RAILWAYS STRICT ABOUT COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Railway passengers are sharing videos and photos directly on social media of complaints related to bad food, dirt in coach-toilet, lack of water, poor mobile charging, dirty bedroll, bad AC-light during the train journey. The officials of Zonal Division Railway including Railway Board are resolving the problems of passengers by taking prompt action on the above complaints. In the last six months, the Railways has imposed a fine of more than Rs 4.40 crore on catering contractors alone. At the same time, more than one crore financial penalty has been imposed on onboard housekeeping and other railway contractors.
In fact, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has instructed to monitor and redress the complaints registered on railway help to improve the service of railway passengers, including action against the concerned officer contractor. Under this, a team of officers in the control room of the Railway Board is monitoring 24 hours on social media, rail help online, complaints on 139.
A senior railway official said that officers in zonal railways and divisions become active when complaints are lodged on social media. They talk to the passenger and solve their problem. Apart from this, the officers of the division immediately direct the concerned contractor to impose a fine based on the seriousness of the complaint.

He said that a fine ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh is being imposed on catering contractors for spoiled food, insects and cockroaches etc. From April 2024 to October, 1750 complaints have been fined 25,000 thousand per contractor. A fine of Rs 1 lakh has been imposed on 30 food related complaints, while in one case the contractor (Dehradun Shatabdi) has been fined Rs 10 lakh. So far, the Railways has fined contractors more than Rs 4.40 crore.

Apart from catering, a quick fine ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 is being imposed on dirt in the coach toilet of the train, dirty bedroll, faulty switch, AC, faulty lift escalator at the station, light malfunction. Railway officials are instructing the contractor to impose a fine as soon as the railway passenger puts a photo-video related to the complaint. A Railway Board official said that between April and October, more than one crore fines have been collected from contractors on these complaints. Along with this, the DRM Officer of the Division is being warned in case of repeated complaints or no quick resolution.