Amritsar, January 28
About eight decades’ old city railway station, built by Britishers, has fallen on bad days, thanks to indifferent and casual attitude of the railway officials. A partially built waiting hall, insufficient number of toilets, inquiry windows and wheelchairs and absence of alternative power arrangements belie the tall claims of the authorities of providing quality amenities to the passengers.

A year after relaying the floor of the waiting hall for ordinary passengers, its roof and walls were demolished. As per the plan, a sophisticated hall was to be built at the place complete with amenities like toilet and potable water.

However, the work on the project was held up due to non-payment of expenses to contractors, a railway official said.

Of the five platforms, toilets are located on only number one. On the remaining four platforms, the passengers and visitors have been left to urinate in the open.

The platform numbers two to five have a tea stall and a water cooler each. However, unhygienic and dirty condition outside water coolers are deterrent to the passengers to quench their thirst and they have to buy costly water bottles.

The railway station does not have a single shop to offer meals to visitors and passengers. Its only refreshment room has been lying closed for the past nearly one year.

Overall, railway station offers a repulsive look for lack of cleanliness, archaic garbage disposal system and uncooperative attitude of the employees. However, the situation changes altogether before the visit of VVIPs at the station.

The sole TV set at the railway station was removed before the beautification of the waiting hall for ordinary passengers. It was not installed again.

For the handicapped passengers and visitors, the railway station has only one toilet and a couple of wheelchairs. However, these wheelchairs are of little use as the platform numbers 2 to 5 do not have ramps.

Residents of the city feel that the traffic chaos outside the railway station could be solved by regulating the movement of auto-rickshaws and removing encroachments, which have mushroomed all over the place.

Another discrepancy passengers complained of is old and slow system of announcing the arrival and departure times of trains. There is only one window. The passengers demand that the number of windows must be increased.

Divisional Railway Manager Vishweshwar Chaubey, based at Ferozepur, said all these complaints would be examined and changes would be affected accordingly.

Amritsar, January 28
With the railway authorities ‘booking’ Amritsar Railway Station’s platform No 1 for Shatabdi trains, passengers, including pilgrims and tourists visiting the holy city, are either forced to use the overbridge or take risks to cross the tracks on foot.

No other train is allowed to enter the platform No 1 as Shatabdi Express and Swaran Shatabdi Express remain parked for nearly 11 hours.

Members of the Sis Ganj Sahib Sewak Jatha, a Delhi-based Sikh religious organisation, forwarded a communiqué to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu over the issue. The religious organisation brings groups of pilgrims twice a month.

Jatha president Manmohan Singh Thukral said in the complaint that majority of the pilgrims in their groups were aged, women, children and handicapped. He said he has been observing for the past over two years that Shatabdi trains were invariably parked on the platform No 1, creating inconvenience for the passengers especially the infirm and aged.

Thukral said the railway officials, after the jatha submitted numerous representations, responded that these trains were parked for maintenance.

Thukral wondered, “Why these trains were not taken to a yard like other trains for maintenance and washing?”

Shatabdi Express arrives from Delhi at 10.15 pm and remains parked in the platform until it leaves for the same destination at 5 am.

Similarly, the Swaran Shatabdi Express remained parked in platform No 1 after arrival from Delhi at 1 pm till 5 pm, when it again departs for Delhi.

All major amenities waiting halls, toilet for handicapped, bathrooms, ticket windows,

inquiry, dispensary and platform ticket window facilities and offices of the Railways are located on the platform No 1.

Gurbachan Singh Gulati, a pilgrim from Delhi, who frequently visits the city, said it had invariably been the same story on the Amritsar Railway Station. “Whichever train we took from Delhi to Amritsar they were hardly parked on the first platform,” he rued. Divisional Railway Manager Vishwesh Chaubey said he would examine the complaint and would direct officials to redress it.

Sidhu said he sympathised with the pilgrims and travellers, and had forwarded their complaint to the Railway Minister. He said he would not hesitate to participate with the passengers in the sit-in against the Railways.

