New Delhi: Railway Minister P.K. Bansal admitted Friday that various kinds of complaints related to the railway's IRCTC website had been received.
Bansal told the Rajya Sabha that there had been instances of the IRCTC website being inaccessible during morning hours and failure of some internet ticket booking transactions even after deducting money.
"During the opening hours of booking, due to a sudden surge in online traffic, the IRCTC e-ticketing website transactions sometimes experience slowdown," he said.
In 2011-12, some 20-25 complaints were received every day against the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp (IRCTC) "during peak (booking) period".
There had also been instances when money was deducted from credit cards multiple times while booking a single ticket, he said, responding to a question from BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
A sudden surge in online traffic during Tatkal booking also led the website to slow down, the minister said.
At what speed do Indian trains run?An express train runs at an average speed of 50 km an hour and a good train at 25 km an hour. But this is only on broad gauge, Minister of State for Railways K.J. Surya Prakash Reddy told the Rajya Sabha Friday.
On meter gauge, the trains slow down, with express trains plying at 30 km an hour and goods trains at 14 km an hour.
Also on broad gauge, EMUs (electrical multiple units) run at 40 km an hour and ordinary passenger trains cover 36 km an hour.
The speed of trains, Bansal explained, was dependent on factors such as the trains themselves, signalling system, rolling stock and stoppages.
"It is a constant endeavour of Indian Railways to improve the average speed of trains," he said.
727 km of rail lines added in 2011-12A total of 727 km of railway lines were added across the country in 2011-12, with Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh accounting for the bulk, parliament was told Friday.
Railway Minister P.K. Bansal said in the Rajya Sabha that 130 km was added in Uttar Pradesh and 120 km in Andhra Pradesh, two states through which most northern and southern trains pass through.
This was followed by West Bengal (97 km), Jharkhand (69 km), Bihar (60 km) and Tamil Nadu (54 km).
In contrast, only eight kilometres of rail line was added in Maharashtra and none in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Railway modernization, safety will need $120 billionThe modernization and safety of Indian Railways will require Rs.660,000 crore ($120 billion), parliament was told Friday.
The Expert Group for Modernization of Indian Railways has indicated that modernization would need Rs.560,000 crore over the 12th and 13th Five Year Plans, Railway Minister P.K. Bansal said.
The High Level Safety Review Committee has indicated an investment requirement of Rs.100,000 crore over a period of five years, Bansal told the Rajya Sabha.
While the modernization group was headed by Sam Pitroda, the safety committee was chaired by Anil Kakodkar.
The minister said the recommendations of both the panels were under examination in the railway ministry.
"The actual requirement of resources for modernization and safety would depend on the recommendations accepted by the government," he said.
569 'model' railway stations developed The railways have developed 569 "model" railway stations and work is on on another 25, parliament was informed Friday.
Under the various schemes, 616 of the identified 976 railway stations have also been developed as "Adarsh" stations, with upgraded passenger amenities. "Upgradation of stations under various schemes is a continuous process and works under these schemes are completed as per availability of resources," Railway Minister P.K. Bansal told the Rajya Sabha.
He said 50 stations had been identified for development as world class stations through public private partnership (PPP) mode.
"No station was targeted for completion as World Class Station during the last three years," he said.
Yes, autos overcharge at railway stationsThe government admitted Friday that there have been complaints of over-charging by auto-rickshaws and taxis at railway stations.
"Yes, some difficulties have been reported," Minister of State for Railway K.J. Surya Prakash Reddy told the Rajya Sabha, in response to a question from D.P. Tripathi who asked if it was true that autos and taxis at rail stations demand up to three times the actual fare.
The minister added that the provision of pre-paid counters was linked to the importance of the railway station and space availability.
He added that their setting up was the responsibility of the state governments.
Railway tea should cost only Rs.3A cup of tea on mail and express trains should cost only Rs.3 or Rs.4, parliament was told Friday.
Minister of State for Railways K.J. Surya Prakash Reddy told the Rajya Sabha that a "standard tea" in disposal cup was pegged at Rs.3 and tea made with tea bag one rupee more.
He added that a cup of coffee made with instant coffee powder should cost Rs.5 and a 500 ml bottle of chilled Rail Neer Rs.10.
A "Janta Meal" or Economy meal was priced at Rs.10, vegetarian breakfast at Rs.17, non-vegetarian breakfast at Rs.20, standard casserole meal at Rs.30 and standard thali meal at Rs.22 (vegetarian) and Rs.27 (non-vegetarian).
Indian rail network added 11,004 km in 62 yearsIndia's rail network rose from 53,596 route km as of April 1950 to 64,600 km in March 2012.
Stating this in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Railways K.J. Surya Prakash Reddy, however, said the total rail route converted to broad gauge or new broad gauge laid totalled 52,241 km.
The minister was responding a question from D.P. Tripathi of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Asked if people preferred road transport to railways, the minister admitted that the former enjoyed the advantage of "door to door service", particularly in respect of short and non bulk traffic.
"Road is the preferred mode for certains streams of traffic," he said.
