Mallikarjun Kharge launches rail ticket booking by calls, SMSes

June 29, 2013

New Delhi, Jun 29: Railways on Friday introduced a ticketing service through calls and text messages from mobile phones.

Launching the facility, Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that the service is more conducive for the masses of India because access to internet in the country is limited to 10 per cent of the population, but 80 per cent of the population has access to mobile phones.
“Online booking now constitutes 45 per cent of all forms of rail ticket booking.
The new facility will help further decrease ticketing through counters. This facility will help migrant labourers purchase tickets without taking leave from work,” Kharge asserted.
The service, which is looked after by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), has been launched on a pilot basis for three months. During this period no agent charges would be levied for availing of the facility.

Two dedicated numbers — 139 and 5676714 — have been set up for SMS-based ticketing.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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