Railways offers trolley service for senior citizens, women
Wednesday, 12 January 2011, 17:12 IST
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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 the 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 seni or 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 SBI use the specified space on trolleys for advertisement, the official said. Railways 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 the stations.
Source: PTI
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