SMS alerts for train delays, water vending machines on anvil

New Delhi: SMS alerts to passengers on train delays and setting up of 4,615 water vending machines at a number of railway stations are among the new initiatives of  the Railways to improve facilities for passengers.   Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha, while replying to questions in the Lok Sabha, indicated that SMS service on train delays is under consideration.    

"There is a provision in this regard," he said when asked whether such a facility would be available to passengers on the pattern of SMS alerts about status of train bookings. Sinha said the capacity of the e-ticket system has been expanded and now as many as 7,200 tickets can be booked per minute. Earlier, only 2,000 tickets could be booked per minute.    

"In the time to come, we will increase the (ticket booking) capacity," he added. The Railways has taken various measures to make booking or reservation of tickets easier and user friendly, he said. Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) counters have been provided at more than 5,800 locations and around 1,500 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines have been installed. To another question, the Minister said as a recent initiative, water vending machines are to be set up by Indian  Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation at identified railway stations to provide low cost clean drinking water.   

"At present shortlisting of agencies for water vending  machines has been completed. 4,615 water vending machines are to be installed in a phased manner," he said. The estimated cost per machine is between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh depending on the quality of parameters of raw water available at the railway station and it would require  engagement of Rs 2 to 3 persons per machine.