Rail bandhu april 2016

APRIL 2016

VOL 5

ISSUE 12

The on-board m agazine of Indian railways

7

plus

uttarakhand

Relax in the serene lap of the hills in Kumaon

All-women

music bands

Pandharpur

from Northeast

visiting vitthal

Relics in Maharashtra

Birds of delhi How to attract winged friends

Tamil Nadu

The magnificent temples by Cholas & Pallavas THE MAGAZINE IS FOR ON-BOARD READING only. KINDLY DO NOT TAKE AWAY. READ IT ONLINE AT WWW.RAILBANDHU.IN or download the railbandhu app on your device.

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minister's message

Journey with an aim

Transforming Bhartiya Rail ^^;k=h dh xfjek] jsy dh xfr & jk"VÂŞ dh izxfr** Dear travellers, The railway set up is a reflection of everything that is India.

It imbibes the ethos, morals, values and ethics of our great country. It represents the tireless spirit, eternal hope, aspirations, perseverance, determination and the neverending enthusiasm of our dynamic country.

Whoever said that in India, Railways is a way of life, could not have been more appropriate.

We had set out on a journey last year, the journey of transforming Bhartiya Rail. We have achieved significant progress in all aspects of this transformation, from scale to speed, from cleanliness to efficiency to resource mobilisation.

We still have a long way to go. But the important thing is that we have a strong intent and the will to achieve our objectives.

We have already started the journey and I intend to go all the way and we will not rest till we take Bhartiya Rail to a destination called samridhi or success.

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(Excerpts from the Minister's 2016-17 Budget Speech Conclusion)

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Suresh Prabhu

Hon'ble Minister of Railways Government of India

Our core objective is to improve the quality of customer experience, become an engine of economic growth, and convert Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest institution into a template for transformation Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 5

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â&#x20AC;Ś s r e h t a e f ll a f o s d ir

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Attention Shutterbugs!

Coming Soon, The Barnawapara Wildlife and Bird Photography Competition

With over a 150 species of indigenous birds and many more that migrate here, the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary is truly a birdwatcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream-come-true. Remember to pack your cameras and binoculars!

Hareli Eco Resort Mohda, Barnawapara

Approx. distance from: Raipur - 100 km.

(Balodabazar)

Tariff: AC Room - `2500.

Nearest attractions: Sirpur,

Extra Person - `300.

Turturiya, Narayanpur (Kasdol).

Conference Hall - `5000.

At Mainpat, fall in love... again!

Situated on a plateau, this lush green virgin countryside offers hill slopes, jungles, waterfalls and a quiet hill station.

Ambikapur Jashpur Mainpat

Raipur

Attention Shutterbugs!

Coming Soon, The Barnawapara Wildlife and Bird Photography Competition

Nearest attractions: Jaljali Point, Machhali Point, Tiger Point, Buddhist Monastery.

Approx. distance from: Raipur - 405 km. Ambikapur - 45 km.

Saila Tourist Resort, Mainpat Tariff: AC Room - `2000 (Single), `2500 (Double). Extra Person - `300. Dormitory - `200.

Lawn - `20000. Conference Hall - `10000.

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rail bandhu MAGAZINE is Printed AND PUBLISHED BY VIKAS JOHARI ON BEHALF OF MAXPOSURE MEDIA GROUP (INDIA) PVT. LTD. (MMGipl) for the indian railways AND PUBLISHED AT MMGipl, Plot no 246, 3rd Floor, Okhla Phase-3, New Delhi-110020, india. rail bandhu MAGAZINE is published monthly. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE WRITING, ARTWORK AND/OR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE USED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MMGipl. MMGipl / indian railways DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF UNSOLICITED PRODUCTS, MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK, TRANSPARENCIES OR OTHER MATERIALS. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or the indian railways. All efforts have been made while compiling the content of this magazine, but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising there from. MMGipl / indian railways DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY FOR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS ADVERTISED HEREIN. All advertorials have been marked as 'in focus' in the magazine. FOR INQUIRIES | MMGipl TEL: +91.11.43011111, www.railbandhu.in, www. maxposure.in

8 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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contents

T r av e l

34 cover Story

Tamil Nadu's four temples enjoy UNESCO World Heritage Site status

30

entry ticket

Plan your trips around these days and events

54

rail update

heritage halt

Pilgrimage to Vitthal of Pandharpur is an experience of a lifetime

68

city beat

14 20

A little effort can go a long way in making birds your friends

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes the Rail Budget 2016-17 special for all The latest plans and policies from the Railways

AR T S

50

64

72

dream scape

tale spin

Art Connect

Head to the serene landscape and life of Kumaon in Uttarakhand 10 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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All-women bands from NE are making waves in the music world

Modern Mastersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; works make for great investments

contents

l i f e st y l e

32

Style file

Menswear trends this upcoming season

76

leisure

food yard

78

New eateries in the Capital you must visit

game plan

'The best era of tennis'

thou 'kSyh

84

mTtSu dks xoZ yxsxk egkioZ flagLFk ij meM+saxs J)kyqx.k

79 80 82 Short takes

kid zone

Books you can add to your shelf this month

The story of musical donkey

APRIL 2016

VOL 5

star tracker Your tarot predictions for this month

ISSUE 12

THE ON-BOARD M AGAZINE OF INDI AN RAILWAYS

7

PLUS

UTTARAKHAND

Relax in the serene lap of the hills in Kumaon

ALL-WOMEN

MUSIC BANDS

Pandharpur

from Northeast

VISITING VITTHAL Relics in Maharashtra

BIRDS OF DELHI How to attract winged friends

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ozr ij [kk,a lkfRod O;atu

12 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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Tamil Nadu

The magnificent temples by Cholas & Pallavas THE MAGAZINE IS FOR ON-BOARD READING ONLY. KINDLY DO NOT TAKE AWAY. READ IT ONLINE AT WWW.RAILBANDHU.IN OR DOWNLOAD THE RAILBANDHU APP ON YOUR DEVICE.

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On the Cover Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

rail update

a new approach Sh. Suresh Prabhuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rail Budget 2016-17 has attracted praise from all quarters for its developmental theme. Here are the salient features of the budget that have been welcomed by all

14 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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How is capacity augmentation planned?

Plan Budget is pegged at

`1.21 crore

What is the theme of this Budget?

• To Reorganise, Restructure and Rejuvenate Indian Railways • A new approach, a new way of working — pyks] feydj dqN

u;k djsaA Objectives: • To improve customer service • Regain the lost modal share • To introduce a new way of working by relooking the processes and structures.

3 pillars of the strategy: • Nav Arjan or New revenues (focus on new sources of revenue) • Nav Manak or New norms (optimising outgo on each activity) • Nav Sanrachna or New Structures (revisiting all processes, rules, and structures)

21 %

higher than the expected plan expenditure in 2015-16

2015-16 will surpass target of commissioning

2,500 km

Broad Gauge lines

2016-17 will see commissioning of

2,800 km

of Broad Gauge track Is this budget reform oriented?

Yes, it focusses on consolidation of the vision set out in the Budget 2015-16: • Draft Bill on regulator to be finalised • Restructuring Railway Board on business lines • Forming cross-sectoral directorates • Setting up Railway Planning and Investment Organisation • Setting up a holding company for Railway PSUs • Creating a separate organisation — Special Railway Establishment for Strategic Technology & Holistic Advancement (SRESTHA) for R&D • Creating Special Unit for Transportation Research and Analytics (SUTRA) for data analytics • Setting up duly empowered missions to take forward 7 activities with time bound targets

90 new projects involving a total investment of

`1,26,172 crore

Railway Electrification

2,000 km

proposed for electrification in 2016-17; 1,600 km commissioned in 2015-16 High speed passenger corridor from Ahmedabad to Mumbai 3 new freight corridors: North-South connecting Delhi to Chennai, East-West connecting Kharagpur to Mumbai, and East Coast connecting Kharagpur to Vijayawada Port connectivity: Tuna port commissioned in 2015-16. Connectivity to Jaigarh, Dighi, Rewas and Paradip ports under implementation. To take up connectivity for Nargol and Hazira under PPP

What is there for Industry?

• Expanding the freight basket by looking beyond core commodities • Starting time-tabled freight container, parcel and special commodity trains • Container sector to be opened to all traffic barring coal and specified mineral ores and part-loads during the non-peak season • Terminals/sheds to grant access to container traffic, where feasible • Review of tariff policy • Signing long term tariff contracts with key freight customers • To develop Rail side logistic parks and warehousing in PPP mode • 10 goods sheds to be developed by Transport Logistics Company of India (TRANSLOC) in 2016-17 • India’s first rail auto hub to come up in Chennai to capture automobile traffic

Covering about 8,432 km, including new lines, doubling, gauge conversion and Metropolitan Transport Project (MTP) included in the Budget

In 2016-17, Broad Gauge lines at the rate of over 7 km per day against an average of about 4.3 km per day in the last 6 years. This pace will increase to about 13 km per day in 2017-18 and 19 km per day in 2018-19 www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 15

rail update

What is there for Suburban systems?

• Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) III to be taken forward • Financial closure and an early award of tenders for two elevated suburban corridors between Churchgate-Virar and CSTM-Panvel • Raise all low level platforms in Mumbai suburban stations in 2016-17 • Issues related to East West Corridor of

Are there any measures related to tourism?

• Partner with the State Governments for operating tourist circuit trains and explore the possibility of a revenue sharing model • Recently upgraded National Rail Museum; promotion of tourism through Railway museums and UNESCO world heritage Railways • To spread awareness about our National Animal, the Tiger, IR will offer complete packages including train journey, safaris and accommodation to cover the wildlife circuit comprising Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh

Kolkata Metro resolved and Phase I will be completed by June 2018; working on the possibility of extending the East West Corridor by 5 km • Reviving the Ring Railway system in Delhi in partnership with the State Government

• To build an integrated suburban ecosystem of IR by launching a new investment framework with sharing of equity contribution with the State Governments and ensuring cost neutrality on operations • Partnership with State Governments of Gujarat, Telengana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu for developing suburban sections in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai

New social initiatives?

• IRCTC has begun the process of empanelling Self-help groups for providing catering/cooking services • Partnering with NABARD to provide support and access to our IRCTC website to ensure extensive emarketing for products produced by the Self-help groups • Partnered with Khadi and Village Industries Commission to support creation of employment and selfreliance in rural India resulting in the generation of 17 lakh man days; will continue to partner with them • Will encourage sourcing of products from SC/ST entrepreneurs Make in India?

• After agreement for setting up two loco factories in India with an order book of about `40,000 crore, a similar bid process started for train sets for Rajdhani and Shatabdi services; current procurement to be increased by 30%.

• Production units and workshops to aim at generating annualised revenues of about `4,000 crore by 2020 through manufacturing products for domestic and international markets.

16 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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How are resources proposed to be mobilised?

• LIC has agreed to invest `1.5 lakh crore over five years • Looking forward to setting up a fund with multilateral assistance Non fare revenues • To monetise land and buildings through commercial exploitation • Monetising soft assets such as data, software and some of the free services such as PNR enquiry, e-commerce activities • Target to increase the advertising revenues by more than 4 times • Revenues from manufacturing activity targeted at `4,000 crore by 2020.

anything New in passenger services?

For the unreserved passenger • Antyodaya Express, a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service, to operate on dense routes • Addition of two to four Deen Dayalu coaches in some long distance trains with facility for drinking water and mobile charging points For the reserved passenger • Humsafar would be third AC service with an optional service for meals

• Tejas, operating at speeds of 130 kmph and above, will offer onboard entertainment, local cuisine, Wi-Fi • Overnight double-decker, Utkrisht Double-Decker Air-conditioned Yatri (UDAY) Express on busy routes Modern coaches • With higher capacity and automatic doors, bar-code readers, bio-vacuum toilets, water-level indicators, dustbins, vending machines, entertainment screens, LED lit boards for advertising

What is there for the NorthEast & J&K? • States of Mizoram and Manipur will come on the Broad Gauge map of the country with commissioning of the Kathakal-Bhairabi and Arunachal-Jiribam Gauge Conversion projects.

• Decongestion work on the JalandharJammu line, an important link to the valley, is going on in full swing. Doubling of two bridges has been commissioned, while the other two bridges will be completed by 2016-17.

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Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 17

rail update

What is there for the Common Man? • Introduction of Antyodaya Express, a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service • Addition of two to four Deen Dayalu coaches in some long distance trains for unreserved travel • Sale of tickets through hand held terminals • Sale of platform tickets through ticket vending machines • E-ticketing facility to foreign debit/ credit cards for tourists and NRIs • Cancellation through the 139 helpline using ‘One Time Password’ • Bar coded tickets, scanners and access control on a pilot basis • CCTV coverage at tatkaal counters • ‘Vikalp’ (Alternative Train Accommodation System) scheme to be expanded to provide choice of accommodation in specific trains to wait-listed passengers • IRCTC to manage catering services in a phased manner • Extending e-catering services from 45 stations to all 408 ‘A-1’ and ‘A’ class stations

What is there for Cleanliness?

• ‘Clean my Coach’ service through SMS • Ranking of A1 and A stations based on periodic third party audit and passenger feedback • Waste segregation and recycling centres • ‘Awareness campaigns’ for cleanliness • Additional 30,000 bio-toilets • Providing portable structures with bio-toilets at all platforms of select stations for senior citizens, divyang and women travellers

18 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

• Explore making mandatory catering services optional • Introducing a new policy where each stall at station can provide multiple products including milk products and OTC medicines • Option for tea in kulhad • To convert all operational halts into commercial halts.

• Information boards in trains to list on-board services and also GPS based digital displays inside coaches to provide information regarding halts • Passenger amenities and beautification on stations at pilgrimage centres • Aastha circuit trains to connect important pilgrim centres • Porters to have new uniforms and train them in soft skills, to be henceforth called sahayak

What is there for farmers?

• Encouraging development of cold storage facilities on vacant land near freight terminals. Local farmers and fishermen would be given preferential usage of the facility. A policy in this regard would be issued in the next three months.

• Allowing floriculture/horticulture along tracks.

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What are the measures for environment and energy conservation?

• To reduce energy consumption in nontraction area by 10% to 15%; all new light provisions will be LED luminaire only • More than 2,000 locations provided with Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) facility. RWH systems will be provided in a phased manner in all establishments having rooftop areas of more than 200 sq m • Environment-friendly composite sleepers made up of recycled plastic waste will be used over all girder bridges • Tender documents for 50 MW solar plants at rooftop issued and facility for another 100 MW being set up • To commission 132.5 MW of windmill power plants in 2016-17 • Automatic coach washing plants to be commissioned in major coaching depots with a holding of more than 500 coaches • To convert all production units as well as at least one workshop in each Zonal Railway as green industrial unit any measures for Staff Welfare?

• To tie up with the Ministry of Health for ensuring an exchange between railway and government hospitals • ‘AYUSH’ systems in 5 Railway hospitals • All gang men to be provided devices called ‘Rakshak’ which will intimate them about approaching trains • Toilets and AC in cabs for loco pilots • C T Venugopal chair on Strategic Finance, research & policy development • Kalpana Chawla chair on geo-spatial technology for Indian Railways • Rail University at Vadodara • Skill development on IR premises with Ministry of Skill Development • Railway Workshops and Production Units to develop ‘Centres of Excellence for Skill Development’ • Join hands with NGOs to provide skilling to people in remote areas

Are there any passenger friendly initiatives to cater to special needs, including senior citizens, divyang (differently-abled) etc?

• Expansion of Sarathi Seva to help old and disabled passengers requiring assistance at stations • Strengthen existing services for enabling passengers to book battery operated cars, porter services, pick up and drop, and wheel chair services – Rail Mitra Sewa • Ensuring all stations under redevelopment are accessible by divyang • At least one divyang friendly toilet at each platform in A1 class stations in 2016-17

Are there any measures for journalists?

• E-booking of tickets on the concessional passes available to them What are the provisions for Technology?

• Integrating various facilities into two mobile apps — one dealing with all ticketing issues and the other for receipt and redressal of complaints and suggestions.

• Physical progress on DFC to be monitored in 2016-17 using latest drone and Geo Spatial based satellite technology • Initiated system wide integration of IT programs/systems, both horizontal and vertical, akin to an ERP through innovative partnership models.

• Process leading to award of tenders electronically to be rolled out on a PanIndia basis in 2016-17.

Are there any measures for the business traveller?

• For passengers transiting railway network for freshening up before moving on with their business for the day, hourly booking of retiring rooms to be allowed instead of the existing minimum of 12 hours • Retiring rooms to be handed over to IRCTC for management

Are there any measures for youth?

• Open up Railways to 100 students across Engineering and MBA schools for 2-6 months’ internships each year • Wi-Fi at 400 stations in next two years • `50 crore earmarked for Innovation Fund for encouraging innovations and start-ups

Ticketing issues

Are there any measures for Women?

• To make available of children’s menu items on trains • Baby foods, hot milk and hot water to be made available on stations • Changing boards for babies would be provided in train toilets • CCTV cameras would continue to be installed in coaches • Sub-quota in allotment of stalls • Encouragement to self-help groups to supply food on trains

Receipt and redressal of complaints

Is there anything related to innovation and startups?

• Setting aside a sum of `50 crore for innovation grants to employees, startups and growth oriented small businesses • Innovation labs to be set up in workshops and production units to support creative innovation by locals and staff • Annual innovation challenge • To develop a Test Track for testing prototypes

What is there for State Governments?

• Creation of Joint Ventures with State Governments for undertaking rail based projects. Received in principle approval from 17 States, out of which 6 MoUs have already been signed.

• 44 new line, gauge conversion and doubling projects proposed www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 19

rail updatE

What′s happening An update on new announcements and schemes

More passenger amenities at Kolkata Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, inaugurated new approach road from Belgachhia Road Overbridge to Kolkata terminal, dedicated the newly constructed foot overbridge at Naihati station to the nation and laid the foundation stone for foot overbridge at Ranaghat station of Eastern Railway (all by remote) on February 21 at a programme held at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport premises, Kolkata.

There is huge congestion of passengers at Ranaghat Junction during peak hours. Construction of a new 6-metre wide foot overbridge at Ranaghat at a cost of `1.45 crore will be very beneficial for the rail users at this station. This new over bridge is in addition to the three foot overbridges existing at present.

For the benefit of the passengers, respecting their long standing demand, one new 6m wide foot overbridge has

been constructed at Naihati station at a cost of `3.96 crore. This is also in addition to the existing two foot overbridges available at this station.

Keeping in view the demand of the passengers, a new approach road of 10m width with footpaths connecting to Kolkata station has been constructed.

The length of the newly built approach road is only 400m, which will help passengers to reach quickly.

Sidhauna Rampur Halt Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha, inaugurated Sidhauna Rampur Halt situated between Aunrihar and Rajwari stations of Varanasi division over North Eastern Railway on February 14. Divisional Railway Manager, Varanasi, Sh. S.K.Kashyap, Principal Chief Engineer Sh. O.P. Agrawal, Chief Commercial Manager Sh. A.P. Singh, Chief Engineer/ Construction Sh. H.K.Singh, Chief Passenger Traffic Manager Sh. M.K. Singh, senior Railway officers of headquarters and Varanasi division were also present.

20 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

Sh. Sinha said, “During gauge conversion of this section, the erstwhile halt was closed. There was a long pending demand of public to open the halt station for their convenience. In order to provide better transport facility to the public of this region Sidhuana Rampur halt has been opened and stoppage of two pairs of DEMU trains would be provided to start with.”

Sh. Sinha also inaugurated newly constructed passenger waitinghall at Aunrihar Junction station.

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Bar code on unreserved tickets and Auto Hub

In an effort to further improve passenger amenities and to increase revenue, Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, in a programme held on March 1 at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, inaugurated two services through video-conferencing: (1) Bar-coding of Unreserved tickets at nominated counters on New Delhi, Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations over Northern Railway and (2) Inauguration of Rail Auto Hub in Walajabad in Chennai Division Southern Railway. Out of these two services, Bar Coding of Unreserved Tickets was announced by the Minister in his Rail Budget Speech of 2016-17 and has been implemented as an immediate action.

WALAJABAD AUTO HUB ON SOUTHERN RAILWAY • Being developed as the first common user Auto Hub on Indian Railways.

• The station is located near the major Auto units of Oragadam, SriPerambadur and SingaPerumal Kovil areas which are having the manufacturing facilities of M/s Nissan, M/s Hyundai, M/s Ford and M/s Daimler Chrysler.

• Spread over 5,000 sq m, this hub will have loading capacity of 300 four wheelers.

• This hub would cater to over 1 million units of 4-wheelers being produced every year in this area.

• Would act as an ideal distribution

centre for the inward traffic of M/s TATA, M/s Honda, etc. converging for distribution into Tamil Nadu and adjoining states, including Pondicherry.

• Presently, 4% of automobile traffic are transported through Indian Railways and approximately `100 crore revenue has been collected during financial year 2015-16 so far through this traffic. Target is to increase the share of Railways to around 20% by 2026.

BAR-CODING OF UNRESERVED TICKET • The bar code being printed is QR (Quick Response) code by use of a thermal printer. This will save approx. 3 seconds in the printing cycle of unreserved ticket.

• Presently, following information is printed in the form of encrypted QR code: i. UTS Number ii. Stock Number iii. Ticket Fare iv. Source Station v. Destination Station vi. Number of Adults vii. Number of Children viii. Train Type ix. Class Code x. Date of Journey Whenever Ticket Checking Staff (TTEs/TCs) checks ticket, he can scan encrypted QR code and after decryption of data, he can validate the information printed on the ticket. www.railbandhu.in

Harnessing solar energy Indian Railways has been taking measures in harnessing the abundantly available solar energy for its electrical needs, thereby assisting in conserving the valuable conventional fuels and also reducing carbon emission to environment. It is also encouraging use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Funds for improving passenger amenities so as to reduce pressure on scarce funds in Railways. Several Railway Zones and Railway Divisions spread across the country have been in their own right taking measures in this direction. Ajmer Railway Division of North-Western Railway Zone took one more step on March 8, wherein it not only installed solar plants at four new stations of Ajmer Division but also used CSR funds for this purpose. With this, a total of eight railway stations in Ajmer Division will be covered with solar plants using CSR funds.

A bipartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Railway PSU Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd (IRFC) and Ajmer Division of North Western Railway at New Delhi for installation of solar power plant of total capacity of 280 KWP at four major stations viz Marwar Junction, Rani, Falna and Ranapratap Nagar (Udaipur) of Ajmer Division. The MoU was signed in the presence of Sh. Rajiv Datt, CMD, IRFC and Sh. Naresh Salecha, Divisional Railway Manager, Ajmer.

The cost of this project is `3.29 crore which will be borne by IRFC Ltd through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Funds. The life expectancy of these solar panels is 25 years. These solar plants will generate approximately 5 lakh units per year and thus there will be a huge saving of `32.50 lakh per year by bringing down the divisional electricity bill. Thus, there will be a total saving of `812 lakh during its life cycle.

It will also help in reducing the carbon footprint of Ajmer division by 456 tonne per annum (approx) thus total reduction of carbon emission will be 11,400 ton during its complete life cycle thus helping environment.

In addition to these, Ajmer Division has already executed MoU worth `55 lakh with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam for installing Industrial RO Plants at three major stations viz. Ajmer, Bhilwara and Abu Road.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 21

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Restructuring of RPF and policing Policing on Railways is a State subject and prevention of crime, registration of cases and their investigation in Railway premises as well as on running trains is, therefore, the statutory responsibility of the State Governments, which they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP).

