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 its stations. North Eastern Railway is working fast on this to protect the railway passengers from the Covid epidemic. At present, it will be started by the Railways only at Gorakhpur Junction of Gorakhpur Division. This kind 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 at two other divisions as well. Lucknow Division which comes under both Northeast and Northern Railways. Lucknow Division which comes under Northern Railways has already started in this direction.
Work is being done at Gorakhpur Junction
Apart from this, Izzat Nagar and Varanasi division also come under Northeast Railway Zone. At present, the officials have not yet decided when this facility will be started for the passengers in the entire zone. Chief Public Relations Officer of Northeast Railway Pankaj told News18 India that at present work is being done on the process of providing disposable bedrolls at Gorakhpur Junction. Some tenders have also been issued on this. At the same time, he told that Lucknow Division has already worked in this direction. Contact is also maintained with them to take this process forward. Some work is yet to be done in this direction.
According to railway officials, such facilities are likely to be available from next March. Apart from platform number 9 of Gorakhpur, counters will be opened at the gates of platforms one and two to provide disposable bedrolls. Passengers will be able to buy blankets, sheets and towels etc. at these counters as per their convenience.
Sanitizers and masks 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 the bedroll is not used, the passengers can also take it to their home. However, different possible fares of bedrolls have been fixed. To prevent corona virus infection, the operation of trains was completely stopped after the lockdown was imposed across the country on 22 March 2020. Due to this, bedrolls and curtains were also removed in AC trains.
Rates of disposal material have also been fixed
If officials are to be believed, rates have also been fixed for providing disposal material.
If you buy a complete set of bedsheet and blanket, you will have to pay 250 rupees. If you buy a bedsheet, you will have to pay ₹50 for the bedsheet. If you buy a pillow along with the bedsheet, you will have to pay ₹100 for it. You will have to pay ₹100 just for the blanket. If a passenger buys a bedsheet along with a blanket, he will have to pay ₹200.
It has started on 15 February at New Delhi station
Let us tell you that on February 15, the General Manager of Northern Railway, Ashutosh Gangal, inaugurated the UV based sanitizer machine and disposable germ free bedroll kit at New Delhi Railway Station. The General Manager had said that this was started 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. It was also said that these products like hand sanitizer, hand wash, masks etc. will be made available at Delhi Junction and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations apart from New Delhi for corona preventive measures for rail travel. Railways is expected to earn an additional revenue of about Rs 1 crore. Two contracts were awarded under the new innovative non-fare revenue.
Tags: Corona Virus, Indian Railways
FIRST PUBLISHED : February 24, 2021, 17:07 IST