Bhuj-Ahmedabad Vande Metro renamed Namo Bharat Rapid Rail hours before inauguration
Bhuj (Gujarat) Sep 16: The Railway Ministry has renamed the Bhuj-Ahmedabad Vande Metro to Namo Bharat Rapid Rail hours before its inaugural run on Monday, according to a spokesperson.
The service will be flagged off from the Bhuj railway station at 4:15 pm virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be present in Ahmedabad, he said.
The Rapid Rail, which aims to enhance intercity connectivity, will cover 359 km distance from Bhuj to Ahmedabad in 5:45 hours. In between, the train will stop at nine stations.
For the public, the regular service will start on September 17 from Ahmedabad. The total journey will cost Rs 455.
"The ministry has decided to rename Vande Metro to Namo Bharat Rapid Rail," the Railway spokesperson said.
According to the Railway Ministry, while the other metros cover only short distances, Namo Bharat trains will connect the heart of Ahmedabad with its peripheral cities.
Featuring 12 coaches with seating for 1,150 passengers, the Rapid Rail offers a host of innovative features, it said. "With ergonomically designed seats, fully air-conditioned cabins and modular interiors, it definitely proves to be superior to other metros."
A significant upgrade, according to the Ministry, from traditional suburban trains and metro coaches is its modular design that includes ejector-based vacuum evacuation toilets.
"The train offers faster journeys between mid-distance cities. Its rapid acceleration and deceleration contribute to efficient travel while driving cabs at both ends eliminates turnaround time," it added.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
