The Tatanagar-Berhampur Vande Bharat Express, launched on September 18th, is experiencing low passenger turnout despite the high demand for the Ranchi-Howrah and other routes. Despite offering empty seats daily, the train is being operated via Chaibasa, deviating from its original route via Hijili. The train's occupancy remains low, with only a...
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few passengers boarding after Chaibasa, even though it stops at several stations. The train's route via Chaibasa and its timing, coinciding with the existing crowded express trains, are cited as possible reasons for the low ridership. Suggestions have been made to change the route to Hijili-Balasore to attract more passengers, similar to the popular Ranchi, Patna, and Rourkela routes.

A deliberate attempt was made to derail a train in Chaibasa, Jharkhand, by placing a large stone on the railway track near Sonua station. The incident occurred on the joint point number 101A and 102B of the railway track. The Shalimaram Kurla Express was scheduled to arrive on the up line...
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when officials discovered the stone. As a precaution, train operations on both the up and down lines of the Chakradharpur railway route were suspended for 20 minutes. This marks the second such incident in a week, as a similar incident took place on Tuesday at the same location. However, this incident was not publicly reported until now. Train operations were suspended from 9:45 PM to 10:05 PM due to the incident, leading to chaos at the Chakradharpur Railway Division. The RPF team, dispatched from the Chakradharpur Railway Division headquarters, investigated the scene. Train services were disrupted for an hour on the up and down main lines, along with the third line. The track maintainers removed the stone from the joint point, resuming train operations. The RPF is investigating the incident, and a special team has been deployed to monitor the tracks and joint points. The RPF suspects that the incident was the act of mischief makers who intended to derail trains, but the vigilance of railway personnel averted a major accident.

On Saturday, railway authorities reduced train speeds near Haldipokhar station on the Tatanagar-Badampahar line after forest officials reported three elephants roaming near the railway tracks. The forest officials, from Rakhamains, had also suggested that the train horn be blown loudly between poles 262 and 263 to scare the elephants away. Earlier...
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that morning, locals had sighted the elephants in rural areas near Potka, but they moved towards the Haldipokhar railway tracks after being chased away. This incident highlights the ongoing concern of elephant deaths due to train collisions on the Tatanagar-Chakulia, Chaibasa, and Chandil-Muri rail lines. The railway authorities have been reducing train speeds and continuously blowing the train horn in elephant-prone areas to mitigate the risk. This was the first sighting of elephants near the Haldipokhar station tracks, prompting station staff, train personnel, and track maintenance workers to remain vigilant throughout Saturday night. Train speeds remained reduced and the loud horn continued to be used.

As part of the Tatanagar station redevelopment plan, the railway is developing a new washing line. This new line will have the capacity to wash and maintain coaches of 8 trains simultaneously. The current washing center has 3 lines, but one is dedicated to the Vande Bharat express, leading to delays...
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in washing other trains. Additionally, the railway is planning to lay two new lines at Kudada for storing empty train coaches, which is currently done at nearby stations due to lack of space in Tatanagar. The new washing line and additional lines in Kudada are expected to be built during the station redevelopment process.

In the recent elections for the Railway Urban Bank in Jamshedpur, the 'Parivartan Panel' has won a decisive victory. They secured 18 director seats, while the incumbent 'Mens Union' won only two. The victory signifies a significant shift in power within the bank, as the Mens Union had held dominance for...
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the past 45 years. The 'Parivartan Panel' is a coalition of various labor unions including the 'Mens Congress All India Logo Running Staff Association Card Council' and the 'Track Maintainer Union'. This win is seen as a step towards addressing alleged irregularities in the bank's operations. There's a strong sentiment for the separation of the South Eastern Railway Zone from the combined committee of Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, and Bilaspur, which the Mens Union had opposed, and the 'Parivartan Panel' victory might pave the way for this to happen.