Rail Budget 2016-17: New Trains and Passenger Amenities

For Reserved Passengers

Three train services viz. Humsafar, Tejas and UDAY have been introduced for reserved passengers.

• Humsafar service would be fully air conditioned third A/C service with an option for meals.
• Tejas on the other hand would showcase the future of train travel in India. With a top speed of 130 kmph and above, Tejas offer onboard services such as entertainment, local cuisine and Wi-Fi through service providers, while ensuring accountability and improved customer satisfaction.
• The Humsafar and Tejas services will guarantee cost-recovery by way of tariff and non-tariff measures.
• Utkrisht Double Decker Air-Conditioned Yatri (UDAY) Express is an overnight double-decker service, which will most likely increase the carrying capacity by almost 40 per cent.

For Unreserved Passengers

For unreserved passengers, Antyodaya Express and Deen Dayalu Coaches have been introduced.

• Antyodaya Express will be a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service, to be operated on dense routes
• Addition of two to four Deen Dayalu coaches in some long distance trains for unreserved travel with facility for potable drinking water and a higher number of mobile charging points

Other Proposals for Passengers

• Sale of tickets through hand held terminals
• Sale of platform tickets through ticket vending machines both cash and card compatible
• E-ticketing facility to foreign debit/credit cards for foreign tourists and NRIs
• Facility of cancellation through the 139 helpline using ‘One Time Password’
• Bar coded tickets, scanners and access control on a pilot basis
• Progressive CCTV coverage at tatkaal counters
• ‘Vikalp’ (Alternative Train Accommodation System) scheme to be expanded to provide choice of accommodation in specific trains to wait-listed passengers.
• IRCTC to manage catering services in a phased manner.
• Extending e-catering services from 45 stations to all 408 ‘A-1’ and ‘A’ class stations.
• Explore making mandatory catering services optional in trains.
• Introducing a new policy where each stall at station can provide multiple products including milk products and OTC medicines
• Option to our customers for drinking tea in kulhad
• To convert all operational halts into commercial halts.
• Information boards in trains to list on-board services and also GPS based digital displays inside coaches to provide information regarding halts.
• A1 class stations to be manned with duly empowered Station Directors supported by cross functional teams.
• Passenger amenities and beautification on stations at pilgrimage centres including Ajmer, Amritsar, Bihar Sharif, Chengannur, Dwarka, Gaya, Haridwar, Mathura, Nagapattinam, Nanded, Nasik, Pali, Parasnath, Puri, Tirupati, Vailankanni, Varanasi and Vasco.
• Aastha circuit trains to connect important pilgrim centres.
• Porters to have new uniforms and train them in soft skills, to be henceforth called sahayak.
• Expansion of Sarathi Seva to help old and disabled passengers requiring assistance at stations.
• Strengthen existing services for enabling passengers to book battery operated cars, porter services, pick up and drop, and wheel chair services – Rail Mitra Sewa.
• Ensuring all stations under redevelopment are accessible by Divyang
• At least one Divyang friendly toilet at each platform in A1 class stations in 2016-17.
• Wi-Fi at 400 stations in next year.

Proposals for Cleanliness

• The railway minister has announced ‘Clean my Coach’ service through SMS; and ranking of A1 and A stations based on periodic third party audit and passenger feedback.
• Waste segregation and recycling centres; ‘Awareness campaigns’ for cleanliness; additional 30,000 bio-toilets are other proposals.
• The budget has also announced providing portable structures with bio-toilets at all platforms of select stations for senior citizens, Divyang and women travellers.