RAILWAY SAMACHAR

WR TAKES ACTION ON COMMUTERS

SMS FEEDBACK ON ITS SERVICES

Western Railway has initiated action on the Suggestions/Complaints/ Feedbacks received through the SMS from its valued users in order to bring about improvement in its services and its working. WR has now started receiving SMS of thanks from the passengers now. From the day of its launch in April 2009, WR has received about 3484 SMS so far.

Following a suggestion to earmark benches on platforms for physically challenged passengers, the WR has taken immediate action to reserve benches for handicapped persons at suburban stations. Similarly, a commuter requested that announcements be made at Nallasopara station if a local train is likely to arrive at Platform No.8 at Virar station. This suggestion was well taken by the WR administration and now the required announcements are being made at Nallasopara as well as in trains.

WR received a complaint from a commuter that a Juice Centre at Goregaon station has become the source of dirty water and foul smell following which the contractor of the juice centre has been penalized and warned. In a similar manner, the contractor of pay & use toilets at Virar has also been penalized following a complaint on SMS. Thus, the SMS service has become a powerful medium in the hands of the general public to convey its grievances/ suggestions etc to the railway administration.The SMS received are analysed and the main problem is being identified. One issue about which a large number SMS, were received has been the raising of platforms. In this regard, the work of raising the platform level at 12 suburban stations including Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Goregaon, Nalasopara, Borivali, Matunga Road, Elphinstone Road, Malad, Vile Parle, Naigaon and Vasai Road have already been sanctioned while more works of platform raising at Parel, Dadar, Khar, Andheri, Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, Dahisar and Bhayander have been proposed and are under process at present.

Further, WR has intensified the ticket checking drive following SMS, regarding menace of unauthorized travelling. Fortress checks are being conducted at stations and in moving suburban trains.

The commuters have also demanded more cleanliness at station toilets. This is a major challenge before the WR and option of electrically operated auto-genitor/air freshness for toilets at WR suburban stations is being explored.

The commuters have begun to hail WR’s efforts to fulfill their wishes. Mr. Rajiv Singal had suggested to install a TV indicator in the north side pedestrian in Dahisar. He has sent a message of thanks after the installation of the same. Another passenger has also thanked WR after the announcements were begun at Nallasopara for the trains going to Platform No.8 at Virar.