The world’s fourth largest railway network, Indian Railways, will get bio-toilets on all trains by 2017.

“Indian Railway is the largest open toilet in the world,” said the country’s Minister for Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation, Jairam Ramesh.

An estimated 11 million passengers travel every day by train and at present, waste is dumped directly on to the tracks, with many passengers ignoring requests not use toilets when trains are stationary.

Apart from the unbearable stench it creates, the practice leads to clogging of rail lines at busy stations.

Jairam Ramesh said that his ministry will now be fitting all new coaches with bio-toilets built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Over Rs 5 billion, funded evenly between Indian Railways and the Rural Development Ministry, has been set aside for installing 50,000 coaches with the new technology.

At present only nine trains with 436 coaches are fitted with bio-toilets, while 4,000 coaches are produced annually which could be fitted with new bio-toilets.

“Installing bio-toilets will not only prevent the corrosion of tracks, but will also provide odourless toilets to passengers,” said Jairam Ramesh.

Railway Board chairman Vinay Mittal has given a positive nod to the proposal and asked the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to submit a detailed plan in this regard.

Jairam also requested the Railways Ministry to run Nirmal Bharat Express on the model of Red Ribbon Express to spread the message of cleanliness and sanitation.

Olympics organisers have issued travel advice ahead of what they predict will be the busiest day of the Games for the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

Around 50,000 spectators are expected to make their way to the Equestrian Cross Country event at Greenwich Park today.

Many stations across the network are expecting a huge rise in footfall, including London Bridge National Rail Station which will be exit only between 6-10pm to deal with the surge in passengers.

The Olympics’ dedicated travel website, Get Ahead of the Games, has issued the following warnings to rail passengers:

• The Jubilee line will be very busy throughout the day, especially in the evening peak.
• The Piccadilly and District lines will be busy with spectators heading to Wimbledon and Earls Court for events.
• London Bridge, Canary Wharf and Bank Underground stations are expected to be exceptionally busy with spectators interchanging to go to Greenwich.
• Embankment station is expected to be very busy throughout the day with spectators going to Beach Volleyball at Horse Guards Parade.
• A number of Underground stations will be operating differently including Marble Arch and Hyde Park.
• National Rail services are expected to be very busy today, especially Southeastern services to Greenwich.
• Greenwich, Blackheath, Cannon Street, Charing Cross and Waterloo East National Rail stations will also be very busy in the morning and evening.
• London Bridge National Rail station will be operating differently. Passengers will not be able to access platforms 1-6 to board Southeastern or First Capital Connect services between 6-10pm today. Southern services from Platforms 8-16 are not affected.
• The Olympic Park will be exceptionally busy, so for a less crowded journey use the District or Hammersmith & City line to West Ham – there’s an easy 15-20 minute walk along the Greenway.

More than 440,000 extra seats have been provided by train operators in preparation tonight’s Olympic opening ceremony.

Hundreds of additional staff have been drafted in by train companies and Network Rail to the capital’s busiest stations.

Earlier today, 92 per cent of services were running to schedule across the network.

Non-essential engineering work on all the key routes serving Olympic venues has been suspended throughout the Games

For up-to-date travel information to and from the Olympic park click here.

Redevelopment of Battersea Power Station, including extension of the Northern Line, will cost £8 billion and create 20,000 construction jobs, it has been revealed.

Work on the project, which is being delivered by SP Setia, Sime Darby and Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia), is expected to begin next summer.

Rejuvenation of the site will include new homes, office space, a hotel and retail space, and an extension of the Northern Line and new transportation hub.

Once complete, the project will create a further 13,000 permanent jobs.

The announcement came on the first day of the British Business Embassy – the country’s largest series of trade and investment conferences, being held to coincide with the Olympics and Paralympic Games.

The opening Global Investment Conference was hosted at the British Business Embassy, Lancaster House, yesterday (July 26) in front of an audience of international government representatives and global business figures.

Another 17 business summits will be held during the Olympics and Paralympic Games, with more than 4,000 UK and international business delegates expected to make their way to the British Business Embassy.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “The Olympics presents us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to boost the UK’s growth potential. Our world-beating innovation in green technology and advanced manufacturing are on show for a vast global audience, and today we can be proud of those achievements.

“Britain needs and must cultivate an investor-friendly economy. It’s not just for us but about a shared prosperity – mutual business deals globally. Every deal counts, but we want to be bold, we need to think big, and that’s why today’s investment is such welcome news.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the world’s political and business leaders over the coming weeks to showcase Britain.”

Transport for London (TfL) commissioner Peter Hendy CBE has said that the coming weeks present a “major challenge” to the capital’s public transport network.

In a letter released ahead of this evening’s Olympic opening ceremony, he said: “I’m just as excited, but also aware that the next few weeks will present a major challenge.

“This is the first ‘public transport’ Games, but we are well prepared and ready.

“London is very experienced at hosting major events, although with a million extra people expected in the capital each day, it’s going to be exceptionally busy.

“The unexpected will happen – not everything will work perfectly – but my staff will be working round the clock to ensure we keep London moving.”

The Games is being served by the Central, District, Hammersmith & City and Jubilee Tube lines, the Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, National Rail services and numerous bus links.

Anyone travelling around London during the Olympics is being directed to GetAheadoftheGames.com for up-to-date travel information.

Proposed strikes by train drivers union ASLEF have been cancelled following “constructive talks” with East Midlands Trains.

ASLEF members had planned to take industrial action between August 6-8 over pension changes.

East Midlands Trains had said that strike action would have forced it to only run at 50 per cent capacity on services to and from London, with athletes relying on the Midland Main Line to travel to the Games from the Olympic training camp at Loughborough University.

More to follow