New Delhi, February 26
The rail budget presented today gave special attention to the stations in the Capital. In order to improve infrastructure and revamp the facilities at Delhi, New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations, a sum of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked.

What's more, eleven out of the 67 newly announced express trains either originate or pass through the Capital, while a study will be undertaken for construction of a terminal at Bijwasan railway station near the airport here.

The budget unveiled by Railway Minister P K Bansal also announced a new line from Delhi to Alwar via Sohna and electrification of Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Ahmedabad line.

Of the 11 express trains, nine originate from Delhi while two pass through the Capital.

The trains originating from Delhi are Bhubaneswar- Nizamuddin, Delhi-Firozpur, Sarai Rohilla-Sikar, Hoshiarpur-Delhi, Nizamuddin-Mumbai, Kanpur-Anand Vihar, Mau-Anand Vihar, New Delhi-Katra and Kamakhya (Guwahati)-Anand Vihar.

The new trains passing through Delhi are Chandigarh-Indore and Kalka-Sai Nagar Shirdi.

Besides, the Railway Minister also announced that the Railways would increase the frequency of Delhi-Pathankot Express from three to six days, New Delhi-Ranchi Gareeb Rath from two to three days and Nizamuddin-Yesvantpur from two to four days.

New Delhi, February 26
The Delhi government today banned manual scavenging in the city and decided to upgrade sanitary workers as skilled labours, which will help in increasing their wages.

Speaking on the occasion of Swabhiman Diwas celebrations, organized by the Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis at Vigyan Bhawan today, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that Delhi has become the first state in the country to ban manual scavenging.

"No safai karamchari would be deployed on manual sewer cleaning as it is fatal. The government is committed to raising the status of safai karamcharis and provide them all the amenities as per service rules," said Dikshit.

She said that in order to modernize their working and provide them training, the government has upgraded their status from unskilled to skilled labour. This will enable them to get more wages.

Dikshit also referred to the demands raised by the chairman, Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis and said that she would consider their feasible demands.

"We are keen to help safai karamcharis. The civic bodies would be impressed upon to regularize all the safai karamcharis working on contract for the last many years," she said.

The chairman, Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis, Harnam Singh stated that the commission has set up a toll-free helpline number to address their grievances.

"The commission is also offering scholarship to the children of safai karamcharis. It has formulated a scheme to impart them free training on vocational courses at different centres in Delhi," said Singh.

New Delhi, February 26
The Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to take up Rs 3,000-crore project to make Outer Ring Road from Vikaspuri to Wazirabad signal-free by commissioning six elevated roads and a parallel six-lane road.

PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said that the department is ready to take up the mega projecting costing Rs 3,000 crore to make the road signal-free.

"The project would involve construction of six flyovers to make the traffic flow uninterrupted. The flyovers or the elevated portion would come up between Meera Bagh and Deepali Chowk, Badli and Mukarba Chowk and three other flyovers between Mukarba Chowk and Wazirabad," said Chauhan.

He was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of an elevated corridor from Vikaspuri to Meera Bagh. He said that the construction of this corridor will facilitate the smooth movement of traffic.

The 3.3-km elevated road will zip over the five intersections and will be built at a cost of Rs 559.60 crore. The elevated road will begin before the Anand T-Junction, Manohar Nagar Crossing, Keshopur crossing Sabji Mandi T-Junction and Meera Bagh T-Junction. The elevated road is expected to reduce congestion at Vikaspuri, Janakpuri, Jawalaheri, Paschim Vihar and Bhera Enclave. The plan also includes a footover bridge, bus lanes, a cycle track, green belt and a rain water harvesting.

"The traffic situation in Delhi has improved substantially with the coming up of 75 flyovers. The situation is bound to ease further with the commissioning of the Signature Bridge over the Yamuna in the next few months. The commissioning of the Bridge would take Delhi into an era of smooth driving without wastage of time and also save fuel," said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

New Delhi, February 26
An 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her landlord at Kotla Mubarakpur, south Delhi, yesterday evening.

The accused, Sumit Kumar, has been arrested. According to the police, the incident took place when the victim was alone at home while her parents had gone to a nearby market.

In her statement to the police, the girl said that Sumit came to the house about 7 pm and left when he was told that her parents were not at home. He, however, returned after sometime.

The victim allowed him inside the house. He locked the main door and allegedly raped the girl threatening her with dire consequences, if she informed her parents.

The girl narrated the incident to her parents who informed the police. A case of rape was registered against Sumit after the girl's medical examination conducted at AIIMS.

The accused also faces charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

New Delhi, February 26
A youth (23) and a juvenile have been arrested for allegedly murdering a man (37) after robbing him at Subhash Place on February 22.

Sajid Ali and the juvenile, both are drug addicts and are allegedly involved in several criminal cases, said DCP (northwest) P. Karunakaran.

"Ali said that he often comes to Delhi to meet his old friends and commit crime. On the evening of February 21, he consumed alcohol with his friends and met the juvenile. They both looked to rob someone. They didn't have any money left with them," said Karunakaran.

Umed, a resident of J.J. Colony in Shakarpur, was returning to his home from Ajmer when they robbed and murdered him. The police has seized the weapon of offence from Ali.

On February 22, the police was informed about a man lying in injured on Ring Road. It took the victim to B.M. Hospital in Pitampura, where he was declared dead.

The police raided several blocks at the J.J. Colony. They apprehended the juvenile, who allegedly disclosed to the police that he along with Ali committed the murder.

New Delhi, February 26
The Punjabi Promotion Council (PPC) today presented a certificate and a cash award of Rs 21,000 to a student of Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa Senior Secondary School at Chandni Chowk, who topped an essay competition. The title of the essay was "India: A World Power". It was in Punjabi and Urdu languages.

Dur-e-Sana, a student of class twelfth stood first in the Urdu essay competition, said the chairman of the PPC, Sardar Jaswant Singh Boby.

A total number of 1,900 students of both the languages participated in the competition. All the participants were presented with certificates.