Most rail budgets try to tell you about cheaper fares or new trains. Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu, however, wants to make your life on the tracks easier. Instead of flashy announcements, Prabhu said he would be focusing on the nuts and bolts of the Indian Railways' problems to transform the public sector behemoth. At the very start of his budget Prabhu said he was reminded of a novel by Shubhada Gogate which included a fictionalised account of India's first railway line being built across the Sahyadri mountain range.
And when Prabhu says he is looking at small issues, in some cases he means really small. At the risk of making it seem like the budget has focused on tiny matters rather than the overall problems faced by Indian Railways, the minister announced a number of initiatives focusing on the little details that could end up improving the overall experience of this transport mode that moves millions of people across the country every day.
Getting to the upper berth
If you've ever been in an Indian train you know how difficult it can be to get to the upper berth. The little footholds offered on the side of each bed barely give you much leverage to get up there, and unless you're a super athlete, going up is never a pleasant affair. Senior citizens in particular have a difficult time. The government has now offered to change these.
"We will replace the present ladders used for climbing upper berths, which are uncomfortable with user friendly ones. We have approached the National Institute of Design for this purpose," Prabhu said. As a short-term measure, the government is also increasing the quota of lower berths for senior citizens, offering folding ladders for those who need them, and reserving middle bays for women and senior citizens with their safety in mind.
The National Institute of Design is also collaborating with Indian Railways to develop "ergonomically designed" seats. NIFT, meanwhile, has been tasked with redesigning the bed linen.
Charging points
First class and AC compartments have had plug points for a while now, making it easy for those travelling with their laptops and cellphones to charge whenever necessary. But these devices are no longer limited to the rich. The rail budget speech mentioned that charging facilities will now be provided in general class coaches and the number of charging points in sleeper coaches will be increased.
On-board entertainment
If the trains are to compete with flights, entertainment might be an actual consideration. Prabhu said the Delhi Division has taken up a project to introduce on-board entertainment on Shatabdi trains on a licence fee basis, which would be extended to all Shatabdis if it works well.
Swachh Rail Bharat
If Prime Minister Narendra Modi can stand at the Red Fort and talk of toilets, the rail minister can stand in Parliament and talk about garbage bags. Prabhu said the railways will consider giving a garbage bag along with bedrolls on trains.
Additionally, cleanliness will be a big push alongside the central government's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. "We propose to create a new department for keeping our stations and trains clean. Integrated cleaning will be taken up as a specialized activity, which will include engaging professional agencies and also training our staff in the latest cleaning practices," Prabhu said.
Leveraging Technology
Railways now allows you to book Dominos Pizza from trains. Prabhu said other food chains would also be integrated into the project, allowing you to order online and ahead of time. Similarly, the budget anticipates moving towards paperless tickets, using cell phones instead, and a mobile app to send in complaints. The budget also increases the allocation for lifts and escalators and seeks to make every coach Braille-enabled.
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"You build a section at a time. You build a tunnel at a time. You then move on to the next section and the next tunnel. You build bit by bit. We must restore the strength of Bhartiya Rail as the backbone of our country’s transportation infrastructure," Prabhu said.
And when Prabhu says he is looking at small issues, in some cases he means really small. At the risk of making it seem like the budget has focused on tiny matters rather than the overall problems faced by Indian Railways, the minister announced a number of initiatives focusing on the little details that could end up improving the overall experience of this transport mode that moves millions of people across the country every day.
Getting to the upper berth
If you've ever been in an Indian train you know how difficult it can be to get to the upper berth. The little footholds offered on the side of each bed barely give you much leverage to get up there, and unless you're a super athlete, going up is never a pleasant affair. Senior citizens in particular have a difficult time. The government has now offered to change these.
"We will replace the present ladders used for climbing upper berths, which are uncomfortable with user friendly ones. We have approached the National Institute of Design for this purpose," Prabhu said. As a short-term measure, the government is also increasing the quota of lower berths for senior citizens, offering folding ladders for those who need them, and reserving middle bays for women and senior citizens with their safety in mind.
The National Institute of Design is also collaborating with Indian Railways to develop "ergonomically designed" seats. NIFT, meanwhile, has been tasked with redesigning the bed linen.
Charging points
First class and AC compartments have had plug points for a while now, making it easy for those travelling with their laptops and cellphones to charge whenever necessary. But these devices are no longer limited to the rich. The rail budget speech mentioned that charging facilities will now be provided in general class coaches and the number of charging points in sleeper coaches will be increased.
On-board entertainment
If the trains are to compete with flights, entertainment might be an actual consideration. Prabhu said the Delhi Division has taken up a project to introduce on-board entertainment on Shatabdi trains on a licence fee basis, which would be extended to all Shatabdis if it works well.
Swachh Rail Bharat
If Prime Minister Narendra Modi can stand at the Red Fort and talk of toilets, the rail minister can stand in Parliament and talk about garbage bags. Prabhu said the railways will consider giving a garbage bag along with bedrolls on trains.
Additionally, cleanliness will be a big push alongside the central government's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. "We propose to create a new department for keeping our stations and trains clean. Integrated cleaning will be taken up as a specialized activity, which will include engaging professional agencies and also training our staff in the latest cleaning practices," Prabhu said.
Leveraging Technology
Railways now allows you to book Dominos Pizza from trains. Prabhu said other food chains would also be integrated into the project, allowing you to order online and ahead of time. Similarly, the budget anticipates moving towards paperless tickets, using cell phones instead, and a mobile app to send in complaints. The budget also increases the allocation for lifts and escalators and seeks to make every coach Braille-enabled.
