All-India helpline to e-catering: How Rail Budget 2015 will make life easier for passengers

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said that Indian Railways will continue to serve the common man and people of India will always own the railways industry while presenting the rail budget 2015. [caption id=“attachment_2123163” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] 67 percent more funds was proposed for passenger amenities in the rail budget 2015. AFP[/caption] The Railway Minister announced four key goals for the Railway Budget 2015, which he said would be “an integral part of flagship programmes launched by PM Modi”. Prabhu said that better customer service, safer train travel, modernisation of infrastructure and self-sustainability of railways were the four primary goals of the budget. As three of the four primary goals proposed by the Railway Minister are directly linked with passengers, here’s a look at how passengers’ lives will become easier if the promises made by the government are implemented: - There’s been no increase in passenger fares. You spend the same amount for your ticket. - An 24/7 all-India helpline, number 138, is to be launched from 1 March so that passengers can register complaints in real time if they find something wrong with railway services. - The Nirbhaya fund is to be used for women’s security and as a part of it CCTV cameras are to be installed in ladies’ compartment on select mainlines - Operation 5 minutes: Unreserved tickets can bought in 5 minutes, ticket purchase can be done through smart phones and debit cards can also be used soon to buy them - WiFi facility is to be provided in 400 stations - E-catering introduced in 108 trains - The railways will now provide SMS alert service to inform passengers about updates in arrival and departure timings - Modern facilities for disabled/senior citizens like facility of online booking of wheelchairs at stations for senior citizens to be provided - Number of general coaches in identified trains to be increased - Trains similar to bullet trains will be run on a pilot basis save 20 percent of journey time to be introduced - Better bed rolls to be provided, number of mechanised laundries to be increased - Rs 120 crores allocated for lifts, escalators for better movement on platforms - Better rail connectivity for Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states proposed - State-of-the-art perishable cargo centre to be provided for the benefit of farmers - Rs 2000 crores allocated for coastal connectivity programme, 9 high-speed rail corridors to be developed - To prevent fire and accidents, train protection warning system and train collision avoiding system to be installed