LOST TRAIN

This is too hilarious.

Remember there was a case of a missing tank in Ahmednagar some years back. 

The Indian Railways did one better.....they had a complete train missing for nearly 40 years. This is how it happened:

The Lost Train.

This rake was discovered on on 18th December 2019 lying at a small station about 40 kms short of Tinsukia main. Tinsukia itself is about 480 kms NE of Guwahati and about 80 kms from the Arunachal border.

Apparently sometime in 1976 or so,  the rake had been  placed at one of the disused sidings temporarily, as there was no place available along the platforms at the station, which in any case was a very small one.

Railway records show that the train had reached there at 11:08 AM on 16th June 1976. The engine ('power' in railway parlance) was disconnected from the rake and brought back to the station to assist in placing of certain goods wagons.

Heavy rains and flooding took place with effect 11:31 AM, the same day. Enquiries ordered by the Railway Board reveal, at that point of time, the railway staff was totally involved in maintaining traffic continuity, track repairs and tackling the immediate flooding problem; as almost the entire station had been submerged in 5-6 feet of water. 

The passengers all had alighted and had made their way to their destinations, obviously with some difficulty. And with some help from the local villagers.

During this period the Station Master too moved out on posting as also some of the staff. 

In the meantime people forgot about this rake as it was about 2 kms from the main station, at a limb and in a deserted place. 

Slowly vegetation took over the entire area. The remnants of the track leading to the rarely used siding, which had not been washed away in the flood, soon disappeared  under bushes, shrubs and weeds. Snakes,   birds and wild animals found it an ideal home, much like sunken ships in which marine life abounds.

Time went by. Most of the older lot of railway men retired and others passed away. No one remembered the train. Daniel Smith, the engine driver emigrated to Australia in September 1976. 

On 5th December 2019, a satellite picture by one of the NASA satellites which was mapping the forest cover in the Asia-Africa region, captured somewhat obscure, hidden and not too clear pictures of this rake, under a thick forest canopy. 

Suspecting it to be the site of an Indian, camouflaged 'rail mobile' ICBM rake, it was forwarded to the Pentagon.  Abnormal activity of a number of satellites over this area was then noted by ISRO, NTRO and Indian intelligence agencies. 

In the meantime Russian and Chinese double agents in the Pentagon informed their handlers, in their mother countries, about the 'ICBM Train' discovered by NASA. In a bizarre sequence of events, RAW got this information from agents on their payroll in Russia and China. 

Now alarm bells started ringing. Could it be a rogue action by an Indian ‘Dr Strangeglove' type of person-- civilian or military?

Inquiries began at the Indian end. The PMO, DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency), NIA (National Investigation Agency), the MoD (Ministry of Defence) and the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) got involved.

By an internal memo, the IHQ, the Military Space Command and SFC (Strategic Forces Command), all denied the placement of any such train/rake at the location being given.

But subsequent aerial recce and pics taken by own satellites, IAF and the ARC (Aviation Research Center), all confirmed that a well camouflaged rake actually was there.

Ultimately a ground party of SF including MARCOS and GARUD's was sent along with a senior intelligence officer from the NSA's office to the site in an hush-hush operation. 

And that is the story of the Lost Train!

Unbelievable, but absolutely true!

Courtesy: C P Narayanan

 ADVISORY ON MIGRATION OF LEGACY PENSIONERS TO SPARSH   

1. It is brought to the kind notice of all esteemed Veteran Offrs & NoKs that PCDA (P), Allahabad has started the process of migration of legacy pensioners to SPARSH in phased manner. In the first phase, all 7th CPC regime pensioners (i.e post 01 Jan 2016) are being migrated. To this effect 558 pensioners, who were drawing their pension from private banks have been migrated. All balance pensioners are likely to be migrated by 28 Feb 2022. Pre-2016 pensioners will be migrated in phases for which separate intimation will be given through this website on receipt from PCDA (P), Allahabad. 

 2. For ease of understanding & business, few salient features about SPARSH are described in succeeding paragraphs.  

3. About SPARSH. System for Pension Administration – Raksha (SPARSH) is a comprehensive pension package (CPP), an end-to-end online system aimed at facilitating and easing every aspect of Defence Pensions from initiation to disbursement. The project basically entails online submission of Pension Claims from Officers’ Record Office (ORO) to PCDA (P), Allahabad through PCDA (O), Pune, online verification & authentication of data and online disbursement of pension direct into account by PCDA (P) instead of Banks/CPPCs/DPDOs etc. Website link – https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in.  

