Lok Sabha Question No. 4562 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-29
Subject: Facilities to Railway Passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4562 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.03.2017

## FACILITIES TO RAILWAY PASSENGERS

†4562. SHRI  KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE: SHRI ARVIND SAWANT:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has announced a number of facilities to rail passengers across the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the trains arriving in Bihar from the major cities of the country are over crowded and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to introduce new trains for  Bihar  in  the  next  Rail  Budget  in  order  to  meet  the  over crowded situation in trains; and
- (d)  if  so,  the  number  of  new  trains  introduced  to  and  from Maharashtra during the last two years and the reason for delay in running of trains from their scheduled time table?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (d):     A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  4562  BY  SHRI  KRUPAL  BALAJI TUMANE AND SHRI ARVIND SAWANT TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA  ON  29.03.2017  REGARDING  FACILITIES  TO  RAILWAY PASSENGERS

- (a):  Indian  Railways  have  provided  numerous  facilities  to  rail passengers including the following:-
- (i) Online ticket booking facility through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website thereby obviating  the  need  to  stand  in  queues  at  reservation counters.
- (ii) Reserved  and  unreserved  ticket  booking  facility  through mobile phones.
- (iii) Provision of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) at Railway stations for dispensation of tickets.
- (iv) Installation  of  Point  of  Sale  (POS)  machines  at  various locations of Indian Railways for enabling cashless transactions.
- (v) Earmarking of separate counters at various Computerised Passenger  Reservation  System  (PRS)  centres  for  dealing with the reservation requisitions received from physically challenged persons, senior citizens, ladies, Ex.MPs, MLAs, accredited press correspondents and freedom fighters.
- (vi) Automatic  preparation  of  reservation  charts  at  least  4 hours  before  scheduled  departure  of  train  and  thereafter booking  of  available  accommodation  through  internet  as well as through PRS counters.
- (vii) Dissemination of information about change in passenger's reservation  status  in  the  case  of  Waiting  list/RAC  to confirmed, cancellation of trains through SMS.
- (viii) Cancellation of Computerised Passenger Reservation System  (PRS)  counter  tickets  through  IRCTC  website  or through 139.
- (ix) Automatic refund to e-ticket holders in case of cancellation of trains.
- (x) Introduction  of  Alternate  Train  Accommodation  Scheme 'VIKALP' to provide confirmed accommodation to waitlisted  passengers and optimal utilisation of available accommodation.
- (xi) Increase in number  of berths  earmarked  as  RAC  to accommodate more passengers.
- (xii) Enhancement  of  the  existing  combined  quota  earmarked for Senior Citizens, pregnant women and female passengers 45 years of age and above to 6 lower berths per coach in Sleeper, 3 lower berths per coach in 3AC and 3 lower berths per coach  in 2AC  class. Further, in Rajdhani, Duronto and fully Air Conditioned/ Express trains, the number of lower berths has been increased to 4 lower berths per coach.
- (xiii) Introduction  of  Sarathi  Seva  to  help  old  and  disabled passengers requiring assistance at the station and strengthen  the  existing  services  for  enabling  passengers to book Battery Operated Card (BOC), porter services etc. on a paid basis in addition to the existing pick up and drop and wheelchair services.
- (xiv) Provision of Yatri Mitra Sewa  at major stations for enabling  passengers  to  book  wheelchair  services  cum porter services.
- (xv) Provision  of  cushioned  seats  in  General  Second  class coaches, bottle holder and snack table in non-air conditioned  Sleeper  Class  coaches,  dustbins  in  Non-AC coaches, Braille signages in coaches, mugs with chain in Non-AC coaches, toilet in the newly manufactured DEMU/MEMU coaches, etc.
- (xvi) Station-based  e-catering  services  have  been  introduced and at present, available on 357 stations.

(xvii) 1100 Water Vending Machines have been installed at 345 stations  for  providing  pure  drinking  water  to  travelling passengers.

(xviii) To mitigate the hardships faced by mothers while travelling  with  infants,  Janani  Sewa  has  been  introduced to make available baby foods, hot milk and hot water.

However, strengthening/upgrading the existing passenger facilities  and  introduction  of  new  facilities  is  a  continuous  and ongoing process.

(b):  State-wise  statistics  is  not  maintained  on  Indian  Railways. However,  the  demand  pattern  on  Indian  Railways  is  not  uniform throughout the year and it varies during the peak and lean seasons. The  demand  for  travel  surges  especially  during  the  peak  season like  during summer holidays, festivals etc. The overall occupancy of reserved accommodation in all trains on Indian Railways during the  Financial  Year  2016-17  (upto  February,  2017)  was  more  than 100%.

(c):   No, Madam. Indian Railways do not run trains on State-wise basis as rail network straddles across State boundaries. However, introduction  of  train  services  is  an  ongoing  process  on  Indian Railways keeping in view the traffic demand, operational feasibility, availability of resources, etc.

(d): Indian  Railways  do  not  run  trains  on  region-wise,  divisionwise or State-wise basis as rail network and train operations cut across State boundaries.

*****