After getting the much-delayed clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), the Railways has decided to roll out a semi-high speed train (160-200 kmph) between New Delhi and Agra on a pilo
After getting the much-delayed clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), the Railways has decided to roll out a semi-high speed train (160-200 kmph) between New Delhi and Agra on a pilot basis for a year. Though the CRS clearance came about six months back, the Railways has not yet decided when to flag off the train.
In a letter to the heads of the Northern and North-Central Railways, the Railway Board has intimated that the semi-high speed train, which would be known as Gatiman, would run on a pilot basis for a year from the date of flagging off. However, the flagging off would require a clear track for Gatiman to run at a semi-high speed. The Railways has not yet decided on a date, said a senior official.
The Gatiman will be pulled by a 5,400-HP electric locomotive and consist of 12 modern coaches. It will cover the distance in 105 minutes. The passengers would have to shell out 25 per cent more than they would on a Shatabdi ticket, added the official.
Meanwhile, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has claimed that it has installed a few features in its online booking portal to bar touts from hacking the site and making bulk bookings. Now one would have to wait 35 seconds to book tickets online, which has been done with the intention to prevent faster booking by unscrupulous elements using any other means, said IRCTC CMD A.K. Manocha. “Though it takes about 35 seconds minimum to fill the form followed by bank transaction online, there were cases of faster bookings by touts using certain automated software, thereby depriving genuine passengers,” he added.
The IRCTC also stated that foolproof arrangements have been made to prevent any unauthorised intrusion or hacking of the site.
