carrying tobacco

Nitasha Natu TNN  http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/09/24&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00200&ViewMode=HTML Mumbai: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has instituted an inquiry into an incident in which two of their personnel allegedly knocked off money from five Guwahati-bound labourers near the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) recently.      The labourers were found carrying a small quantity of tobacco, which is a banned substance in the state. The cops then refused to consider  their identity cards as valid on the pretext that they weren’t issued in Maharashtra and threatened the men with action. A scribe who witnessed the goings-on wrote to the top GRP brass.      “I have been intimated about the incident and we are inquiring into it,” confirmed additional director general (GRP) T S Bhal.      The incident took place on September 20. The four labourers work at a construction site in Pen, Raigad district. They wanted to board a train to their hometown from LTT. While they were on the path connecting Tilak Nagar station to LTT, two uniformed cops at a GRP desk asked them to halt. The cops checked their baggage and frisked the labourers. A small quantity of tobacco was found on them.      “The labourers declared that the tobacco was for consumption. The cops then asked them to produce identification. At this, the labourers produced two election cards issued in Guwahati. But the cops declared these as invalid on the pretext that the Maharashtra government hadn’t issued them. The labourers were dumbfounded as they did not have separate IDs for Maharashtra,” said scribe, N Pandey, an eyewitness. “The GRP personnel then threatened to take action against the labourers who pleaded with them. Eventually, they were allowed to go after paying up Rs 600.”      Pandey video-recorded a conversation with one of the labourers, Moti Roshan. Roshan said he and his coworkers couldn’t file a complaint as they would miss their train. Pandey then gave a complaint in writing at the stationmaster’s office in Tilak Nagar and also informed the GRP helpline.      For purpose of sale, distribution, manufacture and storage of tobacco, an offender can be prosecuted under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.      Senior policemen confirmed that a government-issued identity card from any Indian state is valid proof of identity.  KNOW YOUR RIGHTS  Government Railway Police can check your luggage on reasonable suspicion  You can be charged for carrying unaccounted cash or jewellery, arms, explosives, narcotics or banned items such as tobacco  The GRP is not authorized to check the contents of your cellphone      A government-issued identity card from any Indian state can be produced as valid proof of identity      If a cop’s behaviour is objectionable, you can file a written complaint at the nearest railway police station or the deputy commissioner’s office 1 2 GRP men accost 5 labourers about to board a train from LTT 2 They find a small amount of tobacco on them 3 Not accepting voter IDs issued in Assam, they demand a bribe 4 An eyewitness tells the group to complain, but they refuse

‘Stretches in SoBo, central Mumbai most unsafe on WR’

Nitasha Natu TNN 

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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 

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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.

Railway helpline ensures twins have smooth delivery

ANURADHA VARANASI and RICHA PINTO

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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

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In what is almost an invitation to criminals, the computer screens connected to baggage scanners inside Lokmanya Tilak Terminus give the passing public full view of the contents of passengers’ bags, as they are being passed through the machines

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.”