Thursday, February 27, 2003, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Rail fares, freight rates untouched
Shatabdi, Rajdhani travel to cost less; 50 new trains
New Delhi, February 26
In a delicate balancing act, Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar today sought to camouflage populism with innovative economic measures by leaving freight rates and passenger fares untouched.
In video (28k, 56k)

Graphic: Reduction in rail fares
Nitish gives 4 trains to North
Business-oriented Budget: Nitish
Railway Budget at a glance
Graphics: Railway Budget at a glance
Railway Budget— Highlights
The railway rupee in 2001-02
Business page: Rail Budget ‘market-oriented’
Nation page: Populist Budget stumps Oppn
Editorial: Poll-driven Railway Budget

TRIBUNE SPECIALS Countering terrorism 50 years of Independence Tercentenary celebrations Tehelka expose Maharaja Ranjit Singh: special features & photos Republic Day, 2003

THE TRIBUNE MAGAZINES On alternate Mondays On Sundays On Saturdays

THE TRIBUNE LAST WEEK Wednesday, February 26 Tuesday, February 25 Monday, February 24 Sunday, February 23 Saturday, February 22 Friday, February 21 Thursday, February 20

70 per cent polling in Himachal
Shimla, February 26
The fate of 391 candidates was sealed in the electronic voting machines as 70 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise during one-day polling in the hill state today.

Poll highlights

Party workers serve water to voters at Mubarikpur, near Una, on Wednesday. — Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

Himachal page: Franchise denied

40 pc turnout in Pampore bypoll
Srinagar, February 26
Around 40 per cent polling was registered in the byelections to the Pampore Assembly constituency in Pulwama district today.

8 die in Tripura poll violence
New Delhi, February 26
Eight persons, including five BSF jawans, were killed in Tripura and one in Nagaland during polling held along with Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya Assemblies today with an estimated 70 per cent voters exercising their franchise.

President unveils Savarkar’s portrait
Opposition boycotts function
New Delhi, February 26
Dismissing the Opposition parties’ boycott, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam today unveiled the portrait of freedom fighter V.D. Savarkar in the Central Hall of Parliament amid loud slogans.

Talwara resigns in protest Amritsar, February 26 Crisis of the Sikh Panth deepened as Giani Joginder Singh Talwara of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (Prabandhki Panchyan) today resigned as member of the Religious Advisory Committee constituted by the SGPC to advise the Sikh clergy on religious matters, in protest against the removal of Prof Manjit Singh as Jathedar, Kesgarh Sahib in violation of the Sikh traditions.