Railway ministry urges MPs to sponsor benches at stations

NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal today said his ministry has appealed to members of Parliament to sponsor benches on railway platforms using MPLAD funds.

On most occasions, passengers are forced to sit on the floor due to a shortage of benches on station premises.

The ministry has raised the matter with MPs. It also has plans to generate revenue from benches by allowing advertisements on them, he said.

The ministry of statistics and programme implementation had in 2014 added "firmly fixed waiting chairs/benches for passengers at stations" in the list of permissible items under MPLAD funds.

MPLAD funds can be used to construct toilets, approach roads, foot over bridge, escalator and amenities for the disabled at railway stations.