Lok Sabha Question No. 3757 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-09
Subject: Improving Facilities in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: KAMLA DEVI PATLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3757 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2017

## IMPROVING FACILITIES IN RAILWAYS

†3757.  SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  standard  of  facilities  available  at  Railway  stations across the country particularly in small cities is satisfactory;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any action plan to improve the existing passenger facilities at Railway stations in the country;
- (d) if so, the major steps taken by the Government in Chhattisgarh and particularly  in  Bilaspur  zone  of  Chhattisgarh  during  the  last  three years and the current year; and
- (e) the mechanism available for monitoring and inspection of availability and maintenance of facilities at various Railway stations in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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- STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3757 BY SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  09.08.2017  REGARDING  IMPROVING FACILITIES IN RAILWAYS (a) & (b): Improvement to Passenger amenities on Indian Railways (IR) is a continuous process. Present day passengers expect visible and qualitative improvement in public utilities and amenities provided at the Stations.  With  a  view  to  meeting  the  expectations  of  the  passengers, Indian Railways is making all out effort to provide improved facilities at the stations including those located in small cities. Indian Railways has more  than  8000  Stations.  It  has  always  been  the  endeavour  of  the Railways  to provide adequate  amenities  to  the  passengers  at  the stations.  Certain  amenities  are  provided  at  the  time  of  construction  of new stations based on anticipated volume of traffic. Amenities are further augmented from time to time with growth in passenger traffic handled at stations, based on the felt need, expectations of the travelling public and availability of funds. In  the  recent  past  Indian  Railways  have  taken  various  steps  to improve  the  services  and  facilitate  the  passengers,  some  of  which  are given below. At stations: i. Lifts and Escalators at the stations for facilitating movement across platforms. ii. Battery  Operated  Vehicles  for  carrying  passengers  before/after  the train journey, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities. iii. Yatri Mitra Sewa for passengers requiring wheel-chair assistance. iv. Well appointed Retiring Rooms, Waiting Halls and Executive Lounges to relax for passengers during transit. v. Wi-fi facility at 127 important stations on IR. In Reservations and travel:
- i. Introduction of the Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme known as 'VIKALP' to give option to waitlisted passengers to shift to alternate train having vacant accommodation.
- ii. Provision  of  facility  to  physically  handicapped  persons  to  book reserved tickets online.
- iii. Introduction  of  paperless  unreserved  ticket  booking  through  mobile phone.
- iv. Automatic  refund  of  confirmed/  Reservation  Against  Cancellation (RAC)/e-tickets on cancellation of trains.
- v. Enhancement of Senior Citizen Quota as well as quota earmarked for physically handicapped persons.
- vi. Making provision in the system for automatic preparation of reservation charts at least four hours before the scheduled departure of train.
- vii. Provision of facility to book available accommodation after preparation  of  first  reservation  chart  through  internet  as  well  as across any computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counter upto preparation of second reservation chart.
- viii. Acceptance  of  all  International  Credit/Debit  cards  for  booking  of e-tickets  through  Indian  Railway  Catering  and  Tourism  Corporation ( IRCTC ) website.
- ix. The passengers having confirmed/RAC/Waitlisted PRS counter tickets may  cancel  the  same  through  IRCTC  website  (www.irctc.co.in)  or through 139 within the prescribed time limit and the refund amount maybe  collected  across  PRS  counter  on  surrendering  the  original ticket.
- x. In order to facilitate cancellation of PRS counter tickets at relatively smaller stations, one of the Unreserved Ticketing System( UTS) cum PRS counters (wherever PRS booking facility is available) has been earmarked  for  granting  refund  beyond  the  working  hours  of  PRS counters/Current counters. This facility is available in respect of PRS
- counter  tickets  for  those  trains  whose  scheduled  departure  time  is within the next 24 hours.
- xi. Establishment of Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendras for issuing of tickets through public private partnership for establishment and operation of computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS)-cum Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) terminals.
- xii. Facility for booking unreserved ticket including platforms tickets and Season Tickets through mobile phone in the 6 suburban sections of IR in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Secunderabad and in Delhi - Palwal and Delhi-Ghaziabad sections of Northern Railway
- xiii. Commencement of concierge services with facility for online booking of  wheelchairs  through  IRCTC  website  at  New  Delhi  and  23  other stations.
- xiv. Provision of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines to facilitate purchase of unreserved journey tickets.
- xv. Extension  of  e-ticketing  facility  to  foreign  debit/credit  cards  for foreign tourists and NRIs.
- xvi. Commissioning of online booking of retiring room at over 488 Railway stations.
- (c)  &  (d):  Modernisation/  upgradation  of  passenger  amenities  at  railway stations in Indian Railways is a continuous and on-going process. At present, upgradation  of  station  is  being  undertaken  under  Adarsh  Station  scheme. 201  stations  have  been  identified  for  development  under  Adarsh  Station Scheme of which 8 stations are in South East Central Railway,   including 5 stations in the State of Chhattisgarh.
- (e):  Regular  inspections  are  conducted  by  Officers,  Service  Improvement Group  (SIG),  Passenger  Amenities  Committee  (PAC)  &  Passenger  Services Committee (PSC) to monitor the availability and maintenance of passenger facilities  at  stations  and  remedial  measures  are  taken  as  and  when deficiencies are noted.

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