December 02, 2009

Hell on Wheels

The pictures below are taken in the second class of the Intercity Express (Vijayawada-Secunderabad). They show the poor state of our Railways. This was the most terrible and painstaking journey in my life. A coupe meant for 12 people was packed with a group of 22 to 24. The price you pay for getting to stand is the same as that paid for a reserved seat - A big fault in the system. It causes inconvenience even for the passengers who have a reserved seat because it hugely affects their comfortability. They are sandwiched between many of those standing.

I couldn't shoot from a better angle considering my ackward seating position, surrounded by 4 people and my feet stuck between two ladies and a boy sitting between my seat row and the one exactly opposite to it within a distance of about 20 inches!

Railways have to stop issuing tickets once the reserved seats get over or if not, in worst case, reduce the ticket price by at least 50% for those who buy a ticket later for them to decide whether to make the journey or not.

This is pathetic!!! Ms. Mamata Banerjee, are you listening? This is HELL on wheels.

3 comments:

  1. Hell on wheels, as well with the MMTS services in Hyderabad. MMTS don't even halt for a complete minute and it's very difficult for women to get down or get into a running train! Neither there is upturn of the service times nor the compartments! Same situation can be viewed in MMTS every day and truly pathetic at rush hours.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We cannot help such things in MMTS because it is a necessity for thousands of people who commute everyday. Whereas, we have reservations for planned journeys to make once in a while, which is when a convenient strategy has to be there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LOL
    i agree that is pathetic...vijayawada-- Hyderabad is a very busy route,but the frequency of trains does not match with the number of passengers...people like trains more than buses...we know that,they feel like babies in cradle ...there is demand for more trains in busy routes but in our country we usually have bengal or bihar railway ministers but not Indian railway minister. On paper they are union railway ministers but not really. Btw i think the guy in front of you was sleeping in the first 2 pics, he woke up and gave a good pose in the 3rd one :)

    ReplyDelete