Steps taken by Railways for Security and Safety

Steps taken by Railways for Security and Safety

Ministry of Railways
Press Information Bureau
Government of India

24-March, 2017 16:59 IST

Steps taken by Railways for Security and Safety

Policing on Railways being a State subject, prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law & order in Railway premises as well as on running trains and security of railway tracks, tunnels & bridges are the statutory responsibility of the State Governments, which they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP)/Civil Police. However, Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP by providing better protection and security of passenger area and passengers and for matters connected therewith.

Besides, the following steps are also being taken by the Railways to provide security:

1. Proper coordination at all levels is being maintained by the Railways with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), State Governments, Central/State Intelligence Agencies and State Police/GRP authorities for security of railway infrastructure including railway tracks and stations over Indian Railways. The security agencies responsible for the track protection have been requested to take appropriate steps to prevent track sabotage cases.

2. Security Help Line number 182 is made operational over Indian Railways for security related assistance to passengers in distress.

3. An Integrated Security System consisting of surveillance of vulnerable stations through Close Circuit Television Camera Network, Access Control etc. has been sanctioned to improve surveillance mechanism over 202 railway stations.

4. On vulnerable and indentified routes/sections, 2500 trains (on an average) are escorted by RPF daily, in addition to 2200 trains escorted by GRP of different States daily.

5. Sniffer Dog Squads are utilized at some important stations for anti-sabotage checks.

6. Minister of Railways held a video conference with the Director Generals/Commissioners of Police of all States/Union Territories for improving passenger safety, security of tracks and railway property.

Safety is accorded the highest priority by Indian Railways and all possible steps are undertaken on a continual basis including upgradation of technology to prevent trains accidents and to enhance safety. These include complete track circuiting of stations, Axle Counter for Automatic clearance of Block Section Counters (BPAC), Electrical/Electronic Interlocking System, Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates, Auxiliary Warning System (AWS), Vigilance Control Device (VCD) in locomotives, Colour Light LED Signals, Train Protection Warning System (TPWS), Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Fog Safe Device (FSD), use of 60kg rails and Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers, long rail panels, better welding technology in the tracks, digital types of machines for Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD), electronic monitoring of tracks using Track Recording Cars (TRC) and portable Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS), progressive use of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, Centre Buffer Couplers in Integral Coach Factory (ICF) design coaches, Remote Monitoring and Management of Locomotives and Trains (REMMLOT), Air Conditioning (AC) of locomotive cabs and Installation of video/voice recording system of locomotives.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 24.03.2017 (Friday).

Easy Access for Persons with Disabilities in Rail Compartments and Toilets

Easy Access for Persons with Disabilities in Rail Compartments and Toilets

Ministry of Railways
Press Information Bureau
Government of India

24-March, 2017 16:59 IST 

Easy Access for Persons with Disabilities in Rail Compartments and Toilets

In order to provide additional facilities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Indian Railways has developed designs of coaches having a compartment for PWDs as well as additional features in the lavatories. Some of these features are given below:

• Wider entrance door of 920 mm opening for easy movement of wheelchair.
• Wider, bi-fold inward opening lavatory door of 910 mm for easy movement of wheelchair.
• Size and cushioning of PWDs berth as per standard of Air-Conditioned 2-Tier berth with knee space of 900 mm for easy movement of wheelchair.
• Two way alarm communication system between lavatory and compartment.
• PWDs berth number engraved in Braille lipi also.
• Anti-slip flooring in lavatory area.
•  Handrails in lavatory as well as in compartment area for wheelchair parking.

As on 31.03.2016, there were more than 3400 disabled friendly coaches in the coach holding of Indian Railways.

Instructions exist for provision of at least one toilet on ground floor at the station suitable for differently-abled persons. Instructions also exist for provision of one urinal and shower suitable for differently-abled persons in waiting room at the station.

Almost all the Mail Express trains (except special type of trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan Shantabdi, AC Special, Duronto and Mail Express trains running with LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches), including Garib Rath trains, have been provided with a specially designed disabled friendly cabin in at least one disabled friendly coach for the benefit of differently-abled passengers.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 24.03.2017 (Friday).

Ro-Ro Freight Service in Indian Railways

Ro-Ro Freight Service in Indian Railways

Ministry of Railways
Press Information Bureau
Government of India

 24-March, 2017 17:00 IST 

Ro-Ro Freight Service in Indian Railways

Roll-on-Roll-off (RO-RO) service was initially introduced on Konkan Railway during the year 1999. Since then, the service is running on Konkan Railway on Diesel route. On electrified routes, there are operational constraints for running of Ro-Ro service due to Over Head Equipment (OHE). However, during the recent past, trial run of Roll-on-Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Service has been carried out on following routes:

(i) Across the Ganga River in Bihar between Bihta and Turki over East Central Railway;

(ii) Between Bhanga and Churaibari in Northeast Frontier Railway for carriage of loaded/empty petrol tankers;

(iii) Between Nagothane and Boisar;

(iv) Between Garhi Harsaru to Muradnagar.

Roll-on-Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Service can be tried out on other routes also subject to demand and operational feasibility.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 24.03.2017 (Friday).

