National
Rajnath, Yogi to flag off Lucknow Metro on September 5
Lucknow, Aug 29 (IANS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will flag off the Lucknow Metro’s inaugural run on September 5, an official spokesman of the state government said on Tuesday.
The Home Minister is the Lok Sabha MP from the state capital.
Amid conflicting reports of the date of inauguration, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Kumar Awasthi told IANS that the programme has been fixed for September 5, Teachers Day, and added that some Central Ministers will also grace the occasion.
In the first phase, five trains will run between Transport Nagar and Charbagh stations. The service will be thrown open for the public from September 6.
Officials of the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) said the trains will run from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. The safety audit has already been completed.
Satish Kumar Pandey, Commissioner Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), gave his certification to the LMRC on August 14 for commencing the revenue and commercial operations of its metro services.
He gave his approval to the LMRC after inspecting the trial run of metro train at the maximum operating speed of 80 kmph.
The LMRC has also launched its official website where the people can log in and find details about the time table and other details about the fares among other things, an official said. The base fare has been fixed at Rs 10.
The first phase of metro has been completed in a record three years, said LMRC Managing Director Kumar Keshav, adding that Go Smart cards would also be issued for the regular commuters.
There would be a 10 per cent discount on fares for those using smart cards. A commuter can take back the security money of Rs 100 on returning the Go Smart card to the metro counters.
The Lucknow Metro will also issue “Tourist Cards” to cater exclusively to the tourists and they would be priced at Rs 200 for a day and Rs 350 for three days.
Children up to three feet height will be able to travel free in the metro trains.
The Lucknow Metro project was commissioned by the Akhilesh Yadav government in 2013.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.