New Delhi. After Northern Railway, now North Eastern Railway has also started preparing to provide disposable blankets, sheets and towels etc. to the railway passengers in trains at their stations. To protect railway passengers from the Covid pandemic, North Eastern Railway is working rapidly on this. At present, it will be started by the Railways only at Gorakhpur Junction of Gorakhpur Division. This type of facility has been handed over to private hands.
It is said that in the coming time, apart from Gorakhpur Junction of Lucknow Division, it is likely to be started on two other divisions also. Lucknow division which comes under both North Eastern and Northern Railways. Lucknow division under Northern Railway has already started in this direction.
Work is being done at Gorakhpur Junction
Apart from this, Izzat Nagar and Varanasi division also comes under North Eastern Railway zone. At present, the authorities have not yet decided when this facility will be started for the passengers in the entire zone. Pankaj, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Eastern Railway, while talking to News18 India, said that currently work is being done on the process of providing disposable bedrolls at Gorakhpur Junction. Some tenders have also been issued on this. He told that Lucknow Division has worked in this direction. Constant contact is also maintained with him to take this process forward. Some work still remains to be done in this direction.
According to railway officials, such a facility is likely to be available from next March. Apart from platform number 9 of Gorakhpur, counters will also be opened at the gates of platforms one and two to provide disposable bedrolls. At these counters, passengers will be able to buy blankets, sheets and towels etc. as per their convenience.
Sanitizer and mask will also be provided
Also, to protect the passengers from Corona infection, the Railway Administration will also provide sanitizers and masks etc. to all the passengers as per the guidelines issued by the Home Ministry. It is said that if bedrolls are not used, passengers can also take them to their homes. However, different possible fares for bed roll have been determined. The operation of trains was completely stopped after the lockdown was imposed across the country on 22 March 2020 to prevent Corona virus infection. Due to this, bedrolls and curtains were also removed from AC trains.
Rates for disposable materials have also been decided.
According to the officials, rates have also been fixed for providing disposable material.
For buying a complete set of bedsheet and blanket, you will have to pay Rs 250. Whereas if a bedsheet is taken then ₹ 50 will have to be paid for the bedsheet. If you take a pillow along with a sheet, you will have to pay ₹ 100 for it. You will have to pay ₹100 just for the blanket. Whereas if the passenger takes a bedsheet along with a blanket, he will have to pay ₹ 200.
It has started on 15th February at New Delhi station.
Let us tell you that on 15 February, UV based sanitizer machine and disposable germ free bedroll kit was inaugurated at New Delhi Railway Station by Ashutosh Gangal, General Manager of Northern Railway. The General Manager had talked about starting it with the aim of providing safe and comfortable travel to the railway passengers.
He also said that this facility will be provided to the passengers at reasonable prices. Apart from New Delhi, it was also said that these products like corona preventive measures for rail travel like hand sanitizer, hand wash, mask etc. would be made available at Delhi Junction and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations. Railways is expected to earn additional income of about Rs 1 crore in the form of revenue. Two contracts were awarded under the new Innovative Non Fare Revenue.
Tags: Corona Virus, Indian Railways
FIRST PUBLISHED : February 24, 2021, 17:07 IST