Lok Sabha Question No. 286 (STARRED), answered on 2015-08-10
Subject: Passenger Amenities in Express Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: K.R.P. PRABAKARAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 286 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2015

## PASSENGER AMENITIES IN EXPRESS TRAINS

*286.   SHRI K.R.P. PRABAKARAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Railways  are  aware  that  the  trains  including Express and Mail trains do not have basic passenger facilities like quality of seats/berths, hygienic foods, cleaned floor/toilets etc.;
- (b) whether  any  survey/feed  back  from  passengers  and  other stakeholders has been obtained/received in regard to passengers amenities/facilities, including deficiencies thereof;
- (c)  if so, the outcome of such feed back/survey; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  to  provide  the  amenities/facilities  in  trains  to the  passengers  and  the  mechanism  in  place  to  inspect  the provision and maintenance of amenities in trains?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU)

- (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 STARRED QUESTION NO. 286 BY SHRI K.R.P. PRABAKARAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 10.08.2015 REGARDING PASSENGER AMENITIES IN EXPRESS TRAINS.

(a):   No, Madam. Coaches for passenger services are provided with a certain level of amenities and fittings as per the prescribed norms. Besides, cleaning of coaches including floor/toilets is also undertaken as per scheduled periodicity.

It  is  a  continuous  endeavour  of  Indian  Railways  to  provide  good quality hygienic food to Railway passengers. Zonal Railways have a detailed  institutionalized  mechanism  for  monitoring  of  quality  and hygiene of catering services through regular, surprise and periodical inspections. If any deficiency is found, corrective actions are taken including  penal  actions  like  imposition  of  fines,  termination  of contract according to the gravity of the offence.

(b) & (c): Yes,  Madam.  A  passenger  Feedback  system  through Interactive  Voice  Response  System  (IVRS)  has  been  started  by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) with effect from 01.07.2015 on all Mail/Express trains  over  Indian  Railways  regarding  questionnaire  to  be  asked from bonafide Railway passengers on various areas such as cleanliness  on  the  trains,  quality  of  Catering,  cooling  level  of  Airconditioned coaches and quality of bed rolls as well as cleanliness at  Stations/Platforms  and  punctual  running  of  trains.  Feedback  is being taken in the form of responses categorized as Good, Satisfactory  or  Unsatisfactory.  As  per  report  received  from  IRCTC, summary of calls average per day  made   to   Railway     passengers

through IVRS during the period from 01.07.2015 to 31.07.2015 is as under:

| Total Average calls matured daily   | 99312          | %age of total responses   | Marks*          |
|-------------------------------------|----------------|---------------------------|-----------------|
| Total Response                      | 99312x2=198624 |                           | 198624x2=397248 |
| Good Responses*                     | 15921          | 8.02                      | 15921x2=31842   |
| Satisfactory Responses*             | 174490         | 87.85                     | 174490x1=174490 |
| Bad Responses*                      | 8212           | 4.13                      | 8212x0=0        |
| Marks obtained                      |                |                           | 206332          |

## * Marks allotted for Good=2, Satisfactory=1, Bad=0

Based on the assumptions (i.e. 2 for good, 1 for satisfactory & 0 for bad),  the  marks  obtained  through  the  feedback  for  the  above services is (206332/397248)x100=51.94%.

The Passenger Feedback system has been started with effect from 01/07/2015 and it is still in initial stage.

A  defined  Quality  Assurance  Programme  with  passenger  opinion feedback scheme is a part of the mechanism to improve the quality of  catering  services  on  trains.  During  the  last  one  year  i.e.  from 01.07.2014  to  30.06.2015,  out  of  total  feedback  collected  from 92066  passengers  of  trains  including  Mail/Express,  an  average  of 95.84% passengers have rated catering services as good/satisfactory.

(d): Regular  maintenance  and  upkeep  of  all  passenger  amenity items provided in coaches is carried out during laid down maintenance schedules in open line as well as periodical overhauls in  the  Railway  Workshops.  Besides,  identified  coaches  are  also subjected  to  a  'Mid-life'  rehabilitation  to  restore  their  condition. Special Drives are launched and surprise checks are conducted from time to time to monitor the passenger amenities in trains. Improvement  of  catering  services  is  an  on-going  process.  Steps taken/being taken to further improve the catering services include: (i) Third  Party  Audit  of  catering  services  to  be  conducted  at periodic  intervals  by  independent  and  reputed  auditing  agencies accredited by National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) as empanelled by the zonal Railways. (ii) Introduction  of  E-Catering  so  that  passengers  can  book  the food of their choice through internet. (iii) A  centralized  Catering  Service  Monitoring  Cell  (CSMC)  has been  set  up  having  a  toll  free  number  1800-111-321  for  prompt redressal  of  the  passenger  grievances  related  to  the  catering activities for real time assistance to travelling public. (iv) Imposition of stringent punitive action including heavy penalties in case of deficiencies in services.

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