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NEW DELHI: Northern Railways is back on Facebook; months after it logged out. However, in its new avatar, claims the Delhi division, the site is more user-friendly. For one, the passengers can now directly log in to the site, click a link and find out which train is entering or leaving New Delhi station at any given point of time. Additionally, special staff has been appointed by the Northern Railway to reply to passenger queries and passenger complaints within 24-48 hours. The railways now plan to use this site for furthering their development model. Next in line are plans to update passengers on certain upgradations made by the Delhi division in the past few months.

The Northern Railway now says it was "forced to withdraw from Facebook", as it was attracting negative publicity. The page had become an instant hit with railway passengers, especially the regular net users, as it provided several passenger friendly information related to train operation. "We withdrew due to negative publicity, we can back because passengers wanted us to be back," summed up Anurag Sacchan, divisional railway manager (Delhi).

"Information regarding actual arrival and departure time and platform number of trains operating from Old Delhi, Hazrat Nizamuddin and New Delhi railway stations can also be accessed," said a spokesperson. The officials said the initiative has been started to help passengers save time and provide them convenience by use of technology. "If portions of New Delhi station are now Wi-fi, we need to provide amenities where passengers can use them," said an officer.

The Facebook page of the Northern Railway was launched in April 2011. When the Railway withdrew from the site, the page had over 10,000 'likes', while the 'unique hits' — or first-time visitors — on the website crossed 60,000. Northern Railway officials had then justified the decision to shut down the page citing technical reasons. The officials said several proxy pages of the Delhi division had also emerged on the social networking site, all of which have been addressed now.