The Citizens’ Forum for Human Rights on Saturday thanked Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for allocating 30 per cent more funds for Odisha in Railway Budget over the last year.
It too urged him to make the Indian Railways more people-friendly by stressing on hygienic conditions in the trains. “Odisha had been neglected in Railway Budget for a few years. The people of Odisha appreciate the Centre’s benevolent approach in allocating 30 per cent more funds in this year’s Railway Budget. It will certainly help in the State’s growth,” said forum’s Pramod Patnaik and Natabar Mohanty in a letter to Prabhu.
They hailed provisions like 33 per cent reservation of seats for women, installation of CCTV cameras in coaches, proposal of elimination of manned level crossings, e-catering facilities at 408 A-1 and A Class stations, toilets for disabled at 11 Class A stations, 50 per cent reservation of seats for senior citizens in lower berths and lunching of a travel insurance scheme.
They urged the Minister to ensure uncompromised neatness in all compartments, whether it AC on non-AC. Each coach should have one dedicated sweeper with materials to clean toilets every hour. Similarly, cleaned bed rolls should be provided to passengers. For this a little extra cost may be charged, the letter said.
The forum also requested the Minister to ensure that food supplied to passengers is of good quality prepared in hygienic conditions.
“let train journey be a merry-making journey, instead of pain-making so that people will prefer to travel by train. We hope the Indian Railways will be equated with other Railways of the developed countries under your able leadership,” the letter said.