Bengaluru Metro could soon zip along Reach-1

Bengalureans could hope to see the Metro project take off on Reach-1 in the days to come.

The swanky Metro trains are now running regularly on the viaduct along Reach-1.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has started the trial service, which means that the final parameter to secure a safety certificate from the Commissioner of Railway Safety will be completed soon.

Service trials are conducted to check that the train is responding well to all the system installations on the main line and, if any discrepancy is observed, remedial action is taken swiftly. During service trials, the train is made to run as per the Metro time table.

For instance, a train will leave M.G. Road station and reach Trinity Station in a few seconds where it will halt for a minute or so. If a train is running from M.G. Road to Byapanahalli on the up-line, another train is made to run from Byapanahalli to M.G. Road on the down-line.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Chief PRO, BMRCL, B.L.Y. Chavan said: “The service trials started on June 30 when the Research Designs and Schedules Organisation (RDSO) successfully completed the oscillation trials and emergency brake distance (EBD) tests. The trains are running according to the time-table that will be followed during commercial operations. We will run the prototype train for 2,500 km, the remaining four train sets will be made to run for 750 km. Service trials are being done to ensure that there is no problem once commercial operations start.”

The commissioner of railway safety (CRS) still has to carry out an inspection along Reach-1, which will take about a week. Once the safety certificate is given by the assessor, the train is declared fit for revenue services.

“We are just waiting for a report from the RDSO, Lucknow. It will not take much time to finish the service trials,” added Mr Chavan.

5,900 H-1B visa applications in first week after opening

The H-1B visa, the most sought after by Indian IT professionals has opened to a lacklustre response, with less than 6,000 applications received after it opened on April 1.

"USCIS has received approximately 5,900 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap, and approximately 4,500 petitions toward the 20,000 cap exemption for individuals with advanced degrees," the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said in a statement, a week after it started receiving applications for the visas for the fiscal year 2012 beginning October 1, 2011.

As such, USCIS said it would continue to receive applications for the H-1B visa till the caps are reached. The popular work visa is the most sought after by the computer technology professionals from India.

As mandated by the US Congress, the USCIS will accept petitions for 65,000 H-1B visas.

Additionally, the first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of individuals who have earned a US master's degree or higher are exempt from this 65,000 cap.

If needed, USCIS will randomly select the number of petitions required to reach the numerical limit from the petitions received on the final receipt date.

Petitions for new H-1B employment are exempt from the annual cap if the beneficiaries will work at institutions of higher education or related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organisations.

US businesses use the H-1B programme to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields, such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers.

The H-1B cap for the fiscal 2011 was reached in January this year and on December 22 for the fiscal 2010.

Till a few years ago the cap was reached within the first few days of USCIS starting to accept H-1B petitions.

As a result, USCIS had to resort to computerized draw of lots to determine successful applicants.

Because of stringent monitoring provisions and general economic recession, there has been a sharp drop in the number of Indian receiving H-1B visas in the last few years, official figures reveal.

For instance the Infosys which received as many as 4,559 H-1B visas in the fiscal 2008 and was on top of the list of companies receiving this coveted work visa for professionals; received just 440 H-1B visas in the fiscal 2009 (October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009), according to the latest figures released by the US immigration services.

Similarly, Wipro, which in 2008 got 2,678 H-1B visas, received just 1,964 H-1B visas in 2009; but still topped the list in the fiscal 2009.

In 2008 four out of the top five companies bagging the maximum number of H-1B visas were grabbed by Indian companies.

These were Infosys (4,559), Wipro (2678), Satyam (1917) and Tata Consultancy Services (1539).

Microsoft with 1037 H1-1B visas was the only US company to figure in top five.