The South Central Railway (SCR) plans to introduce a mobile application for a query-based, passenger information system giving details of train movement, expected time of arrival and current position of running over Android phones.
SCR General Manager P.K. Srivastava on Monday said he was aware of the importance of having a real-time passenger information system having worked earlier in Mumbai as Chief Electrical Engineer, Central Zone.
He said the query-based facility would initially be available for MMTS services and subsequently extended to other trains.
He announced improved ‘May I Help You’ desks apart from introducing Passenger Care Centres at important stations, with commercial, security and operations and maintenance and cleanliness personnel to attend to passengers’ complaints. Mr. Srivastava said that compared to 11 and seven accidents in the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13, he said that between April and November, 2013, three accidents had taken place.
The number of accidents at unmanned level crossings was five and three in 2011-12 and 2012-13 and none this year, he said.
He said 17 escalators were commissioned at a cost of Rs. 14.5 crore, including four at Secunderabad, Vijayawada (5), Kacheguda (3) and Tirupati (2). Secunderabad is the first station on Indian Railways to have escalators on all its platforms and lifts at both entrances, he added.
Also, while 30 lifts were commissioned at a cost of Rs. 10.5 crore at 12 stations, he said 30 more would be installed at Rs. 10.3 crore at 16 stations soon.
No info on new zoneAsked whether he had received any direction from the Railway Board about preparing a report on creation of a new zone if and when Telangana came into existence, Mr. Srivastava said that till now there was no information on the issue. “When it comes to a stage where Telangana becomes a reality, a new zone will surely have to be created. It is a not an easy thing though as it nd involves a massive exercise,” he said.
