After February 28, the approval for Train on Demand will automatically expire.
Tapas Banerjee, Jagran, Dhanbad. Clouds of crisis are looming over the special trains running as Train on Demand. Railways has implemented strict rules regarding the special trains being run at high speed.
According to the latest decision, after February 28 next year, the approval of Train on Demand from the Railway Board will automatically expire. After March 1, zonal railways will have to take fresh permission from the Railway Board for special trains.
Board's Executive Director Coaching-I Neeraj Kumar Maurya has issued an order related to this. In the order issued from the board, it has been said that currently special trains of many categories like Clone, RTOD, Extra Crowd, Holi, Diwali and Puja Special are being run under Train on Demand.
The running of special trains of many categories is causing disruption in the Management Information System-MIS. This decision has been taken in view of streamlining the classification of trains.
When will special trains be approved? Holi in March, summer special between 15th April to 15th July, Durga Puja in October-November, puja special on Diwali and Chhath, winter special between 15th December to 10th January and at other times, Train on Demand will be approved for extra crowd. For this, the concerned zonal railway will have to send a proposal to the Railway Board within seven days.
Special trains are run without the consent of the terminating and intermediate stations. Due to this, complaints start being received about trains being late. Keeping this in mind, the Railway Board has clarified that now the consent of the terminating and intermediate stations will be necessary.
In special circumstances like Indigo crisis, special trains can be run even after the decision of the Railway Board. Advance planning for big festivals or exams etc. will have to be done in advance. The response to the related proposal on Coaching Operating Information System-COIS will also be given as soon as possible.
Unreserved special trains can be run with permission. In some cases, when there is sudden and unexpected rush at a station and special trains are required at short notice and there is no time to obtain permission through COIS messages from the concerned Railways, the zone will have to seek permission or give permission by talking to all concerned officials over phone.
This will be done only for unreserved services. Under no circumstances will reserved service be allowed without permission. Also, during non-interlocking work at any station between the originating station and the destination, no special train will be planned to run on that route.