Prabhu flags off nation's first Antyodaya Express between Ernakulam and Howrah

New Delhi [India], Feb.27 (ANI): Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the fourth Humsafar class of trains and the first Antyodaya class of trains through video conferencing from Rail Bhawan on Monday. 1. Train No 14715/14716 Sri Ganganagar - Tiruchirappalli Humsafar Express (Weekly) (via Krishnarajapuram, Pune, Ahmedabad) 2. Train No 22877/22878 Ernakulam - Howrah Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (via Salem, Katpadi, Visakhapatnam) He also launched the following two policies: 1. New Catering Policy 2017. 2. New partnership in Parcel Business with Department of Post. Speaking on the occasion, Prabhu said, "This is the fourth Humsafar Express to be launched and it will cross the entire country from North to South. The Humsafar train is a fully air conditioned 3 AC service having facilities like GPS based Passenger Information System, Passenger announcement System, fire and smoke detection and suppression system, CCTVs, comfortable seats, mobile and laptop charging points, integrated Braille display, LCD display above compartment doors in the aisle, Fire retardant curtains, etc." He added, "Today we are launching the country's first Antyodaya Express to be launched. Tejas and UDAY Express will be launched soon. Antyodaya Express is a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service, for the common man to be operated on dense routes. Antyodaya Express will have facilities like Cushioned luggage racks which can serve as seats Additional hand holds in doorway area, J-Hook near longitudinal luggage racks, Multiple Unit cables at both ends of the coach, Vestibuled ends for internal movement of the passengers, Potable Drinking water dispenser, Mobile charging points, Fire Extinguisher with anti-theft lock, FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Modular Toilets, Pleasing interior colour scheme, Toilet Occupation indication display board, LED Lights, SS Slip-free flooring at Doorway and Gangway, Anti-Graffiti coating for exterior painting, etc." Prabhu further said, "In this new catering policy food production and food distribution will be delinked. This will be a marriage between the best of both worlds. Food can be cooked anywhere like the state of the art kitchens of IRCTC in a hygienic manner using mechanized system. Food can be distributed using professionals from the hospitality industry. For making of food SHGs especially women SHGs can be used which will benefit them." He also said, "Parcel is the fastest moving freight business of Indian Railways. Through this new Business Parcel Policy not only India Post but any private player can also book space in trains for movement of their Business Parcel. Before rolling out this scheme on All India basis test was done on 2 trains viz, Train No. 15959 Howrah-Guwahati-Dibrugarh Kamrup Express between Howrah and Guwahati and Train No. 12721 Hyderabad-Nizamuddin Deccan Express between Hyderabad and Nizamuddin . After the success of the test today this scheme is rolled out at All India level." Railway Board Chairman A. K. Mital, Member (Traffic) Mohammad Jamshed, other Railway Board Members, Secretary Department of Post Boyapati V. Sudhakar and other senior officials were also present on the occasion. (ANI)