Determining passenger satisfaction out of platform-based amenities: A study of Kanpur Central Railway Station

Platforms constitute an integral component of any rail journey. An individual may avail of several platform-based amenities at a railway station, satisfaction out of which is assumed to be of paramount significance. Hence this study measures satisfaction that passengers gain out of such amenities through a survey conducted at Kanpur Central station of North Central Railway in India. Regression analysis has been applied to determine a model of passenger satisfaction, following which, a service quality performance matrix (SQPM) is constructed to demarcate between amenities that need to be improved and those that may be maintained. Finally a User Satisfaction Index (USI) is built based on Customer Satisfaction Index to define a priority order for improving amenities. Regression results show 5 out of 7 factors significant in predicting passenger satisfaction. Out of the 26 amenities under improvement zone of SQPM, the top 5 that need to be improved as per USI include 3 related to cleanliness and hygiene. Findings point towards abysmal condition of Kanpur Central, which falls in the prestigious A1 category of stations of Indian Railways. The validated model as an outcome of this paper is expected to be useful for policy makers in defining policies and strategies for improving platform-based amenities. Further, the CSI we have constructed would provide a framework to formulate improvement action plans on priority basis by Indian Railways.