Just finished reading highlights of the Rail budget (sorry! I am little slow); here are some forward looking initiatives I noted. Prabhu is doing a good job!
- Draft Bill on regulator - Restructuring Railway Board on business lines
- Sale of platform tickets through ticket vending machines both cash and card compatible
- Facility of cancellation through the 139 helpline using ‘One Time Password’
- ‘Clean my Coach’ service through SMS
- Periodic third party audit of stations of A1 & A category
- Cold storage facilities on vacant land near freight terminals
- Rail side logistic parks and warehousing
- Appointing Key Customer Managers to liaison with our major freight stakeholders
- Hourly booking of retiring rooms to be allowed instead of the existing minimum of 12 hours.
- Baby foods, hot milk and hot water to be made available on stations
- Changing boards for babies would be provided in train toilets.
- CCTV cameras would continue to be installed in coaches
- Wi-Fi at 400 stations in next two years
- Rs. 50 crore for innovation grant
- Monetizing soft assets such as data, software and some of the free services such as PNR enquiry, e-commerce activities on IRCTC website
Overall this budget has taken steps in the direction of making Indian Railways a progressive organization like I have recommended on this blog. I am glad some of the ideas which I shared here have come to fruition with the Modi Government; Drutgamini will become a reality with Bullet train, a lot in this budget (like move towards business lines, dedicated customer managers and holding co for Railway PSUs) was covered in my post on need for reform; I do hope that by the time Suresh Prabhu's term ends, Indian Railways is the world's leading Affordable and Progressive rail networks!
I don't mean to take credit here - Modi government has more able people who must have come up with these ideas; just that feels good to be vindicated!
And one last thing; it would have been better not to club baby needs (items 10 and 11 in the above list) under 'For Women' - is taking care of babies only a headache for Women. I confess I might have never done Baby diaper change while in a train, but Dad's do (occasionally if you may) care about their kids food and sometimes do change diapers as well!
And one last thing; it would have been better not to club baby needs (items 10 and 11 in the above list) under 'For Women' - is taking care of babies only a headache for Women. I confess I might have never done Baby diaper change while in a train, but Dad's do (occasionally if you may) care about their kids food and sometimes do change diapers as well!
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