Therefore, the responsibility of detection and disposal of bomb, IEDs etc. lies with the State Government. However, some bomb detection equipment like Explosive Vapour Detector, Deep Search Metal Detectors and bomb disposal equipment like bomb suppression blanket and bomb basket etc., have been acquired by Railway Protection Force (RPF) at few of the Zonal Railways, which may be used in case of any exigency, by trained RPF personnel. This is in addition to dog squads of RPF, which are functioning over different Zonal Railways as part of bomb detection squads. The following steps are being taken by the Railways to provide maximum security to passengers:

Silchar-Delhi Poorvottar Sampark Kranti Express flagged off In a historic development concerning rail connectivity of the Northeast, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, flagged off the much awaited Silchar-New Delhi Poorvottar Sampark Kranti (05601/05602) weekly special connecting from the Silchar in Barak valley of Assam with New Delhi on February 20. He said that all the State capitals of the Northeast will be connected by the Railways within 2020.

He also flagged off two BG freight trains, Badarpur — Jirania (Agartala) and Badarpur Jiribam of Manipur, via remote control from the Silchar railway station in the presence of Kumari Susmita Deb, MP, Lok Sabha, Silchar, Smt. Bijoya Chakrabarty, MP, Lok Sabha, Guwahati, Sh. Ramen Deka, MP, Lok Sabha, Mangaldai, Sh. H K Jaggi, General Manager of N F Railway, Sh. Ajit Pandit, Chief Administrative Officer, Sh. Rabindra Ram , Chief Engineer and several other NFR officials.

1. An Integrated Security System consisting of surveillance of vulnerable stations through CCTV Camera Network, Access Control etc. have been sanctioned to improve surveillance mechanism over 202 sensitive stations.

2. On vulnerable and identified routes/ sections, 2,300 trains (on an average) are escorted by RPF daily, in addition to 2,200 trains escorted by GRP. 3. All the ladies special trains running in Metropolitan cities are being escorted by lady RPF constables.

4. The ladies compartments in suburban trains are being escorted by RPF and GRP during peak/non peak hours. Staff deployment is made during late night and early morning in suburban trains to ensure better security.

5. Joint drives by RPF/GRP and Commercial Department are conducted from time to time against the unauthorised entry of passengers.

6. RPF holds regular coordination meetings with State Police and GRP besides sharing of intelligent inputs with Intelligence Bureau and other intelligence agencies of State.

7. Security Helpline No. 182 is operational for the security related assistance.

22 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

Sankrail-Santragachi broad gauge link line Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, inaugurated the commencement of work for 14.5 km Sankrail-Santragachi Broad Gauge Link Line via fly-over of South Eastern Railway along with some railway projects of Eastern Railway and Metro Railway in a function held at the premises of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, on February 21, in august presence of Sh. Sougata Roy and Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Hon’ble Members of Parliament. Sh. A. K. Goel, General Manager, South Eastern and Eastern Railway and Sh. A. K. Kapoor, General Manager, Metro Railway and other distinguished guests.

One of the busiest sections of SER is HowrahKharagpur suburban section where utilisation of line capacity is more than 130%. For faster train movement, a new broad gauge link line between Sankrail and Santragachi via flyover from down side to up side was felt for future traffic expansion plan. Proposed flyover of 14.5 km was sanctioned in 2011-12 and the estimated cost is around `224.12 crore. www.railbandhu.in

Two new trains launched 15623/15624 Kamakhya-Bhagat Ki Kothi Express (Weekly) 15623 Bhagat Ki KothiKamakhya Express

The Indian Railways has been working effortlessly to connect every part of the country with rail network. In this direction, the Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, on March 4, flagged off two new trains through video-conferencing. The first one is a new Express train viz. 15623/15624 KamakhyaBhagat Ki Kothi (Jodhpur) Express(Weekly) and the second one is a new Passenger service viz. 75713/75714 Siliguri-New Coochbehar DEMU (6 days a week) on the newly constructed New Coochbehar-Changrabandha section.

Arrival

Departure

-

15.25

04.30

↓Station↑

15624 Kamakhya-Bhagat Ki Kothi Express Arrival

Departure

BGKT

22.00

-

05.00

DLI

10.20

10.40

03.30

03.40

PNBE

13.20

13.30

22.55

-

KYQ

-

17.15

Days of run: BGKT — Tuesday, KYQ — Friday Stoppages: Merta Road jn., Degana, Khatu, Chhoti Khatu, Didwana, Ladnun, Sujangarh, Churu, Sadulpur, Luharu, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Gurgaon, Delhi Cantt, Delhi Jn., Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, Ayodhaya, Shahganj, Faizabad, Varanasi, Mughalsarai, Buxar, Ara, Patna, Barauni, Khagaria, Naugachia, Katihar, Sonaili, Kishanganj, New Jalpaiguri, New Coochbehar, New Alipurduar, Kokrajhar, New Bongaigaon Jn., Barpeta Road, Rangiya

75713/75714 Siliguri-New Coochbehar DEMU (6 days a week)

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Prabhu said that this was a long-standing demand of the people of Northeastern region to provide train services in these areas. He said that the connectivity through DEMU train between New Coochbehar and Changrabandha in West Bengal will benefit all sections of the society including daily-passengers and businessmen. He said that the other train service i.e. the Kamakhya-Bhagat Ki Kothi Express will not only connect North India to Northeast India but will also help lakhs and lakhs of pilgrims who come to visit Maa Kamakhya Temple to pay their tribute. He said that this train will reach Bhagat Ki Kothi Station by passing seven States of India. He said that this was a historic day and Indian Railways will work to the maximum extent possible to provide better rail transport to the people of India.

75713 Siliguri-New Coochbehar DEMU (6 days a week) Arrival

Departure

-

16.00

19.00

↓Station↑

75714 New CoochbeharSiliguri DEMU (6 days a week) Arrival

Departure

SGUJ

10.30

-

19.10

CBD

07.20

07.30

19.25

19.35

NCBD

07.00

07.10

21.30

-

NCB

-

05.15

Days of run: SGUJ — 6 days a week, NCB — 6 days a week (except Sunday) Stoppages: New Mal Jn., at all stations/halts in between New Mal Jn. and New Coochbehar

Electrification of Ghaziabad-Meerut City-Saharanpur section Meerut City-Saharanpur section (113 route km) of Northern Railway has been commissioned on electric traction on March 12, after inspection and authorisation of Commissioner of Railway Safety, Northern Circle. Earlier Ghaziabad-Meerut City section was commissioned on electric traction on December 3, 2015. In this way, now electrification of entire GhaziabadMeerut-Saharanpur section of 161 route km has been

completed. This entire project at an estimated cost of `275 crore has been executed by Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE). Electric trains now can run seamlessly from Delhi/Ghaziabad/Khurja towards Haridwar, Ambala, Jammu, Amritsar etc. with reduction in journey time by 30 to 60 minutes. Sectional traffic throughout will also increase with electrification leading to higher capacity.

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Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 23

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Ernst & Young to tap advertising potential of stations and trains Initiating a large-scale significant exercise to identify and leverage pan-India advertising opportunities at railway stations and trains, Indian Railways has appointed Ernst & Young as consultant. EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The Railway PSU — RITES, the consulting wing for Indian Railways, awarded the mandate to EY following a multi-party bid.

Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, has always been emphasising on increasing revenues through non-fare box route especially through advertising. Initial estimates have indicated an advertising potential on Railways in excess of `5,000 crore over the next few years. EY has been assigned the job of tapping the advertising potential of Indian Railways’ assets, including fleet of trains spread in a wide network of about 7,000 railway stations across India.

Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A. K. Mital said, “This current move by the Railways will allow for revenue enhancement for the enterprise without putting any burden on its passengers.”

Mr. Farokh Balsara, Partner and National Leader — Media and Entertainment, EY India, said, “There has never been a nation-wide assessment of advertising potential of assets at such a large scale. We are excited and proud to be associated with Indian Railways on a project that will generate advertising revenues and in turn help to expand and improve services for commuters.”

MoU between Railways and ISRO With a view to use best technologies in its operations for the benefit of its passengers, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding “Effective Use of Space Technology in Remote Sensing and Graphic Information System (GIS) based Governance Application for Indian Railways” was signed between the Ministry of Railways and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on March 17.

The MoU was signed by Sh. Shobhan Chaudhuri, ED/Tele (Dev) on behalf of Railways and Dr. P.G. Diwakar, Dy. Director, ISRO, in the august presence of Union Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, and Union Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha.

Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital, Chairman ISRO and Secretary Department of Space, Sh. Kiran Kumar Alur Seelin, Member Staff, Sh. Pradeep Kumar and other Board Members, and other senior officials from both the sides were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Prabhu said that the signing of the MoU with the ISRO was of great importance as it would solve all day to day problems of Indian Railways by using best technology provided by the ISRO. He also said that it was a big challenge for the Indian Railways to keep pace with the latest technology and it was now ready to adopt new technologies to keep itself modernised.

“With a large expanse of assets and high measurability of its reach, the Indian Railways’ assets will be beneficial to local and national clients alike,” Bharat Rajamani, Director, EY India, said.

24 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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Clean My Coach Service In yet another step in line with the Indian Railways’ Cleanliness Drive Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat, the Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, on March 11 launched ‘Clean My Coach’ Service through video conferencing from Rail Bhawan with New Delhi/Northern Railway, Mumbai Central/Western Railway and Lucknow Jn/North Eastern Railway. Sh. Manoj Kumar Sinha, Minister of State for Railways, was also present on the occasion. On behalf of the Indian Railways, Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital, Member Mechanical Sh. Hemant Kumar and other Board Members were also present. Several public representatives and senior officials from New Delhi/Northern Railway, Mumbai Central/Western Railway and Lucknow Jn /North Eastern Railway Stations also participated. This ‘Clean My Coach’ service was announced by the Railway Minister in his Rail Budget Speech of 2016-17.

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Prabhu said that as the Railways was connected with every citizen of this country, it was all the more necessary for the Railways to maintain clean environment in its premises. Thus, dustbins have also been put in the non-AC coaches. He said that as the Railways operated in open boundaries, it was the equal responsibility of the rail administration and citizens to maintain cleanliness in and around railway premises.

Salient Features of the service: For any cleaning requirement in the coach, passenger sends an SMS on 58888.

Passenger can also use android app ‘Cleanmycoach Indian Railways’ or webpage ‘cleanmycoach.com’. The request is acknowledged via SMS along with a code. A message is also sent by the server to the mobile number of On Board House Keeping (OBHS) staff travelling on the same train, along with the details such as coach number, berth number. OBHS staff contacts the passenger, carries out the cleaning work as per demand. If the passenger is satisfied, he/ she discloses the code and OBHS staff in turn sends the same code through SMS and the complaint is then treated as closed. If the passenger is not satisfied, he/ she doesn’t disclose the code and the complaint is treated as not closed.

This scheme has been tried out on 43 divisions across Indian Railways.

With formal launching of this initiative for roll out on pan India basis, trains originating from other 24 divisions shall also be covered in the current year.

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Services to ensure passenger comfort In line with PM’s ‘Digital India’ programme, Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, inaugurated four services on March 15 at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi: (I) Extension of e-catering services from existing 45 large Railway stations to all 408 A-1 and ‘A’ class Railway Stations (II) Launch of E-ticket booking for accredited journalists on concessional passes (III) Traffic Rationalisation – Policy permitting 2-point loading in BCN wagons and increasing scope of mini-rake facility from 400 km to 600 km in both BCN and BCNHL wagons (IV) Commencement of Pilot Study on introduction of Accrual Accounting and Upgraded costing system at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala (A production unit of M/o Railways).

These also come as implementation of Railway Budget announcement.

Speaking on this occasion, Sh. Prabhu said that every passenger service is backed by well-planning and lots of efforts. Under the extending scheme of E-Catering, travelling passengers would be able to order food of their choice from leading private caterers at designated 408 major railway stations. He said that this scheme will include food prepared by women at home which will also lead to women empowerment.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 25

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India to supply diesel locos to Myanmar Railways India will supply 18 metre gauge 1350 HP Diesel Electric Locomotives to Myanmar to augment locomotive fleet of Myanmar Railways to meet increasing demand for passenger and freight traffic.

A contract to this effect was signed on March 4 at Naypyitaw, Myanmar

by Sh. S. B. Malik, Director Technical, RITES Ltd. (a Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Railways) and Mr. U Thurein Win, Managing Director,

Myanmar Railways in presence of Mr. U Nyan Tun Aung, Honâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ble Minister of Rail Transportation, Myanmar and Sh. Gautam Mukhopadhaya, Ambassador of India to Myanmar.

The supply contract of locomotives is a vital project being funded under an existing line of credit extended to Myanmar by Government of India. These locomotives will be manufactured by

Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi with several modern features like microprocessor controls, fuel-efficient engine and ergonomic cab design.

Sh. Rajeev Mehrotra, Chairman and MD, RITES, said that RITES was making all efforts to augment export of rolling stock manufactured at Railway Production Units and response from South East Asian markets was very encouraging.Â

Policy initiatives for permitting loading of covered rakes Covered stock is utilised predominantly for loading of cement, foodgrain and fertiliser. In addition, essential commodities like salt, sugar, edible oil and more are also loaded in the covered rakes.

Railways has been witnessing continuous erosion of its share in cement dispatch. Rail share has come down from over 40% in the beginning of the FY 2015-16 to around 37.8% in January 2016.

Measure to help the sectors (mainly cement and fertiliser) in dispatching reduced parcel size to smaller markets: Allowing loading for two point combination destinations in BCN rakes in addition to BCNHL rakes means permitting 1,260 tonne of parcel

26 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

size as compared to over 1,900 tonne. The measures will provide much needed support to cement sector and help Railways in ensuring that its share does not deplete any further. These measures are likely to help Railways in garnering additional 5 million tonne of traffic, including about 3 million tonne of cement traffic.

Measure to increase the catchment area for smaller markets: Demand for increasing the distance limit from 400 Km to 600 km in case of mini rakes has been there from cement sector.

Allowing this increase, will help cement clusters in reaching out to larger catchment areas. Thus, additional 0.5 Million tonne of traffic would get loaded on this account.

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Pilot study on accrual accounting and upgraded costing system

Extension of e-catering service Initially, e-catering service was train specific and made available in 1,350 trains which did not have services of pantry car or Train Side Vending. As a major initiative during September 2015, this scheme was reoriented to make it ‘Station Based E-Catering’ in place of train specific e-catering.

In the first phase, a pilot project has been undertaken on 45 major stations.

Passengers travelling from these stations are now able to access e-catering facilities for all trains passing through these stations. IRCTC is facilitating booking of meals through a specified phone number/website/SMS/mobile apps etc. Passengers having mobile number are able to book meals under this scheme. CoD facility to passengers under this scheme has also been made available. A mobile app along with four digit (1323) all India Toll Free number has also been launched by IRCTC. Empanelment of some women Self Help Groups (SHGs) as vendors in e-catering is also under process.

Established in 1986, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, is one of the modern coach manufacturing units of Indian Railways. Under the Accounting Reforms Project, Indian Railways has already embarked upon a pilot study on introduction of Accrual Accounting in a Division, Workshop and Zonal Headquarter of North Western Railway, Jaipur.

Continuing the momentum, now, a pilot study is being initiated at Kapurthala for introduction of Accrual Accounting and state of the art Costing system.

The system of Accrual Accounting is purported to improve the quality of reporting of the financials of the production unit, significantly by ensuring compliance with the tenets of generally accepted accounting principles and accounting pronouncements made by the Government Accounting Standards Advisory Board.

Foodpanda has already been empanelled with IRCTC and started its operation at New Delhi Station. This has enabled passengers to order meals from a variety of options. Integration of systems of booking meals through e-catering with the reputed aggregators like Travelkhana, Food Mera Choice etc. is underway. This would expand the reach of railway passengers to e-catering and ensure no leakage of information and revenue to IRCTC/Railways.

Launch of e-ticket booking facility for accredited journalists As promised in Railway Budget 2016-17, Indian Railways announced the launch of e-booking service for journalists to reserve tickets on the concessional passes available to them.

Till now this facility was available only on the PRS counters. With this launch the facility has been extended to book tickets over internet using the Indian Railway’s

e-ticketing System: www.irctc.co.in.

To avail the benefits of this feature the journalist has to use his/her registered id card number issued by Railways to book the ticket for oneself, or for spouse, children or companion: Step 1— Select “Book in special concession” option (Information about the documents www.railbandhu.in

that are required to be carried while performing the journey will be displayed.)

Step 2 — Plan your Journey Step 3 — Provide Passenger Detail Step 4 — Make Payment Step 5 — Directed to Bank Site Step 6 — Journalist Ticket Confirmation Step 7 — Booked Ticket – ERS Step 8 – Booked Ticket — SMS Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 27

rail updatE

Celebrating women power

Railway Women’s Welfare Central Organisation (RWWCO) organised Women’s Day Award Function at National Rail Museum on March 14 to honour the services of selected women employees of Group-C and Group-D. The aim was to boost the morale of those women who show exemplary dedication, integrity and courage in discharge of their duties and who also work in any other social fields viz. hospital, school, sports, blood donation, family welfare programme, scouts and guides etc.

This year 30 such women employees were felicitated

by Chief Guest Sh. A.K. Mital, Chairman, Railway Board.

He distributed merit certificates and cash awards to outstanding women employees in the presence of Smt. Rashmi Mital, RWWCO President, Railway Board Members and senior officers from rail fraternity.

Railway Board Chairman Sh. A. K. Mital at the Women’s Day Award Function. Smt. Rashmi Mital is also seen

RWWCO is a voluntary organisation that aims at the holistic development and well being of railwaymen and their families. It also serves to supplement the official welfare initiatives of the Indian Railways for its 1.4 million workforce.

Later, a play named Court Martial, written by Swadesh Deepak was staged by Asmita Theatre whose director, Sh. Arvind Gaur, is known for his contemporary and thought-provoking plays.

RWWCO holds sports meet for children

A.K. Mital, Chairman, Railway Board gives away the awards to the winners at the sports meet. Smt. Rashmi Mital is also seen

28 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

The Railway Women’s Welfare Central Organisation (RWWCO) organised the annual sports meet for the children of staff and officers working in Railway Board and other Railway organisations like RITES, IRCON, COFMOW, CRIS, IRWO, CONCOR, DFCCIL, RVNL, on February 7 at the Karnail Singh Stadium, New Delhi. Chairman, Railway Board Sh. A.K. Mital, was the Chief Guest at the prize

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distribution ceremony and gave away certificates, prizes and souvenirs to the winners.

The event, in which nearly 150 children participated, was inaugurated by Smt. Rashmi Mital, President, RWWCO. On this occasion, a colourful cultural programme featuring folk dances from Punjab was presented by the cultural team from Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala.

‘A magical experience’ The author shares his experiences while writing the novel

the Author Sh. Mukul Kumar is a civil servant belonging to the 1997 batch. He is presently working in the Ministry of Railways, New Delhi. He has studied humanities from Delhi University.

The anthology of his poems titled The Irrepressible Echoes was published in 2012.

As Boys Become Men, published by Rupa Publications, is his debut as a novelist.

What inspired you to write the book?

Writing has been my passion. I have been writing for long, poetry as well as prose.

So it’s very difficult to articulate what inspired me to write this book. Passion is something intrinsic to man, which defies an objective explanation.

Is it all research, complete fiction or reflection of personal life?

This is a work of fiction. But when we say fiction it does not mean that experience of the writer has no role to play in it.

During the course of writing, I discovered that the story and the characters are born of the confluence of the experiences of one’s own self and those around you.

They mould your sensibility which helps you understand the human psychology and behaviour better. Then you end up creating the stories and the characters with your imagination.

How much time you took to give this book a shape?

Though I have been writing my impressions for almost three years but the framework was not defined. It was in the end of December 2014 when I decided to take up writing fiction. The writing process has been a magical experience. After coming back from office I used to immediately sit with my typist and dictate him the novel. When I hit the bed in night, the ideas came gushing in, keeping me awake till the late hours.

Many a time I used to get up to record them lest they escaped.

What are you working on next?

I want to keep my writing close to life; what I call serving a slice of life. Though one can not consciously control the theme and the ideas, may be I would write on man-woman relationship.

the Book Freedom, friends and fun. That’s how most of us remember our college years. But for those preparing for the Indian Civil Services, college life acquires an additional layer. As Boys Become Men revolves around three such boys who set out together to crack the Civil Services exam.

The book will take you on a journey of discovery, where boys become men, and students become civil servants. It also tells us what not to do when writing the Civil Services exam.

Preliminary report on assessment of cleanliness standards In the august presence of Union Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh and Union Minister of State Sh. Manoj Sinha, a ‘Preliminary Report on Assessment of Cleanliness

Standards at Major Railway Stations’ was presented. Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital, Member Staff and Member Electrical, Sh. Pradeep Kumar and other Board members, and other senior officials were also present.

The salient features of the report are: • Consequent to the launch of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on

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October 2, 2014 by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, Indian Railways had also launched Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to achieve the vision of ‘Clean India’ by October 2, 2019, which shall be the 150th birthday of father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

• Ministry of Railways (Environment and Housekeeping Management Directorate, Railway Board) commissioned a passenger feedback survey on cleanliness.

75 A1 category and 332 A category stations (407 stations in all) were taken up for survey on cleanliness of stations based on feedback.

• Final report is expected to be submitted by IRCTC shortly, after the scrutiny of which Railways will take further action for improving the cleanliness at major stations.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 29

entry ticket

baisakhi (APR 13)

Baisakhi is a harvest festival, a Punjabi new year festival, and commemoration of the founding of the Khalsa (Sikh religion brotherhood) all rolled into one occasion. It’s celebrated with a great deal of feasting, dancing, folk music, and fairs. Major celebrations are organised

Attuvela Mahotsavam (Apr 8)

In contrast to many of Kerala’s temple festivals where the focus is on elephants, the Attuvela Mahotsavam is a delightful water carnival. During the festival, a procession of illuminated canoes carry huge temple replicas through the water towards the temple. They’re accompanied by a lot of colourfully decorated small canoes and temple percussion music.

Venue: Elankavu Sree Bhagavathy Temple, Vadayar, Kottayam district, Kerala How to reach: Kottayam is the major railway station; 25 km from Vadayar.

at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and it becomes carnival-like outside.

Venue: Throughout the State of Punjab How to reach: All major cities of Punjab are well connected with the rest of the country.

Aoling Festival (Apr 1-6)

Once deadly headhunters, Konyak tribe now spends most of its time practising agriculture. After having completed the sowing of seeds each year, the tribe celebrates its most important festival, the Aoling, which marks the beginning of spring and a new year.

Venue: Mon district, Nagaland How to reach: One can reach Bhojo station (Assam) and then go to Mon by road; around 60 km. Another option is to reach Simaluguri (Assam), around 80 km, and reach Mon via Naginimora.

Baisakhi also marks the birth of the Khalsa in

1699

Mewar Festival (APR 9-11)

The Mewar Festival welcomes the arrival of spring. At Gangaur Ghat on the banks of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, images of goddess Gauri are transferred onto boats amidst much singing and celebration, and taken out onto the lake. The festival continues with a plenty of singing, dancing and cultural programs, and culminates with a grand display of fireworks.

Venue: Udaipur, Rajasthan How to reach: Udaipur has direct trains from major cities of the country.

— Compiled by Garima Verma

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Trending

Style File

AIFW AW-16

Dandy march Menswear is the flavour of the season with prominent and emerging fashion designers unveiling collections dedicated to the dappers. We decode the trends Text and photos: Karan Bhardwaj

A

t the Amazon India Fashion Week – Autumn Winter 2016, three menswear designers — Divyam Mehta, Ujjawal Dubey (Antar Agni) and Rohit Kamra — presented a motley of

1. DIVYAM MEHTA

Called ‘Into the Woods’, the collection was a painstaking tribute to the men who are into travelling and admire kaleidoscope of cultures. The designer presented a world potpourri by combining Indian embroideries with Japanese art, woven together by Italian tailoring. Samurai trousers were teamed with long shirts and silk shibori gilet (Nehru jackets). The leopard-printed footwear completed the look.

designs, inspired by the globetrotters to the modern Maharajas of Rajasthan.