Net Profit of IRCTC

Net Profit of IRCTC

Ministry of Railways
Press Information Bureau
Government of India

24-March, 2017 17:04 IST 

The net profit of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has grown to Rs. 189 crore in Financial Year 2015-16 as against Rs.131 crore in Financial Year 2014-15. It is a growth of 44%.

During the year 2015-16, a total of Rs. 24,023 crore has been collected towards the sale of train tickets through IRCTC portal.

The revenue is generated from the following activities:- (i) Service charges on internet tickets (ii) Sales of Rail Neer packaged water (iii) Sales of on-board catering services. (iv) License fee from outsourced catering vendors. (v) Revenue from tourism services.

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 24.03.2017 (Friday). 

Meeting of the Committee constituted to suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government Employees

Meeting of the Committee constituted to suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government Employees

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
No.IV/NPS/PFRDA BILL/Part-I

Dated :18-03-2017

The General Secretaries
Of Affiliated Unions of NFIR

Brother,

Sub: Meeting of the Committee constituted to suggest measures for streamlining the implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government Employees - reg.

A Meeting of the Committee with JCM (Staff Side) under the chairmanship of Secretary (Pension), Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare was held at sardar patel Bhavan, New Delhi on 17th March 2017 at 15.00hrs. Brief on the discussions is given below:

(i) At the outset, Secretary (Pension) stated that the Committee will try to consider and propose for safeguarding the interests of pensioners appointed on or after 01-01-2004. He said that the purpose of meeting was to elicit views from JCM (Staff Side) and make out report with an attempt to accommodate the views by and large.

(ii) Thereafter, the Additional Secretary (Pension) made a brief presentation highlighting the attempts of the Committee for formulating Rules. Regulations and procedures to be considered by the Government.

(iii) Initiating discussion, the JCM (Staff Side) leaders have reiterated their consistent stand that the Liberalized Pension Scheme needs to be made applicable to those who joined the Government service from 01 -01-2004.

2.The JCM (Staff Side) leader Dr.M.Raghavaiah and Standing Committee Member, Shri Guman Singh have participated in the meeting and pointed out as follows:

(a) The Committee should consider for recommending 50% of Last Pay drawn as minimum pension to the retiring NPS subscribers irrespective of their total service.

(b) The Pension Rules of 1972 be incorporated in the proposed draft Rules in an appropriate manner, thereby pension is guaranteed to the families of retired/deceased employees and their dependents.

(c) While 60% of Pension wealth will be paid to the retiring NPS subscriber, the remaining 40% is invested by PFRDA on which retiring employee has no control. What is needed to be ensured is Guarantee for payment of 50% of Last Pat drawn as Pension. Remaining 40% pension wealth may be invested or used by PFRDA on which retiring employee may have no claim.

(d) In the Railways, the employer deducts 10% of wages from employee's salary towards subscription and contributes equal amount. No Railway employee knows what their actual amount is, as no written statement is furnished by the employer. The JCM (Staff Side) is not concerned about the role of PFRDA -NSDL etc., as every Railway employee wants to know what is his/her amount (subscription plus contribution). It should be ensured that Railways should give at least annually, the statement of accumulated amount to the employee so that on the date of his retirement, he/she will know whether entire money was credited to PFRDA and equally he/she will know what would be 60% of the total pension wealth. The present defective system needs to be streamlined.

The above is for information of affiliates.

Yours fraternally,
(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary.

Source: www.nfir.org.in

Railways to provide fresh food cooked after every two hours

Railways to provide fresh food cooked after every two hours

New Delhi: Plagued with complaints, Railways plan to provide fresh food cooked at base kitchens in trains after every two hours to the passengers.

Railways, which provides about 11 lakh meals to passengers every day, has separated cooking and distribution of food under the recently launched new catering policy.

"We have decided to provide good quality food to our passengers and for that we have decided to have base kitchens at several places so that fresh food can be picked up at every two-hours of travel," Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said at the round table conference on catering here.

Participated by representatives from the food and beverage industry, self-help groups, senior IRCTC and railway officials, the round table conference aims to formulate a roadmap under the new catering policy to provide best catering service at rail premises.

Admitting complaints against food served in trains, Prabhu said, Whenever complaints come we always take prompt action. We had detailed discussion before formulating the policy and today we are having discussion for its smooth implementation.

 Taking note of overcharging of food in trains, he said the issue will be taken up at the conference today. We have announced a new catering policy. There were many complaints against catering service. There were complaints against those who have got the catering responsibility under our earlier catering policy, he said.

Seeking participation of private players in food business for setting up base kitchens near stations, Prabhu said, We have decided how to provide good quality food to our passengers. So we decided to have base kitchens at many places across the country. The base kitchens will be mechanised kitchens with less human intervention. It can be done through PPP mode.

He said base kitchens will benefit passengers as fresh food can be picked up in trains in every two hours which even airlines cannot do. On the distribution front, Prabhu also sought participation of reputed caterers.

Delivery of food is important for an effective catering service. Delivery of fresh food in trains can also be done by reputed caterers with proper quality control mechanism, he added.

PTI