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Top 3 places in India to host your dream Destination wedding this year!

2 Weddings are dreamy and making your dreamy day come true and make it just perfect is what every couple would want. Celebrate your love this year with these 3 destinations and feel like you’re in a Bansali movie wedding! Mussoorie, Uttarakhand Everything about Mussoorie has a fantastic romantic vibe, from the lovely tree-covered hills to the surreal view of the sun setting against the Himalayas to the bright skies, cool breeze, and twinkling stars at night. Reach a couple days earlier to get some divine photos in the hill station’s idyllic surroundings! Jim Corbett, Uttarakhand This tree-covered estate will give you and your partner the ideal opportunity to celebrate one of the most important days of your lives away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and is quickly becoming a popular and reasonably priced wedding location in India. Andaman Island Did you know that you could book an entire island in Andaman just for your wedding? This breath-taking location is trending when it comes to destination weddings. Book a resort or even an entire island and celebrate the best day of your life this year!

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3 websites that help you earn up to 30k a month as a side hustle !

0 Why waste your idle time when you can make up to 30k a month by just putting in an hour a day! These 3 websites are the perfect way to make money in your free time, and are best suited for students, homemakers and even senior citizens! EarnKaro Founded by the Industrial giant, Ratan Tata himself, Earnkaro is the best in India when it comes to affiliate marketing. This website is verified, and does not require any document verification or fees to join the program. Just sign up for free and share the affiliate links to your contacts and earn a part of profits every time someone uses your link to shop! Sutterstock Did you know that Shutterstock pays up to 40% of its profits to its creators? If you’re someone who is good at photography or creating images, videos, or even music or VFX, then you’re in luck! For every original content that you share that is being bought or used, you get paid with regard to the tier you’re in. Upwork Upwork suits best if you’re a student or a working professional who is trying to earn extra. This is a Freelancing website that enables you to freelance for a short period of time. If you’re someone who is working in a domain that is not your passion, but want to keep in touch with your passion, then Upwork is the platform for you to carry on your passion as a side hustle. Sign up for free and start freelancing your passion AND get paid well!

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Indian Railways new mechanism RailMadad is here to solve all your grievances at the click of a button

0 A s a socially responsible and accountable entity, Indian Railways considers redressal of passenger complaints as one of its Key Performance Indicators. To put in place an effective complaints monitoring system which would also provide a one stop solution to complaints, grievances, enquiry and also serve as a robust feedback mechanism, RAILMADAD was launched in 2019. Complaints and grievances lodged through different modes were brought into a single platform and channelized through this portal for time boundredressal. Receipt & Disposal of complaints in Southern Railway through RAILMADAD In Southern Railway, over 61% of the complaints are received through Rail Passenger Helpline 139, 21% through RailMadad website (railmadad.gov.in, railmadad.in), 10% through social media forums, 5% through RailMadad App and the remaining 3% through other means like SMS to 139, Email, CPGRAMS, etc. Southern Railway has been achieving 100% complaint disposal rate since 201920 and also maintains 37 minutes as average disposal time since April 2021. Southern Railway also maintains 8 minutes as the First response Time (FRT ). FRT is an indicator of efficiency in handling Medical and Security assistance during emergencies. Railways at all levels have taken concerted efforts in creating awareness about RailMadad amongst passengers. Faster and satisfactory resolution of grievances has resulted in restoring the faith of the passengers in the grievance redressal system which serves as an harbinger of hope during any inconvenience experienced by passengers during their train journey or while at railway premises. As a result lots of passengers have now started using the Railmadad complaints mechanism. The total no.75613 complaints have been resolved in the current financial year 202223 till date when compared to 31450 complaints resolved during the previous financial year 202122 (Apr-Mar). How RailMadad works? RailMadad, the unified customer interface for grievance, enquiry, suggestion and assistance, provides passengers Southern Railway has been achieving 100% complaint disposal rate since 201920 and also maintains 37 minutes as average disposal time since April 2021. Southern Railway also maintains 8 minutes as the First response Time (FRT). FRT is an indicator of efficiency in handling Medical and Security assistance during emergencies. the choice to access the portal through multiple channels, namely, Web, App, SMS, Social Media and Helpline number (139) during the journey for expeditious resolution of their complaints. On registration of a complaint, a unique complaint number is generated and the status of the grievance is continuously monitored. Passengers also have the facility to track the status of their complaints using the unique reference number. Depending on the complaint’s nature, urgency and complexity the maximum time limit within which a case has to be resolved is pre determined. As the name suggests, RailMadad has come to the rescue of thousands of passengers during emergencies offering first response and subsequently the required assistance in minimum possible time. While all the departments work in perfect coordination to resolve complaints, it is the Security, Mechanical and Commercial wings that deploy field personnel, play a very crucial role and rush to the passengers’ aid during emergencies arising during travel. Responding to onboard complaints is a very The total no. 75613 complaints have been resolved in the current financial year 202223 till date when compared to 31450 complaints resolved during the previous financial year 202122 (Apr-Mar). challenging task RailMadad handles this meticulously, as it is integrated with the National Train Enquiry System (NTE S) and other platforms like Integrated Coach Management System (IC MS). Thus, when an onboard complaint is registered both the Train Running Railway and Train Owning Railway is alerted and complaint is resolved within the earliest possible time. Suggestions module Further, the Suggestions module of RailMadad is an innovative tool through which suggestions from various stakeholders are received and forwarded to concerned branch officers, who could use them as a guide to make future decisions. RailMadad is also used as a managerial tool to measure the efficiency of the subordinate units. Each Division unit is committed to rectify the deficiencies in their system and offer quality service to the passengers. RailMadad mechanism sees increase in usage amidst improved awareness amongst passengers and owing to its reliability Telephonic call is the most preferred mode of grievance registration for passengers Southern Railway takes an average of 37 minutes to resolve greivances The First Response Time is 8 minutes for Medical & Security assistance Team RailMadad RailMadad portal is monitored round the clock by a dedicated and efficient team of Officers, Controllers, Inspectors at the Divisionallevel, Zonallevel, Railway Boardlevel and also by the Engineers at CRI S (Centre for Railway Information Systems). The consolidated Team effort is driving the RailMadad portal to the realm of success. It is noteworthy that RailMadad was awarded Silver under category II of National e governance Awards “for excellence in providing Citizen Centric Delivery” during the 23rd National Conference one governance held at Mumbai in February 2020.

