During an inspection of Delhi-Chandigarh section, Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw interacted with track maintainers, permanent way inspectors and signal department staff and came to know that many of the Railway assets required a lot of maintenance and expenditure. “Create assets which require low maintenance,” Vaishnaw told the employees, sharing the examples of cost-effective railway systems like in Japan and Switzerland. He also suggested bringing modern equipment such as tamping machines for track stabilisation and ballast cleaning machines. The discussion, which went on for one and a half hours in a moving inspection car, saw many workers share their field challenges. Vaishnaw assured them of his full support in resolving those issues.
Virtual Poll Fight
With local body polls drawing near in Kerala, the social media war between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF has become more intense. While the CPI(M) is targeting the Congress over the Rahul Mamkoottathil controversy — suspended party MLA accused in a number of sexual abuse complaints — the digital media cell of Kerala Congress has come up with a vigorous campaign against the ruling party with some help from the AICC. Lok Sabha MP Hibi Eden, who has taken over as in-charge of social media for the Kerala Congress, has launched a slogan — Ambalakkallanmar kadakku purathu (Get out, temple thieves) — referring to the alleged role of CPI(M) leaders in the Sabarimala temple gold theft case. The slogan has become the profile cover of all the senior Congress leaders in the state.
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