I and my wife booked ourselves for travel to Chennai on the 6th December by Brindavan Express A/c Chair car and accordingly, we boarded the train at Krishnaraja puram that was close to where I stayed. I had travelled by this train years back and expected the same picture of the train and the journey. I was little disappointed to see a different picture of the once beautiful train that was considered a pride to travel?
The interiors of the train had diminished in its glory with passage of time and presented an old dirty look. The window curtains wore a beggary look and adding to the woes the noise that the catering staff made inside the compartment was something unbearable. The loud calls of Dosa/samosa and chai that rented the air reminded me of the early morning time in Sabarimala when people stood in line to have the holy glimpse of the almighty Lord Ayyappa ranting and chanting the sacred "swamiye Saranam Ayyappa"! The only difference was the chant at the hills of sabarimala was blissful whereas the rants made by the not decently dressed catering staff was like hell!! Each time a staff passed by, his tray or his sides brushed with the passenger sitting on the aisle and often woke up the passenger and prevented him/her from going to slumber!! This was unabated as eatables, one after the other, were coming in with a loud announcement that echoed within the compartment throughout the journey! The railway staff had their role to play and probably enjoyed some free perks for helping the caterers. The A/c effect was so strong and severe in the first 2 hours of journey that I pulled my jacket from the back-pack and wore it to feel comfortable and I could see many passengers shivering in cold. Now, this helped the railway catering to increase their sale of coffee/tea and hot vadas and samosas in the first couple of hours of journey! Is there any written rule that the attendant has to follow and maintain an uniform temperature within the compartment- god knows??
The Bangarpet station witnessed several railway staff forging themselves into the A/c compartment and keeping their bags and suitcases amidst the regular passengers while opting out to stand outside the air conditioned compartment in between the entrance and the toilets! The Railway staff were seen smoking in the corridors on either sides and the smell of cigarette and smoke often pierced the nose of those sitting inside the compartment whenever someone opened the door to use the toilet. The place just outside the toilets were being used by Beggars and other handicapped who travelled without tickets and the T T E who is supposed to check such unauthorised entries of people was oblivious to this happening! While some staff got down at Kuppam, some continued their journey to jolarpettai and vaniyambadi. The staff sat on the seats that were empty and often joined by other staff members for a chit-chat, standing on the way in groups and blocking the way for the passengers. There was absolutely no check on this misuse of privilege and causing inconvenience to the other genuine passengers. I wonder if the railway staff are allowed to use A/c coach for their daily routine travel even if they are on official duties?
The roughly 6 hours journey was a nightmare and the experience would make me shudder even to think of travel by this train which once carried a label of respect!
Even the stations en route had stories to tell about the abuse of its walls with graffiti painted by various trade unions of the railways for their election campaign. It presented a horrible look everywhere when you see SRMU/RMS/ and other names in bold, eye soaring sizes staring at you whenever your train entered a Station during the travel. Its time that the Railway unions contain themselves and resort to clean voting and canvassing procedures without damaging the otherwise presentable looks of Railway property walls!
The entrance and sale of eatables by vendors must be restricted for a pleasant journey and one must be allowed to close his eyes for a while and allowed to rest in peaceful atmosphere without any noises or disturbances from the Railway catering and also the Staff of the Railways?
The interiors of the train had diminished in its glory with passage of time and presented an old dirty look. The window curtains wore a beggary look and adding to the woes the noise that the catering staff made inside the compartment was something unbearable. The loud calls of Dosa/samosa and chai that rented the air reminded me of the early morning time in Sabarimala when people stood in line to have the holy glimpse of the almighty Lord Ayyappa ranting and chanting the sacred "swamiye Saranam Ayyappa"! The only difference was the chant at the hills of sabarimala was blissful whereas the rants made by the not decently dressed catering staff was like hell!! Each time a staff passed by, his tray or his sides brushed with the passenger sitting on the aisle and often woke up the passenger and prevented him/her from going to slumber!! This was unabated as eatables, one after the other, were coming in with a loud announcement that echoed within the compartment throughout the journey! The railway staff had their role to play and probably enjoyed some free perks for helping the caterers. The A/c effect was so strong and severe in the first 2 hours of journey that I pulled my jacket from the back-pack and wore it to feel comfortable and I could see many passengers shivering in cold. Now, this helped the railway catering to increase their sale of coffee/tea and hot vadas and samosas in the first couple of hours of journey! Is there any written rule that the attendant has to follow and maintain an uniform temperature within the compartment- god knows??
The Bangarpet station witnessed several railway staff forging themselves into the A/c compartment and keeping their bags and suitcases amidst the regular passengers while opting out to stand outside the air conditioned compartment in between the entrance and the toilets! The Railway staff were seen smoking in the corridors on either sides and the smell of cigarette and smoke often pierced the nose of those sitting inside the compartment whenever someone opened the door to use the toilet. The place just outside the toilets were being used by Beggars and other handicapped who travelled without tickets and the T T E who is supposed to check such unauthorised entries of people was oblivious to this happening! While some staff got down at Kuppam, some continued their journey to jolarpettai and vaniyambadi. The staff sat on the seats that were empty and often joined by other staff members for a chit-chat, standing on the way in groups and blocking the way for the passengers. There was absolutely no check on this misuse of privilege and causing inconvenience to the other genuine passengers. I wonder if the railway staff are allowed to use A/c coach for their daily routine travel even if they are on official duties?
The roughly 6 hours journey was a nightmare and the experience would make me shudder even to think of travel by this train which once carried a label of respect!
Even the stations en route had stories to tell about the abuse of its walls with graffiti painted by various trade unions of the railways for their election campaign. It presented a horrible look everywhere when you see SRMU/RMS/ and other names in bold, eye soaring sizes staring at you whenever your train entered a Station during the travel. Its time that the Railway unions contain themselves and resort to clean voting and canvassing procedures without damaging the otherwise presentable looks of Railway property walls!
The entrance and sale of eatables by vendors must be restricted for a pleasant journey and one must be allowed to close his eyes for a while and allowed to rest in peaceful atmosphere without any noises or disturbances from the Railway catering and also the Staff of the Railways?
