Railways to integrate train enquiry services on single '139'platform

New Delhi, July 16 (UNI) In a major IT initiative aimed at substantially upgrading the profile of passenger amenities, the Railways has integrated various train enquiry services into a single platform of common no. 139, a computer-based Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) equipped with a sufficient number of lines to cater to the users.

To increase the availability of this service to the large number of users, the common countrywide inquiry system will work as a call centre within One BSNL Basic Circle. Three such call centres have already been commissioned at Patna, Bangalore and NOIDA, near Delhi.

The new concept would make 139 accessible to all telephone lines, WLL and mobile users in one telecom circle without prefixing the STD codes within such circle to make it a local call,'' a top official of IRCTC told UNI.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad will launch the integrated 139 call service at a function here tomorrow.

This is one of the several Public Private Partnership (PPP) schemes of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd aimed at providing quality services to the passengers.

The 139 call service will provide three types of facilities --- basic services, value added services and premium services. It has already started basic operations in Bangalore and Patna, providing information like the PNR and waiting list status, arrival and departure of trains, availability of seats and train fares.

Value Added Services will include information about facilities like booking tickets or onward journey booking, reservation in hotels, hiring taxis or tourist buses, car rental and tourist places while premium services will provide SMS alerts, FAX facility and callback facility.

While local call charge will be applicable for basic enquiry services, charges would be different for value added and premium services,'' the official said, adding that the rates for these services were being worked out.

Initially, the service would be available to MTNL and BSNL subscribers in the northern states. By September, it will be available on all modes of telephony --- landline, WLL and mobile phones --- throughout the country.

IRCTC's 139 call service will be in addition to the enquiry facility available at phone no. 131, which is being provided by RailTel, another public sector undertaking of the Railways.

What distinguishes 139 call service from 131 enquiry service is that the former will provide a host of services besides train enquiry and reservation status,'' the official said. To begin with, 139 call service will become operation in the northern states. By September, the facility will be extended to the entire country,'' the official said.

For providing these facilities, call centres will be set up in the four metros of Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, which are to be equipped with IVRS facility.

The IRCTC has entered into an agreement with a consortium of three companies --- BSNL, Spanco Telesystems and Solutions Ltd and Stracon Back-up Solution of the Modi Group --- for providing expanded facilities at 139 call service.

Phone No. 139 has been reserved by the Telecommunication Department for the Railway Enquiry Service,'' the official said, adding that the entire investment would be made by the consortium, which would be in the range of Rs 50-60 crore while the operating cost would be Rs 25 crore.

The official said inquiry can also be made through cell phones on which SMS alerts about the status of trains and ticket reservation will be provided.

This is going to be a paradigm shift in passenger amenities as will shorten the queue at ticket windows, he said, adding that passengers will now no longer hear the irritating recorded message: All lines in this route are busy. Please try later.

Five million calls are made everyday to the railway enquiry telephone lines generating Rs 60 lakh to BSNL and MTNL. The expanded facilities on 139 call service will help Railways generate more revenues both for fixed line telephone and cellular companies as well as for itself by giving value added and premium services like booking tickets and callback facility.

UNI