Asymmetrical hemlines to luxe sports, here’s a lowdown of menswear trends this season:

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2. ROHIT KAMRA

1

Trends: Sports luxe will be the ultimate trend.

‘Sneakers with formal wears’ is the new chic. In terms of detailing, men are also falling for crafts. In Mehta’s wardrobe, shibori crafts or hand-crafted pocket square can be easily worn everyday with office blazers. “Men are keen on crafts. We have got many orders from abroad for our pocket squares which are all hand-embroidered. Italians are loving it,” enthused the designer. Printed pocket squares are already in trend, but men are showing interest in colours and embroidery rather than just polka dots. “It’s like a piece of craft in your hands,” he said. Not to forget, the leopard printed-shoes, that grabbed special attention.

11 designers took part in the gala show at AIFW AW2016, organised by the FDCI, and presented their collection.

Of these, eight established designers took part in the ‘Men in Fashion’ grand finale show.

The Indian royal look can never go out of vogue. For over 10 years, Rohit Kamra is known for lending contemporary twist to the Maharaja style of Rajasthan. This was his first menswear show at the fashion week where he batted for Indian textiles complimented with suave tailoring.

2

Trends: Crafts were used wisely. Geometric motifs featured prominently in bandagalas and trench coats, woven in flannel, wool, silk and cotton. Structured gingham jackets and comfortable breeches continue to rule the roost. Not to forget a Maharaja stick to complete the look.

3. UJJAWAL DUBEY

The designer explored ‘The Red in Us’. Various shades of reds and other warmer colours dominated the look. The oxidised reds and blacks were used in handwoven khadi and silks. For him, volume replaced motifs this season.

3 www.railbandhu.in

Trends: Comfort is the key as this anti-fit ensemble dominated the Antar-Agni look. Asymmetrical hemlines in long coats and kurtas were teamed with slouchy trousers.

The other catch point of his collection was unisex designs, perfectly embodied by male and female models.

Cover story

Symphony in

stone

The legacy of the great Chola and Pallava kings continues to live in the magnificent temples of Tamil Nadu. We bring you the famous four that have been awarded the status of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO Chitra Ramaswamy

Tamil Nadu boasts of nearly

33,000 temples

34 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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QUICK FACTS The Chola dynasty was once revived by Vijayalaya Chola in

9th century

At its peak, the empire spanned almost

3,600,000 km2 The Vijayanagara empire conquered the entire Tamil country by

c. 1370

The British firmly established governance over the entire Tamil Nadu at the beginning of the

19th century

Post Independence, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu in

1969

T

he Chola and Pallava monarchs, as did several other illustrious emperors, left behind not just the trails of their conquests but their footprints etched indelibly on the sands of time. The magnitude and beatitude of the several monuments they built, have withstood the vagaries of weather and time, leaving us in awe of their sheer proportions and artistic splendour.

The Chozhas (Cholas) who held sway over the ancient Tamil kingdom for over 15 centuries had an insatiable thirst for making conquests beyond the realms of South India. They forayed into East India up to the Gangetic plains and spread wide their wings beyond the Indian shores making their presence felt in Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

The fact that some of their sculptures in South India bear close resemblance in style to the carvings at Prambanan and Borobudur in Indonesia, testify the commercial and cultural interaction between the kingdoms.

Our decision to visit the quartet of Tamil Nadu’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites — The Great Living Chola Temples of Brihadeesvara at Thanjavur, Brihadeesvara at Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, along with the cluster of Pallava temples at Mahabalipuram, was impulsive. We boarded the Bangalore Chennai Mail from Bengaluru.

Lulled to blissful sleep by the rhythmic motion of a speeding train, we arrived at Chennai in the wee hours of dawn. The group of monuments at Mahabalipuram lie roughly 50 km from the city and an hour’s drive on East Coast Road.

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Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 35

Cover story

Mahabalipuram Group of Temples Mahabalipuram is home to 40 monuments within a radius of less than 5 km. One of the most impressive is the 27 m long and 9 m high, open air bas relief, considered the world’s largest, carved on two adjacent boulders.

Arjuna’s Penance or Descent of the Ganga as it is called, reveals an ascetic standing on one leg in a position of penance. He is believed to be Arjuna, doing penance to Lord Shiva to obtain a celestial weapon to use in the impending war against the Kauravas. Some experts however believe the figure to be that of Bhagiratha praying to Shiva to let the Ganga flow down to the Earth. The Adi Varaha Mandapam, the Pancha Rathas, Tiger Cave, Krishna’s Butterball, are other noteworthy structures defying description.

The Pancha Rathas, named after the Pandava princes and their consort Draupadi, stand regal, bathed in the golden light of dawn. Rising from a flat, part rocky, part sandy ground, the structures which are in the form of processional chariots, are monoliths carved entirely by hand, cut into blocks of diorite which emerge from

QUICK FACTS The history of Mamallapuram begins with Mahendravarman, the Pallava king who built it as a port town to facilitate trade and laid the foundations of elaborate rock cut cave temples. However, it was King Narasimhavarman I, the 7th century ruler of the dynasty who transformed the coastal town into a hub of artistic wealth.

“Mammalla”, meaning ‘great wrestler’, was a title conferred upon Narasimhavarman I.

the sand. Krishna’s Butterball is a spherical boulder perched on a narrow base on a granite hillock. Legend has it that Pallava kings made several unsuccessful attempts, aided by elephants, to move the boulder in a public display of bravado. The ‘butterball’ stands firm to date!

The magnificent five-storeyed Shore Temple is one of the finest examples of Dravidian masonry temple structures, the sea rushes upon the sands to weave a rich and scintillating tapestry of rock cut marvels. Built on bed rock on the edge of the Bay of Bengal, it is in a fairly good state of preserve. However, its walls and their sculptures have been battered and eroded by winds and waves for 1300 years. Its twin sculpted towers profoundly influenced temple architecture in later periods in South India and also structures in Southeast Asia. Two lowwalled enclosures lined with figures of Nandi, skirt the shrines. While two of its sanctums contain Shiva Lings, a third one has Vishnu in reclining posture. This is only surviving temple of seven granite temples called as The Seven Pagodas that the Pallavas built here.

How to reach The nearest rail head is Chengalpattu located at a distance of 29 km. Apart from this, Chennai is the main railway station connecting the city with all the major cities of India. From both of these rail heads, one can get easy transportation to Mahabalipuram

The magnificent Shore Temple is a fine example of Dravidian skills

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How to reach The nearest railway station is Thanjavur Junction

The temple has 252 Lingas in total

vr Brihadeesvara Temple aka Big Temple

Cholas and was recognised as UNESCO's World Heritage Site in the year 1987.

It was back to the good old Indian Railway when we departed the following night with reservations, by the Rameshwaram Express from Chennaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Egmore Station to Thanjavur to see the mightiest of the Chola edifices.

One of the busiest commercial towns of the Cauvery Delta, Thanjavurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skyline is dominated by the Big Temple. Against the flaming halo of the rising sun we entered the portals of the temple. Kundavai, the 55 year old elephant, a gift made to the temple by the late legendary Kollywood actor Sivaji Ganesan welcomed us at its entrance.

As we gaped at this beautiful gargantuan structure, our guide Raju shared some unique features of the temple. The number 9 appears to be inextricably linked to the temple, and perhaps augured well for the Cholas as evident from the following: The temple has 252 Lingas in total. The Nandi at its entrance is 36 feet in circumference; its dhwajasthambha or flagstaff is 36 feet tall; the Linga in the sanctum sanctorum measures 54 feet in circumference; the tower above the sanctum is 216 feet high.

While it is predominantly a Chola monument, the Nayakas and Marathas contributed significantly to its architecture making additions and modifications to it during the 16th and 19th centuries respectively. This amalgam of architectural styles of the three dynasties is evident right from the entrance gate itself.

While it is predominantly a Chola monument, the Nayakas and Marathas contributed significantly to its architecture

This is the world's first granite temple which portrays the temple architecture of the www.railbandhu.in

The temple has beautiful sculptures of 81 of a total of 108 karanas the Bharatnatyam alphabets; Karuvur Thevar, the spiritual mentor of Rajaraja I was one of the 18 Siddhars who composed special verses to mark the occasion of installation of the kalash on the temple tower on the 275th day of Rajaraja Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regnal year, 1010. He is also credited with having installed the sacred Shivling in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple on the day of consecration.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 37

Cover story

How to reach The nearest railway station to Darasuram is Kumbakonam, located 3 km away

It is believed that the Airavatesvara temple inspired the style of the Jagannath temple at Puri

The Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram The Temple of Airavatesvara at Darasuram, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, is a crown example of the 12th century architecture built in purely Dravidian style.

Constructed by Rajaraja Chozha II, over a period of 25 years, it is a stunning confluence of religion and history in a nondescript hamlet in the outskirts of the temple town of Kumbakonam. It is believed that the temple inspired the architectural style of the Jagannath temple at Puri.

edifice of gargantuan proportions in the form of a chariot drawn by elephants and horses, supported by 108 superbly carved monolith pillars. This is the Rajagambira Mandap, the outermost hall that takes its name from Rajaraja II who bore the title Rajagambira meaning “one with royal poise and dignity”. An interesting and rare sculpture on one of the pillars of this hall is that of Lord Shiva playing the flute! Perhaps, the fact that Rajaraja Chozha I had the temple constructed at the behest of a female cowherd of the village, is reason for this sculpture.

We entered the temple complex from the rear side through a well laid pathway, flanked by neatly manicured lawns. A huge rectangular compound wall, adorned with Nandis at regular intervals, skirts the temple, the tower of which rises heavenwards from its centre.

A giant Nandi in the lawns of the complex welcomes us before we enter the temple courtyard.

A separate temple for Periya Nayaki, the consort of Airavatesvarar stands desolate as a separate structure to the north of the Airavatesvara temple. Less simply ornamented, its sanctum was closed by the time we came from the Airavatesvara precincts. A host of silk weavers broke the silence of our environs as they insisted on displaying their special Darasuram silk weave.

Adjacent to the Nandi is a small hall accessed by a short flight of steps that produce the seven notes of music. The temple itself is an

We bowed down to mankind’s ingenuous creativity and craftsmanship as we left Darasuram.

38 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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Legend of Elephant god Legend has it that Airavata, Indra’s mythical white elephant lost his impeccable white sheen due to a curse

by Rishi Durvasa.

Upset over the loss of his handsome looks, he fervently prayed to Lord Shiva here. Pleased by his prayers, Shiva restored Airavata’s divine beauty and colour when the elephant took a dip in the temple’s holy water. Since then, the temple came to be known as Airavatesvarar Temple and an idol of Indra perched on Airavata is placed in the precincts.

Another equally amusing tale is associated with Yama, the Lord of Death, who was freed of a curse when he took a dip in the temple’s holy tank after zealously praying to Airavatesvarar.

Since then the 228 feet wide tank came to be known

by Yama’s name, Yamatheertha.

Cover story

How to reach The nearest railway station to Gangaikondacholapuram temple is Mayiladuthurai which is 26 km away

The temple was built by Rajendra Chola I to celebrate his triumph over the Ganga dynasty

Brihadeesvara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram We hit the road once again, travelling to our last destination, Gangaikondacholapuram, a distance of 39 km from Darasuram.

In July 2004, the UNESCO declared the Brihadeesvara temple of Gangaikondacholapuram in Perambalur district and the Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram "world heritage monumentsâ&#x20AC;?.

Built by Rajendra Chola I, son of Rajaraja Chola, to celebrate his triumph over the Ganga dynasty, the temple stands as a remarkable example of the architectural skills of the Cholas and boasts of sculptures of exceptional quality. Not only did the king built such a magnificent and mammoth structure, but also an entire city to serve as his capital.

The construct shares a lot in common with the Thanjavur edifice in its layout, design and shrines.

The semblance is particularly noticeable in the Chandikesvara shrine, the cloister mandapa with the subsidiary shrines and a gopura. Some of the most outstanding 40 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

The construct shares a lot in common with the Thanjavur edifice in its layout, design and shrines

Best time to visit Is from November till April as the mercury level comes down making it ideal time for sightseeing

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sculptures are found in the niches by the side of the northern entrance steps to the sanctum, those of Chandesanugrahamurti and Sarasvati. The bronzes of Bhogasakti and Subrahmanya are masterpieces of Chola metal icons. The Lotus and Saurapitha or Solar altars holding erect eight deities, and considered auspicious, is impressive.

Traditional temple designs have always evoked a special attraction since times immemorial. Be it the etched protrusion of deities in miniature or in the brightly coloured but oft faded murals, they glorify their creators and bewitch every beholder. It is perhaps the quintessence of "Indianness" touching chords of our heritage, cultural ethos and sense of belonging. No matter the beliefs and faith, these grand edifices relax our moods and humble our minds. And this is exactly how we felt as we boarded the Mannai Express from Mayiladuturai Junction, 25 km away from Gangaikondacholapuram, to return to our chaotic and routine urban existence of honking vehicles, swirling smoke and a jostling sea of humanity.

Cover story

Shopperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paradise While in Tamil Nadu, do not forget to pick some popular items

Kancheepuram silk

1

Temple jewellery of Vadasery

This kind of jewellery is an essential part of the adornment of a Tamil bride. It is also an integral part of the aharya or costume of a Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi dancer. Since these are recreations of antique gold jewellery, with the increasing demand and appreciation of splendid pieces of the past, you can buy affordable pieces from Vadasery, a hub of temple jewellery and its artisans.

Popularly known as Kanjivarams, made all the more famous by the likes of Rekha, these saris are weaved from pure mulberry silk thread. The town of Kancheepuram near Chennai is known as the Silk city. It is believed the weavers settled in this town at least 400 years back. Irrespective of pattern, be it a simple self border or a colourful gold border with zari and motifs, these saris make you stand out with their unique look.

3

4

Madurai textiles

Chungidi or Chungadi is a very popular fabric that is unique to Madurai. It is available as sari, dress material and even bed sheets.

Chungidi of Madurai is a name that has become synonymous with the cotton saris that is actually the method terminology in which the patterns are created. The method of tie and dye is not only different with different patterns that result from it, but the colours used are also very few, namely red, black, blue and purple.

2 Tanjoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s metal work

Nachiarcoil in Thanjavur district, also known as Tanjore, is famous for a light brown sand called vandal. The sand which is found on the banks of Cauvery river is ideal for making moulds. Owing to the growing scarcity of copper, the bell-metal workers of the state have now switched to brass ware. They cast vases in different shapes, tumblers, water containers, ornamented spittoons, food cases, bells, candle stands, kerosene lamps, picnic carriers, and a large variety of lamps. A special jar with a cashew-nut design and named after it has become a kind of hallmark of Nachiarcoil.

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Mahabalipuram sculptures

5

Popular around the world for its stonework and granite crafts, Mahabalipuram has excellent artefacts, idols and miniature temple sculpts. Most of it is available at the craft shops which line the roads to the Shore Temple and Five Rathas.

Exquisite soapstone images of Hindu gods, woodcarvings and jewellery are also available. www.railbandhu.in

interactive

postcards

Readers write back and share their memories with us

gulati rohit

Palampur, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

Let us know where you have been travelling Journeys are best remembered through postcards. Next time you travel by a train, do remember to take a picture of your journey, destination or anything that catches your eye during the travel and send it to us. We will publish the best entries here.

Raghav verma Kalka-Shimla Railway

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in focus

as unique as

your identity Launched in 2009, Aadhaar is your 12-digit passport to multiple benefits extended by the government. We help you decode the number

G

autham Ramachandran was stranded with his family at Chennai’s Koyembedu Bus Stand during recent floods without any money. He lost his ATM card and bank branches were also not operational in the flooded city of Chennai. What came to his rescue was his Aadhaar number. “I never knew Aadhaar was so powerful. I just remembered my 12 digit Aadhaar number, which facilitated me withdraw money from my account, with help of a bank official in one of the mobile ATM. Thank God, I have linked my bank account with Aadhaar number, else it would have not been possible. I saw many cases where bank officials could not extend any help, since bank account of an individual was not linked with the Aadhaar.” said Gautham.

Be it the success of delivering pension benefits to pensioners by issuing Jeevan Pramaan or life certificates based on biometric authentication or the ease of transferring LPG cash subsidies directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries or facilitating doorstep payments of various welfare schemes to people in the hinterland, Aadhaar has proved to be a useful tool in the development of contemporary India – the Digital India; and is indeed one of the major success story of development and financial management that India can tell to the world with pride on a global platform.

What is Aadhaar?

Aadhaar is a 12-digit Unique Identification Number and its uniqueness is ensured through the process of biometric de-duplication, i.e. cross checking fingerprint scans, iris scans, and photograph of enrolled person against all existing data in UIDAI’s database.

Aadhaar cannot be issued to a person more than once, as the uniqueness of this number is achieved through individual’s biometrics.

The 12-digit Aadhaar number which is generated with minimal basic demographic data (name, gender, date of birth, father/ mother/husband’s name and address) and biometric data (photograph, fingerprints and iris scans) offers an online, real-time authentication service which empowers residents to prove “who they say, they are” without restricting their identity to any physical document. Hence, Aadhaar is unique, portable, online verifiable and PanIndia proof of identity of an Aadhaar holder.

It is the only identity that remains unchanged for an individual from cradle to grave. Any change in the demographic data

Aadhaar eligibility Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident in India and satisfies the verification process laid down by the UIDAI, can enrol for Aadhaar on a voluntary basis. An individual needs to enrol only once and the enrolment is free of cost.

In case, the resident enrols more than once, ONLY ONE AADHAAR shall be generated.

Any individual residing in India for more than 182 days is eligible for Aadhaar.

Interestingly, even a one day old infant is eligible for enrolment but any of the parents of the newborn should have Aadhaar.

Information collected during enrolment UIDAI collects basic information of residents including their name, date of birth, gender, father’s/husband’s/guardian’s name, mother’s/wife’s/guardian’s name, address, a photograph, all ten fingerprints, and both iris scans. Biometric other than the photograph is not collected for the children below the age of 5 years. However, children need to visit their nearest enrolment centre

Authentication Modalities 1:1 Match

Biometrics

It is different from existing identities Aadhaar is a nationally accepted Unique Identification Number with provisions for easy and secure online verification “anytime, anywhere”. Hence, it helps in identifying the genuine beneficiaries while removing duplicates and fake beneficiaries from the database of various Government welfare schemes. This was not possible with any other existing proxy identities like the Driving License, Voter ID Card, Passport, Ration Card, etc.

46 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

of an individual can be updated with UIDAI but the Aadhaar number is lifelong and never changes.

and/or

cidr*

Demographics and/or

OTP

YES OR NO *Central Identities Data Repository

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Amazing Aadhaar

Youth Benefits Nutrition

(As on 28th March 2016)

Health Insurance

Scholarship

Rural Employment

Instant Bank Account Opening

Child Welfare

Instant Ration Card

Immunisation Maternity Benefits

Social Security & Pension

Mera Aadhaar, Meri Pahchan

Benefits disbursed at different stages of a beneficiary's life at the age of 5 and 15 years to update their photo and biometric records. It is desirable that every Aadhaar holder/ enroller should register his/her mobile number and email id with Aadhaar database for better communication facility and to receive OTP during authentication.

The information/data given to UIDAI during enrolment of Aadhaar is encrypted by the Enrolment Client software then and there, even before saving it to any hard disk. This encryption is of best international standards and thus, not only ensures privacy of an individual but also ascertains security of the data.

Aadhaar system collects no data related to caste, religion, economic status, bank account details, etc. about residents and has no linkage to any other database such as PAN card, passport, driving license, etc. It does not track or collect data about any day-to-day transactions or activities of individuals such as banking, travel, hospital visits, etc.

Data security The entire Aadhaar data is stored and secured within the Central Identities

quick tip

• In case you lack supportive documents, you can still enrol with Aadhaar through the name and Aadhaar number of the head of your family.

• You should also register your mobile number and email id with Aadhaar database to obtain faster communications and OTP during authentication.

Did you know?

First Aadhaar was issued in September 2010. Since then, nearly 100 crore people have been given Aadhaars.

Data Repository (CIDR), managed by the UIDAI. The CIDR is located in spatiallydistributed data centres in India that use world class security tools and practices for round-the-clock safe monitoring.

Raw biometric data is always stored in encrypted form even within the CIDR to ensure, that at any stage, there is no unauthorized access to data by any means.

Data security during linked services Aadhaar system does not store or link the collected data with any other database and is designed specifically to protect the privacy of an individual. There are stringent provisions in the Aadhaar Act 2016 on the security and sharing of data and penal provisions for violations, if any.

This not only secures data with best world class technological tools but also protects privacy of every Aadhaar holder. No agency has access to the information in the UID database. UIDAI answers requests to authenticate identity only through a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ response. No personal identity information is returned as part of the response, except when e-KYC request is sent by the resident himself/herself.

Moreover, the CIDR has been notified as the “Protected System” under the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) and UIDAI has been awarded ISO 27001 Certification for Information Security.

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99.7 Cr Aadhaar

Aadhaar linked to Bank Accounts

generated

25.37Cr

Aadhaar’s Permanent Enrolment Centres

19,799

Number of MGNREGS Transactions

DBTL

Direct Benefits Transfer on LPG (PAHAL)

2.9Cr

Transactions

86.33Cr

Aadhaar Linked Food & Public Distribution(As on 15.3.2016) (Ration Cards)

Aadhaar Linked MGNREGS Job cards (Active)

6.22Cr

11.27Cr

Aadhaar Linked NSAP (Pension Scheme)

Linkage with EPIC cards

(As on 31.08.2015)

0.93Cr

31.0Cr

Aadhaar Generation, Print & Dispatch Capacity

> 0.15Cr per day

LPG Connections (All 3 OMCs) – 10th Mar 2016

12.18Cr

Authentication Transactions since inception

3,67,401

Certified Operators/ Supervisors

Number of Authentication/ e-KYC devices deployed in the field

150.6Cr 554K Total amount involved in transactions over APB

28,14,300Cr Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 47

in focus

Benefits of Aadhaar One major benefit that Aadhaar facilitates in the life of an individual is his/her financial inclusion. Aadhaar, therefore, can be used as one’s permanent ‘Financial Address’. In order to enable Aadhaar as the financial address, UIDAI in partnership with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has developed two productsAadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) and Aadhaar enabled Payments System (AePS) - which benefit both public and private entities in delivering benefits to the end consumer/beneficiary. These products facilitate convenience of peoplecentric hassle-free governance by directly transferring the subsidies/benefits of social welfare schemes to the beneficiaries’ accounts and, also, enable delivery of services to the beneficiary residing in the remotest area of the country. This Aadhaar -enabled scenario has led to: • Curbing leakages through targeted delivery, especially in cases where identity needs to be confirmed before services/benefits delivery. For instance, subsidized food and kerosene delivery through PDS, wage payments under MGNERGS, etc.

• Improving efficacy and efficiency of disbursement system/s with Aadhaar platform by providing greater information visibility up to the last mile and effective utilization of scarce development funds.

• Performance enhancement of administrative staff with improved monitoring and lesser intermediaries’ deployment for delivery of payments/ services.

Aadhaar enrolment process being conducted at Permanent Enrolment Centre, Connaught Place, New Delhi

48 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

Impeccable support system

• For inquiries or grievance redressal, send email to help@uidai.gov.in • For more information related to Aadhaar, visit www.uidai.gov.in or https://resident.uidai.net.in or call toll-free no. 1947 or visit nearest permanent enrolment centre • To know the Aadhaar number/status on mobile phone, SMS “UID STATUS <14-digit enrolment ID>” to 51969 • To update Aadhaar details, visit the Resident Portal, i.e. https://resident. uidai.net.in or by visiting nearest Permanent Enrolment Centre or apply through the Post. Just share a selfattested copy of supportive document highlighting the change requested • To download e-Aadhaar/Aadhaar letter, login to http://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in

Aadhaar is the world’s largest biometric based unique identification system that provides online authentication services anywhere, anytime and is so robust and vast that it can handle as much as 100 million authentication requests a day. Even the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) biometric database with just 15 crore biometrics, is way behind Aadhaar. Aadhaar is one of the biggest transformational tool of India socially and economically.

