Indian Railways: Where commuters can travel on train roofs

The sight of fearless travellers hanging on the top of trains has become one of permanent images of India and compels us to think that is the country really developing.

AFTER MORE than six decades of independence, condition of trains in India are still in a pathetic state. Even today, people travel on the roof knowing that it is a punishable offense. One question that originates here is, do we people really care? Thousands are killed on India’s train network every year due to recklessness. For pilgrims travelling on the roof is a blessing in disguise whenever there is any festival. Read More................Indian Railways: Where commuters can travel on train roofs

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Indian Donki's travails

Donki - a term devised by the immigrants from Punjab and their unscrupulous travel and immigration agents - is used to describe the youth who crosses eastern Europe to the European Union on foot.

And 16 such men - all illegal immigrants from Punjab - were squeezed into a panel on the roof of a bus for 18 hours. When they were pulled out on reaching the European Union, one of them was dead.

"We could not move at all. The saving grace was the holes in the roof through which we could breathe. I thought that I would die. When we were finally taken out, one from our group was dead," said one of them who did not want to be identified. Read more........................Walking through hell for a better life abroad

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Monk become's 'Impure' as he has traveled abroad

In India some of the things look absolutely WEIRD. Take the case of this Monk who had traveled to the United States and Europe. As per Conservative Hindu leaders in southern India, they are seeking to prevent this monk from heading one of the country's most popular temples saying he had become "impure" because he had traveled overseas.

The debate has divided Brahmins, or the priestly class, in the pilgrim town of Udipi, with those opposed to the monk seeking a local court to stall his anointment as the head of a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna.

Sugunendra Teertha, the monk, had traveled to the United States and Europe on, what he says, was a tour to propagate Hinduism.

But orthodox community leaders say he had committed "sagarollanghana", the Sanskrit term for crossing the seas, an act that they said defied a centuries-old tradition and left him impure. Read more...............Indian Hindus seek ban for monk who went abroad

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Train Passengers at God's Mercy

In Bihar state of India if you are travelling by train then you are really at God's mercy.

The safety of millions of passengers in trains passing through Bihar is hanging in the balance even as Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are busy playing the blame game.

Several incidents of banditry on running trains have been reported from Bihar in the last few weeks. But neither railway officials nor state police are ready to walk the extra mile to check such crimes.

"Passenger safety and security has been left to god's mercy as the railways and the state government are engaged in a blame game," a senior police official in Bihar said on condition of anonymity.

Around 150 trains pass through Bihar every day.

The latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau says: "The Patna rail police jurisdiction alone accounts for 23 percent of all crimes on wheels committed throughout the country." Read more..................Train Passengers in Bihar at God's Mercy

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Travelling 60 kms to pay power bills

It may sound weird at a time when India is fast moving on the path of development, but the residents of a village in Rajasthan have to travel over 60 km just to pay their electricity bills.

The people of Sooeen village, about 430 km from state capital Jaipur in Rajasthan state of India, have to travel 60 km to Lunkarsar in Bikaner district just to pay their electricity bills.

'We are about 400-500 consumers and like others, we are given bills once every two months. We have to incur over Rs.100 just to travel to Lunkarsar to deposit our bills,' Bhawani Singh, a local resident. Read more........................Travelling 60 km to pay power bills

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