The Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee has said that Indian Railways is committed to provide quality amenities and services at the stations and on the trains for convenience of the passengers for which comprehensive norms have been adopted by the Railways. The Railway Minister was speaking at the meeting of the Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament for Ministry of Railways here yesterday. The Minister of State for Railways, Shri E. Ahamed was also present. The agenda for this meeting was “Passenger Amenities and Services”.
Referring to the Adarsh Stations Scheme introduced in 2009, the Railway Minister said that Adarsh stations are being provided with basic facilities such as improved lighting arrangement, drinking water, water coolers, adequate toilets and catering services, waiting rooms and dormitories for lady passengers, better signages etc. She pointed out that 584 Stations have been selected since 2009 for upgradation under Adarsh Stations Scheme. Out of these, 355 stations have already been developed and another 109 stations are targeted for development by March 2011. She directed Railway Board to expedite the work of Adarsh Stations so as to complete the target within the current financial year.
She also emphasized on expediting the work on Multi Functional Complexes under which facilities like shopping, food stalls, restaurants, book stalls, telephone booths, medicine stores, budget hotels, underground parking are to be provided. 160 stations have been selected since 2009 for the development of multi-functional complexes. Referring to the New Catering Policy 2010, the Minister pointed out that this policy has acknowledged catering as passenger service with emphasis on quality, hygiene with economic price alongwith improved supervision and monitoring system. All India grid base kitchens are to be constructed in Railway premises.
Mamata Banerjee said that, fully mechanized laundry systems for linen management are being developed. She also informed the Committee that the Additional General Managers of each Zonal Railway have been nominated to be available for interaction with the Members of Parliament on various Railway related issues. She thanked the Committee Members for giving various suggestions for improving the passenger amenities.
Earlier, on the directions of Railway Minister, Chairman, Railway Board, Shri Vivek Sahai outlined the brief agenda of the meeting. Shri Sahai said that during the last five years, expenditure on passenger amenities increased by a whooping 307 per cent i.e. from Rs. 222.70 crore in 2004-05 to Rs. 906.37 crore in 2009-10. He informed that an enhanced allocation of Rs. 1302 crore has been made for passenger amenities in the current financial year. Shri Sahai explained the seven categories of stations for providing different levels of amenities. He talked of minimum essential amenities, recommended amenities and desirable amenities. He also mentioned about the scheme of On Board House Keeping Services (OBHS) in important trains.
The Members participating in the Consultative Committee meeting made several suggestions on improving passenger amenities. They specifically made suggestions on providing clean linen, better coaches in prestigious trains like Rajdhani, providing green toilets, catering services, improving punctuality etc. Some Members also requested for expediting work on various pending projects of doubling, gauge conversion, footover bridge etc.
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