Lok Sabha Question No. 566 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-20
Subject: Rail Amenities
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: BHAGWANTH KHUBA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 566 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2016

## RAIL AMENITIES

## 566.  SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the basic passenger facilities like quality of seats/berths, hygienic foods, cleaned floor/toilets etc. in express and mail trains have been provided;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any survey has been conducted in regard to passenger amenities/ facilities, including deficiencies thereof;
- (d) if so, the outcome thereof; and
- (e) 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 these amenities?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. Passenger coaches of express and mail trains are  provided  with  a  certain  level  of  amenities  and  fittings  including good quality cushioned seats/berths and it is continually endeavoured to  maintain  them  in  good  condition.    Besides,  cleaning  of  coaches is  also  undertaken  as  per scheme, cleaning  of  nominated  trains  is  undertaken  on  run  whereas,  under Clean Train Station scheme, limited mechanised cleaning of identified

including floor/toilets in these  trains scheduled periodicity. Under On Board Housekeeping trains is undertaken at select stations during their scheduled halts.

In its endeavour to provide quality and hygienic food to the passengers, railways have developed and operationalized an institutionalized mechanism for monitoring of catering services through regular inspections at various levels.

(c) & (d): No survey has been conducted in regard to deficiencies of passenger amenities/facilities. However, regular inspections are conducted by Service Improvement Group (SIG), Passenger Amenities Committee  (PAC),  Passenger  Services  Committee  (PSC)  to  check passenger  amenities  and  remedial  measures  are  taken  as  when deficiencies are noted.

Further, Passenger feedback is taken through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) on regular basis on the scale of 1 to 5 score

(5  for  excellent  service  and  1  for  bad  service)  for  six  items  of passenger  services,  i.e.,  Station  Cleanliness,  Train  Cleanliness,  Air Condition  Cooling,  Bed  Rolls,  Food  Quality  and  Punctuality  of  Trains. Appropriate  action  is  taken  by  the  concerned  authorities  on  the deficiencies  pointed  out  by  the  passengers  for  the  above-mentioned services.

(e):  As per prescribed norms, requisite amenities in the form of fittings and  fixtures  inside  the  coaches  such  as  seats/berths,  windows, fans/air-conditioning, lights, toilets, washbasin, magazine bags, bottle holder, mobile  laptop charger  etc. are provided for  comfortable journey. Regular maintenance and upkeep of these items is carried out during laid down maintenance schedules in open line as well as during 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.

The  steps  taken  to  improve  the  quality  of  food  in  railways  inter-alia include: (i) Phased introduction of station based e-catering at all 'A1'

and 'A' category stations for widening the range of options available to passengers  for  ordering  food  of  their  choice.  (ii)  Introduction  of precooked  food  ('ready  to  eat'  meals).  (iii)  Operation  of  centralized Catering  Service  Monitoring  Cell  (CSMC)  (toll  free  number  1800-111321)  for  prompt  redressal  of  passenger  grievances  relating  to  the catering  activities  and  real  time  assistance  to  travelling  public.  (iv) Imposition of penalties in case of deficiencies detected in services. (v) Operation of all India Helpline (No.138) for rail-users to lodge complaints/suggestions  regarding  food  and  catering  services  (vi)  A Twitter  handle  with  the  address  @IRCATERING  has  also  been  made operational  to  cater  to  the  complaints/suggestions  with  regard  to catering services.

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