THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram Central station will have a special help desk in the middle of every platform for passengers from Wednesday. Experienced squad TTEs will man the desk during arrival/departure of trains.
Passengers can seek assistance on travel necessities like wheelchair, service of rail sahayaks(porters) and connection trains. The departure team of TTEs will guide the passengers and assist them to the allotted coaches. On the arrival of trains, TTEs will welcome the passengers and provide any assistance required.
As a passenger-friendly measure, the Thiruvananthapuram division will be deploying TTEs to help passengers, especially those requiring special attention, such as senior citizens, women travelling alone, differently abled and sick passengers. At present, passengers have to run after various officials for these services.
“This is a shift from ticket checking and imposing penalties to welcoming, caring and serving the passengers. Unauthorised and ticketless passengers will be dealt with as per rules but the emphasis will be on service now. The help desk is on an experimental basis,” said a press release.
Recently the Railways had introduced captains to help passengers on board on select trains. Captains are usually seniormost TTEs.
Along with the newly started women facilitation centre, the new facility is aimed at making Thiruvananthapuram Central station one step closer to being the most passenger- friendly station of the Railways.
Divisional Railway Manager Prakash Butani will inaugurate on-board house keeping services in trains on Wednesday. Passengers can demand that the coaches to be cleaned while travelling.
The facility is likely to be introduced in the Thiruvananthapuram - New Delhi Kerala Express leaving at 11.15 am.