Lok Sabha Question No. 54 (STARRED), answered on 2020-02-05
Subject: Absence of Proper Lighting at Stations
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Kaushalendra Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 54 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2020

## ABSENCE OF PROPER LIGHTING AT STATIONS

†*54. SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that passengers face difficulties in identifying the station in darkness due to lack of proper lighting at railway stations located in rural areas;
- (b) whether passengers also face difficulties due to the absence of an announcement system in the trains about the next station;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  arrangements  for the advance announcement of name of the next station as well as  written  information  in  each  coach  through  screening  board on the lines of metro trains to address the said problem; and
- (d) if so, the time by which it is likely to be done?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 54 BY SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.02.2020 REGARDING ABSENCE OF PROPER LIGHTING AT STATIONS

(a): Based on suggestion received from Consultative Committee of MPs for the Ministry of Railways for need of proper illumination of station name  boards  displayed  at  the  two  ends  of  the  platforms,  it  was reiterated  to  Zonal  Railways  that  electric  poles  provided  at  the platforms  of  all  electrified  stations  should  be  adjusted  in  such  a manner  that  station  name  boards  provided  at  the  two  ends  of  the platforms are properly illuminated so as to be read easily during night. It was also emphasized that lights specifically provided for illumination  of  the  station  name  boards  are  kept  glowing  during  the night.  So  far,  8016  stations  name  board  are  illuminated  during  night time.

(b) to (d): Suggestion has been received from Member of Consultative Committee that coaches should have facilities of display of name of approaching stations.

In the existing coach design, next station name announcement is provided on some of the trains like Electrical Multiple Units (EMUs)/Mainline Electric  Multiple Units (MEMUs) suburban trains and other select group of trains like Rajdhani, Shtabdi, Tejas and Humsafar etc.

Further,  Modern  Coach  Factory  (MCF)  and  Rail  Coach  Factory  (RCF) are  advised  for  fitment  of  system  as  per  Research  Designs  and Standards Organization (RDSO) trial specification for field trial on 50 coaches each by MCF and RCF and fitment is under process. All newly manufactured  EMU/MEMU  rakes  are  already  equipped  with  such technology/system.

To further proliferate this system, specification of Public Address and Passenger Information System (PAPIS) has been issued in August 2019. Display of name of approaching station is part of PAPIS. Initially fitment of PAPIS for field trial has been started in 100 coaches and will be completed on priority.

*****