OREANDA-NEWS. Ministry of Railways has decided to organise a fortnight long programme “Railyatri/Upbhokta Pakhwada” (Passenger and Customer Facilitation Fortnight) from 26.05.2015 to 09.06.2015 all over Indian Railways, primarily directed towards Passenger Amenities/Customer Facilitation, Awareness about various achievements of Indian Railways during the preceding year and highlights of Railway Budget 2015-16, etc.  The detailed outlines and guidelines for the proposed fortnight long programme were formulated and finalised at a high level meeting convened by Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu.  The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Railways, Shri Manoj Sinha and Members of the Railway Board. The Railway Minister and Railway Board Members interacted with General Managers of Zonal Railways and Railway Production Units over Video Conferencing also to chalk out the strategy for the Pakhwada.

The Additional Member (AM) (C&IS), Shri Mohd. Jamshed, Railway Board has been nominated as the Programme Co-ordinator for this fortnight long Pakhwada.  The entire machinery of Indian Railways from Railway Board to the divisional railway level has been fully geared up for this momentous activity which is first of its kind in the history of Indian Railways.

The General Manager (GM) of Zonal Railways and Railway Productions Units and the Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) have set up Organising Committees at their respective headquarters to undertake various programmes as directed. The DRMs have been asked to involve the Station Managers for organising and monitoring various activities on their respective stations.

The events proposed to be undertaken during this fortnight long programme include inauguration/launching of completed projects, signing of MoUs with Railway PSUs for upgrading passenger amenities in certain identified stations, formation of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with the State Governments for joint development of Infrastructure, Road Shows & Interaction by GMs and DRMs with passengers and other customers by visiting stations and by traveling with public in suburban and other passenger trains, interaction with State Government Authorities, interaction with public seeking their support for Railway’s Cleanliness Campaign and Safety Awareness Campaign at unmanned level crossings, inspection of Railway Stations, drive about courtesy programme for the front line staff, health check-up camps, intensive drive to check catering services, vigilance checks, intensive ticket checking drive, drive against touts etc. 

The recognised unions of Indian Railways have also been involved in a big way in this Pakhwada.