Rail Budget 2016 Brings Cheers To Common Man

6) Dealing with tatkaal menace: Suresh Prabhu strongly emphasized on covering tatkaal counters with CCTV surveillance. The Indian Railway team is planning to institutionalize a system of third party periodic audits and certification of security features of the PRS website.

7) Improving customer interface: Taking into the consideration the latest technological trends, Railways will install information boards in trains listing down the onboard services and also GPS displays inside coaches to provide real time information regarding upcoming halts. Railways will also keep a “look upto” person who would be accountable for all facilities on the train. 

8) Swachh Rail: In a major step towards cleanliness, Railways are intending to introduce 'Clean my Coach' service on Pan-India basis, where a passenger will be able to request cleaning of his/her coach/toilets on demand through SMS. Suresh Prabhu also promised in his budget to install additional 30,000 bio-toilets in the next financial year. 

9) IRCTC services & food availability: Food being the basic need, stressing on the same Prabhu said that IRCTC will be extending e-catering services from previous 45 large stations to all 408 'A-1' and 'A' class stations. IRCTC will be intending to explore the possibility of making mandatory catering services optional in trains. Local cuisine of choice will be made available to passengers. 

In addition to catering services, Railways will look at immediate availability of children's menu items on trains. Baby foods, hot milk and hot water would be made available on stations and changing boards for babies would be provided in train toilets. 

10) Safe travel & insurance: In order to decrease the monetary loss to travelers from mishaps, Railways is hooking up with insurance companies to provide optional travel insurance for rail journeys at the time of booking. 

11) Rail Mitra Sewa & Accessible India: 2016 Rail budget came up with an announcement of introduction of Sarathi Seva in Konkan Railway to help the old and disabled passengers requiring assistance at stations. Suresh Prabhu and team are working on expanding this service at many more stations.  IRCTC is aiming to strengthen the existing services for enabling passengers to book battery operated cars, porter services, etc. on a paid basis in addition to the existing wheel chair services.

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