New Delhi: Senior citizens and women can now book a trolley service in advance to ensure smooth boarding and alighting from trains at important stations across the country.
The round-the-clock service can be availed after
paying a nominal fee.
"There will be modern trolleys at all important
stations across the country soon to assist senior citizens and
women passengers in boarding and alighting from coaches along
with their luggage," a senior Railway Ministry official said.
Passengers will have to pay a nominal fee for the
service. The fees will be decided by the zonal railways as per
the local conditions and it would be displayed prominently at
stations.
The trolleys would be handled by uniformed attendants
who will be called as Rail Yatri Sevaks.
"The trolley service would be first introduced in
Howrah and Sealdah stations on a PPP model as a pilot project
and later on extended to other stations," the official said,
adding "a specific telephone number will soon be notified on
which women and senior citizens can book the luggage trolley
in advance."
Railways have tied up with SBI to launch the trolley
service at Sealdah and Howrah.
As per the arrangement, SBI will provide the trolleys
and look after their maintenance. The bank will also be
responsible for engaging Rail Yatri Sevaks for the service.
While railways is not spending anything on the
project, it would allow the SBI use the specified space on
trolleys for advertisement, said the official.
Railway will earmark particular space at the platforms
for the parking and movement of trolleys, as per the agreement
with SBI which will also provide uniforms to the Rail Yatri
Sevaks.
Rail Yatri Sevaks will hold a placard with a trolley
number to help the passengers identify the assigned trolley
and the passenger booking the service will furnish the PNR to
the Sevak for the purpose of verification.
Railways will also provide a separate counter to the
service provider so that passengers could approach them for
the luggage trolley service at stations.
PTI
