Panelists offer tips at the programme at Ranchi railway division office on Tuesday. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, Aug. 4: On your next visit to the railway station, if you come across an affable railway official answering all your queries with a smile, don’t be surprised.

The railway officials and employees are being trained to provide passengers “service with a smile” and Ranchi railway division is the first place where such a training was held today.

“The railway board has directed the divisions to impart training on soft skills to officials and employees so that they can provide best ser- vice to the passengers. Rude behaviour of officials and employees with passengers will no longer be entertained,” said V.K. Agarwal, the divisional railway manager of Ranchi.

Under the programme, the frontal staff, who have to deal with the passengers, will be trained first followed by other employees.

Agarwal said the railways had received complaints from passengers that the officials behave with them rudely or are not ready to help. “The railways want to change this image and on the direction of the railway board we have started the image makeover programme,” he added.

Ambarish Kant, the deputy director of state department for personnel and administrative reforms, said the officials and employees were told to dress up well, maintain cleanliness of surroundings — especially platforms and trains as well as ensure clean linens, toilets, trains and drinking water.

“The officials and employees will have to create an atmosphere where passengers will feel free to ask them that they want. We also want to maintain cleanliness in the platform and officials will have to look into it,” said M.K. Yadav, the additional divisional railway manager.

Yadav said the officials were being taught to change their attitude towards passengers.

“Most of the time, the passengers are scoffed at but the officials should understand that they exist because of the commuters,” he said.