Not surprisingly, Aadhaar with its four properties of Uniqueness, Authentication, Financial Address and e-KYC, provides a way for the Government of India to directly reach residents of the country at their doorstep with subsidies/benefits/services.

This perhaps has obligated Mr. Jim Yong Kim, the World Bank President (in 2013) to call Aadhaar as “the greatest poverty killer app we’ve ever seen”.

However, there have been some concerns expressed by the civil society regarding privacy and security of sensitive personal data. The Government of India has appropriately tried to address these concerns to a large extent with the Aadhaar Act, 2016 passed in the Parliament in March, 2016. In fact, Aadhaar with its online anytime-anywhere authentication service is your passport to a Digital India.

It’s up to the people of India to make it work towards improved financial inclusion and empowerment of all.

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Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Director General & Mission Director, UIDAI, educates us about Aadhaar and how it proves to be an efficient tool for good governance Aadhaar has emerged as the largest biometric identification programme in the world. How do you view this as success for India globally?

Indeed, this is an important milestone for India. Today we have more than 99.7 crore people with Aadhaar in India. The uniqueness of this success lies in the fact that it is the largest public owned identity platform on the planet, created for the benefit of people. No other country has an online identity platforms of this scale. In fact many identity platform such as Gmail IDs, Facebook IDs and Skype Ids, with the scale of demographic data equal to that in Aadhaar, are owned privately. At UIDAI, we have safeguarded the privacy of an individual and secured the data with one of the most advanced protection systems backed by law existing in any country today. Demographic and biometric data given by resident during enrolment become immediately inaccessible as they get encrypted at the point of capture, and the system just authenticates the data requested for with a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’. Interestingly, no such protection is available in many existing identity systems. In short, with Aadhaar, we have laid the foundation for a developed India.

It will boost the growth of India, because now only genuine beneficiaries who are entitled for benefits and subsidies will get the same, and there will be no siphoning of the benefits by ghost and duplicates in the system.

There have been concerns expressed by civil society and in various PILs in the Supreme Court regarding the privacy and security of data. How does the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act 2016 address these concerns?

targets those who are residing in remote areas. Also, it is important to note that no other ID system in the nation has instant real-time authentication available at any time of the day. It will allow individuals in remote areas to do away with middlemen, and directly avail the services and benefits.

MNERGA payments via micro ATMs are an exemplary example, where payments are made by bank correspondents based on Aadhaar authentication via biometrics at the homes of the individuals.

First, we need to understand the importance of the Act. The government has limited funds, which need to be used judiciously.

Since it is practically impossible to reach directly to every individual, most services and benefits are delivered through layers of intermediaries. This adds to the cost and also causes leakage. With the Aadhaar Act coming into force, governments will be able to transfer the benefits directly to individuals. This will reduce leakages and expenses that existed in earlier systems of payouts, thereby increasing efficiency.

Regarding security and privacy concerns, the UIDAI system is one of strongest in its class, as mentioned earlier. UIDAI does not share any data, but just authenticates the data requested for and that too is done only with the consent of the respective individual. And, this consent is taken every time before authentication. In case of violations, the Act has strong provision to punish the lawbreakers.

Why is Aadhaar called the “Financial Address” of an individual? And how is it beneficial to an individual?

Currently, one needs to share his/her name, bank account number and bank’s IFSC code to get benefits and subsidies transferred to his account. If an individual had to change his bank account, he needs to share a whole lot of information with all

Aadhaar will reduce leakages and expenses that existed in earlier systems of payouts, thereby increasing efficiency

the concerned departments from where he was getting benefits. We call Aadhaar the financial address of an individual because he may just share his Aadhaar number with the respective agencies, and get the benefits delivered directly into his bank account linked to Aadhaar. The transfer is done through the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) mapper. Any change in bank account details in future need not be reported to the departments but just needs to be intimated to NPCI, and they will transfer the funds into your new bank account.

What role does Aadhaar play in realising the dream of Digital India?

Aadhaar is an important pillar of Digital India. The aim of Digital India is to empower the citizens of India. Digital India is not limited to urban areas, and it specifically

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Can we see Aadhaar being used as an important tool in Indian railways?

I see some important utilities, which can be incorporated by the railways in the future. First is as an authentication tool that can be used for certain class of passengers, like senior citizens, employee of railways or service providers. Presently, they need to carry ID proofs. Also, railways may at some later date collaborate with the UIDAI for real-time authentication on machines, similar to micro ATMs that have the facility of biometric authentication.

The second is to check touts and agents involved in booking rail tickets. The Ministry of Railways limits the number of tickets being booked online per ID, but these agents operate multiple IDs with different email IDs. If the Railways links these IDs with Aadhaar, they can keep a check on duplicate IDs. Can Aadhaar be a tool of good governance?

Aadhaar can be the backbone of good governance. It ensures government resources are judiciously spent on the targeted citizens, and there is no wastage due to fake or duplicate entries. Secondly, it is an identity valid pan-India which empower individuals to authenticate themselves anytime & anywhere in the country. Many identity proofs are local in nature and cannot be authenticated easily in other parts of the country and thereby fakes and ghosts enter into the system.

People also have difficulty in identifying themselves with their local IDs when they migrate to other places for their livelihood and often lose the benefits they were availing in their native places.

Through Aadhaar, a beneficiary can be authenticated anywhere in the country and receive benefits and services.

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facts

dream scape

In all, 20 dialects are spoken in the Kumaon region UNESCO has listed Kumaoni as language in the unsafe category which requires consistent conservation efforts

Jim Corbett Park in Kumaon was established in

1936

Itmenaan Lodges

Homely in

the hills Take a break from the hustle-bustle of city life and escape to the serene landscape and life of Kumaon Text and photos: Pallavi P

I

the village of Thikalna. On my way I’m told there isn’t going to be any mobile signal or electricity up there and I couldn’t be happier to hear that. Being a screen addict, it would do me good to reconnect with nature and feast my eyes on something more soothing and picturesque.

A four-hour drive from Kathgodam Railway station takes me to my first destination —

Thikalna is about two hours from Almora but the car does not drop me at the doorstep of my new abode. To reach each village, I have to work my way up a hillside and trek

t took three villages in the Kumaon region — Thikalna, Ghanget and Chalnichhina — to make me realise that Uttarakhand is not just about popular hill stations but also about authentic, rustic village experiences. Having visited Mussoorie, Nainital, Bhimtal and Ranikhet several times, I felt I had done justice to this region, but my opinion was about to change.

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for 45 minutes. Thankfully, it is a downhill hike through a lovely forest path lined with gorgeous red rhododendron flowers, but it is still quite gruelling and tiring for a city dweller.

My home for the night is a typical Kumaoni house that is located at a height of 6,800 feet on the edge of a cliff. Done up in traditional stone architecture, the walls are rough and unfinished, and the light flows from solar powered lanterns instead of electric bulbs.

This village home helps in preserving the local art and architecture. I am exhausted by the time I reach, so after a delicious hot dinner, I hit the bed quite early by city standards — at 9.30 pm.

I’m told that the sunrise is something I should not skip. Bed tea at 6 am brings me to life and I step out of the cottage to see the Himalayas bathed in a beautiful orange glow. I could not have been luckier because it’s a clear day and I can see as far as Nanda Devi, the second highest peak (25,643 feet) in the country.

The distant, snow-covered peaks are a sight to behold.

I feast on a heavy breakfast of eggs, stuffed paranthas and cereal with an occasional butterfly for company. I am soaking in the views when I’m told I need to leave for my next destination — Ganghet. I am shocked to hear that I have to trek for six hours, but I am

Quick Tips Stay

Itmenaan Estate in Chalnichhina and village houses in Thikalna and Ghenget. Packages are generally inclusive of accomodation and all meals. The village stays and walks range from `3,000 to `10,000 per person per night.

Getting there

Chalnichhina is 375 km from Delhi. It is best to take the Kathgodam AC Express or Ranikhet Express till Kathgodam. From there it is about three hours by road via Bhimtal.

Eat

all prepped up for it. Feeling guilty about not being in shape, I decide to make up for my lack of exercise with this long walk. I begin my journey through gorgeous forest paths surrounded by rhododendrons, oak and deodar trees. We pass a few small villages where children wave as we go, their eyes full of joy and their smiles wide.

I’m enjoying the trek, blissfully unaware that it is going to get tougher as we press ahead. My first halt is the Jageshwar Temple complex, which is home to more than 100 stone-cut temples built between the 17th and 19th century. I admire the huge life-size statues which stand guard outside each temple. The main shrine, dedicated to Lord Shiva, happens to be one of his 12 jyotirlingas in the country. The Sri Mahamritunjaya Mahadev Temple here, where local legend says Lord Shiva came to meditate, is the most elaborate of them all. Tarun Mahadev is the main temple.

Local food prepared by the staff at village homes.

Shop

Rhododendron juice, baal mithai & apricot jam from Almora.

(Clockwise) Local women toil in the fields; Interiors of a cosy mountain stay

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Dream scape

Jageshwar Temple

must visit About Chitai Temple

The temple is full of bells.

According to the legend people must tie a bell and write down their wish on a piece of paper. Hence, one can see brass bells of all shapes and sizes. It is quite an impressive sight and even on a weekday there is a huge line to tie the bell and visit the deity. The temple is close to both Almora and Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary is home to leopards, foxes and rare migratory birds as well.

One can go for long hikes or drive around with oak and pine trees all around.

The mountain goat and barking deer can be easily spotted and if you reach Zero Point (7,900 feet) — the highest point in the sanctuary, you’ll be surrounded by Himalayan peaks like Trishul, Nanda Devi, Kamet, Trishu, Panchachuli.

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About an hour later I am famished, so I choose a pretty spot and enjoy a picnic lunch, which to my surprise, is by no means restricted to just sandwiches. The chef has laid out a gourmet meal for us — there is delicious rhododendron juice, hummus, homemade bread, carrot and orange salad, red cabbage salad, tortilla, potatoes and lovely banana bread followed by a choice of teas. This hearty meal gives me the necessary stamina to continue further.

But a couple of hours later, I just give up as my legs refuse to go any further. We stop near Shri Jhanar Saam Temple, where hot tea and the car come to rescue my tired limbs and take us on the final lap to our destination. This is a pretty blue and white house in Ganghet surrounded by terraced fields, with colourful flowers and chirping birds completing the beautiful picture. The silence of the night is so surreal that I can hear my own breath.

Next day’s trek to the final destination — the village of Chalnichhina and Itmenaan Estate — is both gorgeous and exhausting.

I become like a little girl again, hopping across streams, climbing mountains and walking at the edge of a cliff. I can feel the www.railbandhu.in

adrenalin rush and chatting with locals on the way only adds to the charm. We finally reach our destination in about seven hours, where a century-old stone house is my abode.

Itmenaan Estate has three rooms and each is done up in traditional Kumaoni architecture. The roof is made of pine logs that were embedded in mud and then laid with local slate and sealed with mud. This method is called kori chinai; locals stack stones and make the house without using any cement.

The courtyard, which overlooks the entire mountain range is a perfect place for lounging around, reading a book, gazing at the blue sky in the day and counting stars at night. Being a true foodie, I also try different cuisines but the nothing beats traditional Kumaoni dishes — dal and fresh, locallygrown vegetables.

Doing nothing was perhaps what I enjoyed the most on this trip. Before boarding the train back, I stop at Chitai temple, dedicated to the local deity — Golu Devata, the god of justice. I make a wish and end my journey filled with hope that it will come true.

heritage halt

Lord Vitthal of

pandharpur Situated on the banks of Chandrabhaga river, the Vitthal temple and its many legends make for an enriching experience Text and photos: Yogendar Singh

On Ashadhi Ekadashi, the temple attracts

7-8 lakh devotees

T

here is something very magical about the walk leading to the Vitthal temple of Pandharpur in Maharashtra. The fragrance of tulsi, abir, kumkum, mixed with the sweet aroma of prasadam, has an instant calming effect on your nerves. As the devotees break into impromptu chanting en route to the main temple, you are filled with a sudden burst of energy, nevermind how long your journey may have been to get here.

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The Vitthal temple in Pandharpur is said to be the most visited temple in Maharashtra. Situated around 200 km from Pune, it comes under the Solapur district with Solapur railway station being the nearest at 70 km. The temple attracts devotees of Vitthal, believed to be a form of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna. The God is also referred to as Vithoba Mauli or Panduranga.

The legend has it that when Lord Vishnu came to bless his devotee, Pundalik, latter threw a brick

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The temple has three entrances each on the east and west side, and one each in the south and west for him to stand on, hence the name — vit means brick in Marathi and thala is believed to have originated from Sanskrit word sthala, meaning to stand. The temple is said to have been built in the middle of the 13th century, but no date has been ascribed to Pundalik’s tale.

As per the legend, Pundalik and his parents lived in Dandirvan forest. After marriage, he got so involved in the matrimony that he started neglecting his duties towards his aged parents. Tired with that, the parents decided to leave for Kashi, the city that assures salvation to those who die there. Upon learning about the plan, Pundalik and his wife decided to join them on the pilgrimage, but continued with their ill treatment.

En route, Pundalik met sage Kukkutswami at his ashram and underwent a radical transformation thereafter. He became completely devoted to his parents. Pleased

Trivia

Ashadhi Ekadashi is the most important day in Pandharpur.

It is when the Varkaris — devotees of Vitthal, gather from all over Maharashtra for this annual pilgrimage called Vari. The day generally falls between late June and July. They walk in groups all the way from their homes to Pandharpur to get the holy darshan of their beloved deity on that auspicious day. Also, a dip in the holy river Chandrabhaga on Ashadhi Ekadashi is believed to wash off all the sins. Pandharpur is situated on the banks of Chandrabhaga.

by his efforts, Lord Vishnu decided to bless him. When he knocked at Pundalik’s door, Pundalik was serving food to his parents.

Though he realised the Lord’s presence, he chose to complete his duties first. Since it was raining and it got muddy, Pundalik threw a brick for Lord Vishnu to stand on so his feet could remain dry. All the more impressed with him, Lord Vishnu granted Pundalik a wish. Pundalik requested Lord Vishnu to stay on Earth and bless his devotees. The God then agreed to take the form of Vitthal, or God who stood upon a brick and the temple was built there later.

The Vitthal temple has three entrances each on the east and the west side, and one each in the south and the west. However, there is only one main entrance — mahadwara — on the east side. It is also referred to as Namdev Darwaja.

The first step to the temple is called Namdev Chi Payari (step of Namdev). Child Namdev was an ardent devotee of Vitthal. One day

(Clockwise from top) A shop selling idols outside the temple; Shivaji's statue at a crossing in Pandharpur; A boat ride in Chandrabhaga river.

(Facing page) The Vitthal temple

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 55

heritage halt

when his mother asked him to offer food to God before the family ate, he dutifully waited for the deity to appear and consume the offerings. He prayed fervently and when he received no answer, he started banging his head at the idolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet. Seeing his utmost devotion, God appeared, ate the offerings and granted Namdev his wish of being present in the first step where he could receive the touch of devoteesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; feet. This step is thus sacred to all who come to the Vitthal temple. And they take care not to step on it.

(Top) Vishnupad temple in Pandharpur. One of the shikharas in the Vitthal temple campus.

other places to see 56 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

To get to the sanctum sanctorum, devotees have to traverse through a six-storey building.

At the time of huge rush, and during festive season, the crowd has to pass through every floor. This sometimes takes them three to four hours to get the darshan of the deity.

While passing by each floor the devotees

Just 70 km from Pandharpur, Solapur is famous for its textiles.

Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary here is a haven for bird lovers. www.railbandhu.in

can purchase garlands from the vendors sitting there or grab a quick bite. One can buy prasadam, incense sticks and coconut for offering. Beautiful Vitthal idols, manjeera and many more items are also available at these shops.

Once you reach the main temple, you can see a porch that houses drums and other instruments of the temple. After crossing the courtyard, you get to a 16-pillared hall.

You have to cross through a silver door to reach the shrine of Lord Vitthal. About threeand-a-half-feet tall, the idol is beautifully adorned with the fine clothes and jewellery.

The crowd breaks into loud cheers and chanting as soon as they get the darshan of the deity. There is also a separate temple for Lord Krishna's wife Rukmini, called Rakhumai, on the campus.

Famous for its architecture and history, Bhuikot Fort is a must visit too.

Solapur is also known for its vineyards. Take a walk and taste the best.

in focus

Promoting

India abroad ICCR fosters cultural relations and promotes mutual understanding between India and other countries to advance out national interests.

One of the foremost leaders of the Indian freedom struggle and independent India's first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, founded the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) on April 9, 1950. The Council's aim was to participate in the making and implementation of the policies relating to cultural relations between India and other countries. Since then, ICCR has been articulating and demonstrating the diversity and richness of India, within the country and at the global stage, to facilitate interactions and cultural exchanges.

Prof. Lokesh Chandra, President, ICCR

Meet the President

A

prominent scholar of the Vedic period, Buddhism and the Indian arts, Prof. Lokesh Chandra, President, ICCR, was born in 1927 at Ambala in an illustrious family of educationists.

His father, Prof. Raghu Vira, was a globally renowned Sanskrit scholar and linguist who made signal contributions to the understanding of Asian culture and to India’s linguistic development. Under his guidance, Prof. Chandra studied Sanskrit and its derivatives Pali and Prakrits, besides Classical Greek, Latin, Chinese, Japanese, Avesta of the Parsis, Old Persian and other languages of cultural importance. In 1943 he helped his father in the translation of a ‘Chinese Dictionary of Indian Geographical Names’ which was compiled in 517 AD from Chinese literature and accounts of travellers.

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Prof. Chandra earned Master’s Degree (M.A.) in 1947 from the Punjab University at Lahore. He also studied several Indian languages like Bengali, Oriya, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam. During his university days he collaborated with his father in the scientific terminology for Indian languages in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Botany, Zoology and their ramifications. He has to his credit over 360 works and text editions. Among them are classics like his Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary, Materials for a History of Tibetan Literature, Buddhist Iconography of Tibet, and his Dictionary of Buddhist Art in 15 volumes.

Prof. Chandra was appointed the president of ICCR in October 2014. He is also the Honorary Director of the International Academy of Indian Culture, a premier

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research institution for Asian cultures.

In the past he has held several important positions including Chairman of Indian Council for Historical Research, Vice President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations. He was Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) for two terms — 197480 and 1980-86. In 2006 he was awarded ‘Padma Bhushan’, one of the most prestigious civilian honours, by the Government of India in recognition to his contributions to the academic life and public discourse.

During 1948 and 1949 Prof. Chandra critically edited the Gavamayana portion of the Vedic work Jaiminiya Brahmana with the help of newly discovered manuscripts.

In recognition of these contributions he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature and Philosophy by the State University of Utrecht (Netherlands) in 1950.

winning hearts around the world Performing arts are important in projecting Indian culture and ICCR has come to be known for its cultural presentations. The current focus is to expand cerebral engagement through seminars, conferences and academic deliberations as also to win hearts abroad.

Ambassador C. Rajasekhar, Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)

A

mbassador C. Rajasekhar, Director General, ICCR has been a career diplomat with long experience, including seven diplomatic assignments abroad. A Graduate in Commerce and Law (Gold Medalist), he was the first visiting Research Fellow at the Japanese Institute of International Affairs, Tokyo, and is fluent in several languages, namely, English, Hindi (Vidvan), Telugu and Japanese.

He was till recently the Indian Ambassador to Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti. Previously, he served as Minister, Political Media and Education in London, Minister in Seoul, Counsellor in Port of Spain, First Secretary/Head of Chancery in Tokyo, Second Secretary in Ulaanbaatar and Third Secretary/Second Secretary in Tokyo. He also served at Headquarters as Director (East Asia), and before that as Regional Passport Officer in Hyderabad. During his illustrious career, he has handled different aspects of diplomatic work including trade negotiations, Indian Diaspora related issues besides political and economic diplomacy.

A well-travelled man, he has visited several countries, inter alia: Antigua and Barbuda, Belgium, Barbados, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, Curacao, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, France, Germany, Grenada, Mexico, Palau, Panama, Philippines, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, United States, Venezuela. We spoke to him on his vision and plan for ICCR. Excerpts: ICCR has been credited with pursuing cultural diplomacy on behalf of the Indian Government. How do you plan to pursue it further?

Established in 1950 by the first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, ICCR developed and instituted various schemes namely:

i. Scholarship Schemes for foreign Students ii. India Study Chairs Abroad iii. Conducting Seminars and Conferences iv. Hosting Foreign Academic Visitors and Distinguished Visitors v. Supporting Outgoing Visitors vi. Granting Fellowships vii. Running Indian Cultural Centres Abroad viii. Sending out Indian Cultural Delegations of Performing Arts and Hosting Foreign Cultural Troupes; Organising Indian Cultural Presentations/ Mini Festivals Abroad ix. Exhibitions, organizing Artists in Residency of Foreign Artists in India and Indian Artists Abroad,

ICCR spearheads Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural engagement with the world, with a view to connecting and winning the hearts and minds of people around the world for India

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in focus

ICCR officials and delegates of International Conference of Indologists 2015 with Hon'ble President of India, Sh. Pranab Mukherjee.

ICCR president, Prof. Lokesh Chandra is seated to the left of the President

x. Sending busts and statues of eminent personalities of India for installation abroad, etc.

ICCR is an interface between the countries overseas and the state governments offering their wide varied culture within the country.

The vision is to leverage the rich, diverse and long standing Indian Cultural heritage to advance India’s national interests, by promoting bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and rest of the world.

In short, ICCR spearheads India’s cultural and intellectual engagement with the world, with a view to connecting and winning the hearts and minds of people around the world for India.

What is your roadmap for the future?

The challenge is that on one hand the Government has a very ambitious vision as to the role of culture in India’s projection abroad even while there are huge constraints such as shortages of financial and personnel resources. In this context, the present endeavour, under the leader60 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

ship of Prof. Chandra, the current President of ICCR, is to introduce the best practices in terms of mindset, inputs of technology and management practices.

For instance, in the area of Indian Cultural Centres abroad, which takes a large share of the ICCR’s financial outlay, we are promoting PPP Model (Public Private Partnership Model). We are devising ways of lowering expense on establishment/administration costs and for enhancing the outreach programmes.

For this purpose, we are presently conducting a comprehensive review through an independent outside Performance Audit Team. We are also co-opting various other stakeholders to enhance and optimise the precious resources, including through building institutional linkages with overseas counterpart institutions.

What are the benefits of the cultural exchanges between the countries?

India’s cultural heritage, political values, democratic system etc. represent its Soft Power. Through enhanced cultural exchanges a greater mutual understanding and friendship is activated between the countries.

Among many of the benefits most significant ones include: i. Better understanding about country’s culture, society and traditions ii. Removing cliched images and replacing them with right images about the country, and iii. Promoting and strengthening ties at people to people level, which are long lasting. For example: consistent efforts in promoting India’s culture abroad have successfully

ICCR also offers to interface between the countries overseas and the state governments to enhance their global profile and reach

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replaced India’s image from being a country of snake charmers and elephants to a country producing software engineers and entrepreneurs; a country that has blended classical and traditional art forms intelligently with its contemporary forms.

This changed perspective offers new platforms for new opportunities in cooperation between countries.

How much have these exchanges helped in getting other countries to know more about India?

ICCR has been offering scholarships to foreign students for decades. Around the world, we can find ICCR’s scholars and footprint from Chile to North Korea to South Pacific Icelands. By now, we can proudly count several heads of States/ Governments/Ministers and other opinion leaders around the world, from Karzai to Aung San Suu Kyi to the present Secretary General of ASEAN etc. ICCR also conducts over 100 cultural presentations and organises country-specific Cultural Festivals annually around the world. In fact, several foreign Ambassadors openly express their envy that India is readily known and identified around the world by her rich cultural heritage.