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WAITING TO SERVE – THE NEW AND IMPROVED MADURAI JUNCTION

0 Southern Railway has taken up Station Redevelopment as one of the key areas for enhancing the passenger experience. Nine stations in Southern Railway are likely to undergo transformational changes as part of Station redevelopment. Of these 9 stations, Madurai junction is also one of the stations where the redevelopment work is progressing at a steady pace. Works executed so far Preliminary works such as Mapping and Topographical survey, soil investigation, Traffic survey, tree inventory, joint inventory of movable and immovable assets have been completed and validation in progress Shifting of materials and facilities completed to accommodate the redevelopment works Construction of offices for contractors in progress Project management Services have commenced work. Right of way, which is a legal right to enter and carry out the work, has been provided to the EPC contractor for carrying out the work A series of meetings are held with the stakeholders of the project Madurai Junction Madurai Junction is an NSG-2 category railhead serving the ‘Temple Town’ Madurai known for the famed Goddess Meenakshi Amman Temple. The station handles 96 trains per day and registers an average daily passenger footfall of 51,296.The station attracts scores of tourists from all over India and abroad. Award of contract Southern Railway had awarded the work of Redevelopment of Madurai Junction Railway Station on 22nd Sep, 2022 as EPC contract to M/s P &C Projects Private Limited, Chennai at a cost of Rs. 347.47 Crores, setting a time frame of 36 months for completion ofthe project. M/s TUV India Private Limited, Mumbai have been tasked with the work of Project Management services (PMS) at a cost of Rs.10.88 Crore. The PMS consultant is responsible for monitoring the project. Roadmap to Redevelopment Two terminals are proposed to be constructed, one each at the Eastern and Western side. Three Multi-level Parking structures will be built, two buildings on the eastern side and one on the west. A subway connecting Railway Plot and Periyar Bus Stand, a dedicated FOB for Parcel movement, and two Skywalks connecting the Parking facilities on the eastern side, are also planned. East Terminal Building The proposed East Terminal building is a G+2 structure with an area of 22,576 sq.m (excluding concourse area). The entrance façade of the station building would depict the vernacular architectural character of the region. The ground floor is planned to provide for clutter free movement with dedicated arrival and departure area equipped with world-class passenger facilities like toilets, cloak room, baby care, feeding room, help desk, commercial outlets and kiosk. The first floor will accommodate the passenger waiting lounges for the train clubbed with facilities like restaurants, retail commerce and toilets. The second floor of the East terminal building is proposed for commercial activity. Air Concourse The main feature of the first floor of East Terminal is the air concourse which would facilitate hassle-free movement of passengers to their respective platforms. For easy accessibility from concourse to respective platforms, two pairs of escalators, two lifts and four staircases to each platform will be provided. This air concourse is an integral part of the station and interlinks the two terminal buildings approximately 110 m apart thus ensuring seamless movement of passengers. The concourses will accommodate the passenger amenities, waiting area from where passengers would have better visibility of platforms. West Terminal The existing secondary West terminal buildingwill be renovated to include the facilities of a world class station. The two-storey building will be developed to include the departure / Arrival forecourt, various railway offices,ticketing counters and other passenger amenities. Multi-level Parking facilities In order to cater the existing and future demand for vehicular parking, 3 parking structures are envisaged in the redevelopment project, which are: East Side Multilevel CarParking Building-G+2 building9,430 sq.m East Side Multilevel Two-Wheeler Parking Building-G+3 building-2,822 sq.m West Side Multilevel Car Parking Building- G+1 building- 2,580 sq.m Besides, in order to facilitate safe transfer of passengers to and from the Periyar Bus Terminal, a subway connecting the basement of the bus terminal and the railway premises is envisaged.The main objective is to segregate departure and arrival corridors and to facilitate smooth traffic flow through inter-modal connectivity. Approach roads are planned for better movement of passenger vehicles. Madurai station redevelopment work, once completed will place it on the map of world class stations.

