Railway officials and housekeeping staff posing with modern cleaning equipment alongside a Vande Bharat Express train during the rollout of enhanced on-board services by Northeast Frontier Railway.
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 18 (MExN): Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has introduced technology-driven enhanced on-board services in five train services to improve cleanliness, hygiene and passenger comfort. It is the second zonal railway under Indian Railways to implement the initiative.
The services have been introduced in the Kamakhya–SMVT Bengaluru Express (12552/12551), Guwahati–Kolkata Garib Rath Express (12518/12517), Dibrugarh–Mumbai LTT Express (15946/15945), New Jalpaiguri–Patna Vande Bharat Express (22233/22234) and New Jalpaiguri–Guwahati Vande Bharat Express (22227/22228).
According to an NFR press release, the enhanced services were introduced in the two New Jalpaiguri-based Vande Bharat Express trains on October 14 in the presence of senior railway officials. The Kamakhya–SMVT Bengaluru Express was also equipped with the services from its originating station on the same day.
The Guwahati–Kolkata Garib Rath Express and Dibrugarh–Mumbai LTT Express began operating with the enhanced services on October 10 and 11, respectively. The initiative aims to improve on-board maintenance through regular coach and AC window cleaning, better washroom upkeep, efficient waste management, and timely distribution and collection of linen.
Dedicated teams will provide basic technical assistance, monitor water availability and address passenger complaints within a target of two hours. Unresolved complaints will be escalated to the concerned railway authorities.
The system also incorporates digital monitoring, geo-tagged service verification, staff tracking and centralised monitoring to improve accountability. “Real-time passenger feedback, star ratings and AI-based cleaning assessments” will be used to evaluate performance and facilitate improvements in service quality, the release stated.
NFR said the initiative was aimed at maintaining higher hygiene standards and improving passenger satisfaction through “technology-driven housekeeping, digital monitoring and prompt grievance redressal.”
