Linen kiosk installed at Patna Junction for passengers

PATNA: The Danapur division of East Central Railway (ECR) has launched the first-of-its-kind ‘linen kiosk’ service under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme of the railways to cater to the needs of passengers travelling by long distance trains. This service is likely to fulfil the needs of a large number of passengers who are still reluctant to travel by trains due to safety reasons as well as corona pandemic fear.
Danapur divisional railway manager (DRM) Sunil Kumar, who inaugurated the service at Patna Junction on Monday, said railways intends to install three more linen kiosks – one each at Rajendra Nagar Terminal, Danapur and Patliputra Junction – next week.“Under the scheme, railways has provided facilities like ‘use and throw’ nonwoven bed sheets, toilet sheet covers, masks, hand gloves and other Covid-19 related items in the kiosk. Passengers have options to make payments either through digital or manual mode to avail the facilities,” he said.
Danapur senior divisional railway manager Adhar Raj said the scheme was launched keeping in view the fact that linen services are not available in special mail and express trains originating from different places of the division. “Passengers are thus supposed to bring their own linens to use them during journey. But in most cases, passengers hardly carry linens,” he said, adding the linen kiosks at Patna Junction will prove a boon for such passengers.
Raj said while a nonwoven fabric bed sheet is available at Rs 50 each, mask and sanitizer will be provided free of cost to each passenger. Similarly, passengers will get nonwoven two bed sheets along with mask, hand gloves, toilet sheet and sanitizer in Rs 100 package kit, while one comforter will be given in Rs 150 package kit additionally, he said, adding passengers can carry comforter with themselves after completing their journey.
Regular trains cancelled till August 12: The railways has extended cancellation of regular mail and express passenger trains till August 12 due to sudden increase in Covid-19 cases in the country. “Refunds will be sent directly into the bank accounts of those passengers who had booked their tickets online using the IRCTC site,” sources said, adding the ECR has cancelled 274 mail and express trains since March 23, thus incurring a loss of about Rs 9 crore per day.