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CHENNAI EGMORE RAILWAY STATION – THE NEW PRIDE OF CHENNAI

0 Chennai Egmore Railway station is one of the endearing structures of Chennai city sporting the Gothic style of architecture with imposing domes and corridors. The 114 year old station, the second major terminal of Southern Railway, is proposed for redevelopment to cope up with the ever increasing passenger volumes and also satisfying the aspirations and demands of a modern commuter. This NSG-1 category railhead handles more than 562 scheduled trains (442 Suburban Trains and 120 Mail/Express) daily, with an average peak hour footfall of 24,600. Award of Contract Southern Railway has awarded the work of Redevelopment of Chennai Egmore Railway Station as EPC contract to M/s DEC Infrastructure & Projects India Private Limited, Hyderabad on 07.10.2022 at a cost of Rs. 734.91 Crores, setting a time frame of 36 months for completion of the project. The sanctioned cost of the project is Rs. 842 crores. M/s Tata Consulting Engineers, Mumbai have been tasked with the work of Project Management services (PMS). The PMS consultant isresponsible for monitoring the project. Roadmap to Redevelopment Construction of two new station buildings The major scope of the Re-development work includes Construction of New Station buildings (G+3 structures) on both sides of the station (Gandhi-Irwin side & Poonamallee road side), Arrival/Departure Concourses, Arrival/ Parcel FOB, Multi-level car parking Redeveloped Chennai Egmore will offer superior infrastructure & novel facilities for passengers The main entrance to Chennai Egmore is situated on the Gandhi-Irwin Road and the rear entrance on Poonamallee High Road. The redevelopment project of Chennai Egmore Railway Station is planned at both the sides, i.e., Gandhi Irwin and Poonamalle Road sides of the existing station building for a total built up area of about 1,35,406 sq.m. The redevelopment is intended to provide an iconic structure with modern state-of-the-art facilities while retaining the heritage value of the existing structure. (MLCP) on both sides of the station, External development works, Refurbishment of the existing Station building, Provision of Arrival/Departure plazas, utility shifting etc. with connectivity to all platforms facilitated by escalators and lifts and importantly to Egmore Metro Station. The station will be upgraded to house additional toilets, drinking water coolers, shaded seating , escalators, lifts and differently-abled friendly facilities. Dedicated arrival / departure terminals The redeveloped station will facilitate efficient handling of trains and hassle free passenger movement besides providing facilities for maintenance and operations. Arrival and Departure passengers will be segregated at platforms, concourse and circulating areas akin to the system prevalent in airports. Three Foot Over Bridges will be constructed separately to facilitate ease of movement for passengers across the arrival corridor, circulating areas and for handling parcels. Intermodal transport facilities The project aims at harmonious development of the station with the surrounding Chennai cityscape, which includes design for seamless flow for pedestrians between public/private transport, boarding/ alighting points minimizing length of walking distances. In order to provide efficient, convenient and aesthetic solution to connectivity and integration between various modes of transport the circulating areas is designed for easier and convenient intermodal transfer facilities for passenger. WORKS EXECUTED SO FAR Utility survey & Tree survey completed Right of way handed for Multi-level Car Parking on Gandhi-Irwin road side and Poonamallee road side, Parcel office, Arrival FOB, Parcel FOB & Arrival Concourse Topographical survey completed Borehole for geotechnical investigation in progress (11 boreholes completed) Site office construction is in progress Setting up of Batching plant is in progress Drone survey completed Multi-level Car Parking Multi-level Car Parking facilities (G+5 structures) will be constructed on both sides of the station. The total built up area of the Multi-level Car Parking will be 19362 sq.m on the Gandhi-Irwin Road side and 18020 sq.m on the Poonamallee road side of the station. Parking facilities will be provided for various modes of transportation such as cars, taxis, private 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler as well as auto-rickshaws. Separate lanes for drop- offs/ pickups will be provided to enable logical and conflict-free movements. Provision of Multi level car parking will also be given to avoid the congestion in parking space.

