Title - Railway focus on comfort and cleanliness at Adarsh stations

ALLAHABAD: Indian railway has decided to shift the focus of Adarsh stations from beautification to utility, comfort and cleanliness. In this connection, comprehensive guidelines have been issued by the railway board to all the zonal railways so that the recommendations can be implemented in letter and spirit.

According to guidelines issued, various types of facilities should be provided at the Adarsh stations in accordance with the category of the station. Pointedly, Indian railways have categorized stations into seven categories based on the income generated by the stations. Thus, the six categories are A1, A,B,C,D,E and F. In the first A1 category, the annual income is more than Rs 50 crore and in the A categry the income is between Rs 6 to 50 crore annually.In the A1 category stations which generate the highest income, there will be diverse type of facilities, which has been tagged with Adarsh stations. This includes facilities of escalators/lifts and also improvement in the facade of the station building. There will be facility of VIP lounge in the station area, which will be fully air-conditioned.In addition to this, Adarsh station of the A1 category also has the facility of retiring room, waiting room (with bathing facilities) for upper class with TV, separate ladies waiting room (with bathing facilities) for ladies, cloak room and computer based public address system.

Further, there would be landscaping of the circulating area (where feasible) subject to availability of space. Ornamental trees suitable for climate of the area may be planted. Other facilities include prepaid taxi/radio taxi booth, electronic train indicator board/Plasma TV Train Indicator System, coach indication board, water cooler. Adequate lighting arrangements with energy fitting and fixtures on platform and FOB/circulating area/concourse are also in the offing.

There would also be provision of battery operated car for carrying disabled persons at such station. There will be ramps at the entry to station for physically handicapped and senior citizens and separate parking for disabled persons. Provision of wheel chair at such stations is also proposed.

In the second category of 'A' Adarsh stations, there facade of the station building will be improved. There will retiring room, waiting room (with bathing facilities) for upper class with TV, waiting room (with bathing facilities) for other classes with TV, cloak room and the circulated areas would be lighted.

There will be prepaid taxi/radio taxi booth, lifts/escalators, pay and use toilets in circulating area/concourse area, water cooler, Passenger Reservation System, UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System ) counters. For the facility of handicapped persons, there should be ramps at the entry to the station. The Adarsh stations coming under B category and generating income from Rs 3 to 6 crore annually will also have many facilities. Besides improvement in the facade of the station building, retiring room, waiting room (with bathing facilities) for other classes with TV, cloak room the level of the platform would be high, Foot Over Bridge, PRS and UTS counters.

In the C category, there are sub urban stations and in D category stations are non-suburban stations, which also envisages improvement in the faced to the station building. The above mentioned services will also be provided like other stations.

The E category station has income of about 1 crore annually and will have the facility of signage, pay and use toilets, Foot Over Bridge, water Cooler, PRS and UTS counters and have the facilities for the handicapped persons as described above. The stations coming F category are halts, which are not incorporated in the Adarsh stations.