Amritsar, January 28
The Psychiatry Department of the Government Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital has taken over the charge of faculty of Swami Vivekanand De-addiction Centre. Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu today visited the centre and supervised its functioning. He directed the hospital authorities to improve the approach road to the centre so that the chronic drug addicts could reach the centre easily.

He directed the PWD authorities to make certain changes in the building as the hospital had to cater to the needs of special patients. — TNS

Amritsar, January 28
To nurture its livestock and strengthen dairy farming in Punjab, the state government has prepared a young rural brigade. While carrying a special portable artificial insemination (AI) kit on their shoulder for buffaloes, the team will reach at the door of the beneficiary on bikes.

It is for the first time that private sector JK Trust, Gujarat, has been hired to streamline the move that originated under the Central Government’s programme for rural development. Under the scheme, “Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna”, the state government has established 300 centres in villages. These centres will provide services like AI for buffaloes, TMR (total mixed ration) feed, first aid and de-worming of animals. The first phase of the scheme has been proposed at Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Sangrur.

Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu said the pilot project had been started from Bhilowal, Trehan and Miadian Kalan villages, falling in Amritsar. “As many as 27 such centres have been opened in the rural belt of Amritsar. The state government will release funds to JK Trust, Gujarat. Nevertheless, these centres have been equipped with necessary infrastructure to preserve the high quality bulls’ semen, which have a history of producing buffaloes giving at least 20 litres of milk per day.

“We identified 27 matriculate youngsters who had a bike and a mobile. They were put under four months’ exhaustive training programme by experts of JK Trust, Gujarat. It’s a kind of employment for them too. Their remuneration part, too, will be looked after by JK Trust only,” said Pannu.

Since AI is a time-bound process, no delay can be afforded in it. “These trained youth, equipped with handy AI kits, will reach the spot and the beneficiary farmer will pay a subsidised amount of Rs 100 for each AI service for his buffalo. Besides, they can also educate the farmers regarding the common animal diseases, de-worming, first aid administration and balanced feed and fodder”, said Dr Pawan Singh, Veterinary Officer, JK Trust.

Reality struck the Indian television audience with a bang when Dolly Bindra entered the Bigg Boss house. And so the regular bouts of shouting, screaming, yelling, mud-slinging…usual reality show stuff became her monopoly. She spared none and was the only one to have done what a true reality show contestant is supposed to do -get TRP’s. The show may be over for others, but the Dolly Bindra shock waves are still showing their after effects.

Call her loud, fraud or foul-mouthed but if it wasn’t for Dolly, Bigg Boss 4 wouldn’t have been so popular. “It’s nothing personal, everything I did on the show was real,” says the actor. Well, going by the likes of it, we are forced to believe her. “I don’t need publicity. I have worked my way into Bollywood and made a place for myself. I don’t need all this,” Dolly makes a point.

The actor, whose Howitzer pitch and endless beeps symbolized the Bigg Boss 4 throughout, made a relatively subtle visit to the golden temple on January 26. “I came to take the blessings since I am back to my normal life again. I had visited Sai temple on my birthday back in Mumbai as well,” she informs. Thanking God for getting it all done and over with. “Please don’t get God involved in all this. I just wanted to get my life back on track again and so need all the blessings,” says Dolly. God bless Ashmit, Veena, Sameer and Khali as well who didn’t quite get to see this side of Dolly.

But when it’s Dolly Bindra, drama comes naturally. “I act on the basis of humanity. I am not fake unlike some people. We have all been working in this industry and yet I have never heard anybody’s bodyguard open fire on fans. Then why such façade?” Here comes the controversy. And it’s her veerji, who has to deal with Dolly’s razor sharp attitude once again. She recently visited the injured fan in Ludhiana and helped him financially, “One has to act as a human not a celebrity. He really needed help and I am glad I could reach out to him.”

