This service -- the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) -- was launched from Monday to help passengers know about the status of their train.

Addressing reporters, Divisional Railway Manager K C Jena said the system was launched to provide better service to passengers.

He said the manual system, where people had to dial 131, was not satisfactory because passengers had either to wait for the operator to pick up the phone or wait in queue.

Jena said under the new system, a passenger could speak only for 45 seconds and the line would get disconnected automatically after the period expired. He said the system was better equipped than the previous ones because it would also answer queries regarding details of trains which are to depart even after six hours, inquiries regarding trains not running on time and the last station passed and the time it was expected to reach the station.

According to Jena, the system was prevalent only at Mumbai, Vadodara and Ahmedabad stations of the Western Railways.

Stating the Division's achievements, Jena said the division recorded earnings of Rs 261.52 crores up to July 1998, which was 10 per cent higher than the previous year.

He said the a new train time-table had come into force and many new trains were also introduced in the past few months. He said frequency of many trains, like the Ahmedabad-Puri, had been increased from three to four days a week.

Jena observed that with the diversion of South-bound trains through Konkan railways, travelling time would be considerably reduced. He said there was no change in the frequency of the trains.