Amenities for senior citizens, women, disabled, babies

Unreserved coaches, named ‘Deen Dayalu Coaches’, will be introduced for the poor. These coaches will have potable water and higher number of mobile charging points. He announced several new measures for rail safety and facilities for passengers. All railway stations will be brought under CCTV surveillance and Wi-Fi services will be provided at 100 stations in 2015-16 and at 400 stations by the end of next fiscal. 

The minister announced that all operational halts will be converted into commercial halts, for the convenience of passengers. The ‘Sarathi Seva’ introduced in Konkan Railway to help the old and disabled passengers, requiring assistance at stations, will be expanded at many more stations. Announcing many other facilities, he said that separate toilets would provided for ‘divyang’ (disabled) people.  

At least one disabled friendly toilet in all platforms in A1 class stations will be built in the next financial year besides announcing one-time registration for people with disabilities for availing concessions while booking tickets online. 

Online booking of wheelchairs and Braille enabled new coaches are also to be introduced for persons with disabilities. The existing services for enabling passengers to book battery operated cars and porter services on a paid basis in addition to the existing pick up and drop, and wheel chair services will be strengthened. 

Indian Railways is working with insurance companies to offer optional travel insurance for journey at the time of booking. The budget proposed to commence hourly booking of retiring rooms instead of the existing minimum of 12 hours to fulfil the unmet need of passengers. 

Further, the retiring rooms will be handed over to IRCTC to ensure that these can be managed in a professional manner.

Indian Railways will pilot availability of children’s menu items on trains. Baby food, hot milk and hot water would be made available on stations and changing boards for babies in train toilets.