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What is India’s oldest railway headquarters

0 Home to one of India’s oldest railway headquarters, the Southern Railway Headquarters building celebrated its 100th anniversary recently. Join us as we pay homage to this iconic legacy that is second to none A massive heritage structure in present day Chennai, the Southern Railway Headquarters building situated next to Dr MGR Chennai Central celebrated its centenary year on 11th December 2022. It was on 11th December 1922, exactly a hundred years ago, the palatial three storey building was inaugurated by Her Excellency The Lady Willingdon, C.I., D.B.E. the wife of Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon, the then Governor of Madras. In commemoration of the centenary celebrations of the vintage building, a group of about sixty heritage and rail enthusiasts led by Shri V. Sriram, a renowned heritage activist based in Chennai, took a heritage walk in and around the majestic edifice today. Shri V.Sriram elaborated on the history of the building which served as the headquarters of Madras & Southern Mahratta Railway (M&SMR) and later became the headquarters of Southern Railway in the year 1951 when the new zone was formed by the merger of erstwhile Madras & Southern Mahratta Railway, Mysore State Railway and South Indian Railway systems. Shri V. Sriram also shared interesting vignettes on the various heritage installations and architecture of the building. The rail and heritage aficionados who participated in the commemorative heritage walk thanked Railways for the unique opportunity to retrace the history of the magnificent structure. DID YOU KNOW? The Iconic heritage structure housing the Southern Railway Headquarters completes its Centenary year on 11th December 2022 A Commemorative Heritage Walk was held to mark the Centenary Foundation stone laid on 8th February 1915 & Inaugurated on 11th December 1922 Indo-Saracenic type of architecture with a blend of Dravidian style Porbundar stones used in construction and were ferried to Chennai by H.H.Wadia & Bros Constructed by T. Samynada Pillai, a Bangalore-based contractor at a cost of Rs.30.76 lakhs, in 1922 Transcending the Ages: The Southern Railway Headquarters Building The majestic building was designed by N. Grayson, an architect and employee of the erstwhile Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway. The Foundation of the palatial headquarters building was laid on 8th February 1915 by Lord Pentland, the then Governor of Madras. Based on the Dravidian style of classic architecture the foundation of the Indo – Saracenic type structure consists of a reinforced concrete raft from 5 to 8 feet below the ground level set upon a stratum of pure sand, nearly 20 feet deep. The building was constructed by T.Samynada Pillai, a Bangalore-based contractor at a cost of Rs.30.76 lakhs. It took nearly 7.5 months to lay the foundation structure consisting of 500 tons of steel bars embedded in 10,000 tons of granite concrete. Built of stock brick with Porbundar stone, the central towers rise to a height of 125 feet 6 inches above the roadway. H.H. Wadia & Bros, pioneers in quarrying Porbundar stones were instrumental in bringing Porbundar stones from Gujarat. The stones were transported for 8 years via sea to Kerala and then by Rail to Madras. H.H. Wadia & Bros camped in Madras from 1913 to 1922 along with their team of skilled masons from Porbundar under the leadership of master mason Pitambar Hira. Each of the four corner domes of this majestic edifice houses water tanks with a total capacity of about 35,000 gallons. After seven long years of intensive labour and a massive investment of Rs.30,76,400, the building was opened on 11th December 1922 by Her Excellency The Lady Willingdon, C.I., D.B.E. the wife of the then Governor of Madras. It may be noted that a commemorative special postal cover was released to mark the launch of the centenary year of Southern Railway headquarters in January 2022. Presently, the three-storey vintage building houses the Southern Railway General Manager’s Office and several other departments. Over 1500 employees work here. Text BY: B. Guganesan, Chief Public Relations Officer

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