What are the scholarships and schemes ICCR announces from time to time, if any, to build the cultural relations?

ICCR has several scholarship schemes for foreign students to study various aca-

ICCR president Prof. Lokesh Chandra greets the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj at the Roma conference

demic courses in various Indian universities ranging from information technology to management to agriculture; from Indian performing arts to theatre, visual arts etc. (ICCR does not offer scholarships to study medical/dentistry which are handled directly by Medical Board).

We have recently added Ayush scholarships also to enable foreign students to study Indian systems of medicine.

ICCR is also administering scholarship schemes for students from specific regions such as Africa, Afghanistan and South East Asia. Following the Africa Summit, Hon’ble Prime Minister announced enhancing number of scholarships to students from Africa. Today, ICCR hosts around 6,000 foreign students in total from around the world.

These scholarships cover tuition fees,

living expenses and in some schemes international air passage also.

ICCR actively works towards promoting the cultural talent in the country.

Would you please elaborate on the recent plans and policies for the same?

Performing arts are important in projecting Indian culture and ICCR has come to be known for its cultural presentations abroad. The current focus is more cerebral engagement through seminars, conferences and academic deliberations to promote and propagate Indian culture, traditions, philosophy and thought, for instance, propagating the idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. In this regard, ICCR has recently organized a series of conferences. An International Conference on Indology for the first time in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in November 2015.

An International Conference on Roma, exploring the linkages of 20 million strong Roma community spread around 30 countries. And a more recent International Seminar on Indo-Vietnam Cultural Relations etc. ICCR has also for the first time instituted three new awards namely: i. ICCR Distinguished Alumni Award ii. ICCR World Sanskrit Award iii. ICCR Distinguished Indologist Award These are also part of our efforts to recognise, encourage and celebrate the effort and contribution of scholars around the world to the study of Indology.

(For more information log on to www.iccr.nic.in)

ICCR actively promotes Indian soft power abroad

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in focus

Striving for excellence &

a bright future Gyanesh Pandey, CMD, HSCC, on the company's contribution to health infrastructure, its growth and future plans

To stay ahead of competition, company intends to embrace new technologies before its competitors do — i.e. adopting new way of delivery projects and services. Moreover, in the wake of fast changing market dynamics, the company’s strategy has been re-configured to focus on digital space on one end and governance and compliance on the other

How has HSCC made a difference to healthcare in India?

HSCC has been instrumental in creating health Infrastructure across the country, even in difficult terrains, North-East, deserts and hilly regions. The hospitals and healthcare institutions have been conceptualised, designed and engineered, project-managed and handed over to the concerned departments; the difference being that the infrastructure set-up is state-of-the-art, environmentally sustainable and is directed towards green buildings (achieving a Four-star rating TERI-GRIHA ‘Greenness’) — using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout buildings life-cycle: right from siting, to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and beyond.

What are the new measures/ techniques adopted by HSCC and how have they been implemented?

The new measures initiated to sustain organisational excellence included

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rationalisation of manpower to gear the company up to take on emerging challenges, cost-cutting to maintain the operating margins, image enhancement through effective PR, and making business environment more conducive. Other thrust areas comprised making extensive use of IT, equipping professionals, at different levels, with tools/devices/gadgets for productivity improvement as also addressing clients’ complaints, if any,

HSCC in 5 years HSCC expects to maintain a high growth path, attained over last 3-5 years, and become a `100 crore company (in terms of annual turnover) by the financial year 2020-21, implying a compound growth rate of 15 per cent.

Diversifying company’s operations into Business Engineering and Maintenance Services and development of IT is also on the cards.

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promptly so necessary in establishing better client-consultant relationships. The organisation’s capability has, in fact, been so developed to align, execute and renew itself faster than the competition thus sustain exceptional performance over time.

Besides, efforts were directed to pursue Business Development rather aggressively to secure projects/orders. I am happy to say that through these measures, Company’s order book today is worth `500 cr.

Health care being a focus area of the government, what role do you envisage for the company in future development of the sector?

Healthcare is a priority for the government. Its expenditure on health is expected to increase from current level of 1.2 per cent of gross domestic product to 2.5 per cent by 2017 and to 3 per cent by 2020. The government plans to upgrade the existing health infrastructure besides new hospitals and medical

institutions. All this will open up a host of opportunities for HSCC to the future.

What scope does the consultancy industry have in India?

Rising income levels, ageing population, growing health awareness and changing attitude towards preventive healthcare is expected to boost healthcare services demand. Being one of the fastest growing industry, Indian healthcare sector is expected to advance at a CAGR of 22.87 per cent during 2015-20 to reach $280 billion. The provider segment, comprising Hospitals & Diagnostics — accounting for around 7.5% of the market size.

There is thus immense scope for enhancing healthcare services’ penetration in India, presenting ample opportunity for development of healthcare industry.

What are your new plans to make the industry grow, both nationally and globally? Please tell us about your new projects?

As the economy opens up further, businesses would go increasingly global, competition would become a powerful driver in accelerating delivery, forcing decision-making on much more constrained timelines. To stay ahead of competition, company intends to embrace new technologies before its competitors do — i.e. adopting new way of delivery projects and services. Moreover, in the wake of fast changing market dynamics, the company’s strategy has been re-configured to focus on digital space on one end and governance and compliance on the other. Plans are underway to enrich and enhance company’s IT infrastructure — bandwidth capabilities and network flexibility along with hardware, software and mobile devices; extensive network of talent build-up is also on cards to establish quicker response mechanism with clients, better engage — work interact and collaborate — with them and be in readiness to compete in market place, expanding HSCC’s global reach.

With training becoming more critical to keep current on technologies, a lean organisation like HSCC, often finds it difficult to spare people. Therefore, novel ways of imparting training e.g. self-paced

Ahead of competition HSCC’s capability has, in fact, been so developed to align, execute and renew itself faster than the competition thus sustain exceptional performance over time. Through these measures, the company's order book today is worth `500 cr.

Company has consistently been ranked ‘Excellent’ against the DPE’s MOU targets. Despite hostile business environment, its performance has been exceptional over the last quinquennial — its annual income registering a 13.8% CAGR from `33.4 crore to `63.85 crore in 2014-15; its PAT recording a 186% jump (@CAGR of 23.5%) from `8.34 crore to `23.98 crore in 2014-15.

courses, webinars on devices etc. are under active consideration in addition to usual methods deployed.

Developing leadership capabilities, at all levels, creating a talent pool and skill enhancement are high on agenda, together with strengthening of IT infrastructure, as in today’s business environment it has emerged as a game changer — key to how the company innovates and expands its business, retaining competitive edge. In doing so HSCC could aim high and attain its vision of becoming `100 crore company by 2016-17.

Major projects that HSCC is handling: • 19 Super-speciality hospitals, under the PMSSY Phase-III • Mother & Child Hospital & OPD Block in AIIMS, New Delhi • National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar • Chitranjan National Cancer Research Institute (CNCRI), Kolkata • 6 Medical Colleges under central sponsored scheme in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, & Mizoram & Arunachal Pradesh • Re-development of Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi • The major all time high projects just awarded to HSCC are three AIIMS at Nagpur, Kalyani & Vijaywada at a total price of 5000 Crore.

Government 's expenditure on health is expected to increase from current level of 1.2% of GDP to 2.5 per cent by 2017 and further to 3% by 2020 www.railbandhu.in

Where do we stand internationally in the healthcare/infrastructure sphere compared to the best in the world?

The quality of healthcare services provided today, in the country, varies quite a bit from one region to another.

This could be attributed to a variety of factors, ranging from infrastructure and equipment to expertise available in the region. Healthcare sector, however, faces shortages of workforce as also infrastructure. Despite the progress made over the last decade or so, major challenges persist.

Outcome indicators, such as IMR and life expectancy, continue to lag behind LMIC countries; country is likely to fall short of IMR & MMR MDG targets. The non-communicable disease burden too is on the rise.

The infrastructure gaps continue to remain substantial: total bed density at 0.9 per 1000 remains significantly lower than the WHO guideline of 3.5 beds/1,000; Health workforce remains inadequate and underutilised. The total number of allopathic doctors and nurses in the country lags the WHO benchmark of 2.5 doctors per 1,000.

A KPMG research points out that only 3 out of 10 people get treated in tier II & III cities in India, reflecting huge potential for investment in these markets.

Where do you see HSCC in India five years from now?

HSCC plans to effectively utilise its resources — inherent strengths, leverage core competencies, enhance delivery capacities and capabilities in traditional areas of its business, increase geographical spread and visibility across the country as also explore markets abroad.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 63

tale spin

New sound from the

seven sisters All-women bands are not a new phenomenon in India. And Northeast has been the land to nurture the most impacts on the scene. Here are seven bands to watch out for Susmita M

T

Northeast has around

220

he Northeast of India has been the cradle for all significant effects in music. The seven states still remain the preferred destination for several international acts in India. The youth has a keen sense of music and fusion is truly childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play in this melodious land. With a long history of nurturing womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bands, there is a distinct rise in the number of all-womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s groups coming to the fore and some with a traditional twist to the contemporary tales.

The women of the Northeast are fascinating and quite a few have joined hands to become brilliant ambassadors of their region.

ethnic groups

64 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

www.railbandhu.in

The Chosen

This bunch of six Christian girls from Mizoram is going the distance to shift the spotlight to their native language — Mizo. Formed in 2009, the group makes Mizo music relatable to non-Mizo speaking groups. While their music falls under the category of gospel, they have added several new traditional twists to their compositions that make it endearing to all. “We are bringing different types of music together to praise the Almighty Father,” they say. The band includes Seni on the guitar, Fiona on vocals, Mawitei also on vocals, Xoey on the bass, Afeli on the drums and Malsawmi on the keyboard. One of their lead vocalists, Fiona, won one of the music Special Award at Moonlight Awards 2011.

Tetseo sisters

The most talked about sister outfit of 2015, the Tetseo Sisters are as traditional and soulful as can be. Their Naga folk genre Li has won them acclaim from across the country and beyond. “We do perform English and a few Hindi songs too, but we intend to revive and celebrate our traditional music in a tangible way and that's what we have been doing,” the sisters say. Also a signature of their performance is the use of traditional instruments. “We often play one-stringed instrument Tati, gourd shakers khro khro, the bamboo instrument Bamhum, and the mini skin/log drum Ba lo,” they say.

www.railbandhu.in

Soulmate

The duo from Shillong primarily comprises the blues rock outfit — Rudy Wallang (the only male on our list) and girlfriend Tipriti Kharbangar. They have taken the national capital quite by storm with their soulful compositions and the ability to adapt and accommodate a variety of other performing musicians. They are also one of the most-travelled bands from the Northeast with their musical performances in Europe, Middle East as well as America. They have left their mark in Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC and keep coming back to their devoted audience in New Delhi for more.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 65

facts

tale spin

The Vinyl Records

The quartet and their “keytar”, a fusion of the sitar and keyboard, is quite the funk rock sensation.

“All of us are from Arunachal Pradesh. Three of us studied at the same school and we used to jam together. We met the vocalist at a music school and the band just happened,” says drummer Mithy Tatak. Formed in 2010, the quartet won acclaim at the MTV F1 Rocks 2011. The girls have also graced the pages of several fashion glossies along with some news magazines. Their debut EP is called Whims and was released in 2013.

Afflatus

This band from Shillong is easily the mostloved outfit from Meghalaya. The name for their band refers to a “divine inspiration” which inspired these teachers to join forces in 2004. “The name’s a hook, it stands out. But it’s honest. We were inspired by music.” Over the years, they have delighted audiences with covers of their favourite groups and have now been making their own music. “You have to be good to keep them around,” says Karen Donoghue of the band. “Initially, people were not ready for original rock from local bands. Now they are more accepting.” Their music is a mix of rock and reggae which is “easy on the ears yet close to the heart”.

66 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

Genesis of Pink

This band from Sikkim comes armed with a four-member dance crew to complete the act. The punk rock outfit came together in April 2013. “We have got a lot of support from Sikkim and Northeast. The people are very interested to know more about our music since we are an all-girl band and this is something new in Sikkim,” they say. Unlike the other bands featured here, these girls have brazenly dared to take on issues like rape and domestic violence through their songs. They are focussed on offering more than just a melody to their audience and that comes through in the use of instrumental bridges in their music combined with powerful lyrics. www.railbandhu.in

Maniac

The Hornbill festival held in Kohima, Nagaland, is India’s most wellknown music and dance festival Rock and pop music play crucial roles in Northeastern culture

Putting questions about the ability of women to perform serious rock music to test, this six member band from Imphal is the ‘Nirvana from the Northeast’. “The current situation makes it difficult for a pure western music group to find space in the music scene as compared to those with traditional sounds fused into them.”

Nonetheless, the girls have made their state proud with well-received performances in less than two years. Still on the path to selfdiscovery, they do not have a fixed theme for their music. “There is no definite theme in content but yes it includes lyrics based on life, dreams, status of women and of course the universal theme, love,” they say.

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city beat

Birds of

a feather With the sparrow no longer the bird we grew up with, more and more birds are being threatened in Delhi. With a little effort we can protect these lovely creatures Text and photos: Ninjit Taneja

D

elhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birds are severely threatened by human activities today. Most of them are already extinct and many more are on their way out.

Conservation of habitats is increasingly becoming crucial, and this is only possible if people are aware and well informed. A little effort on our part would go a long way in keeping our environs rich and chirpy.

How I started For me, it started as a mere pastime, sitting in my balcony observing birds. With time, this developed into my most-loved recreational hobby. The more I watched the birds, the more I fell in love with them and wanted to know more about them. My curiosity led me to read up on these winged beauties, study them up close and gradually I could identify them from their peculiar behavioural traits.

5

It took me eight months of putting out feed everyday before my first bird guest arrived and soon, more followed. The chirps and

BIRDs you must

know

68 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

common babbler (Turdoides caudata) is found in small groups of six to 20.

They are vociferous, move hop and creep on the ground looking for insects, berries and grains.

Feed the birds and you will be surprised to see how many turn up

From Parrots to Bulbuls to Tailor bird and Sunbirds, from Barbets to Silverbills and Magpies, the winged visitors keep my balcony forever busy.

the activity that goes on in my balcony today is a bliss. No matter how stressed out my day is, once I sit down and watch them, I feel a sense of calm and tranquility wash over me.

Typically, my day starts at 5.30 in the morning, sometimes with the call of a Magpie singing or a Barbet calling. After changing the water for birds and putting out fresh fruit peels for them, I sit down with my blank canvas to paint and the birds just seem to get into my work, giving me all the inspiration I need as an artist.

These lovely creatures are also my favourite subject for photography.

Just like a bunch of mischievous children running from one corner to the other, these beautiful birds flutter from one feeder to the other, sipping water and at times dipping their beautiful feathers to do some preening, perched over a bougainvillea branch.

Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is one of the most intelligent bird. It has a strong, curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs and clawed feet.

Did You Know In summer, even though there is a lot of food available for birds, their energy requirements are high because they must feed their young.

In fact, it was a big surprise to spot a Green Bee eater, Woodpecker and a Kingfisher visit the Neem tree outside my house. Living in a colony with more houses and apartments than green, it was a rare sight. The noise of horns, is now replaced by the melodious calls of the birds and I am as close to nature as I can be.

How and what to Feed Start by spreading a few grains on the ground to attract the birds. Gradually, hang multiple feeders to provide ample food. Birds enjoy cut up fruit. Black grapes, papaya, watermelon, melon etc are sure to attract Oriental White eye, Myna, Magpie, Treepie and Bulbuls. The

Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) is a member of the crow family. It is long tailed and has loud noisy calls. www.railbandhu.in

Indian silverbill or white-throated munia (Lonchura malabarica) is a small bird. They fly around in big groups.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 69

city beat

Respect trees as they are the natural habitat of birds.

By looking after the trees in your colony, you contribute towards helping the species survive Feeders must be cleaned from time to time.

Set a day in the week and clean the feeders.

Fill up fresh water everyday.

Respect trees as they are the natural habitat of birds. By looking after the trees in your colony, you contribute towards helping the species survive.

Ninjit Taneja and her bird haven

parrots, sparrows, doves and the Silverbills come for the grains.

I noticed that Sunbirds enjoy nectar so I put sugar water feeder for them. The water needs to be changed everyday.

Once you have bird feeders, a fresh water bowl, some tall green plants for habitat cover and you are all set to welcome them.

Things to keep in Mind Do not feed bread to birds. Instead, put out roti crumbs and rice for them.

Keep your feeders full and in a shaded area.

Be consistent with the ritual. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop the feed abruptly. Also put out a bowl of water near the feeder.

Birdseed can quickly spoil in summer heat and humidity. Check seed regularly.

Nesting instinct

70 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

The Tailorbird literally stitches two leaves together to make a hanging pouch

QUICK TIP Birding requires skill and, like any other skilful activity, learning it takes time.

Carry a notebook and pencil to record the birds you have seen and any markings or unusual behaviour that you may have noticed. You can then use your notes to confirm your identification.

Woodpeckers, Bee-eaters excavate their own holes with considerable skill

General bird behaviour The more time you spend observing these beautiful birds, the more you learn about their eating pattern, behaviour and calls.

The best time to see birds is sunrise to early morning and then again, in the mid and late afternoons. Most birds rest during the day.

Songbirds like the Magpie and Bulbul are easier to spot an hour or two after dawn. This is when they are most active. Small birds are not very loud and stay hidden during the day.

Back home, at sunrise, Kites and Shikra often visit the neem tree outside my house. My bird book always travels with me for identifying any new bird and then reading about its behaviour. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The author is an artist, photographer and a keen birder

Babblers breed communally with different females laying eggs in the same nest

You must not disturb the birds at their nests, as it can lead them to abandon it

in focus

Nourishing job creators Sharda University is setting a new benchmark in education with its world class teaching standards, and innovative academic programmes

S

harda Group, bricked in 1996, has tunneled out to the euphoria of success and trained more than 40,000 students through moralistic academic units comprising of 1200+ faculty members. Sharda University, a soaring testament of contemporary architecture, is spread across 63 acres of land in the heart of Greater Noida. Sharda is in a sincere agreement with its students to provide them with innovative teaching methodology and state of art infrastructure.

Having a provision of Cadence labs and other workshops inline to the academic necessity of students, Sharda fulfils its chorus of “helping great minds become great together”. Sharda has decked its campus with 900 bed multispecialty hospital, further describing a mission for medical students.

New Courses in timeline Sharda’s ambition of helping its students create an entrepreneurial impact, has compassed it to launch several courses parallel to the industry trends. MBA Banking service in association with Times Pro was launched, reinforcing itself after the course launched in collaboration with Tech Mahindra for B-tech students last year. The potential certification earnings of Sharda includes Cloud computing, j2ee, Android, Autodesh and others, while lab infrastructure compliments the prevailing Industry trend set by Microsoft, Oracle, Cadence, KPMG and Tevtron. Certifications and lab programs accumulate to 40-120 hours of trainings as narrated and coached by the qualified technical experts.

Placement cell Sharda, only attempts to pitch the right offer to its students and doesn’t claim endless recitation of facts. Sharda University has been recognised as a supplier of intellectually

55 countries with highest caliber, have found their home in Sharda in search for a rewarding academic experience. Few years down the line, Sharda aims to create a dominance by 50% of international students and radical academic alliances with 100 global universities, research exchange and faculty.

innovation & infrastructure

Prashant gupta Executive Director

impressive achievers to the industry. Keeping up with the increasing sophistication of industry demands, Sharda has scored alliances with companies like Tech Mahindra, Global Logic, Microsoft and Cadence. Companies like TCS, Cognizant, HCL, Wipro, MuSigma, Steria, Mphasis and ICICI Bank have chronicled to the university, to find the right candidate in harmony to their requirements.

Placement percentage grew exponentially from 73% to 90% by the year 2015 and the placement package arrays in between 6 LPA to 12 LPA. The major placement headline that revolutionised the placement memoir of Sharda was when a student of M-Tech electronics bagged a whooping package of 54 LPA, by Genesis Texas; a USA based company.

Dynamic relationship of Cross cultures Sharda University is a city of cosmopolitan youth and proudly declares 27% of its population as international. Students from

www.railbandhu.in

One of the brightest Sharda facts is its regulating infrastructure. Sharda has colonised an innovative city which vibrantly speaks out a promise of passion and learning to the students. Sharda realises that infrastructure plays an obligatory role in a student’s journey of learning which is why Sharda has incorporated several schools, worshiping streams like Engineering, Management, Medical, Dental, Law, Architecture, Mass Communication, Computer Application, Design, Basic Sciences, Biotechnology, Food Science & Technology, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Clinical Research, Paramedical, Languages, Education and others. Every school is ornamented with its own research laboratory. Students can plan their practices and other analytical methods required to take their passion to a new level.

Sharda has cultivated an infrastructure that gives birth to concentration, confidence, competitive spirit and above all unity.

The Bottom Line Sharda differentiates itself from the rest of the universities because of its compelling infrastructure and sustained placements.

Sharda nourishes its students to become the job creators rather than job seekers and become the entrepreneurs, the world needs today. Students at Sharda feel a commitment to a new thought, a thought of creating their own industry and their own company.

“The world is here. Where are you”

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 71

art connect

A brush with

colours The busiest section during this year’s edition of India Art Fair was the Delhi Art Gallery booth with its museum quality display of works by over a dozen modern masters. We look at the reasons why they remain a great investment Poonam Goel

W

hile it is no hidden truth that modern masters like MF Husain, FN Souza, SH Raza and KH Ara will continue to remain a great investment, there are other reasons that makes them rule the art world.

UNCOMPROMISED QUALITY

“Modern masters have consistently produced work whose aesthetic merit is now publicly acknowledged. They are also academically most sound,” says Sunit Kumar, Director, Kumar Gallery, whose booth at the fair also showcased works by modern masters. Adds Kishore Singh, Head, Exhibitions & Publications, Delhi Art Gallery, “A work of art has to have impeccable grammar. The artist must be a master of his technique. No work of art is created without the artist’s consummate skill in both style and choice of subject.”

Husain Tales

Primarily self-taught, he painted cinema posters in Mumbai early in his career.

MF Husain — Relics Of The Empire, Oil on canvas, 1989 Photo courtesy: Kumar Gallery

72 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

www.railbandhu.in

Little wonder then, masters can be recognised with just their style — Husain’s cubist strokes, Raza’s ever-evolving Bindu, Ara’s still life works, Sohan Qadri’s lush dyes, among others. New media art — photography, video art, mixed media installations — may have their niche audience, but it is the timelessness of these masters that continues to wow the uninitiated and the connoisseurs alike.

Ganesh Pyne Draupadee, Conte on paper.

Photo courtesy: CIMA Gallery

Starting off

Ganesh Pyne commenced his artistic career in the early 1960s, as a book illustrator and sketching for animation films

SNJ CHOWBIS SWAROOP DANA EKADASHI, 35.5 x 29 cm Photo courtesy: Delhi Art Gallery

ORIGINALITY AND RARITY

Masters use subjects that everyone connects with.

Their work has the ability to evoke emotions

It is often said that there is nothing original in the world of art, yet all great art must be original. And that is where modern masters strike a chord. Take for example, Satish Gujral. As a sculptor, painter and muralist, he has designed his own unique vocabulary of textured material. Or, Amrita Sher-Gil, who opted for subjects that were vividly local, mostly rural.

