Lok Sabha Question No. 2973 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Survey of Passengers in Chennai Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: K. KAMARAAJ

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2973 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2017

## SURVEY OF PASSENGERS IN CHENNAI TRAINS

2973.  DR. K. KAMARAJ:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has conducted any survey to find out the number  of  passengers  commuting  daily  in  the  Chennai  local trains/sub-urban trains and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there has been any complaint regarding the inadequate facilities available to the local passengers using suburban trains;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  response  of  the  Railways thereto; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Railways to modernize the urban local railway systems in the country including Chennai Sub-Urban?

## 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.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.2973 BY DR. K. KAMARAJ  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  02.08.2017  REGARDING  SURVEY  OF PASSENGERS IN CHENNAI TRAINS

(a): Analysis of passenger traffic on Indian Railways is done on regular basis. During Financial Year 2017-18 (upto June, 2017), on an average, about 1.05 million passengers travelled daily on suburban section of Southern  Railway.  However,  a  survey  was  conducted  by  Chennai Division in August 2016 to assess the need for running suburban trains across  the  different  suburban  train  sectors.  Based  on  the  survey  of passenger  demand,  59  cross  sectoral  services  from  Arakkonam section  to  Velacherry  section  and  Gummidipoondi  to  Velacherry section were introduced in 2016-17.

- (b) & (c): Complaints regarding inadequate facilities are appropriately addressed and the following facilities have been provided:
- i. Global  Positioning  System  (GPS)  based  Passenger  Information System with visual and audio announcement has been provided in  60  rakes out of 73 rakes plying in Chennai suburban thereby providing  passengers  with  advance  information  regarding  the stations arriving next and other security/safety related information.
- ii. Augmentation of coaches by suburban trains in ChennaiTiruvallur  section.  Work  has  been  taken  up  for  extension  of platforms  to  handle  12  car  rakes  so  that  Electric  Multiple  Unit (EMU) running in this section can be augmented from 9 car rakes to 12 car rakes.

- iii. Unreserved ticketing through mobile phone has been introduced in the entire suburban section of Chennai Division.
- iv. Automatic Ticket Vending Machines/Coin based Ticketing Vending Machines have been provided in 41 stations to reduce waiting time in buying a ticket.
3. (d):    Modernisation  of  Indian  Railways  including  suburban  section  of Chennai is a continuous process. 203 EMU rakes with state of the art 3-phase  Insulated  Gate  Bipolar  Transistors  (IGBT)  based  propulsion system  with  GPS  based  passenger  information  system  have  already been  manufactured  and  introduced  in  Mumbai  suburban  area  of Western and Central Railways.

Following  steps  have  been  taken  to  modernize  the  Chennai  local railway system:-

- i. Augmentation  of  capacity  of  first  class  coaches  with  suitable modifications.
- ii. Work  has  been  taken  up  for  provision  of  dedicated  third  line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu.
- iii. Work  has  been  taken  up  for  provision  of  quadruple  lines  from Chennai Beach to Tiruvottiyur.

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