Indian Railways have launched a major initiative aimed at passenger convenience in the New Year by introducing a single three-digit helpline number for making all inquiries and lodging grievances during travel, according to a PIB release on Thursday.
The new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers (except 182), making it easy for the passengers to remember this number and connect with the Railways.
The introduction of 139 to provide integrated services to consumers of Indian railways has led to discontinuation of following helpline numbers that were dedicated to specific needs.
138- General complaints
1072 – Accidents and safety
9717630982 – For SMS complaints
58888 / 138 – Clean my coach
152210 – Vigilance
1800111321 – Catering services
The Press Information Bureau release says the integrated helpline number 139 will be available in 12 languages and based on IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System). There is no need for a smartphone to call on 139, thus, providing easy access to all mobile users.
Anybody dialing 139 will be presented with a menu of options to choose from by the IVRS governing the helpline.
For security & medical assistance, passengers will be requested to press 1, which will connect them immediately to a call center executive.
For inquiry, passengers have to press 2 and in the sub-menu which will take them to the sub-menu where they can choose if their query is related to PNR status, arrival/departure of the train, accommodation, fares, ticket booking, system ticket cancellation, wake up alarm facility/destination alert, wheelchair booking, meal booking, etc.
For catering complaints, passengers have to press 3 and press 4 for general complaints. By pressing 5 passengers will be able to lodge a vigilance related complaint. Number 6 of the IVR menu is meant for inquiries during an accident. Status of all Railways consumer complaints can be obtained by pressing 9 and for directly speaking to call centre executive, passengers need to press *.