Workwise, Dolly has more surprises in store for the audience. “There are lots of offers on hand.” Films, television, more reality shows? “If I come back on television, it will be for the junta. They want to see me again,” she clears. Well, did we hear anybody mention Zor Ka Jhatka (a reality show on Star Plus hosted by SRK)? “You know better,” comes the reply from Dolly. Going by her previous stints, your guess is as good as ours.

Amritsar, January 28
Indeed, the tolerance power of people living on Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road here is unmatchable, if the filthy conditions under which they live in is any indication.

This is the only road through which hundreds of vehicles pass through to reach the Golden Temple. During the rainy seasons, the conditions get from bad to worse. So much so that the residents find it hard to reach their homes through this road.

Besides, its uneven structure, sludge too finds its way on the road because the sewerage lanes alongside would get choked for want of proper flushing out.

Civic body officials justify their position by stating that the conditions cannot be improved till the extension phase of the elevated road project connecting the Golden Temple via Dharam Singh market parking is completed, yet the residents of the area rued that at least the road can be laid evenly on temporary basis.

“Hardly would a day pass, when an accident does not occur on this road, due to big potholes on this uneven road, which becomes slippery due to filth, which gets collected on the road after getting spilled over from the blocked sewerage lanes,” Bhupinder Singh Bhinda, a resident, said.

“Many a time, we have pointed out this problem to the Municipal Corporation’s sanitary inspector, but he seldom paid any heed to it,” Surinder Singh, another resident chipped in.

While pointing towards the domestic water pipes, another resident Charan Singh Arora said these pipes had been laid recently with faulty planning. “These were the underground pipes. No logic can be seen about digging them out and relaying again. It is pity that the authorities have been spending huge funds on such faulty schemes, whereas the genuine problems of the residents remain unaddressed,” he said.

While enquiring from the authorities concerned, it has been revealed that the road projects under the elevated road could not be completed due to official rigmarole.

The traders on this road rued that their business has been suffering because of unapproachable path to their shops due to big pits dug up for erecting the pillars for the elevated road project. “No vehicle can reach our shops. Even during normal days, the sand, which gets accumulated in these pits, cover the area due to winds.

Amritsar, January 28
The Vigilance Department nabbed Regional Seed Certification Officer (RSCO) Kabal Singh for demanding and accepting a bribe to clear the germination report of the seeds here today.

Kabal Singh was nabbed at the Amritsar Railway Station by a Vigilance team in the presence of government witnesses while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act on the complaint of Kashmir Singh, owner of Thind Seed Farms, located in Jodha Nagri village in Baba Bakala block.

Vigilance SSP Ravcharan Singh revealed that Kashmir prepared about 7,000 quintals of seeds of rice in his farm and deposited requisite fees of Rs 40,000 for checking the germination verified through Regional Seed Certification Office in Jalandhar that caters to five districts under Jalandhar zone. These include Amritsar, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur.

“Despite the fact that physical verification of the crop for the seed had been done and he had submitted the requisite fees to the department, Kabal Singh demanded Rs 20,000 from the Kashmir Singh to clear his samples,” said Ravcharan.

As it is a seasonal crop and the further delay could damage the seeds, Kashmir Singh got angry with Kabal’s attitude. Kashmir brought the matter into the notice of Vigilance, which then laid a trap.

“The matter was settled at Rs 10,000 and accused called him at the railway station as he was a daily passenger and visit Jalandhar-Amritsar in routine. A trap was laid and he was caught red-handedly. The police recovered the money,” said the SSP.

Amritsar, January 28
“Winners don’t do different things, they just do things differently.”

Simardeep Singh adopted this mantra to attain success at the CA final examination.

Simardeep topped the city after clearing his chartered accountancy final examination, whose result was declared on January 21. He was overall ranked 40th in India. This examination forms the third and final leg of a three-stage procedure required to clear the exams to become a chartered accountant.

The 22-year-old had secured distinction in the earlier two stages too. He grabbed first position in the state during the Common Proficiency Test (CA Foundation) and was 22nd on the India level in 2007. The year 2008 also brought good luck for him and he occupied first place in the city and second place in the state during the Professional Competence Examination (CA Inter).