Says Singh, “At a time when the 1930s was dominated by two strands of art practice — the British-taught realism and the sentimental stylisation of the Bengal School, she was determined to have a distinctive Indian identity which sprang from the soil.” www.railbandhu.in

It is also the difficulty of acquiring such works which have become scarce in supply that makes them important. For their annual show featuring modern masters and titled Celebration, Kumar Gallery had pulled out some rare works — Husain’s self portrait of 1969, Paysage (1958) by Raza, impastos on paper by Sohan Qadri and Narayan Shridhar Bendre’s oil on canvas titled To The Market (1961). “Rare works are immediately picked up by collectors,” says Kumar. One of the most talked about shows held recently

by Dhoomimal Gallery was Carved Contours, featuring never-seen-before works by India’s first modernist-master Jamini Roy.

ENDURING APPEAL

Whether it is Lalu Prasad Shaw’s minimal and Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 73

art connect

Boatmen Gouache on cardboard, 8 x 14 in.

Photo courtesy: Dhoomimal Gallery

Prints by many of these masters hold equal value both aesthetically and as sound investment

delicately composed portrait of simple folk, or the totally distinct style of Ganesh Pyne’s intense and brooding portraiture, both have an enduring appeal. Masters use subjects that everyone connects with. Their work has the ability to evoke emotions and this is what makes us revisit the work again and again. Rakhi Sarkar, Director, Cima Gallery, showcased these two Bengal masters in a show at Delhi’s Visual Arts Gallery last month. She says, “One of Pyne’s works which really stands out for me is Dhritrashtra — The Blind King. In this one portrait, he brings forth the tragedy of Mahabharata and this work is a telling comment on human nature, which is relevant even today.” Similarly, one continues to delight in Shaw’s naughty sense of humour evident in portraits of the “bhadralok” Bengali babu.

AFFORDABLE OPTION

If you think that only those with deep pockets can buy the masters, consider this: Prints by many of these masters hold equal value both aesthetically and as sound investment. A show of lithographs 74 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

by Akbar Padamsee was recently held at Shridharani Gallery in New Delhi by Priyank Jain of Dhoomimal.com. Available at `50,000, these lithos had art lovers queuing up. Manan Relia, Director, Archer Gallery has been a regular at India Art Fair and has similarly found great success with serigraphs in the range of `3,000 to `5 lakh.

Untitled (Mexican Cowgirl), Tempera on paper, 24 x 14 in.

Photo courtesy: Dhoomimal Gallery

www.railbandhu.in

“For the young collector, buying a painting can be intimidating. Serigraphs of high end, high quality masters is a great option.

These are limited editions, authenticated by the artist and have great resale value as well. In a few years, we will find serigraphs surfacing even in art auctions.” No wonder then, Husain himself is quoted to have said, “Serigraphs is for people who have more taste than money.”

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Trivia

Food yard

Come alive

taste buds New places are forever making the dining and party scene livelier in and around the Capital. Here are some that promise a good time with friends and family Navneet Mendiratta & Garima Verma

Farzi, Cp, New Delhi

A food space that caught everybody’s fancy with its dramatic menu a couple of years ago, garnered an excited response from Delhi food lovers when it opened its second outlet in the heart of the city. With a menu that reinstates a foodie’s faith in Molecular Gastronomy, Zorawar Kalra’s Farzi is a treat to the senses. Classy interiors and quirky vibes, the place offers all the drama that the name suggests it be.Their Delhi Belly, tikka style pork belly served with roasted russet apple slices, is by far the best in town. Drinks match the food on the menu. It’s a sensory treat. You’d be hooked.

76 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

www.railbandhu.in

Molecular Gastronomy blends physics and chemistry to transform the tastes and textures of food. What you get: New and innovative dining experiences.

Tamasha, KG MArg, New Delhi

It only gets grander at Tamasha. A posh location with great outdoor setting and an equally beautiful interior space to match, restauranteurs Priyank Sukhija, Jaideep Anand and Gundeep Anand have made sure their brand new offering impresses you with the sheer scale — the restaurant is spread over a good 18,000 square feet. The menu is inspired from world cuisine with twist of molecular gastronomy and is meant to cater to all age groups and palates. In a lot many dishes, the accent is heavily Indian and is meant to cater to an audience that craves for the familiar. The buzz about the place is young and vibrant. Go check out.

Showshaa, Kingdom of Dreams, Gurgaon

With famous DJs like Afrojack, Tiesto, Nikhil Chinappa and Aqeel having already made the party lovers dance to their tunes here, Showshaa is proving to be a hit among all. The place’s sheer size, coupled with state-of-the-art graphics, makes it the go-to place to tap your feet. On special nights like New Year’s, Valentine’s and more (one can check with the manager about the same) the audience is also treated to aerial dance performaces, snow shower and a bigger dance floor which can easily accommodate 1,000 people. The choice of cuisine from around the world only adds to this ultimate party place in NCR.

Flluid, Mosaic Hotels, Noida

Surprises come from the least expected quarters.

Since drama be the theme of our selections this month, new menu at Flluid ensures the residents of NCR are not left out in any way.

The menu at this busy resto-bar is a fine fusion of Indian with global cuisine, presented in a quirky fashion. We absolutely loved their Chicken khurchan tart, Naan pizza and Amritsari masala baked fish. Kudos to the chef for ensuring the flavours are not lost in presentation.

www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 77

game plan

‘This is the best

era of tennis’

Former UK No. 1 Tim Henman finds the trio of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic the finest ever Garima Verma

A

t 41, Tim Henman still looks fit and lean enough to spark another round of English hopes. Much before Andy Murray could bring a couple of Grand Slams home, it was Henman who was keeping the dream alive.

Every time he reached a Grand Slam semifinal, a nation watched in heightened anticipation for an Open era trophy. Despite reaching six semis, winning 15 career ATP titles in singles and doubles, the big ones — Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open and US Open, eluded him. So much so that he would find a Pete Sampras or someone else at the penultimate stage to keep him from even reaching the final. His struggle could easily conclude that era as the toughest and most competitive ever; Henman, however, doesn’t think so.

With the same calm and poise that he always showed on the court, barring that moment at 1995 Wimbledon which saw him getting disqualified, he praises Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for taking the game to new heights.

“Between the three of them they have won 42 Grand Slam titles. That is more than impressive.

They have completely changed the way the game is played now. It is much faster, you need to be highly athletic and fit, and quick on your feet.

This is certainly the best era of men’s tennis,” Henman

78 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

rafael nadal 9 French Open, 2 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 Australian Open

Novak Djokovic 6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open

Andy Murray 1 Wimbledon, 1 US Open

Roger Federer 7 Wimbledon, 5 US Open, 4 Australian Open, 1 French Open

1

Who was the youngest male player to win the Wimbledon? Which year did he win and how old was he?

2

How many players have won a Grand Slam singles title after receiving a wild-card entry? Name the players, titles and years of victory?

3

Who holds the record for the longest match winning streak during the open era (all surfaces)?

4

Who is the only player to accomplish a Career Golden Slam (each of the four grand slams and Olympic gold) in singles and doubles?

5

Which Championships became the first Grand Slam tournament to go open, allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete, and in which year?

We will publish the names of the first five who give all correct answers. So, hurry, and mail us at railbandhu@ maxposure.in or post your replies on our facebook page

Answers to march 2016 issue quiz: 1. A aron Finch of Aistralia holds the record for highest score in T20 international match. He made 156 against England.

says, saving special mention for Djokovic.

“Novak is playing at a completely different level for some time now,” the 6’1” former world No. 4 says. He even puts the year’s first Grand Slam (Australian Open) final between the reigning world No. 1 Serbian and Britain’s Andy Murray in perspective.

“Some may feel Murray didn’t try hard enough but the fact is Djokovic was just too good and focused to give him any space to take lead,” Henman says, adding, “Murray still has time though to bring home a few more big trophies. He is just 28; he can still challenge for many more Grand Slams.” His country would like that too! www.railbandhu.in

2. S reesanth caught Misbah-ul Haq at fine leg off Joginder Sharma in 2007 World T20 final to help India win.

3. England have won only one ICC trophy — World T20 in 2010.

4. Y usuf Pathan has the distinction of making his debut in a World T20 final — 2007.

5. A ustralia have won more than one 50-over World Cup but have never been crowned the World T20 champions.

Only three readers got all the answers right this time: Congratulations Ashutosh Singh Jethuri, Ankita Jakhmola and Dharmendra Verma.

Short takes

Reading Corner Grab a copy and transport yourself to the world of books Flawed

Cecelia Ahern Harper Collins

In a society where everyone needs to be perfect, one bad decision can also cost you a lot. Set in a powerfully realised society, where humanity has lesser value than the perfection the system aims, Celestine’s act of kindness puts her otherwise perfect existence under threat.

When the seemingly perfect and innocent 17-year-old is punished for the same, the resulting logic and compassion throws the society into chaos.

As she becomes the face of change to keep the society safe from morally corrupt, she is left scrambling to find her own way as her life takes a turn for chaos.

When We Collided

Emery Lord Bloomsbury USA

Vivi and Jonah are complete opposites in life. Vivi is in love with life. If she craves everything joyful or beautiful that life can offer, Jonah has been burdened by responsibility of his family ever since his father died. With a mother lost in a deep bout of depression, Jonah and his five siblings struggle to keep up their home and the restaurant their dad left behind. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi’s zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there’s something important Vivi hasn’t told him. This book talks about how their love is put to test beyond their forces.

— Compiled by Garima Verma

kid zone

A Panchatantra Tale

The Musical Donkey

T

here lived a washerman’s donkey, whose name was Uddhata. During the day, the donkey would carry the washerman’s bags, and at night, he was set free to eat the green grass in a nearby field.

However, instead of grazing in the fields, he often crept into nearby farms and ate vegetables of his choice. Before day-break he would come back to the washerman’s house.

One night, the donkey met a jackal while wandering in a nearby farm.

They became good friends and started meeting every night.

The donkey, being fat, was able to break the fences of the farms.

While he ate the vegetables, the jackal would enter through the broken fence and ate the poultry on the farm. Before day-break, they would return to their respective home to meet again next night. This continued for many days.

One night, the donkey said to the

jackal, “Nephew, I feel like singing on nights like tonight, when the moon is full and beautiful.

What Raaga (note combination) shall I sing?”

The jackal cautioned, “Uncle, we are here to steal. Thieves should keep as quiet as possible. I may add, your voice is not as pleasant as you think, and sounds like conch being blown!

Your voice can be heard over a long distance. It will awaken the farmers who are sleeping, and you will have us caught.”

The jackal assured, “Please uncle, eat as much as you like, and forget about singing!”

This annoyed the donkey and he said, “Dear nephew, it is because you are a wild animal that you don’t appreciate music. I shall sing a melodious Raaga. Wait till you hear it!”

On seeing that the donkey was determined to sing; the jackal did not risk staying there anymore. He

said, “Uncle, if you must sing, please wait till I go outside the fence and keep a watch on the farmers.”

He ran outside the fence, and hid himself. Then, the donkey started to bray at the top of his voice.

When the farmers heard the donkey braying, they came out to find the donkey in their farm. Full moon night only made sure he could be seen from a distance.

The angry farmers chased the donkey with sticks, and beat him so hard that he fell on the ground.

Then, they tied a wooden mortar around his neck and let him go.

When the donkey was returning through the broken fence, the jackal laughed, “Musical uncle!

That was a great Raaga! I see the farmers have rewarded you with this necklace!”

The wise indeed say: There is always a proper place and time for doing anything.

Dear kids, here is your chance to contribute to the magazine. If you have a story to tell or a poem to share, write in to us with your entries at railbandhu@maxposure.in or connect with us on our facebook page.

80 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

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SECTORS OF OPERATION

vision to harness knowledge and shape dreams into reality. A mission of ‘commitment to excellence’. A trusted consultant & business partner in the global arena. RITES, a ‘Mini Ratna’ Company has today grown and diversified from being a rail consultant to a company of Consultants, Engineers & Project Managers in varied fields of transport & infrastructure sectors.

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It is internationally recognized as a leading consultant and project managers with operational experience in 62 countries of Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, Europe and Latin America.

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Railways Roads and Highways Urban Transport Airports Ports and Water Resources Bridge and Tunnels Ropeways Urban Infrastructure Export packages & services

From Concept to Commissioning: • Multi-modal transport studies • Design and detailed engineering • Project management and construction supervision • Quality assurance & management ISO 9000; 1S014000 • Material procurement services • Workshop management • Operation and maintenance • Survey and Feasibility Study • Management information systems • Economic and financial evaluation • Export/ Leasing of rolling stock • Signalling & telecommunication • Railway electrification • Urban engineering

in focus

Karnataka Bank – the pride of Karnataka With an impeccable record of 92 years, the bank is among the most credible financial institutions of our country

K

arnataka Bank is one of the time-tested premier scheduled commercial banks in the private sector.

Established in 1924, it P.Jayarama Bhat has completed 92 years Managing Director & CEO of purposeful banking on 18th February, 2016.

The bank has a National presence with 722 branches, 1,250 ATMs and 25 e-Lobbies in 21 states and 2 Union Territories.

The total turnover of the bank as in December 2015 stood at `82,592 crore with deposits of `49,664 crore and advances of `32,928 crore. The net profit for the nine months ended December 2015 stood at `308.50 crore. The Karnataka Bank has declared 50% dividend for the year 2014-15.

With a highly dedicated team of over 7,682 employees, the bank has ably patronised by over 1,23,000 shareholders and holds over 71 lakh clientele base.

The Karnataka Bank has recently unveiled its ambitious VISION 2020 document, a Business Plan for the next five years and adopted a Vision Statement — “To be a progressive, prosperous and well governed Bank”. As per the ‘KBL VISION 2020’ document, the bank has projected a total turnover of `1,80,000 crore with deposits of `1,00,000 crore and advances of `80,000 crore by March 2020.

A tech savvy bank, it was one of the earliest banks to adopt Core Banking Solution, way back in 2000. This has enabled it to provide ‘Anywhere’, ‘Anytime’, banking services and other advanced technology based products to its customers and to make rapid strides towards digital banking. To provide round-the-clock seamless banking

www.railbandhu.in

experience to its tech savvy customers, the bank has launched two new Mobile Applications namely “KBL ApnaApp” & “KBL m-PassBook”. Further, a special purpose Vertical called “IT-enabled Business Solution Cell” [IT BusCell] has been formed at the bank’s Head Office, with a objective of conceptualising new products, services and processes.

Further, the bank has various other technology driven products/services/ facilities in the pipeline such as Social Media Banking, Image based Debit Cards, NFC/Contact less cards etc.

The bank has recently introduced ‘Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme’ named “KBL Suraksha” in association with M/s Universal Sompo General Insurance Company”. All the bank’s SB account customers between the age group of 18 and 70 years can subscribe to his scheme by paying a nominal annual premium.

Rail Bandhu - April 2016 | 81

star tracker

The

Month ahead Be it love, career or health, here’s what April and your stars have in store for you Aries (Mar 20 - Apr 18)

Taurus (Apr 19 - May 19)

Gemini (May 20 - Jun 20)

Change will bring a new perspective and you’ll become a much stronger and happier person. You will run into conflicts which will require emotional control, but you will master the situation internally rather than moving into an external fray.

Withhold judgment for now, and don’t make premature evaluations. Your work will start off bright, and then turn dark, and then bright again. After a slight reversal you’ll see material gain. Money that was promised will be delayed, but should arrive shortly.

You will succeed in overcoming difficult situations. You’ll take a break from your work or current project and do something more pleasurable.

Something that moves you from behind the scenes to centrestage work will be very successful and a lot will get accomplished.

Lucky colour Yellow

Lucky colour Pista green

Lucky colour Violet

Lucky No. 8

Lucky No. 4

Lucky No. 3

Cancer (Jun 21 - Jul 21)

Leo (Jul 22 - Aug 21)

Virgo (Aug 22 - Sep 21)

You will be successful in all of your negotiations, agreements or financial transactions. Money that is owed will be paid, and/or money for a subsidy or grant will soon be given. You will handle your affairs skillfully and complete all projects.

You will hold off an idea because you won’t be ready to commit or will feel the time isn’t right or that there’s too much hard work involved. You’ll have repeat clients, and some financial profit. You will be waiting to see what a lover will do.

You can expect an increase in your finances, which will allow you to spend on luxuries, and if you had a problem collecting money it will be resolved. You’ll be thinking about the one you love and will want to be with him/her again, and he/she will be thinking the same.

Lucky colour Red

Lucky colour Sky blue

Lucky colour Black

Lucky No. 2

Lucky No. 8

Lucky No. 7

Libra (Sep 22 - Oct 22)

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 20)

Sagittarius (Nov 21 - Dec 20)

Someone will displease you, unearth hidden insecurities, or make you feel that your work is inferior or that your job is in jeopardy. You will be feeling a definite crunch in your pocket book but your finances are about to improve.

You will suddenly become more goal-oriented or motivated and will have the wherewithal to attract whatever it is you need in your work environment, and/or you will receive a considerable increase in salary or income.

Money will be fair or alternate from good to bad, and will be spent on household items, living expenses, and various sundries. There will be discussions on travel, schedules, or marketing; new groups or unions; and philanthropic endeavours.

Lucky colour Maroon

Lucky colour Lime green

Lucky colour Orange

Lucky No. 3

Lucky No. 2

Lucky No. 1

Capricorn (Dec 21 - Jan 19)

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 19)

Professionally, you will make many important contacts, but will have to wait for things to unfold. Your greatest success will come through new or repeat business contacts, but will want more. You may suffer from tension or lower-back aches.

You will soon experience better financial conditions and a pleasant surprise. You will be concentrating on making money or bettering your financial condition so you’ll busy yourself with activities geared towards the same.

Your financial position will improve considerably and success will come through improved business and recognition for your talents. Some unexpected or surprising news is going to bring a new opportunity for you. Just go for it!

Lucky colour Royal blue

Lucky colour Rose pink

Lucky colour Brown

Lucky No. 4

Lucky No. 1

Lucky No. 6

Poonam Sethi is an internationally-acclaimed Tarot card reader, Reiki healer, colour therapist, Feng Shui practitioner, crystal healer, a specialist in removal and balancing the negative evil eye energies and a rudraksha consultant. She can be contacted at poonamsethi27@hotmail.com 82 | Rail Bandhu - April 2016

www.railbandhu.in

/keZ&deZ

mTtSu dks xoZ

yxsxk egkioZ yykV ij fryd yxk, flagLFk ds f’koky;ksa dh vksj tkrs lk/kq&laU;kfl;ksa dks ns[kdj ,slk yxrk gS ekuks mTtSu dh ifo= Hkwfe clar esa dslfj;k jax esa jax xbZ gksA 22 vizSy ls vkjaHk gks jgk gS flagLFk dqEHk ys[k% ;rsUnz flag jkor] Nk;kfp=% jktho jLrksxh

84 |

- vizSy 2016

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çLrkfor Luku dh frfFk;ka 22 vçSy egkioZ dk vkjaHk

3 ebZ ozrioZ o#fFkuh ,dkn’kh ozr

6 ebZ LukuioZ oS’kk[k —".k

9 ebZ LukuioZ v{k; r`rh;k mTtSu ds fofHkUu ?kkVksa ij lk/kq o larksa ds vfrfjDr J)kyqx.k Luku djsaxs

11 ebZ 'kadjkpk;Z t;arh

15 ebZ

l

fn;ksa ls gekjs ns’k esa ikSjkf.kd R;ksgkjksa dh ijaijk fuHkkbZ tk jgh gSA bu fofHkUu /kkfeZd ioksZa dk izn’kZu Hkkjr esa gj dky esa fdlh u fdlh :i esa gksrk vk;k gSA budk izn’kZu gh gekjh laLd`fr dh fujarjrk vkSj le`f) dk |ksrd gSA ns’k esa tgka NksVs R;ksgkj ifjtuksa dh lq[k&’kkafr ds fy,] ogha egkioZ tulkekU; ds dY;k.k ds fy, euk, tkrs gSaA ,slk gh ,d egkioZ gS flagLFk dqEHk] ftls eukus ds fy, ;gka 12 o"kksZa ckn tulewg meM+ iM+rk gSA

o`"kHk laØkafr

mTtSu dk egkioZ ns’k ds pkj dqEHk ioksaZ esa mTtSu esa euk;k tkus okyk ;g egkioZ ^flagLFk dqEHk* dgykrk gSA flagLFk ikSjkf.kd le; ls gh fof’k"V LFkku j[krk gS D;ksafd ;gka ve`r ls Hkjs dqEHk ls ve`r dh cwansa Nydh FkhaA gekjs osnksa&iqjk.kksa esa x;k dks dq#{ks=] ç;kx vkSj dk’kh ls vf/kd ifo= crk;k x;k gSA fdarq dq’kLFkyh vFkkZr~ mTtSu dks x;k ls Hkh vf/kd ifo= ekuk x;k gSA flagLFk esa ifo= f{kçk unh cgrh gS tks mTtSu ds izkd`frd lkSan;Z ij pkj pkan yxk nsrh gSA dqEHk tSls www.railbandhu.in

