Consumers sore over battery operated car service

The introduction of battery operated car service on “chargeable basis” to facilitate transport of physically challenged and senior citizens coming to Tiruchi railway junction doesn’t seem to have gone down well with passengers.

The facility which was provided free of cost through sponsor until recently has become a paid service much to the chagrin of travellers. The administration had called for expression of interest a few months ago to provide battery operated car service on chargeable basis to facilitate transport of physically challenged and senior citizens and identified a private agency for this purpose.

Accordingly, a battery-operated car, which could accommodate five to six persons along with their personal belongings, was introduced to transport the aged and physically challenged passengers from the entrance to the respective platform and from the platform to main entrance.

Passengers using the facility have to shell out Rs. 30 for utilising the car which covers all the seven platforms at Tiruchi Junction.

The shift from free to paid service doesn’t seem to have gone down well with consumer organisations and raised the issue with the Passenger Amenities Committee members during their visit to Tiruchi recently.

Their contention is that railways being a service organisation aimed at helping passengers should be provided free of cost instead of making it a paid service.

“The railways should not look at in the commercial way when it wants to assist the physically challenged and the aged passengers. The introduction of battery car service on chargeable basis is unreasonable,” says M. Sekaran, president, Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations, Tiruchi.

“Railways is a public service organisation and not a corporate service and should not resort to such measure keeping in mind the welfare of passengers,” says H. Ghouse Baig, secretary, TN Consumer Protection Council, Golden Rock branch. Charging Rs. 30 a passenger within the station premises is not acceptable. The earlier system of providing free service to physically challenged and senior citizens should be restored.

Railways officials here say the move was done in accordance with the Railway Board’s new policy.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/consumers-sore-over-battery-operated-car-service/article19858836.ece