Govt panel to aid cops; Uddhav unimpressed Surge pricing arriving for Rajdhani, Shatabdi

The death of traffic policeman Vilas Shinde has prompted the state government to take action on the issue. On Wednesday, it declared a committee that will suggest remedies to the problems being faced by police personnel in their daily lives.

For the first time, the committee will include a person representing the families of police personnel. A senior police officer, senior government officer and a public representative will be among the other members of the committee, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Ruling ally Shiv Sena, however, was unimpressed with the decision. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded an independent home minister, after questioning the CM’s ability to handle the ‘sensitive state home department’. Fadnavis, however, chose to remain silent on the remarks. Uddhav said, “Fadnavis is a nice person, but he is heavily burdened with work. Thus, I strongly feel Maharashtra needs a full-time home minister.”

You may soon have to shell out more money for a 15-hour Delhi-Mumbai train journey than a two-hour flight.

The government has hiked passenger fares of the premier Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains by a maximum of 50% for tickets booked on or after Friday.

Under the new formula, base fares will jump by 10% for every 10% berths sold in AC-II and AC-III compartments on these trains, with a cap of 50% hike on the original fare. So, if the base fare for an AC III journey is Rs2,000, the maximum a commuter might pay is Rs3,000. The Railways run 22 Duronto, 25 Rajdhani and 38 Shatabdi trains between major cities. First AC and executive class are exempt from the new rule.