Train no. 22150, Pune - Ernakulam Superfast Express - departure 1845h on 13 Jun from Pune.
I'm not gonna forget this train for a long, long time because, it was this train that we'd boarded on our return trip. Everything about the train had a 'mystery' around it beginning with its starting platform which was announced towards the last 45' of its departure! Those passengers who've medical difficulties, with particular problems in walking, would find it extremely difficult to negotiate the maze of steps and the crowded thoroughways!
The train, on leaving Pune, goes towards Panvel from where it goes on the Konkan rail and joins the southern railway at Mangalore. It's switched over to the monsoon timings - to cater for the landslides on the Konkan section during the rains - from the first of this month.
On boarding, the vendors were quick to remind me that the train had no pantry car attached to it and therefore, it's better to buy the dinner packs - there's not much of variety and it's a bland version of 'biriyanis' for the vegetarian, with an egg tucked into the same fare for the non vegetarian - for a fortune. Any further query or a cross question can render one hungry for the night which would have been an unhappy proposition and therefore, I bought a couple of them without much ado!
A word about quite a few of the fellow passengers. Those who've their berths in the main enclosures, draw the curtains on entry and retain their 'fortress like enclosure' zestfully during the entire journey. Any request by their unlucky 'side berth neighbours'(we're one) for using the facility to charge their cellphones is rudely negated as it's being used - continuously(?) Wonder why people don't realise that they do not own the train by acquiring tickets for their travel and that the facilities available in a coach are meant to be shared equitably by one and all?
By 12, this morning, there was no running water available in many of the coaches. Mysteriously, bottled water was available in plenty and many of the hapless passengers were seen using that water to cleanse themselves. To add to their miseries, the vendors, with lunch packets and other eatables, stopped entering the coaches and had begun to distribute their wares on the platforms itself. The passengers swooped on the guys before the train came to a halt and the prevalent confusion need not be elaborated upon. Watching the bedlam from far, I waited for my turn and thanks to a nice, watchful vendor - he must have noticed my agony - called me aside and gave me my requirement. May god bless him in all his endeavours!
Meanwhile, the train rambled on and on, stopping at unscheduled stops - it's supposed to have only five stops between the end stations, as I understand - for long periods. Thanks to repeated complaints from the passengers, one of the TTEs had rung up the authorities at the Kozhikode railway station, whereby an announcement was made for water replenishment but to no avail. Here was an open case of dereliction to duty, by the concerned staff, but the train had to chug along further for a couple of agonising hours without water. Water was provided thankfully, subsequently!
The vendors, for some reason, kept away from serving indoors and the passengers made a dash after careful observation and calculation of the matrix which consisted of the changing colours of the signal lights, distance of the vendor's stall from their positions and the density of the crowd around the vendor! What else can a poor, travel weary guy do? By the time the train reached its destination, it was 10 and quite a few of them would be subjected to further torture by the cabbies and the auto rickshawallas, waiting outside. Could only feel pity for them!
Tailpiece.
Here's the best example of a public utility service not ensuring that its users are looked after properly. Periodic cleaning of the innards of the coaches by the railway staff is but a pipe dream. I know that many of my friends in the railways would not be quite pleased to read this piece but facts must be told, however unpleasant they are, hoping for a redemption! And what about the common man being looted and exploited by his counterparts who're into vending?
Doesn't being human have no value in this country?
Love your countrymen! Ahem!! Go take a walk, we're Indians and don't you dare give us 'bhaashans'?
I'm not gonna forget this train for a long, long time because, it was this train that we'd boarded on our return trip. Everything about the train had a 'mystery' around it beginning with its starting platform which was announced towards the last 45' of its departure! Those passengers who've medical difficulties, with particular problems in walking, would find it extremely difficult to negotiate the maze of steps and the crowded thoroughways!
The train, on leaving Pune, goes towards Panvel from where it goes on the Konkan rail and joins the southern railway at Mangalore. It's switched over to the monsoon timings - to cater for the landslides on the Konkan section during the rains - from the first of this month.
On boarding, the vendors were quick to remind me that the train had no pantry car attached to it and therefore, it's better to buy the dinner packs - there's not much of variety and it's a bland version of 'biriyanis' for the vegetarian, with an egg tucked into the same fare for the non vegetarian - for a fortune. Any further query or a cross question can render one hungry for the night which would have been an unhappy proposition and therefore, I bought a couple of them without much ado!
A word about quite a few of the fellow passengers. Those who've their berths in the main enclosures, draw the curtains on entry and retain their 'fortress like enclosure' zestfully during the entire journey. Any request by their unlucky 'side berth neighbours'(we're one) for using the facility to charge their cellphones is rudely negated as it's being used - continuously(?) Wonder why people don't realise that they do not own the train by acquiring tickets for their travel and that the facilities available in a coach are meant to be shared equitably by one and all?
By 12, this morning, there was no running water available in many of the coaches. Mysteriously, bottled water was available in plenty and many of the hapless passengers were seen using that water to cleanse themselves. To add to their miseries, the vendors, with lunch packets and other eatables, stopped entering the coaches and had begun to distribute their wares on the platforms itself. The passengers swooped on the guys before the train came to a halt and the prevalent confusion need not be elaborated upon. Watching the bedlam from far, I waited for my turn and thanks to a nice, watchful vendor - he must have noticed my agony - called me aside and gave me my requirement. May god bless him in all his endeavours!
Meanwhile, the train rambled on and on, stopping at unscheduled stops - it's supposed to have only five stops between the end stations, as I understand - for long periods. Thanks to repeated complaints from the passengers, one of the TTEs had rung up the authorities at the Kozhikode railway station, whereby an announcement was made for water replenishment but to no avail. Here was an open case of dereliction to duty, by the concerned staff, but the train had to chug along further for a couple of agonising hours without water. Water was provided thankfully, subsequently!
The vendors, for some reason, kept away from serving indoors and the passengers made a dash after careful observation and calculation of the matrix which consisted of the changing colours of the signal lights, distance of the vendor's stall from their positions and the density of the crowd around the vendor! What else can a poor, travel weary guy do? By the time the train reached its destination, it was 10 and quite a few of them would be subjected to further torture by the cabbies and the auto rickshawallas, waiting outside. Could only feel pity for them!
Tailpiece.
Here's the best example of a public utility service not ensuring that its users are looked after properly. Periodic cleaning of the innards of the coaches by the railway staff is but a pipe dream. I know that many of my friends in the railways would not be quite pleased to read this piece but facts must be told, however unpleasant they are, hoping for a redemption! And what about the common man being looted and exploited by his counterparts who're into vending?
Doesn't being human have no value in this country?
Love your countrymen! Ahem!! Go take a walk, we're Indians and don't you dare give us 'bhaashans'?
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