Railways reduces time limit for advance train reservation to 60 days
New Delhi ( PTI): The Railway Board has reduced the advance reservation period of seats from existing 120 days to 60 days with effect from November 1, 2024.
"It has been decided that w.e.f 01.11.2024, the existing time limit for advance reservation by trains will be reduced from 120 days to 60 days (excluding the date of journey)," a Railway Board's circular, dated Oct 16, 2024, said.
All bookings done up to October 31 under the ARP (Advance Reservation Period) of 120 days will remain intact, it added.
The circular did not cite any reason for the reduction in ARP.
According to the Board, cancellation of the booking made beyond the ARP of 60 days will, however, be permitted.
"There will be no change in the case of certain day time express trains like Taj Express, Gomti Express etc where lower time limits for advance reservation are, at present in force," the Board's circular said.
There will also be no change in the case of a limit of 365 days for foreign tourists, it said.
On March 25, 2015, the Ministry of Railways had increased the ARP from 60 days to 120 days.
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No 'bacterial infection' found in bodies of 4 Mumbai family members who died after eating watermelon
Mumbai (PTI): The initial report submitted by the microbiology department of a Mumbai-based state-run hospital has said no "bacterial infection" was detected in the bodies of four family members, who died after consuming watermelon recently, officials said on Wednesday.
The Dokadia family, residents of Ghari Mohalla on Ismail Kurte Road, had hosted a get-together of relatives on the night of April 25. At around 1 am (on April 26), hours after the guests had left, Abdullah Dokadia (40), his wife Nasreen (35), and daughters Ayesha (16) and Zaineb (13) ate pieces of a watermelon.
They suffered severe bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea in the early hours of April 26 and were rushed to a local hospital before being referred to the government-run J J Hospital where all four died during treatment.
After the incident, Mumbai police, forensic experts and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials visited the house and had collected samples of every food item that constituted the family's last meal, including 'chicken pulav', watermelon, water, and other foodstuffs, and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.
After the post-mortem of the deceased, their viscera was preserved for chemical analysis.
As the probe is underway, the microbiology department of the state-run J J Hospital has submitted its initial report to the police.
"As per the report, no bacterial infection has been detected so far in the bodies of the victims. No bacteria was found in their blood," the official said.
The exact cause of the death will be known once the forensic science lab submits its report, he said.
"The report will also clarify whether any food items consumed by the family members during the day contained anything poisonous," the official said.
