Title - Railways to launch four-digit customer helpdesk lines

They will comprise SMS and voice recording facility; the series will start with 1320

The railways propose to launch a series of four-digit customer helpdesk lines for 900 crore passengers which will comprise either SMS or voice recording facility or both in some cases.

Approving a uniform number scheme for the implementation of the service, the railways have obtained the permission of the Department of Telecom for the purpose.

Initially, only a security helpline was planned on 132, but it has been decided to migrate to a four-digit number for better uniformity and more services to the benefit of passengers.

Now with the addition of the fourth digit, the series will start with 1320, which will be a complaint registration service. One can clock his or her complaint both through SMS and voice.

The next numbers, 1321 and 1322, will be the railways helpdesk for catering and security related issues respectively and in both the cases, complaints can be registered only through voice facility.

Officials said these services would be launched in the first phase, while several more would be launched in due course of time for which they have reserved numbers 1323 to 1329 with the Department of Telecom. Launch of these services will depend on the ability to develop the necessary software by CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems) to which the railways have entrusted the job.