Lok Sabha Question No. 15 (STARRED), answered on 2018-07-18
Subject: Deficiencies in Railway Services
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SRIRAM MALYADRI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.15 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2018

## DEFICIENCIES IN RAILWAY SERVICES

- *15. SHRI MALYADRI SRIRAM: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether Indian Railways used to be known for being tardy and dirty and had numerous deficiencies in their services; (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  corrective  steps  taken  to improve the customer-oriented services; (c) whether  the Railways have examined  the  issue of providing emergency care to passengers and equipment onboard trains; (d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard so far; and (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COAL, FINANCE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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 STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  15  BY  SHRI  MALYADRI  SRIRAM  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 18.07.2018 REGARDING DEFICIENCIES IN RAILWAY SERVICES.

- (a)  &  (b)  No, Madam.  Indian  Railways  always  endeavour  to  improve upon the standards of services. Provision and improvement of customer oriented services is a continuous and ongoing process.
1. Maintenance and Improvement in services :
- (a) Regular inspection are conducted by officers, Service Improvement  Groups  (SIG),  Passenger  Amenities  Committee (PAC) to monitor the availability and maintenance of passenger facilities at stations and remedial measures are taken as when deficiencies are noted.
- (b) The details of major initiatives taken by Government to improve the facilities for Rail passenger are as under :
- (i) On  line ticket booking  facility  through  Indian  Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website whereby obviating the need to stand 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) Provision  of  various  cashless  modes  of  payment  like  netbanking,  e-wallet,  credit/debit  cards  through  point  of  Sale (POS)s machines, through Unified Payment Interface (UPI), etc.
- (v) Earmarking  of  separate  counters  at  various  computerized Passenger  Reservation  System  (PRS),  centres  for  dealing
- with  the  reservation  requisitions  received  from  persons with  disabilities,  sr.  citizens,  ladies,  former  Member  of Parliament,  Members  of  Legislative  Assembly.  accredited press correspondents and freedom fighters.
- (vi) Automatic  preparation  of  first  reservation  charts  atleast four hours before schedule departure of trains and thereafter  booking  of  available  accommodation  through internet as well as through PRS counters till preparation of second reservation charts.
- (vii) Intimation to passengers through SMS in case of change in passenger reservation status from waiting list/RAC to confirm,  cancellation  of  trains,  late  running  of  trains  in identified trains, etc.
- (viii) Cancellation of computerized 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  wait listed passengers  in  alternate  train  to  ensure  optimal utilization 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  Woman  and  Female  Passengers 45 years of age and above to six lower berths per coach in Sleeper,  three  lower  berths  per  coach  in  3AC  and  three

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  four  lower berths per coach.

- (xiii) Earmarking of reservation quota of two berths in 3AC class and four berths in Sleeper class for persons with disabilities.
- (xiv) Introduction of Sarthi Seva to help old and disabled passengers requiring assistance at the stations and strengthen the existing services for enabling passengers to book Battery Operated Car (BOC), Porter services, etc. on paid basis in addition to the existing pickup and drop and Wheel Chair Services.
- (xv) Provision of Yatri Mitra Seva at major stations for enabling passengers  to book  Wheel  Chair  Services -cum-Porter Services.

## 2. Maintenance of cleanliness :

Maintenance  of  cleanliness  is  a  continuous  process  and  every endeavour  is  made  to  keep  the  stations/platforms  and  trains including toilets in clean condition. However, a few complaints are received.  All  efforts  are  made  by  the  Railways  to  address  the complaints.

Some  of  the  major  initiatives  taken  by  Indian  Railways  towards improvement of cleanliness of stations and trains are as follows:

- (i) Indian  Railways  have  a  regular  mechanism  of  cleanliness  at all category of stations with special emphasis on mechanized cleaning process.
- (ii) At  small  stations,  the  Station  Managers  have  been  provided with cash imprest for engaging housekeeping staff and other need based cleaning activities.
- (iii) For effective garbage disposal, concrete washable aprons on platform tracks with jet-cleaning arrangements are provided at important  stations  where  long  distance  trains  stops  in  the morning hours, to facilitate to clearing of night soil by washing into  side  drains  and  its  subsequent  discharge  away  from stations.
- (iv) Instructions have been issued to Zonal Railways for provision of adequate and proper dustbins and there proper cleaning.
- (v) The garbage collected at the garbage dump is arranged to be removed for nearest municipal sites in planned manner.
- (vi) Announcements are made through Public Announcement System  requesting  passengers  not  to  use  toilets  when  the trains stop at the station.
- (vii) Introduction  of  mechanised  cleaning  process,  award  of  rag picking/garbage disposal contracts at stations.
- (viii) Provision of clean and hygienic toilets including pay and use toilets at stations.
- (ix) Cleaning of coaches including toilets of mainline trains is done at both ends.
- (x) The facility of On Board Housekeeping and Cleaning facilities has been extended to nearly 1000 pairs of trains and this is being monitored through a closed loop 'APP' based passenger feedback system.
- (xi) On demand 'Clean My Coach' service is provided in nearly 990 pairs of important Superfast/Mail/Express long distance trains
- having  On  Board  Housekeeping  Service.  This  has  now  been upgraded to 'Coach Mitra', on over 900 trains, to take care of minor maintenance related issues on run.
- (xii) Clean Train Station (CTS) scheme has also been prescribed for limited  mechanized  cleaning  attention  to  identified  trains including cleaning of toilets during their scheduled stoppages enroute at nominated stations.
- (xiii) Cleanliness awareness campaigns are carried out for awareness and education of the rail users.
- (xiv) Regular checks are conducted at officers / supervisors levels, and  corrective  action  is  taken  wherever  any  deficiency  is noticed.
- (xv) SMS-based, Web-based and APP-based complaints Redressal systems have been established.
- (xvi) CCTVs  are  being  used  for  the  monitoring  of  cleanliness activities at major stations.
- Intensive cleanliness drives and other theme-based drives are being  carried  out  at  various  Railway  stations,  by  the  Zonal
- (xvii) Railways.
3. Security of the passengers:
- (i) Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF)  personnel  are  escorting  of 2500 important Mail/Express trains daily and 2200 important Mail/Express trains  are  manned  by  Government  Railway Police.
- (ii) Assistance  to  railway  passengers  is  provided  through  '182' helpline.
- (iii)  Installation of CCTVs Cameras for surveillance mechanism for the safety and security of passengers at railway stations and trains.
- (iv) State  Level  Security  Committee  for  railways  (SLSCR)  has been constituted for all States/UTs under the Chairmanship of DGs/Commissioner of States/UTs for regular monitoring.
- (c) to (e) Yes, Madam.
- (A) Instructions  have  been  issued  that  ticket  checking  staff  will ensure that all possible assistance is provided to passengers for  providing  first-aid.  Further,  if  any  passenger  or  his/her companion complaint to on board ticket checking staff that he has some medical problem and immediate attention is required, it shall be the duty of the said officer to intimate the next  railway  station  so  how  the  passengers  can  be  given necessary  medical  assistance  at  the  next  railway  station where the hospital is situated.
- (B) A Committee of experts was constituted at All India Institute of Medical  Sciences  (AIIMS),  New  Delhi  for  recommending  the medical facility in trains and at stations for rendering emergency  medical  care  to  passengers.  Railway  Board  has accepted the recommendations of the Committee and instructions have been issued to the zones for its implementation over Indian Railways.

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