15 things at Railway budget 2015

• Posted by Nandini Devi February 27, 2015 - Filed in Recreation - ##Railway budget 2015  - 1,352 views

  15 things at Railway budget 2015

   In the Railway Budget focused on enhancing passenger experience, Railway Minister ‘Suresh Prabhu’ on Thursday announced the multiple initiatives including the better ticketing facilities, upgraded stations and cleaner trains.

  Prabhu increased funds allotment for passenger facilities by 67 percent. Prabhu said that they are launching schemes that will systematically address the customer concerns about cleanliness, soothe, accessibility, service quality and speed of trains.

  Prabhu said in the Rail Budget speech that are directing our efforts to make the travel on Indian Railways happy experience with the mix of various schemes. They take a look at 15 main areas in the Ministers Prabhu's Railway Budget that will improve common man's train journey:

  

  Better ticketing facilities: You can now book the tickets four months in advance, as against the period of 2 months currently. The window for reserved ticket booking will be raised to 120 days versus 60 days now Prabhu said.

  Prabhu announced that today one of the biggest problems faced by common man intending to travel in unreserved class is purchasing ticket. They are introducing 'Operation Five Minutes' to make sure that a passenger travelling unreserved can purchase ticket within 5 minutes. Provision of modified 'hotbuttons', coin transaction machines and 'single destination teller' windows will significantly reduce the transaction time.

  For differently abled travellers, a special initiative is being launched whereby they can purchase concessional etickets after one-time registration. Prabhu said that it is also proposed to work towards developing the multi-lingual e-ticketing portal. They will move towards crediting all refunds through the banking system.

  In the Central Railway, Western Railway and Southern Railway suburban sections, a pilot project of issuing the unreserved tickets on smart phones has been started. Prabhu said that they hope to extend this facility progressively to all the stations. Automatic ticket vending machines with smart cards and currency options have also been installed at many stations. Further he added that it is proposed to proliferate this further and also to introduce debit card operated machines. Introduction of an integrated ticketing system on lines of rail cum road tickets on Jammu  & Srinagar route will be expanded.

  No rail fare hike: Prabhu secured passengers from any hike in the fares. For ten years before 2012 to 13 there was no increase in the rail fares. Then Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress leader ‘Dinesh Trivedi’ had made an across the board hike in 2012 to 2013 but was made to roll back the hike in second and sleeper class categories.

  Since then there have been hikes in the passenger fares. Before first Railway budget of Modi government in July last, fares were increased by 14.2 % and shipment rates by 6.5 %.

  Helpline: An all India 24 x 7 helpline number, 138, will become the functional to attend to problems of passengers on the real time basis. Passengers will be able to call up for the complaints as on trains.

   

  A mobile application to redress the Railway-related complaints is also  being developed. Railways mean to start this facility on pilot project basis on the Northern Railway from March 1, 2015. Based on experienced gained and feedback received from the passengers, it would be extended to all the Railways soon thereafter.

  Prabhu said that further, keeping in mind the criticality of security related issues, we have dedicated the toll-free number 182 for receiving security related complaints. Railways would utilise resources from the Nirbhaya Fund for augmenting security of our women passengers.

  Catering: To provide freedom to the passengers to select their meals from an array of choices including the local cuisine, e-catering has been introduced in 108 trains on an experimental basis from January this year.

  Prabhu said that they are working to integrate best food chains in our country into this project. Depending on the response from the customers, the facility will be extended to cover more trains. It is also intended to set up base Kitchens in specified Divisions to be run by highly credible agencies for serving quality food.

  According to Prabhu, at moment water transaction machines are sparse. They will expand this to cover the most Railway stations. This will make sure availability of clean the drinking water at very low cost to the people apart from the being an environment friendly measure.

  Mobile phone charging: Mobile phone charging facilities would be provided in the general class coaches and number of charging facilities would be increased in the sleeper class coaches.

  Improved stations: Wi-Fi at all A1 and A category stations is being provided. Further, as part of Digital India schemes, Wi-Fi will be provide at B category stations as well.

  So far, 1052 stations have been identified for upgradation of the passenger facilities at Station under Adarsh station scheme. 200 more stations would be brought under this scheme.

  Online booking of retiring rooms has already been initiated. The facility of self-operated lockers would also gradually be made available at stations. It is proposed to provide gatekeeper services through the IRCTC at major stations for assistance of passengers for their pick up and drop. Prabhu said that they will also provide a facility for online booking of wheel chair on payment basis for senior citizens, patients and the differently-abled passengers through IRCTC on select stations.

  Lifts and escalators have been planned at major stations to facilitate easy movement of elderly and differently abled passengers.