And now, ISO 9000 certification for trains

Five trains operating under the Northern Railways, including three Jan Shatabdis, were likely to get international quality certification ISO 9000 by the end of this month, a senior Railway official said on Wednesday.

"We are expecting a decision on the ISO certification by the end of this month," Northern Railway General Manager R R Jaruhar said after releasing the new combined railway time table for Northern, North-Central and North-Eastern Railways.

The trains that are expected to receive the international certification are three Jan Shatabdi Express trains to Lucknow, Chandigarh and Dehradun, Lucknow-Delhi Mail and Jammu Tavi Pooja Express, he said.

Jaruhar said Northern Railway had earned revenue of Rs 1,119.81 crore (Rs 11.981 billion) in first four months of the current financial year as against Rs 918.02 crore (Rs 9.180 billion)  in the corresponding period

last year.

On infrastuctural development, he said Northern Railway was giving importance to development of terminals at important stations, including New Delhi station.

Doubling lining of the tracks was also progressing in three important routes including Ghaziabad-Moradabad section, he added.

Jaruhar said budgetary proposals on passenger amenities including additional relaxation of fares for widows of defence personnel, unemployed youth travelling for interviews and haemophilia patients going for treatment would come into effect from September 6.

Jaruhar said schedules for 17 new Sampark Kranti trains announced by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in his Budget would be published within two months after new coaches and engines become available.

"New terminals also have to be developed," he said.

While another three Express trains and two passenger trains would be introduced later this month, services of three had been extended, he said.

Jaruhar said several special trains would also be run during Durga Puja in October, but did not give details.

"We had operated 1503 special trains in previous financial year and have already run 1295 till August this year," he said.

The Northern Railway GM said more than 90 per cent of funds allocated for development of passenger amenities had been spent last year and Rs 24 crore had been utilised this year.

Jaruhar said sale of tickets through e-transactions was "under trial" and Railway was trying to tie up with banks to "sort out certain issues."

He claimed most trains run on time despite problems. "The punctuality rate is 96 per cent."