17 ebZ eksfguh ,dkn’kh

19 ebZ çnks"k ioZ

20 ebZ u`flag t;arh

21 ebZ çeq[k Luku

Nk;kfp=% e/; izns'k VwfjTe

/keZ&deZ

egkioZ ds nkSjku ns'kHkj ls fofHkUu v[kkM+ksa ds lk/kqvksa ,oa larksa dk gqtwe meM+ iM+rk gS

egkioZ ds volj ij bl unh esa Luku djuk 'kqHk ekuk tkrk gSA dgk tkrk gS fd oS’kk[k ekl dh iwf.kZek dks f{kçk esa Luku djus ls eks{k izkIr gksrk gSA mTtSu dks f’ko dh uxjh dgk tkrk gS vkSj blfy, bl laor~ esa flagLFk dqEHk egkioZ dk fo’ks"k egŸo crk;k x;k gSA ikSjkf.kd dky ls pys vk jgs gekjs lHkh ioZ fo’ks"k dkypØ ds varxZr fofHkUu xzg&u{k= ,oa jkf’k;ksa ds 'kqHk la;ksx ds volj ij euk, tkrs gSaA ;g vn~Hkqr la;ksx 12 o"kksZa esa pkj ckj gksrk gSA bUgha pkj voljksa ij ns’k esa pkj LFkyksa ij ;g egkioZ euk;k tkrk gSA 12 o"kksZa dh egŸkk vkt gekjh laLd`fr esa dqEHk vFkkZr~ dy’k dks ’kqHk]

e/; izns'k ds mTtSu esa izR;sd

12

o"kksZa ckn gksrk gS dqEHk

dqEHk egkioZ ds nkSjku mTtSu dks nqYgu dh Hkkafr ltk;k tk,xk

86 |

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eaxydkjh vkSj ’kxqu dk izrhd ekuk tkrk gSA dgk tkrk gS fd dHkh ve`r ls Hkjk dqEHk nso&nkuoksa us /kjk ij j[kk FkkA mlls bu pkj LFkyksa ij ve`r dh cwansa Nydh FkhaA blh ve`r dqEHk ds fy, oSfnddky esa nsoklqj laxzke Hkh gqvk FkkA bl fo"k; ij fdaonarh gS fd dHkh vejŸo dh izkfIr ds fy, nsoksa&nkuoksa us {khjlkxj dks eFkus dk la;qDr iz;kl fd;k Fkk] rkfd vejŸo izkfIr ds fy, {khjlkxj ls ve`r fudkyk tk ldsA lkxj eaFku ds fy, lqes: ioZr dh eFkkuh cukbZ xbZA eFkkuh dks ukjk;.k us Lo;a dPNi :Ik eas ogu fd;k rks ukxjkt oklqdh us eFku ds fy, usrh cuuk Lohdkj fd;kA usrh ds ,d Nksj ij banz ds usr`Ro esa nsork rks nwljs Nksj ij jktk cfy ds usr`Ro esa nkuo FksA eaFku ds QyLo:i lkxj ls 14 jRu fudysA buesa gykgy] Jhy{eh] jaHkk] ok#.kh] iaptU; ’ka[k] ,sjkor] dke/ksuq] panzek] dYio`{k] ef.k] iq"id] fo’odekZ] /kUkoarfj vkSj ve`r dqEHk FkkA lcls igys gykgy fudyk] ftldk loZdY;k.k ds fy, Hkxoku f’ko us iku fd;kA dgrs gSa fd gykgy ihrs gh Hkxoku f’ko dk daB uhyk gks x;k FkkA rHkh ls Hkxoku f’ko dks uhydaB Hkh dgk tkrk gSA var eas tc /kuoarfj gkFkksa esa ve`r ls Hkjs dqEHk dks ysdj ckgj vk, rks nkuo ml ij viuk vf/kiR; n’kkZus yxsA bl ij nsoklqj laxzke ’kq: gks x;kA nkuoksa dh fu;r esa [kksV ns[krs gh banziq= t;ar /kuoarfj ls ve`rdqEHk ysdj ogka ls Hkkx fudysA ;g nsoklqj laxzke 12 o"kksZa rd pyrk jgk vkSj t;ar ve`r?kV ,d LFkku ls nwljs LFkku ys tkrs jgsA bu 12 o"kksZa esa mUgksaus ml ve`r dy’k dks 12 LFkkuksa ij j[kk vkSj ftu LFkkuksa ij mUgksaus og ve`r dqEHk j[kk ogka ve`r dh dqN cwans Nyd iM+haA os

dqEHk egkioZ ds nkSjku f{kizk esa Luku djus ls eks{k dh izkfIr gksrh gS

egk&dqEHk ns'k esa gfj}kj] mTtSu] ukfld ,oa iz;kx esa vk;ksftr fd, tkrs gSa LFkku lnk ds fy, ifo= gks x,A muesa ls vkB LFkku nsoyksd rFkk pkj LFkku Hkwyksd esa FksA Hkwyksd ds os pkj LFkku & gfj}kj] mTtSu] ukfld ,oa iz;kx gSaA ftl o"kZ] ftl ekg ds ftl fnol ij ml dky esa ve`rdqEHk dks /kjk ij j[kus dh jkf’k ds lw;Z] panzek ,oa c`gLifr xzg dk la;ksx curk gS] mlh le; dqEHk egkioZ dk ;ksx gksrk gSA fryd dk laca/k ;gka lHkh larksa ds yykV ij yxs fryd ls ;g Kkr gksrk gS fd ;g fdl lEiznk;] v[kkMs+ ;k fdl iaFk ls lacaf/kr gSaA lHkh lar bl egkioZ ds miy{; ij vius iaFk ,oa lEiznk; ds fglkc ls vius yykV ij vkd"kZd fryd yxkrs gSaA eLrd ,oa 'kjhj ds vU; Hkkxksa ij yxk;s tkus okys fryd ds laca/k esa lar&egkRekvksa ds fofHkUu er gSaA eq[; :i ls lar panu] xksih panu ,oa jksyh dk fryd yxkrs gSaA ;s rhu izdkj ds fryd eq[; :i ls larksa dh igpku dk cks/k djkrs gSaA oS".ko lEçnk; panu] 'kSo lEçnk; xksih panu vkSj 'kkDr lEçnk; ds vuq;k;h jksyh dk fryd vius yykV ij yxkrs gSaA flagLFk eas v[kkM+s flagLFk dqEHk egkioZ ds nkSjku ;gka lHkh v[kkM+s lfEefyr gksrs gaSA bu v[kkM+ksa dk flagLFk dqEHk esa ijaijkxr rjhds ls lfEefyr gksus ls mTtSu esa vkd"kZ.k c<+ tkrk gSA v[kkM+s bl le; vius iwjs 'kkS;Z ,oa ny&cy lfgr vius vuq;kf;;ksa ds lkFk flagLFk dqEHk egkioZ esa fuokl djrs gSaA

jsyos LVs’ku ds ckjs esa tkusa ;gka jsy&ekxZ }kjk vklkuh ls igqapk tk ldrk gSA mTtSu taD’ku ;gka dk eq[; jsyos LVs’ku gS tks ns’k ds yxHkx lHkh çeq[k 'kgjksa ls tqM+k gSA ;g LVs’ku uxj ls 12 fdyksehVj nwj iwoZ fn’kk esa fLFkr gSA igys bldk uke voafrdkiqjh Fkk vkSj 1992 esa ftldk fo|qrhdj.k fd;k x;k FkkA ;g LVs’ku jryke&Hkksiky] bankSj&ukxnk ,oa xquk&[kkaMok jsyekxZ ij fLFkr gSA ;gka vkB IysVQ+kWeZ gSa vkSj 108 jsyxkfM+;ka #drh gSaA ubZ fnYyh ls mTtSu dh nwjh 746 fdyksehVj gS rFkk vki ;gka mTtSuh ,Dlizsl 14310] fnYyh ljk; jksfgYyk bankSj baVjflVh ,Dlizsl 12416 ,oa ekyok ,Dlizsl 12920 }kjk igqap ldrs gSaA www.railbandhu.in

flagLFk ds izeq[k ?kkV mTtSu esa ifo= unh f{kizk ds fdukjs Luku ds fy, dbZ ?kkVksa dk fuekZ.k fd;k x;k gSA dqEHk ds nkSjku J)kyqx.k vklkuh ls ifo= Luku dj ldrs gSaA ;gka izeq[k ?kkVksa esa jke ?kkV] f=os.kh ?kkV] xÅ ?kkV] eaxyukFk ?kkV] fl)oV ?kkV] dchj ?kkV] _.keqDrs’oj ?kkV] Hkw[khekrk ?kkV] nÙk v[kkM+k ?kkV] iz’kkafr /kke ?kkV] fparke.k ?kkV] u`flag ?kkV ,oa lqugjh ?kkV lfEefyr gSaA ifo= dqEHk Luku oSls rks gekjh /kjrh ij dqEHk ioZ ,oa dqEHk Luku dh ijaijk lfn;ksa ls pyh vk jgh gS fdarq bldk orZeku Lo:i lkroha&vkBoha 'krkCnh ds egku lar vkfn 'kadjkpk;Z ds iz;kl] ifjJe o lk/kuk dk Qy gSA blds ihNs mudh /kkj.kk Fkh fd /keZ ds laj{k.k ds fy, ,d fuf’pr varjky ij lk/kq&larksa dk lekxe vko’;d gSA bl n`f"V ls dqEHk dk le; blds fy, vkn’kZ le; gSA ml le; lHkh xzg ln~Hkkoiw.kZ ,oa Js"B fLFkfr esa gksrs gSaA blls ân; esa 'kqHk vkSj Js"B fopkjksa dk mn; gksrk gSA ,sls 'kqHk;ksx ds le; ifo= LFkku ij /kekZuq;kf;;ksa dk lekxe Hkh laiw.kZ ekuo tkfr ds fy, lq[knk;d vkSj dY;k.kdkjh gksrk gSA ;gh dkj.k gS fd Hkkjrh; laLd`fr vkSj /keZ ls vuqizkf.kr lHkh lEiznk;ksa ds vuq;k;h dqEHk {ks= esa ,df=r gksdj /keZ] lekt vkSj jk"Vª dh ,drk] v[kaMrk o v{kq.krk ds fy, fopkj&foe’kZ djrs gSaA lk/kq&larksa dh izsj.kk ls gh tuleqnk; dqEHk ds ekSds ij mu LFkyksa dh ikou ufn;ksa esa Luku djrs gSaA - vizSy 2016 | 87

meax&rjax

nh?kkZ;q dh

dkeuk

jktLFkku ds yksd mRloksa dk fo’ks"k egŸo jgk gSA x.kxkSj Hkh muesa ls ,d gSA bu vk;kstuksa ds ihNs vkt Hkh ml thou&n’kZu dks ns[kk tk ldrk gS tks oSfnd ijaijk ls vuqizkf.kr gSaA bl o"kZ x.kxkSj 9 vizSy dks euk;k tk,xk ys[k ,oa Nk;kfp=% lq'khyk tks’kh

tkrh gSA 16 fnu ckn x.kxkSj ds fnu lk;adky efgyk,a xhr xkrh gqbZa vius gkFkksa ls cuk, x, bZlj vkSj xkSj dks unh ;k ljksoj esa folftZr djrh gSaA pS= izfrink ls pS= 'kqDy r`rh;k rd dU;k,a vkSj uo fookfgrk,a izfrfnu izkr%dky ls gh xkSj iwtu dk fof/k&fo/kku vkjaHk dj nsrh gSaA os Qwy vkSj gjh dPph nwc pqudj dy’k ltkrh gSa rFkk lewg esa xhr xkrh gqbZa iwtkLFky tkrh gSaA iwtk vkSj leLr fØ;kdykiksa ds ea= muds }kjk xk, xhr gh gksrs gSaA

Q+k

xqu vkSj gksyh ds xhr lekIr Hkh ugha gksrs fd pS= ekg ds vkjaHk esa ;gka efgykvksa ds e/kqj daB ls x.kxkSj ds jlhys xhr xwatus yxrs gSaA ^^[ksy.k n;ks x.kxkSj] Hkaoj Egkus iwt.k n;ks fnu pkj] vksth Egkjh lgsY;ka tksos ckV] Hkaoj Egkus [ksy.k n;ks x.kxkSjA** x.kxkSj dk R;ksgkj jktLFkkuh efgyk,a fu"Bk vkSj J)k ls eukrh gSaA ;qofr;ka euksokafNr oj ikus ds fy, rFkk fookfgr efgyk,a vius lqgkx dh nh?kkZ;q ds fy, x.kxkSj iwtu djrh gSaA ^x.k* egknso rFkk ^xkSj* ikoZrh dk izrhd gSaA gksfydk ngu ds nwljs fnu ls gh ;g mRlo izkjaHk gks tkrk gSA bl fnu dqaokjh dU;k,a rFkk fookfgr efgyk,a gksyh dh jk[k dh fiafM;ka ijaijkxr LFkkuksa ij LFkkfir djrh gSaA 16 fnu rd dqedqe vkSj esganh ls nhokj ij LokfLrd cukdj 16&16 fcafn;ka yxkdj x.kxkSj dh iwtk dh 88 |

- vizSy 2016

t;iqj jsyos LVs’ku vki t;iqj jsyos LVs’ku ls jkT; ds fofHkUu txgksa rd tk ldrs gSaA ;g mÙkj if’peh jsyos eaMy dk eq[;ky; gSA blesa lkr IysVQ+kWeZ fLFkr gSaA ubZ fnYyh ls t;iqj dh nwjh 288 fdyksehVj gSA www.railbandhu.in

ikjaifjd vuq"Bku bl volj ij efgyk,a gkFk o iSjksa dks esganh ls ltkrh gSaA os vius ^fiz;* dk uke Hkh izlUurk ls fy[kokrh gSaA ikjaifjd jktLFkkuh oL=ksa esa lth efgyk,a Lo;a x.kxkSj yxrh gSaA iwtk ls igys dk"B ls cuh x.kxkSj dk J`axkj fd;k tkrk gSA iwtk ds fy, xsgwa ds vkVs esa gYnh Mkydj mls xwa/k ysrs gSa vkSj mlls x.kxkSj dks p<+kus ds fy, xgus tSls pwM+k] fcfN;k] cktwcan] gkj] UkFk] d.kZQwy] ik;y cukrs gSaA x.kxkSj dks Hkksx yxkus ds fy, fo’ks"k :Ik ls ?kjksa esa 'kDdjikjs dh feBkbZ cukbZ tkrh gSA efgyk,a flj ij ydM+h ds cktksV ij bZlj vkSj x.kxkSj dks j[kdj xhr xkrh gqbZ <ksy&ckts ds lkFk unh&ljksoj ij x.kxkSj dks ikuh fiykus ys tkrh gSaA bl ekSds ij os jktLFkku dk yksdfiz; ?kwej u`R; djrh gSaA x.kXkkSj dks ikuh fiykus ds fy, lkM+h ds iYYkw esa lksus dh vaxwBh fijksdj tyk’k; esa ls ikuh gkFk esa ysdj ?kkV ij fojkteku x.kxkSj dh izfrek dks fL=;ka ikuh fiykrh gSaA x.kxkSj dk m|kiu Hkh fd;k tkrk gS ftlesa 16

jkspd tkudkfj;ka t;iqj esa HkO; 'kksHkk ;k=k flVh iSysl ds f=iksfy;k xsV ls pkSxku pkSd gksrs gq, rky dVksjk igqaprh gSA blesa lqlfTTkr gkfFk;ksa] ?kksM+ksa vkSj ÅaVksa dk tqywl vkSj yksd dykdkjksa dh lkaLd`frd izLrqfr;ka Hkh izeq[k vkd"kZ.k gksrh gSaA jkt'kkgh ifjokjksa dh x.kxkSj dks /kwe/kke ls ukSdk }kjk yk;k rFkk ys tk;k tkrk gS

efgykvksa dks Hkkst djk;k tkrk gSA Hkkstu ds Ik’pkr mUgsa J)kiwoZd oL=] crZu o lksyg Ja`xkj dh oLrq,a iznku dh tkrh gSaA bl rjg iwjs ikjaifjd vuq"Bkuksa ds lkFk x.kxkSj dk R;ksgkj euk;k tkrk gSA mn;iqj esa ^esokM+ mRlo* esokM+ vapy ds mn;iqj 'kgj esa fudkyh tkus okyh x.kxkSj dh lokjh dk vkd"kZ.k vyx gksrk gSA jktLFkku ds i;ZVu] dyk ,oa laLd`fr foHkkx dh vksj ls nks fnolh; ^esokM+ mRlo* Hkh euk;k tkrk gSA 'kgj esa efgyk,a ikjaifjd os’kHkw"kk esa ltdj x.kxkSj bZljth dh izfrek,a flj ij ysdj 'kksHkk ;k=k fudkyrh gSaA ;g 'kksHkk ;k=k txnh’k eafnj gksrh gqbZ ihNksyk >hy ds fdukjs ^x.kxkSj ?kkV* igqaprh gSA ?kkV ij x.kXkkSj dh vkjrh dh tkrh gSA bl nkSjku ?kkV ij xhr&laxhr dh Loj ygfj;ka xwatrh gSaA efgyk,a ;gka lewg esa u`R; Hkh djrh gSaA Lka/;kdky esa ysd&iSysl ls jktegyksa dh x.kxkSj dks fo’ks"k :Ik ls lqlfTtr uko esa lokj dj x.kxkSj ?kkV ds fy, jokuk fd;k tkrk gSA x.kXkkSj dh lokjh okyh 'kkgh uko ds lkFk rhu pkj NksVh ukosa pyrh gSa ftuesa yksd dykdkj u`R;&laxhr dyk dk izn’kZu djrs gSaA x.kxkSj ?kkV ij x.kxkSj dh iwtk&vpZuk ds Ik’pkr jaxkjax lkaLd`frd dk;ZØe ,oa vkfr’kckth dk Hkh vk;kstu gksrk gSA mn;iqj ftys ds xksxqank xzke esa rhu fnolh; xzkeh.k

x.kxkSj esyk vk;ksftr gksrk gSA dLcs ds pkjHkqtk eafnj ls yky x.kxkSj dh lokjh fudkyh tkrh gS tks izeq[k ekxksZa ls gksrh gqbZ esyk izkax.k esa igqaprh gSA jax&fcjaxh x.kxkSj esokM+ esa rhu&pkj fnu rd euk, tkus okys x.kxkSj ioZ ij fofHkUu jaxksa esa lth&/kth x.kxkSj dh lokfj;ka fudkyus dk izpyu gSA mn;iqj] ukFk}kjk] jktlean rFkk vU; 'kgjksa] dLcksa o xkoksa esa fudkyh tkus okyh bu x.kxkSj dh 'kksHkk;k=kvksa esa igys fnu pqujh x.kxkSj] nwljs fnu gjh x.kxkSj] rhljs fnu xqykch x.kxkSj rFkk pkSFks fnu Hkwiky’kkgh ygfj;k] dslfj;k vkfn jaxks ds ifj/kkuksa ls lth bu x.kxkSjksa dks ikjaifjd vkHkw"k.kksa ls ltk;k tkrk gSA ftl fnu fo’ks"k jax dh x.kxkSj fudyrh gSa mls mlh jax ds ifj/kkuksa ls ltk;k tkrk gSA lkFk pyus okyh efgyk,a Hkh mlh jax ds oL= /kkj.k djrh gSaA

tks/kiqj esa yksfV;ksa dk esyk yxrk gSA dU;k,a dy’k flj ij j[k dj ?kj ls fudyrh gSA fdlh euksgj LFkku ij mu dy’kksa dks j[kdj mlds bnZ&fxnZ ?kwej djrh gSaA chdkusj esa x.kxkSj dh lokjh vkSj mlls tqM+h ekU;rkvksa dh vyx gh igpku gSaA tks/kiqj ds iwoZ jkt?kjkus dh x.kxkSj dks chdkusj jkt?kjkus ds yksx thrdj yk, FksA blh miy{; esa izfro"kZ jktifjokj }kjk x.kxkSj dh 'kkgh lokjh fudkyh tkrh gS tks twukx<+ fdys ls jokuk gksdj pkSfruk dqvka rd vkrh gS vkSj ;gka [kksy HkjkbZ gksrh gSA fd’kux<+] cwanh] HkhyokM+k vkfn LFkkuksa ij Hkh x.kxkSj dh lokfj;ka fudyrh gSaA

x.kxkSj esys ds volj ij xksxqank esa xjkfl;k tkfr dk okyj u`R; Hkh i;ZVdksa ds fy, vkd"kZ.k dk eq[; dsanz gksrk gS www.railbandhu.in

- vizSy 2016 | 89

ifjppkZ

;qok ih<+h dh d`f”k ds

izfr #fp c<+k,axs

dsanzh; d`f"k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h Jh jk/kk eksgu flag ns’k esa ,sls dkjxj mik; viuk jgs gSa ftlls jk"Vª dh Hkkoh ih<+h fuf’pr :i ls bl {ks= dh vksj vkdf"kZr gksxhA ;g muds lk{kkRdkj ls ifjyf{kr gqvk vkidh jk; esa iz/kkuea=h Q+ly chek ;kstuk Q+lyksa dh cckZnh jksdus esa fdruh dkjxj fl) gksxh\ iz/kkuea=h Q+ly chek ;kstuk Q+lyksa dh cckZnh ls fdlkuksa dks gksus okys uqdlku dh HkjikbZ djus esa dkjxj lkfcr gksxhA blls fdlku dks vkfFkZd lqj{kk feysxhA bl ;kstuk ds rgr ctV 2016&17 esa 5]500 djksM+ #i, dk vkoaVu fd;k x;k gSA fiNys ctV esa 3]185 djksM+ #i, fn, x, FksA bl ;kstuk ds ctV esa yxHkx 73 izfr’kr dh c<+ksrjh dh xbZ gSA dasnz ljdkj }kjk Q+ly chek esa vkt rd dh ;g lcls cM+h foÙkh; lgk;rk gSA jk/kk eksgu fdlkuksa dks bldk ykHk mBkus ds fy, lcls de izhfe;e nsuk gksxkA cdk;k izhfe;e ljdkj }kjk ogu fd;k tk,xk tks dqy izhfe;e dk 90 izfr’kr ls Hkh vf/kd gSA ,d lhtu esa fdlkuksa ds fy, [kk|kuksa] nkyksa vkSj fryguksa ds ,d gh Hkko jgsaxsA fofHkUu ft+yksa esa fofo/k Q+lyksa ds vyx&vyx nkeksa dks gVk fn;k x;k gSA [+kjhQ+ ds fy, vf/kdre 2 izfr’kr vkSj jch ds fy, vf/kdre 1-5 izfr’kr izhfe;e dk Hkqxrku fdlkuksa dks djuk gksxkA ljdkj us ns’k esa Q+ly vif’k"V izca/ku dk;ZØe vkjaHk fd;k gSA blesa efgykvksa dh Hkkxhnkjh fdruh lkFkZd gksxh\ Hkkjrh; d`f"k vc Hkh efgyk vk/kkfjr gSA [ksr esa cht cksus ls ysdj Q+ly dkVus o dVkbZ mijkar dh lHkh fØ;kvksa esa efgyk,a lkFkZd Hkwfedk fuHkkrh gSaA ;|fi Q+ly mRiknu esa vkt ge vkRefuHkZj gSa] ijarq 90 |

- vizSy 2016

flag] dsanzh; d`f"k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h

lrr~ d`f"k mRiknu ,d cM+k eqn~nk gS ftlds fy, gesa ckdh lHkh iz;klksa ds lkFk Q+ly vif’k"V dks vf/kd Q+ly mRiknu ds fy, dSls dke esa ykuk gS] bl ij fopkj djuk gSA blhfy, ljdkj us Q+ly vif’k"V dk;ZØe 'kq: fd;k gSA bl dk;ZØe esa efgyk,a cgqr rjhdksa ls viuk ;ksxnku ns ldrh gSaA iz/kkuea=h dh ;kstuk gS fd gesa fons’kksa ls rsy dk vk;kr u djuk iM+sA frygu dh [ksrh dks c<+kok nsus ds fy, ljdkj us D;k dne mBk, gSa\ ;g lR; gS fd ns’k esa [kk| rsyksa dh c<+rh gqbZ ekax dks iwjk djus ds fy, ?kjsyw mRikn ls T+;knk [kk| rsyksa dk vk;kr djuk iM+ jgk gSA fryguksa dk mRiknu c<+kuk ljdkj dh izkFkfedrk gSA fiNys o"kksZa esa dk;kZfUor frygu] vkW;y ikWe vkSj eDdk dh lesfdr

www.railbandhu.in

;kstuk ¼vkbZlksikWe½ o`{ktfur frygu ;kstuk rFkk vkW;y ikWe {ks= foLrkj dk;ZØe ¼vksih,bZ½ dks iquxZfBr dj o"kZ 2014&15 ls jk"Vªh; frygu ,oa vkW;y ikWe fe’ku ¼,u,evksvksih½ izkjaHk fd;k x;k gSA mi;qDr fe’ku esa 3 feuh fe’ku ¼,e,e½ lekfo"V gSa] ftuesa ls ,d&,d feuh fe’ku Øe’k% fryguksa ¼,e,e&1½] vkW;y ikWe ¼,e,e&2½ vkSj o`{k ewy fryguksa ¼,e,e&3½ ds fy, gSA ,e,e&1 dk mn~ns’; ukS fryguh Q+lyksa dh mRikndrk c<+kuk gSA ,e,e&2 dk mn~ns’; vkW;y ikWe ds rgr {ks=Q+y rFkk mRikndrk c<+kuk gSA ,e,e&3 dk mn~ns’; o`{k ewy fryguksa ds chtksa dk laxzg.k vkSj [+kjhn gsrq tkx:drk vfHk;ku pykuk vkSj mRd`"V jksi.k lkexzh iznku djuk gSA tSfod d`f"k dks c<+kok nsus ds fy, 5 yk[k ,dM+ ls vf/kd Hkwfe dks bl ifj;kstuk ds varxZr yk;k tk jgk gSA D;k ;g dne gfjr Økafr dh Hkkafr egÙoiw.kZ gksxk\ blls ns’k dh vFkZO;oLFkk ij D;k izHkko iM+sxk\ ijaijkxr d`f"k fodkl ;kstuk ds rgr gekjh ljdkj tSfod [ksrh dks c<+kok nsus ds fy, igyh ckj ijaijkxr d`f"k fodkl ;kstuk dks vkjaHk fd;k gSA o"kZ 2016&17 esa 297 djksM+ #i, dh dsanz ljdkj ds dqy vkoaVu ds lkFk O;kid tSfod d`f"k ifj;kstuk gS tks o"kZ 2015&16 ds vkoaVu 250 djksM+ #i, ds vkoaVu ls 19 izfr’kr c<+h gSA vHkh rd yxHkx 8]000 DyLVj Hkh cuk fy, x, gSaA mÙkj iwohZ jkT;ksa ds fy, tSfod ewY; J`a[kyk

fodkl gsrq rhu o"kksZa ds fy, 400 djksM+ #i, dk vkoaVu o"kZ 2015&16 esa gqvk] ;g 125 djksM+ #i, ds vkoaVu ds lkFk o"kZ 2015&16 esa 'kq: dh xbZA tSfod [ksrh dh ;kstuk dks vkxs c<+kus esa lgk;rk djsxkA 'ks"k 275 djksM+ #i, vxys o"kZ ¼2016&17 ,oa 2017&18½ dh ifj;kstuk dh vko’;drk dks iwjk djsxhA lkFk gh eujsxk ds rgr tSfod [kkn ds mRiknu ds fy, 10 yk[k dEiksjLVj xM~<ksa dk fuekZ.k fd;k tk,xkA ;fn eSa ;g dgwa fd vkus okys le; esa tSfod [ksrh u dsoy ns’k dh vFkZO;oLFkk esa egÙoiw.kZ Hkwfedk fuHkk,xh vfirq fdlkuksa dks Hkh vkfFkZd :i ls et+cwr djsxhA flfDde esa tSfod [ksrh dks ysdj mRlkgtud ifj.kke lkeus vk, gSa blfy, gekjh ljdkj fdlkuksa vkSj vU; jkT;ksa dks Hkh tSfod d`f"k ds fy, izsfjr dj jgh gSA Hkkjr ,d d`f"k iz/kku ns’k gSA vkus okys o"kksZa esa bl {ks= esa ns’k dh mUufr ds fy, vkidh D;k ;kstuk,a gSa\ d`f"k Hkkjr dh vFkZO;oLFkk vkSj fodkl dh jh<+ gSA vlyh Hkkjr xkaoksa esa gh clrk gSA fygkt+k gekjh eksnh ljdkj us bl ckj ds dsanzh; ctV esa xjhc] xkao] fdlku ds fodkl vkSj dY;k.k ij [+kklk t+ksj fn;k gSA ns’k esa d`f"k fodkl vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ds fy, vusd dne mBk, x, gSaA iz/kkuea=h Q+ly chek ;kstuk] iz/kkuea=h flapkbZ ;kstuk ds vykok lkW;y gSYFk dkMZ] uhe ysfir ;wfj;k vkSj tSfod d`f"k dks c<+kok nsus ds fy, vusd ;kstuk,a 'kq: dh gSaA fdlku dks mldh t+ehu dh moZjd {kerk dh tkudkjh nsus ds fy, eksnh ljdkj us ns’k esa igyh ckj lkW;y gSYFk dkMZ Ldhe 'kq: dh gSA blds varxZr nks o"kksZa ds varjky esa ns’k ds lHkh fdlkuksa dks lkW;y gSYFk dkMZ miyC/k djk;k tk,xkA blls Q+ly mRiknu ds fy, mi;qDrk laLrqr iks"kd rÙoksa dh ek=k dk iz;ksx djus ,oa lkW;y gSYFk vkSj mldh moZjrk esa lq/kkj ds fy, fdlkuksa dks leFkZ cuk;k tk ldsA 15 ekpZ 2016 rd orZeku o"kZ 2015&16 esa 86 yk[k uewus ,df=r fd, tk pqds gSaA 2015&16 ds 500 yk[k dkMZ ds y{; dh rqyuk esa yxHkx 130 yk[k dkMZ fdlkuksa dks forfjr fd, tk pqds gSaA 170 yk[k dkMZ jkT; ljdkjksa }kjk fizaV fd, tk jgs gSa o 130 yk[k dkMZ ds fy, uewuksa dh tkap dh tk jgh gSA

