SMS service fails to click with passengers

Has no information on many trains

The SMS service aimed at providing information about the status of trains operating from the five major railway stations in the Capital has failed to click with the passengers.

A real-time train information SMS service was launched on January 1 this year. It was launched by the Delhi Division of Northern Railways to give information about trains operating from New Delhi, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin, Anand Vihar and Sarai Rohilla railway stations.

However, information about around 30 trains operating from Anand Vihar and Sarai Rohilla is still not available. Due to lack of complete data of trains, the passengers boarding trains from Anand Vihar and Sarai Rohilla are unable to avail the benefits of the service.

“The data of trains operating from the two stations is being prepared. It would be updated soon and information about these trains would be disseminated within a month,” said Y S Rajput, senior PRO (Delhi Division), Northern Railways.

Even in case of New Delhi station, the service does not provide information about all the trains. For example, despite the electronic display board showing the status of Magadh Express as cancelled, the SMS sent did not generate any response. Similarly, the Delhi-Agra train was scheduled to depart at 3.20 pm but an SMS seeking information about the train got no response.

However, the PRO said at least 2500 to 3000 people are using the service.
“The data of trains from other stations would also be verified. If some details are missing,
it would be rectified soon,” he said.

Apart from the SMS service, the Delhi Division also provides information about the status of trains and platform numbers on social networking site Facebook. It has a ‘Delhi Division Northern Railway’ page which gives updates of trains running from four major stations - New Delhi, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar.