Bomb Scare On Lucknow Shatabdi Express, Train Evacuated At Ghaziabad
The Delhi-Lucknow Shatabdi Express was evacuated at the railway station in Ghaziabad this morning after reports of a bomb scare on the train.
Several other trains were also delayed and halted after the Railways was alerted about a possible bomb threat to trains plying between Delhi and Kanpur.
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Police about a possibility of bombs in major trains like Shatabdi, Duronto, Rajdhani, Vaishali Express and Nilanchal Express," Delhi Divisional Railway Manager Arun Arora said.
Search operations were launched across all railway stations in the city soon after the information was received, the official said.
"We received a message of possible bomb on Delhi-Lucknow Shatabdi at around 6.23 am. Train had departed from New Delhi Railway Station on time (6.10 am), therefore the train was stopped and checked at Ghaziabad railway station," A senior Railway official Neeraj Kumar said.
"Nothing was found during search,we got clearance at 7:40 am and the train was allowed to leave," he said.
Railway have strengthened security measures at all major railway stations, including New Delhi, Nizamuddin, Old Delhi and Anand Vihar.
"All trains on the Delhi-Kanpur route are being checked. However, there are no delays as we are conducting checks as soon as trains dock the platform," a senior railway official Milind Dumbere told NDTV.
"The heightened security is not just for today, we will continue these checks," he said.
According to the official, the potential threat was conveyed by the Mumbai ATS and the Special Cell of Delhi Police has also been kept in the loop.
After the yesterday's terror attack on the air base in Punjab's Pathankot, the national capital is on high alert.
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8 times Indian Railways made our life easier in 2015 #YearEnder
In year 2015, the Railway Ministry of India launched various schemes and programmes with an objective to transform the Indian railways. This year, some noteworthy things happened, starting from January with the launch of the first CNG train of India to Google and Japan investing billions in Indian railways.
List of noteworthy things that happened in Indian Railways in 2015:
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First CNG Train: On January 14, 2015, Indian Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu launched the first CNG train which ran from Rewari to Rohtak. The government has been planning to make a shift to CNG trains to reduce diesel consumption in India.
2. Food catering facility: IRCTC launched an e-catering facility for the passengers. The facility is station based and is called 'Food on Track'. The service was initially available in 45 stations across the country, extending to 1,516 trains.
3. Vikalp Scheme: Indian Railways launched a scheme which allowed the wait-listed passengers a confirmed accommodation in the next alternative train on the same route, November 1 onwards.
4. Double Decker train: India's first air-conditioned, double-decker train, Shatabdi Express ran from Mumbai to Goa. Double-decker trains operate in West Bengal and Jharkhand and this is the first time a Shatabdi train ran with double coaches
5. Semi-luxury trains: Indian Railways boosted its infrastructure by developing semi-luxury coaches for two premier train services. Both the trains aimed to promote the beauty of Indian deserts and the heritage of the country.
6.Google and Japan investments: Google and Japan made some heavy investments in India. Japan invested about $140 billion for developing about 400 railway stations in India. Whereas, Google partnered with Indian Railways, assisting the government in 'Project Nilgiri' and providing WiFi.
7. Hybrid vacuum toilets: New sanitation system was installed in many trains to promote cleanliness in trains. Indian Railways introduced a hybrid vacuum toilet, similar to the ones used in aircrafts. The project helped save water and reduced waste
8. India's first visually impaired-friendly railway station: Mysuru unveiled a visually impaired-friendly railway station with features like maps and train schedules in Braille at various points across the station. The first phase was announced on November 3, 2015 while the other phases are being planned.
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Paper train tickets could become extinct under plans to allow passengers to tap in and out of stations with their bank cards, The Telegraph has learnt.
As soon as next year, rail users will be able "buy" journeys online – using a computer or mobile phone – and travel carrying just the credit or debit card with which they paid.
Banks, train groups and representatives from the Department for Transport have held meetings to discuss how quickly the technology could be introduced across the country, it can be disclosed.
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the plans, customers will be able to "store" their tickets on so-called contactless credit or debit cards.
Ticket barriers will be upgraded so they are similar to those on the London Underground, where tube passengers can tap their cards to pay.
A London Underground ticket barrier
When someone reaches a station, they will simply tap their card or smartphone against a digital "reader" at the barrier. The computer will recognise that the customer has paid to travel through that location and will open, with the same occurring at their destination.
The plan would effectively end the need for paper train tickets.
Jacqueline Starr, managing director of customer experience at the Rail Delivery Group, which represents Network Rail and train operators, said the new ticketing system would "improve the experience" of travelling by rail.
She added: "The rail industry wants to respond to the needs of our customers and understands the importance of modernising train tickets so that passengers are no longer reliant on the old orange paper format.
"We are in the early stages of exploring how passengers could pay for and store tickets on their contactless credit or debit cards as part of our wider aim to improve the experience of rail passengers and move towards smarter types of ticket."
The move is part of plans to push Britain towards a cashless, paperless society in which people use cards or mobile phones to pay for restaurant meals, checking in at airports – and everything in between.
Currently passengers who book rail tickets online are required to quote a reference number or key a code into a self-service ticket collection machine before they board their train.
They are then required to keep hold of their ticket throughout their journey and, in many cases, their return ticket until they travel again.
The new system would remove the need to queue at ticket booths or print out coupons from machines in stations and return journeys would be "stored" on payment cards, alleviating the need for tickets altogether.
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