Better food, more charging points for mobile phones, better pest management, and cleaner toilets are some of the demands put forth by the passengers in an online survey conducted by the Chennai Rail Passengers Association.

With the annual railway budget to be presented soon by Minister Suresh Prabhu, the survey findings indicated that people want the focus to be the passengers. About 1,50,000 respondents participated in the survey conducted by the Passengers Association with Noida-based Local Circles.

Among their requirements are better displaying of helpline numbers, emergency medical assistance at all the railway stations, better first aid kits, and more drinking water taps at all the railway stations.

Passengers have also asked for SMS alerts of changes in train timings, more elevators and escalators at the railway stations, and cleaner toilets.

As far as the railway stations were concerned, the survey found that passengers want more chairs on the platforms, a separate centre for ticket cancellation, free WiFi connections, disabled-friendly platforms, and louder alarms to alert the passengers when the train was ready to leave.

Easier online booking of the retiring rooms, 50 percent refund on Tatkal ticket cancellation six hours before departure, and lower or middle berths for senior citizens and women with kids are some of the other demands and suggestions made by the respondents during the survey.