Railways to start two Duronto trains before Durga Puja

September 29th, 2009 KOLKATA - Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday stepped in to bail out some of the passengers stranded due to the Air India pilots' strike. She arranged for special trains on various routes and asked union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy to run an additional service of the Shipping Corporation of India Wednesday to bring back the air passengers stranded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

September 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Durga Puja festivities for a family in northwest Delhi came to a tragic end Monday when their 17-year-old boy drowned while immersing an idol of Goddess Durga. The victim, identified as Arvind, was a resident of Nangloi.

September 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The 10-day Durga Puja, which was celebrated with deep religious fervour in different parts of the country, concluded on Monday. A large number of married women in various parts of the country participated in the Sindoor or, vermilion powder ceremony, today.

September 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - They descended on the Yamuna banks to bid farewell to the mother goddess, shouting "Bolo Bolo Durga Mai Ki, Jai!" On the final day of puja festivities Monday, thousands of Bengali devotees here could not contain their emotions as giant idols of goddess Durga were immersed in the river. Since morning, the Durga Puja venue at the sprawling Mela Ground in south Delhi's Chittaranjan Park saw women and children touching the feet of the goddess with vermilion, sweets, flowers, incense and books.

September 28th, 2009 KOLKATA - The Howrah-Mumbai Duronto Express, a non-stop train between the two cities, was flagged off Monday from Howrah railway station, officials said. The train started its journey at 8.20 a.m.

September 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - : The festivities of Mahanavami is being celebrated across the country on Sunday ahead of the culmination of the Navratri festivities. Mahanavami mark the ninth day of Navratri celebration.

September 26th, 2009 KOLKATA - Recession has hit hard the export of Durga Puja idols. Potters are getting fewer orders from Bengalis abroad for Durga images that normally do booming business this time of the year.

September 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has greeted the nation on the occasion of Durga Puja and Dussehra.

September 25th, 2009 LUCKNOW - The ongoing power crisis in Uttar Pradesh threatens to cast a shadow over Durga Puja celebrations in the state. Many puja committees have decided not to hold grand functions due to the power shortage and some have even threatened not to perform the daily puja.

September 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil today greeted the nation on the occasion of Durga Puja. In her message, she said, "On the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, I extend my greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens".

September 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - Fulfilling a budget promise, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday flagged off the Duronto Express - a non-stop train that will cover the 1,454 km distance between Sealdah in West Bengal and New Delhi 90 minutes quicker than the Rajdhani. While the Rajdhani Express completes the journey in 18 hours, Duronto takes only 16 hours and 30 minutes.

September 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - A new superfast train service was launched in India Friday that promises to cut travelling time between New Delhi and Kolkata by 90 minutes without any stops on the way. Flagged off by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, the the splashily painted Duronto - speedy in Bengali - Express will cover the 1,454 km distance between Sealdah station in Kolkata and New Delhi 90 minutes quicker than the present inter-city Rajdhani Express.

September 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - A new superfast train service was launched Friday between Kolkata and New Delhi that will cut short the travelling time by 90 minutes and offer added amenities to passengers. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off the first Duronto Express - Duronto means speedy in Bengali - at the Sealdah railway station here, fulfilling the promise she made in this year's railway budget.

September 12th, 2009 KOLKATA - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday said that her ministry has already begun an austerity drive and taken several cost-cutting measures to reduce additional expenditure. "I'd issued an order to cut all additional expenditure and it's already been implemented in the railways," Banerjee said while flagging off two new trains -- Sealdah-Ajmirsharif Express and Farakka-Nabadwip Express -- from Sealdah station here.

September 3rd, 2009 KOLKATA - Kolkata-based tyre manufacturer Dunlop India will resume production at its Sahaganj factory in West Bengal around the Durga Puja festival in late September, a top company official said here in a statement Thursday. "The Sahaganj plant will resume production either just before the Puja, or right after the Puja.