19 Qjojh] 2015 dks ekuuh; iz/kkuea=h th ds lkFk lqjrx<+] jktLFkku esa e`nk LokLF; dkMZ dk mn~?kkVu djrs gq, jk/kk eksgu flag

d`f"k Hkkjr dh vFkZO;oLFkk vkSj fodkl dh jh<+ gSA vlyh Hkkjr xkaoksa esa gh clrk gSA fygkt+k gekjh eksnh ljdkj us bl ckj ds dsanzh; ctV esa xjhc] xkao] fdlku ds fodkl vkSj dY;k.k ij [+kklk t+ksj fn;k gS ljdkj dh egÙokdka{kh ifj;kstuk ^vk;kZ* ds ek/;e ls D;k ;qok ih<+h d`f"k O;olk; ds izfr vkdf"kZr gksxh\ ljdkj dh fLdy bafM;k igy ds vuq:i gekjs ekuuh; iz/kkuea=h }kjk fnukad 25 tqykbZ] 2015 dks ,d LVwMsaV jsMh ¼xzkeh.k m|e’khyrk ,oa tkx:drk fodkl ;kstuk½ dk;ZØe dk 'kqHkkjaHk fd;k x;k FkkA bl izdkj xzkeh.k {ks=ksa esa Nk=ksa }kjk m|e’khyrk ds fodkl dks xfr rFkk cy izkIr gksxkA ;qokvksa dks d`f"k dh vksj vkd`"V djus rFkk blls tksM+s j[kus ¼vk;kZ½ laca/kh ;kstuk d`f"k foKku dsanzksa ds t+fj;s 25 jkT;ksa o izR;sd jkT; ls ,d ft+ys esa ykxw dh tk,xhA ,d ft+ys esa 200&300 xzkeh.k ;qokvksa dh m|ferk dk;Zdykiksa esa muds dkS’ky fodkl ds fy, vkSj e/kqeD[kh ikyu] e’k:e] cht izlaLdj.k] e`nk ijh{k.k] dqDdqV ikyu] Msjh] cdjh www.railbandhu.in

ikyu] dkiZ&gSpjh] oehZ dEiksLV vkfn {ks= esa lacaf/kr ekbØks m|e bdkb;ksa dh LFkkiuk djus ds fy, igpku dh tk,xhA fo'o cSad dh lgk;rk ls ljdkj 100 djksM+ #i, dh ykxr ls jk"Vªh; d`f"k f'k{kk ifj;kstuk vkjaHk djsxhA ns'k ds d`f"k {ks= esa bldk D;k izHkko iM+sxk\ d`f"k f’k{k dh izklafxdrk vkSj xq.koÙkk c<+kus gsrq jk"Vªh; d`f"k f’k{kk ifj;kstuk fo’o cSad dh lgk;rk ls vkjaHk djus dks fopkjk/khu gSA blds ek/;e ls orZeku ekax ds vuq:i d`f"k {ks= esa dq’ky ;qok 'kfDr rS;kj dh tkuh gS rFkk d`f"k vuqla/kku o f’k{kk ds {ks= esa Hkfo"; dh pqukSfr;ksa dks Lohdkj djus gsrq mRd`"V dsanzksa dh LFkkiuk dj ns’k dh Hkkoh ih<+h dks rS;kj djuk gSA ljdkj us izfr cwan vf/kd mit dh ladYiuk dh gSA bls okLrfodrk nsus ds fy, D;k dne mBk, tk jgs gSa\ izfr cwan vf/kd mit dh ladYiuk dks lkdkj djus gsrq o"kZ 2015&16 ls iz/kkuea=h d`f"k flapkbZ ;kstuk 'kq: dh xbZ gSA blds varxZr fdlkuksa dks lw{e flapkbZ iz.kkyh viukus ds fy, dsanz o jkT; ljdkjksa }kjk foÙkh; lgk;rk miyC/k djkbZ tk jgh gSA blds rgr dsanz ljdkj }kjk jkT; ljdkjksa dks 2015&16 esa yxHkx 963-05 djksM+ #i, dh jkf'k tkjh dh tk pqdh gS rFkk 5 yk[k gsDVs;j dk {ks= lw{e flapkbZ esa v/khu ykuk vuqekfur gSA - vizSy 2016 | 91

[kku&iku

lkfRod O;atu

pS= uojk= esa miokl ds lkFk&lkFk bl volj ij cuus okys fo’ks"k O;atuksa dh viuh gh egÙkk gksrh gSA bl o"kZ pS= uojk= 8 ls 16 vizSy dks vk;ksftr gksaxs eatw usxh

'kk

L=ksa ds vuqlkj pS= uojk=ksa esa miokl j[kuk Q+ynk;d gksrk gSA vki uojk= dk miokl igys fnu ;k vafre fnu Hkh j[k ldrs gSaA lHkh LoLFk O;fDr;ksa dks J)kuqlkj ozr j[kuk pkfg,A ;fn vki ;k vkids ifjokj dk dksbZ

lnL‍; uojk= ij miokl j[k jgk gS rks mlds fy, fo’ks"k O;atu cuk,a D‍;ksafd mu fnuksa esa lkekU; Hkkstu ds ctk; lkfRod Hkkstu gh ysuk pkfg,A bl le; I;kt+] yglqu vkfn rkefld ,oa ekalkgkjh O;atu u ysaA bl ckj uojk= ij vki ;s Lokfn"V O;atu cuk ldrs gSa%

lkcwnkus ds oM+s

vkyw dh pkV

lkcwnkus esa gYdk lk ued rFkk eVj feykdj vki oM+s cuk ldrs gSaA bUgsa vki vkyw dh lCt+h ds vfrfjDr /kfu;s dh pVuh ds lkFk Hkh [kk ldrs gSaA

vki vkyqvksa dks mcky ysaA ckn esa mUgsa Nhydj NksVs&NksVs VqdM+ksa esa dkVdj muesa lsa/kk ued feykdj [kk,aA Lokn ds fy, ml ij /kfu;k fNM+d ldrs gSaA

ykSdh dk gyok ¼pkj yksxksa ds fy,½ lkexzh ykSdh phuh nw/k [kks;k ;k ekok ?kh NksVh byk;ph dVk gqvk esok

& & & & & & &

1 NksVh ¼yxHkx 300 xzke½ 100 xzke 1 fxykl 50 xzke 2 cM+s pEep 2 filh gqbZ 2 pEep

¼dktw] cknke] fpjkSath½

fof/k ykSdh dks Nhydj dn~nwdl dj ysaA ,d dM+kgh esa ?kh Mkydj xje djsaA ykSdh Mkydj Hkwusa o nw/k Mkydj lw[kus rd idk,aA vc mlesa phuh vkSj ekok Mkydj yxHkx 8&10 feuV rd vkSj HkwuasA byk;ph ikmMj vkSj dVk gqvk esok Mkydj xSl can dj nasA mlds ckn xekZxje gyok ijkslasA

dqV~Vw ds vkVs ds idkSM+s ¼pkj yksxksa ds fy,½ lkexzh dqV~Vw dk vkVk vkyw fjQ+kbaM rsy@?kh

& vk/kk di &4 & 250 xzke

¼ryus ds fy,½

lsa/kk ued & Loknkuqlkj gjh fepZ ¼ckjhd dVh gqbZ½ & 2 gjk /kfu;k ¼ckjhd dVh gqbZ½ & 2 pEep

Q+yksa dk jk;rk

e[kkus dh [khj

miokl ds nkSjku Q+yksa dk lsou mi;qDr gksrk gSA ngh esa rkts Qy dkVdj muesa Loknkuqlkj dkyk ;k lsa/kk ued feykdj budk lsou dj ldrs gSaA

uojkf= esa lkfRod ,oa L‍okfn"V O;atu [kkus dh ckr gks rks e[kkus dh [khj ls mfpr dqN gks gh ugha ldrkA vki blesa esok vkSj ekok fefJr dj ldrs gSaA

92 |

- vizSy 2016

www.railbandhu.in

fof/k dqV~Vw dk vkVk Nku ysaA vkyqvksa dks mckysa vkSj BaMk gksus ij Nhydj VqdMs+ djsaA vkVs esa vkyw] gjh fepZ] ued vkSj gjk /kfu;k o FkksM+k ikuh feyk ysaA dM+kgh esa fjQ+kbaM rsy ;k ?kh Mkydj xeZ djsaA xje rsy esa vc dqV~Vw ds idkSM+s Mkysa vkSj lqugjk gksus o dqjdqjk gksus rd rysaA idkSM+s rS;kj gSaA

Advertorial

[kku&iku

uk’rk gks tk,!

jsy;k=k ds nkSjku [kkus&ihus dk viuk gh vkuan gksrk gSA ge vkidks nf{k.k Hkkjrh; O;atuksa ds laca/k esa crk jgs gSa ftUgsa vki pk; dh pqfLd;ksa ds lkFk [kk ldrs gSa oh.kk lcyksd ikBd

;

fn Hkkjr dh laLd`fr] lH;rk] jhfr&fjokt+ vkSj vusdrk esa ,drk dh vn~Hkqr fo’ks"krk dks djhc ls ns[kuk] tkuuk vkSj le>uk gks rks Hkyk jsyxkM+h dh ;k=k ls mi;qDr vkSj D;k gks ldrk gS\ jsy ls izd`fr dk lqanj ut+kjk ns[kus dks feys] lg;kf=;ksa ds lkFk xi’ki gks vkSj lkFk gh FkksM+k pViVk] rh[kk ,oa ehBk uk’rk gks rks dguk gh D;kA

nf{k.k dh /kwe oSls rks gekjs ns’k ds fofHkUu izkarksa ds O;atuksa dh viuh&viuh [kwch gksrh gS fdarq nf{k.k Hkkjrh; O;atuksa us izkar dh lhek,a yka?kdj ns’k gh ugha cfYd fons’kksa esa Hkh viuh vyx igpku cukbZ gSA jsyxkM+h esa nf{k.k Hkkjrh; uk’rs dk Lokn ;k=k dk vkuan vkSj Hkh c<+k nsrk gSA nf{k.k Hkkjrh; jkT;ksa dukZVd] rfeyukMq] dsjy] vka/kz izns’k ds [kku&iku vkSj muds Lokn esa dkQ+h lekurk gksrs gq, Hkh dqN fHkUurk fn[kkbZ nsrh gSA ;wa rks fpIl dk uke vkrs gh lkekU; rkSj ij vkyw ds fpIl dk gh /;ku vkrk gS] ysfdu nf{k.k Hkkjr esa 'kdjdan] dVgy] ikyd] xktj] vkSj ;gka rd fd dsys ds fpIl Hkh miyC/k gSaA vyx&vyx Lokn 94 |

- vizSy 2016

jsy;kf=;ksa dks feyh lqfo/kk rfeyukMq esa bjksM jsyos LVs'ku ij jsy ;k=h viuk euilan nf{k.k Hkkjrh; uk'rk izkIr dj ldrs gSaA jsy;kf=;ksa dks 60 feuV ds Hkhrj viuk vkWMZj n{ks.k uked 'kq) 'kkdkgkjh jsLrjka dks nsuk gksxkA lkFk gh jsy;kf=;ksa dks de ls de 200 #i, dk vkWMZj nsuk gh gksxkA www.railbandhu.in

vkSj elkyksa ls Hkjiwj ;s fpIl vkidh ;k=k dk vkuan vkSj Hkh c<+k nsrs gSaA blh izdkj nf{k.k Hkkjrh; fpoM+k dk Lokn Hkh yktokc gksrk gSA cwanh] iksgk] lso] vkSj ewaxQ+yh dh vf/kdrk okys bl feJ.k esa yglqu] d<+h&iŸks] fofHkUu elkyksa dk rM+dk bls lqLokn cukrk gSA e#dqYyk vM+kbZ] lqrqejDdw] vksekiksM+h Hkh yxHkx pdyh dh Hkkafr uedhu gksrs gSaA eq[; :i ls pkoy ds vkVs esa mM+n nky vFkok cslu ds LFkku ij Hkwuh puk nky dk vkVk ikSf"Vdrk dks c<+krk gSA dgha&dgha eqjDdw esa Tokj&cktjk vkfn ds iz;ksx dk Hkh pyu gSA BaVkbZ] MEik vkSj cMkyw] eBjh dh rjg dk O;atu gS] ysfdu buesa dsyk] 'kdjdan ds lkFk elkyksa dk rkyesy blds Lokn dks [kV~Vk&ehBk t+k;dsnkj cuk nsrk gSA fjcu idkSM+k] es/kq cksaMk] fpYykdM+k] fuIiV~Vw vkfn <sjksa nf{k.k Hkkjrh; lw[ks uk’rs gSa tks vki jsyxkM+h ls ;k=k ds nkSjku vklkuh ls vius lkFk ys tk ldrs gSaA Lokfn"V vkSj ikSf"Vdrk ls Hkjiwj bu uk’rksa dk Lokn vki Hkh jsy&;k=k esa vo’; p[ksaA fdarq bl ckr dk /;ku vo’; j[ksa fd dpjk u rks jsyxkM+h ls ckgj Q+sads vkSj u gh fMCcs esa ;gka&ogka fc[k+sjsa cfYd bls jsyxkM+h esa cus dwM+snku esa gh Mkysa D;ksafd LoPNrk cuk, j[kuk ge lHkh dh ftEesnkjh gSA

?kjsyw uqL[+ks

Hkkax ds chtksa ,oa iÙkksa esa ik, tkus okys ykHkdkjh rŸo cgqr lh chekfj;ksa ls NqVdkjk ikus esa lgk;d fl) gksrs gSa 1

izfrfnu ?kqVus vFkok vU; tksM+ksa ij Hkkax ds chtksa ls fufeZr rsy dh ekfy’k dh tk, rks 'kh?kz gh tksM+ksa ds nnZ ls NqVdkjk fey tkrk gSA 4

fpfdRldh; ijke'kZ ls dkyh fepZ ds lkFk Hkkax dk pw.kZ lqcg vkSj 'kke [kkus ls dqN gh fnuksa esa Hkw[k u yxus dh ijs’kkuh ls eqfDr feysxhA

2

3

Hkkax ds iÙkksa dk ckjhd pw.kZ cukdj ;k rkts+ jl dks ;fn fdlh O;fDr ds ?kkoksa ij yxk;k tk, rks mlds 'kjhj ds ?kko 'kh?kz Hkjus yxsaxsA

6

5

Hkkax ds pw.kZ ls nksxquh ek=k esa 'kqaBh dk pw.kZ o pkj xquk ek=k esa thjk feykdj lsou djus ij dksykbfVl vFkok vkao;qDr vfrlkj ls NqVdkjk feysxkA

xq.kdkjh rŸo ;g Hkh lR; gS fd Hkkax dk lsou djus ls ekufld larqyu fcxM+rk gS] ysfdu fpfdRld mls mfpr ek=k esa mi;ksx esa ykdj ekufld jksfx;ksa dk bykt Hkh djrs gSaA ekufld jksxksa esa fpfdRld bls yxHkx 125 feyhxzke dh ek=k esa vk/kh ek=k ghax ds lkFk feykdj ekufld jksfx;ksa dks lsou djkrs gSaA

96 |

- vizSy 2016

fdlh dks ;fn uhan u vkrh gks rks ;g cgqr gh ykHkdkjh vkS"kf/k gSA uhan u vkus dh fLFkfr esa fpfdRld Hkkax dk vkS"kf/k ds :i esa ç;ksx djrs gaSA

www.railbandhu.in

;fn fdlh dks fujarj fljnnZ dh f’kdk;r jgrh gS rks Hkkax dh ifÙk;ksa ds jl dk vdZ cukdj dku esa nks&rhu cwansa MkysaA blls vkjke feysxkA

LokLF; ykHk

jksx nwj

djsxk ;ksx

'kgjh thou 'kSyh ds dkj.k dbZ jksx mRiUu gks tkrs gSaA ;ksx ls budk funku laHko gSA ge vkidks ljy vkluksa ds laca/k esa crk jgs gSa fiz;adk ljhu

vk

t ds Hkkx&nkSM+ Hkjs thou esa vius dks LoLFk ,oa rukoeqDr j[kus ds fy, ;ksx igyh ilan gSA le; ds vHkko esa cgqr ls yksx ?kj ij gh [kkyh le; dk lnqi;ksx djrs gq, Lo;a bldk vH;kl djrs gSAa ;ksxxq# lquhy flag us ?kj ij vklkuh ls fcuk fdlh ;ksxxq# dh lgk;rk ls dh tkus okyh fØ;kvksa ,oa vkluksa ds lac/a k esa tkudkjh nhA

Lkw{e fØ;k,a fdlh Hkh O;k;ke dks Lo;a djus ls igys 'kjhj dks mlds fy, rS;kj djuk csgn vko’;d gksrk gSA blds fy, okWeZvi ;kuh fd lw{e fØ;k,a dh tkuh pkfg,aA ÛÛ vka[kksa dks 60 ckj >idsa vkSj 5&5 ckj ?kM+h dh fn’kk o foijhr fn’kk esa ?kqek,aA blds ek/;e ls /;ku dsfa nzr djus rFkk n`’;ksa dks lek;ksftr djus dh 'kfDr c<+rh gSA ÛÛ vius gkFkksa dks 50 ckj vkil esa jxM+sa vkSj xys dh FkkbjkbM xzfa Fk ij yxk,aA elkt djus ls xzfa Fk dk jDr lapkj c<+sxk tks eksVkik de djus ,oa esVkckWfyT+e csgrj cukus esa lgk;d gSA ÛÛ cSBdj ;k [kM+s gksdj dej lh/kh djds xnZu dks ?kM+h dh fn’kk ,oa foijhr fn’kk esa 3&3 ckj ?kqek,a o xnZu dks nk,a ls ck,a rFkk ck,a ls nk,a ?kqek,aA blls xnZu esa nnZ o ljokbdy dh leL;k nwj gksxhA

ikWoj cSfa Max vklu ;ksx eqnzk esa in~eklu ;k lq[kklu esa cSBdj vius nksuksa gkFkksa dks ihNs dh vksj ys tkrs gq, nkbZa ls ckbZa dykbZ rFkk ckbaZ ls nkbaZ dykbZ dks idM+dj yach xgjh lkal Hkjrs gq, ekFks dks t+ehu ij yxkus dk iz;kl djrs gSAa tks yksx ;ksx eqnzk ugha dj ldrs og 'k’kkadklu dj ldrs gSAa xzsfoVh ds ut+nhd ys tkus okyh ;ksx eqnzkvksa ls o`Dd] ;d`r] vXU;k'k; vkfn vkarfjd vaxksa dh elkt gksrh gSA ikpu fØ;k lqpk: gksrh gSA lkFk gh psgjs] vka[kks]a efLr"d] ;d`r vkfn vaxksa esa jDr lapkj c<+rk gSA ân; jksxh] mPp jDrpki jksxh ,oa dej ds fupys fgLls esa nnZ dh f’kdk;r djus okys jksxh d`ik ;g ;ksx eqnzk u djsAa

dkmaVj vklu vkxs >qdus okys vklu djus ij ;g vko’;d gS fd muds lkFk mlds dkmaVj vklu Hkh fd, tk,aA dkmaVj vklu esa Hkqtx a klu dks 3 ls 5 ckj djuk pkfg,A blls tks ykHk gksx a s muesa dej nnZ] e/kqesg] da/ks ,oa xnZu esa nnZ] ukHkh fxjus] dCt+] ikWyhflfLVd vaMk’k; dh f’kdk;r nwj gksuk 'kkfey gS rFkk ;g vklu jh<+ dh gM~Mh dks yphyk cukus esa lgk;d gSA

;s lko/kkfu;ka viuk,a ;ksx esa fof/k] fujarjrk] le;] ,dkxzrk vkSj lko/kkuh t+:jh gSA vklu >Vds ls u djsa vkSj mruk gh djsa] ftruk vklkuh ls dj ik,aA /khjs&/khjs vH;kl c<+k,aA ;ksx ds fy, lqcg dk le; mi;qDr gksrk gS] ysfdu viuh lqfo/kkuqlkj dHkh Hkh dj ldrs gSaA ;ksx [kkyh isV djsa] ysfdu nksigj ;k 'kke dk oDr pquus ij Hkkstu ,oa ;ksx esa rhu ?kaVksa dk varjky j[ksaA ;ksx lery t+ehu ij pVkbZ ij gh djsaA www.railbandhu.in

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