“I travelled by 19202 Porbandar Secunderabad Express from Pune to Secunderabad in the 2 AC (PNR no. 8421079457) on Nov 14. Maintenance of the compartment and toilets was very poor and dirty and unsafe. All the doors of the coach were kept open throughout the night and public were freely entering the compartment as there were no RPF personnel,” says WVCS Ramalingam of Visakhapatnam.
“I brought the issue to the notice of the conductor, who travelled from Pune to Sholapur and also to the conductor, who travelled from Sholapur to Secunderabad and they were helpless. When this is the fate of a passenger in the 2 AC coach, what will be the fate of those travelling in sleeper coaches,” he asks
He appealed to the railway authorities to ensure proper cleanliness of the coaches and security of passengers.
Litter strewn on the floor of the coach and wastes thrown carelessly in the aisle between two coaches, presented an awful sight to passengers, who boarded Vizag bound AP Express, at Rajahmahendravaram on Nov 5. “We were shocked to see used bedrolls, lying on our berths in B 3 coach (3rd AC), and some passengers occupying our berths. We told them we had reserved the berths and asked them to vacate as we needed to take rest. One of them asked us to occupy upper berths. On being told that we had back pain and couldn’t go up, they reluctantly vacated our berths,” said G. Indrani, who travelled with her sister Lakshmi Kapoor.
“We asked the supplier to remove the used bedroll and give us fresh pillows for us to take rest but he left without giving us a reply. The TTE checked the tickets and left without heeding our request for the complaint book. The toilets were stinking and there was no water in them”.
Passengers should take the blame for littering the coach. But is it not the duty of the cleaning staff to clean at least in the morning? Surprisingly, the cleaners came around 5.30 p.m. and started clearing the mess. They, perhaps, wanted to present a clean coach to the authorities at Visakhapatnam Junction.
B. Madhu Gopal