4. Migration of Legacy Pensioners on SPARSH. Stepwise process of migration is given at Appx A. 

5. Benefits/Advantages of SPARSH.  (a) Single point contact i.e PCDA (P), Allahabad for all pension and data related queries. (b) No role of any DPDO/Bank & CPPC etc as the pension will be directly credited into pensioner’s account by PCDA (P) Allahabad through SPARSH & eKuber package of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). (c) Pensioner will have the facility of login to access following services:- (i) View & updated profile. (ii) Raise any kind of request post login like change/update of Mobile No, Email, Address & Bank details which would be straight way approved & updated. (iii) Raise request for amendment of names or Date of Birth (DOB) of family members duly uploading necessary supporting documents which would be visible to the dealing staff of ORO (MP-5B) for vetting and approval. The updated data/details would be found reflected in SPARSH system post final approval of PCDA (P). No corrigendum PPO will be issued until there is a change in pensionary benefits. No hardcopies of documents are reqd to be sent. 2  (iv) Queries/Requests related to pension anomalies.  (v) Interactive grievance mgt as per designed modules/subjects therein.  (vi) View/Download monthly pension details/pension slip.  (vii) Income tax forms including Investment declarations to save the tax.  (viii) Track Claim.  (ix) Information about Re-employment. 

 6. Identifications/Submission of Life Cert. Identifications/Submission of Life Cert process is explained in detail given at Appx B.  

7. Service Centres for Assistance of Pensioners. There are 938 Service centres across the country. Nearest service centre can be located by visiting the SPARSH website or by using direct link ‘https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in/?page =serviceCentreLocator’ on civil internet. Locate Service Centre, Put state/distt/pin code and click Search. 

 8. Pensioner’s Death/Missing Intimation by NoK. The process is given at Appx C.  

9. Online Submission of Family Pension or Corr Case by ORO (MP-5B). The pensioners may process any data correction case for issue of corrigendum PPO or start of Family Pension either through SPARSH as explained above or through existing method i.e RODRA, email, by post etc. On receipt of requisite document, ORO (MP- 5B) will raise the “Data Correction” case online through SPARSH if pensioners have been migrated to SPARSH otherwise through legacy system. However, to avoid duplicacy, pensioners are advised to use only one medium at a time. Manual cases of migrated pensioners will no longer be accepted by PCDA (P), Allahabad. 

10. All pensioners are advised to visit the SPARSH website ‘sparsh.defencepension.gov.in’ and specially the ‘FAQ’ link to acquaint themselves with the features and facilities. 

Appx ‘A’ MIGRATION PROCESS  

Step 1.   Imdtly on migration, an SMS and email is sent to the pensioner’s latest Mobile No & email ID registered with Bank for e-banking or SMS facility etc. OR 

Step 2. A pensioner can check his status by visiting the website ‘https://pcdapension.nic.in/pcda/view-sparshppo.php’ on civil internet. 

Step 3. Select the mode by which you want to search ; the Old e-PPO No or IC No or Bank Account No and then type the same in the box given. 

Step 4. Type the given Captcha and click on ‘Submit’ button. New PPO No would be reflected on screen. OR 

Step 5. Migrated pensioners may find their new PPO No under link ‘Various Functions - DAK/SPARSH migration status’ after login into RODRA also which is updated as per the list received from PCDA(P) by ORO. OR 

Step 6.      If any pensioner is shown as migrated to SPARSH but he couldn’t get his user ID & password through SMS/email due to any reason, he may contact PCDA (P), Allahabad on 18001805325 or TCS on 011-20893782/83/84/85 or may contact the following:

Name - Shri Suarabh Chandra Ghosh

Designation - AO

Mob No - 9450583095

E Mail Id -  sauravhghosh.dad@gov.in 

OR

Name - Shri Manish 

Designation - AO

Mob No -  9415267523

E Mail Id -  manishaao.da@gov.in 

OR

may try to directly login as per fwg method on SPARSH Website ‘sparsh.defencepension.gov.in’ 

Login page :- (i) Login with User ID - User ID as received or if not received then New SPARSH PPO No suffixed with 01 (eg if New SPARSH PPO No is 101202100999 then User ID will be 10120210099901) 

(ii) Password - Use Forgot Password link and follow the on screen process. 

