Indian Railways: This is how passengers have benefited in a major way
Indian Railways has been going through a major upgradation drive and a number of great initiatives have been taken recently. Centre has said that strengthening / upgrading of existing facilities and introduction of new facilities to improve customer satisfaction is a continuous and ongoing process. Here are the recent salient initiatives Indian Railways has taken to benefit the passengers and to increase customer satisfaction. Here are some of these:
1. Online ticket booking facility through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website thereby obviating the need to stand in queues at reservation counters. Image source: Reuters
2. Reserved and unreserved ticket booking facility through mobile phones for which App has been provided. Image source: Reuters
3. Provision of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) at Railway stations for dispensation of tickets. Image source: Reuters
4. Provision of various cashless modes of payment like net banking, e-wallets, credit/debit cards through Point of Sale (POS) machines, through Unified Payment Interface (UPI)/ Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), etc. Image source: Reuters
5. Earmarking of separate counters at various computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions received from persons with disability, senior citizens, ladies, former MPs, MLAs, accredited press correspondents and freedom fighters. Image source: PTI
6. Automatic preparation of first reservation charts at least 4 hours before scheduled departure of train and thereafter booking of available accommodation through internet as well as through PRS counters till preparation of second reservation chart. Image source: Reuters
7. Intimation to passengers through SMS in case of change in passengers’ reservation status from waiting list/Reservation against Cancellation (RAC) to confirmed, cancellation of trains, late running of train in identified trains. Image source: PTI
8. Cancellation of computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counter tickets through IRCTC website or through 139. Automatic refund against e-tickets in case of cancellation of trains. Image source: Reuters
9. Introduction of alternate train accommodation scheme ‘VIKALP’ to provide confirmed accommodation to waitlisted passengers in alternate train to ensure optimal utilisation of available accommodation. Increase in number of berths earmarked as RAC to accommodate more passengers. Image source: Reuters
10. Enhancement of the existing combined quota earmarked for Senior Citizens, pregnant women and female passengers 45 years of age and above to 6 lower berths per coach in Sleeper, 3 lower berths per coach in 3AC and 3 lower berths per coach in 2AC class. Further, in Rajdhani, Duronto and fully Air Conditioned/Express trains, the number of lower berths has been increased to 4 lower berths per coach. Image source: Reuters