“It was my base at the school which paid me dividends”, revealed Simardeep, who studied in Shri Guru Harkrishan Public School and passed his XII standard with distinction. Thereafter, he did his graduation in commerce through the DAV College, Amritsar.

Throughout topper in his academic career, Simardeep never went for extra coaching. For him the success lies in self study.

“Consistency and handwork is the key to success. Extra coaching classes would just give you mental satisfaction instead of helping a student gain in real sense. In my whole academic career, except for two subjects in my CA final preparation, I hardly took tuitions and it was only my habit of self study which bore fruits”, he said.

Simrandeep now want to pursue his career for International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

“India is seeing a lot of changes in the legal and regulatory environment and with the adoption of IFRS, to be introduced from April in phased manner, I see good opportunities ahead,” said Simrandeep.

Besides, academic achievements, his extra curricular activities too cannot be ignored. He represent Punjab in a 13-episode TV series on Doordarshan ‘Hum Honge Kamyaab’ sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for which 36 students from the country were selected. Listening to music and collecting autographs is his other hobbies.

Being ancestral business of dealing in religious books, Simrandeep doesn’t lag behind when it comes to any activity related to religion too. He was awarded in an online religious competition conducted by Sikh Kirtan Prachar Mission, an organisation under the Australia Sikh Association.

Amritsar, January 28
Opposing the move of installing temporary dividers by the traffic police, the shopkeepers on the Lawrence Road held a demonstration and removed the barricades put up by the police. They kept their shops closed during the protest.

The agitators demanded the removal of dividers claiming that dividers were hindering the smooth flow of traffic. “We face problems while going across the road and move half a kilometer to take U-turn. We are also suffering losses in our business,” said a shopkeeper.

Satpal Joshi, ADCP (traffic), who reached the spot, said, “The dividers have in fact helped in the smooth flow of traffic. As far as the problem of movement across the road is concerned, we would install small barricades so that the pedestrians could move without any difficulty besides providing another point for vehicles to take U-turn.”

DCP Amar Singh Chahal said the department would not bow before the illegitimate demands of the shopkeepers. “Let them (shopkeepers) come up with some suggestions for smooth flow of traffic. Moreover, the step was taken for the public convenience,” he said.

Meanwhile, in another first the police introduced sticker challaning of wrongly parked vehicles. Launching the system, the police authorities said the wrong parking by the commuters were one of the main reasons for the traffic chaos in the city. They said this would hopefully help in keeping a check on the wrongly parked vehicles. The owner of the vehicle once challaned have to shell out Rs 100 for wrong parking, he said. The challan could also be sent to residence of the owner if he failed to pay it on the spot, he added.

Amritsar, January 28
Knowing the status of your complaint with the police may soon be only a click away. The Punjab police plans to launch a project within this year under which the complaints and their current status would be made available online, said PS Gill, Director General of Police during an interaction here today.

“The work is in the final stages and would be launched within this year,” said DGP P.S. Gill, who was here to handover the case property vehicles, recovered in the border range areas recently, to their owners.

The project is part of bringing administrative reforms in the police delivery system, restore confidence of the people in the police as well as achieve better coordination among them, he said.

He said Suvidha centres, Community Police Resource Centres (CPRC) and outreach centres are being opened all over the state. These would be inter-connected with the state headquarters.

All police stations in the state are also being brought under the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), he said.

Under the project being sponsored by the Centre, all police stations and police offices across the country would be connected to servers in Delhi.

The project aims to create a nation-wide network for modern criminal tracking system, he said. “The police department is spending Rs 32 crore to connect all the police stations with the servers in Delhi,” he said.

Meanwhile, DGP handed over the keys of vehicles recovered from Gurdaspur, Batala, Tarn Taran and Amritsar Rural police district. Valuables worth Rs 3.20 crores were returned to their owners.