Mumbai: This October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the Manmad-Nashik-Mumbai Panchavati Express will be declared an ‘Adarsh’ train by Rail Parishad. The Nashik-based NGO will work with the Railways to ensure that the train is free of hawkers, beggars, chain snatchers and pickpockets.
In a letter to Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu on August 15, Bipin Gandhi, president of Rail Parishad, wrote, “The train would be a unique experiment in the history of Indian Railways. We will provide passengers relief from beggars, hawkers, chain snatchers, and pick pockets. We wish to start our mission on Gandhi Jayanti.”
In 2009, Rail Parishad came up with the concept of an ‘Adarsh’ coach, an exclusive coach for first-class season ticket holders. Rail Parishad has been successfully maintaining an ‘Adarsh’ coach with passengers taking active part in the maintenance of the coach. The passengers ensure the coach remains free of garbage, lights in the coach are switched off when they are not needed to save energy, window shades are lowered, seats are kept in upright position and mobile phones are switched off to reduce commotion. The coach is also equipped with a first-aid box and time is allotted to commuters to read books.
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In 2013, a couple held their wedding ceremony in the coach with nearly 110 guests in attendance and a pandit performing the rituals. The event was recognised by the Limca Year Book as the first-ever wedding to be conducted in a train coach in India. The coach entered the record book in 2012 for its cleanliness and in 2015 after passengers wrote 100 letters to the Indian Railways and got acknowledged for each letter.
Rail Parishad has requested the Railways to form special squads of the Railway Police Force to nab ticket-less travellers between Manmad and Nashik, and between Igatpuri and Kalyan.