Lok Sabha Question No. 1165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-25
Subject: Destination Alert for Passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1165 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2018

## DESTINATION ALERT FOR PASSENGERS

1165. ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to introduce the Destination Alert for train passengers and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is also planning to refund 50 per cent of the  amount  against  cancellation  of  Tatkal  tickets  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  ticketing  facility  is  going  to  start  soon  in  Railway Overseas Languages and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the details of the other major decisions taken by the Railways;
- (e) whether the Government is of the opinion that these changes will increase the customer satisfaction; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.1165  BY  ADV.  JOICE  GEORGE  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 25.07.2018 REGARDING DESTINATION ALERT FOR PASSENGERS

(a):  Destination  alert  facility  has  been  provided  in  selected  trains wherein  Short  Message  Service  (SMS)  alert  is  sent  to  the  reserved passengers  20  minutes  before  actual  arrival  on  the  station  where passenger will de-board the train during night hours i.e. 2300 hours in the  night  to  0700  hours  in  the  morning.  Destination  alert  facility  is also  available  through  139  wherein  reserved  passengers  can  set destination  alert  on  139  Railway  Enquiry  Service  Interactive  Voice Response  (IVR),  139  Railway  Enquiry  service  with  assistance  from customer  service  executive  and  through  SMS  139  with  one  simple keyword.  The  user  receives  a  confirmation  message  on  his  mobile number as Destination Alert Call has been set on your mobile number for destination station name.

(b): If waitlisted Tatkal ticket is cancelled within the prescribed time limit, the refund of fare minus clerkage charge is granted. At present, there  is  no  proposal  under  consideration  to  grant  50%  refund  on confirmed Tatkal ticket.

(c): No, Madam.

- (d)  to  (f):  Salient  initiatives  taken  by  Railways  for  the  benefit  of passengers and to increase customer satisfaction are as under:
- 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 for which App has been provided.
- iii. Provision of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) at Railway stations for dispensation of tickets.
3. Provision  of  various  cashless  modes  of  payment  like  net banking,  e-wallets,  credit/debit  cards  through  Point  of  Sale (POS)  machines,  through  Unified  Payment  Interface  (UPI)/
- iv. Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), etc.
- v. Earmarking  of  separate  counters  at  various  Computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions  received  from  persons  with disability, senior citizens, ladies, former Members of Parliament,  Members  of  Legislative  Assemblies,  accredited press correspondents and freedom fighters.
- vi. Automatic preparation  of  first  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 till preparation of second reservation chart.
7. Intimation to passengers through SMS in case of change in passengers' reservation status from waiting list/Reservation against  Cancellation  (RAC)  to  confirmed,  cancellation  of
- vii. trains, late running of train in identified trains.

- viii. Cancellation of computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counter tickets through IRCTC website or through 139.
2. Automatic refund against e-tickets in case of cancellation of
- ix. trains.
4. of  Alternate  Train  Accommodation  Scheme 'VIKALP' to provide confirmed accommodation to waitlisted passengers in alternate train to ensure optimal utilisation of
- x. Introduction 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. Earmarking of reservation quota of two berths in 3AC class and four berths in Sleeper class for persons with disability.
- xiv. With a view to expanding ticketing facilities, centres called Yatri  Ticket  Suvidha  Kendra  (YTSK)  have  been  established on public private partnership model to issue reserved/unreserved tickets through UTS-cum-PRS terminals.

- xv. 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 Car (BOC), porter services etc. on a paid  basis  in  addition  to  the  existing  pick  up  and  drop  and wheelchair services.
- xvi. Provision of Yatri Mitra Sewa at major stations for enabling passengers to book wheelchair services cum porter services.
- xvii. Online booking of Retiring Room has been commissioned at 506 Railway stations.
- xviii. Provision  of  cushioned  seats/berths,  fluorescent  lights,  airconditioning, fans, toilet, dustbins and wash basin facilities etc. in all main line trains/coaches being manufactured.
- xix. Provision  of  looking  mirrors,  snack  tables,  water  bottle holders,  coat  hooks,  small  luggage  racks,  luggage  securing arrangements,  mobile/laptop  charging  sockets  in  identified classes of coaches.
- xx. Provision of dust bins in Non-AC coaches, Braille signages in coaches, mugs with chain in Non-AC coaches.
- xxi. Introduction of train services with higher facilities like Tejas, Humsafar, Mahamana Express, Deen Dayalu Express etc.
8. Introduction  of  station-based  e-catering  for  widening  the range of options available to passengers for ordering food of
- xxii. their choice.

- xxiii. Introduction of pre-cooked food ('ready to eat' meals) in the range of options available to passengers.
- xxiv. Operation  of  Centralised  Catering  Service  Monitoring  Cell (CSMC) (Toll free Number. 1800-111-321) for prompt Redressal  of  passenger  grievances  related  to  the  catering activities and real time assistance to travelling public.
3. Operation of all India helpline Number 138 for Rail users to lodge  complaints/suggestions  regarding  food  and  catering
- xxv. services.
- xxvi. A twitter handle -@  IRCATERING  has  also  been  made operational  to  cater  to  the  complaints/suggestions  with regard to catering services.
- xxvii. Optional catering service introduced on 32 Rajdhani/ Shatabdi/Duronto/Gatiman trains.
- xxviii. A  third-party  audit  to  examine  the  quality  of  food,  hygiene and  cleanliness  in  pantry  car  and  base  kitchen  has  been started by IRCTC. IRCTC has awarded Food safety, hygiene audit for 96 trains, 206 Food Plazas/Fast Food Units.
- xxix. Water  Vending  Machines  (WVM)  policy  was  notified  w.e.f. 16.06.2015  and  1850  WVMs  have  already  been  installed  at various stations with the objective to provide potable drinking water of prescribed Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) standards and other regulations to passengers at affordable price.

- xxx. IRCTC has set up a Central Control and Monitoring Centre at New  Delhi  for  real  time  monitoring  of  its  base  kitchens across the country through Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipped  high  definition  Closed  Circuit  Television  (CCTV) system.  Sharing  of  live  streaming  of  the  Base  Kitchens through website of IRCTC has been made operational w.e.f. 04/07/2018.
- xxxi. In  order  to  generate  printed  bill  and  invoice  reflecting  all details  of  transactions  undertaken  at  catering  units,  hand held Point of Sale (POS) machines have been provided and at present, 100 POS machines are in operation on 26 trains.

Strengthening/upgrading  of  existing  facilities  and  introduction of  new  facilities  to  improve  customer  satisfaction  is  a  continuous and ongoing process.

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