Mumbai: From now on, each coach on a long-distance train on the Western Railway will have just one man responsible for all passenger needs. The one-man contact, called the Coach Mitra, will be responsible for everything from distribution of linen, cleaning the toilets, repairs, functioning of air-conditioners to other petty problems, said a Western Railway official.
In a letter to the Western railway authorities, the Railway Board has asked them to minimise the number of railway staff on board. Trains like Rajdhani Express have nearly 65 staffers, including those for housekeeping, linen distribution, and AC attendants. But post the Coach Mitra scheme, there will be just one person in a coach. Tenders will soon be floated for Coach Mitras, and “this will take nearly two months to be put into service,” said Ravindra Bhakar, Chief PRO, Western Railway.
The railway board letter says housekeeping and cleaning departments should be merged. The Railway official quoted earlier said once the linen is distributed, the person in charge has no other work, except to collect the linen later. As far as the cleaning function goes, one person is responsible for two coaches, or eight toilets.
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The move will reduce staff on each train by nearly 15 to 20. While the Coach Mitra will not take complaints of misbehaviour or deal with theft cases, he will contact the train superintendent in such cases. “As of now, the train superintendent is appointed in a few trains like Rajdhani, but we are planning to appoint them in other trains,” said the official. Officials also said Coach Mitras are being trained for petty repairs.
Railway officials, however, are worried that passengers may object to the same person cleaning toilets as well as distributing the linen. “We are conducting a trial in one of the coaches of Rajdhani and as of now, have not received any complaints from passengers. So we are positive about the merging of departments,” said the official.