Step 7.    In case the officer is still unable to get his details or successfully login, he may contact ORO (MP-5B) to update his Mobile No & email ID on 8130591689 & 8368051743 (whatsapp only), through email offr.record@gov.in or RODRA grievance module. 

Note :-   No soft or hard copy of new PPO is being generated or issued and only a new PPO No is issued. Details of service, family, pension & other benefit are reflected under profile post login into SPARSH. If the pensioner wishes, he may keep a printout of the same for his ref as the SPARSH PPOs are just a statement with pension dtls and no longer serve as an authority for payment of pension by any agency like DPDO/Bank etc. Accordingly, the PPOs of current retirees are also issued with following Note:- ‘This document is for record of pensioner only and does not serve as authority for payment at any Pension Disbursing Agency, Payment of pension will be done centrally by SPARSH’. 

Appx ‘B’ IDENTIFICATION PROCESS : EXPLAINED 

1. Pensioners/NoKs may use any of the following methods for initial/yearly identification or submission of Life Cert:- 

Method/ Option 1. DLC (Digital Life Cert) may be submitted after login into SPARSH on a Computer connected to Biometric fingerprint/iris scanner device for Aadhaar Authentication as per following process :-  

• Step 1. Click on Identification tab from menu on left bar.  
• Step 2. Click on “Perform Identification” button shown below personal particulars. A new page will open.  
• Step 3. Click on small circle shown against Aadhar and follow the onscreen process. 

Method/ Option 2. Generate Manual Life Cert (MLC) with Token No post login into SPARSH. 

 Step 1 & 2.  Same as above.  

Step 3. Click on small circle shown against Manual Life Cert (MLC) and click on Generate MLC Number.  Step 3. Click on Initiate Request. A Ceritifcate will be be generated, save or take a print, get it signed from any gazetted officer and upload the same in SPARSH as image/pdf through your Mobile/Tab/PC/Laptop etc after login.  (c) 

Method/ Option 3. Submit DLC through Govt “Jeevan Praman Portal”. Download the app on PC/Tab/Mobile. Better is to download and install the app on mobile which facilitates face recognisation authentication of Aadhaar and no biometric finger print/iris scanner device is required. For further details, visit FAQ section on website https://jeevanpramaan.gov.in.  

Method/ Option 4. Visit any nearby CSC (Citizen/Common Service Centre) which are also called as e-Mitra etc. There are approximate 4 lakh CSCs across the country located at every 5-10 km. Website link- https://locator.csccloud.in or https://registeration. csc.gov.in/JeevanPramaanLocator/csc.aspx.  Note 2. While submitting DLC/MLC other than through SPARSH, Pensioner must select or write “SPARSH PCDA (P) Allahabad” as their Pension Disbursing Authority in the other portals like ‘Jeevan Praman’ etc.  2. The pensioners who have already been migrated to SPARSH are advised to login and see whether their Identification is shown “Pending” or “Verified”. Though a pensioner might have given his MLC to his paying branch, but if the branch has not updated it on their Server, his identification will be shown as “Pending”. In such a case, the pensioners must submit their fresh Life Cert as per any of the methods mentioned in Para 6(a) to (d) above. 

Appx ‘C’ PENSIONER’S DEATH/MISSING INTIMATION BY NOK : EXPLAINED

1. If a pensioner has died post retirement and the NoK is not aware of the SPARSH ID & password, she may use following methods for intimation of death and start of Family Pension:- 

• Step 1. Go to ‘sparsh.defencepension.gov.in’  
• Step 2. Click on Services and then on For Family and then Report Event.  
• Step 3. Click on Death/Missing/Conviction/Initiate Family Pension (as applicable) or use any of the direct applicable link 
•  https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in/?page=death  or
• https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in/?page=missing  or
• https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in/?page=conviction or https://sparsh.defence pension.gov.in/?page=initiatefamilypension  2.
•  On submissioin of above, intimation will be recd by ORO (MP-5B) to process/initiate the Family Pension claim.  . 
• In case of difficulty the widow/ entitled NoK may approach this office (MP-5B) also on 8130591689 & 8368051743 (whatsapp only) on all working days (Monday to Friday) between 0900 AM to 0500 PM.