What's Hot?
By H Sheik Mydeen - MADURAI
19th December 2012 08:12 AM
If you imagined that the brand new Duronto Express that rolled out of Chennai towards Madurai on Sunday last would make rail journey interesting, perish the thought.
For starters, the only new element is the name; everything else is old. The bogies are over 23 years old and close to retirement. Besides, most coaches do not have fire extinguishers.
When this reporter peeped around, he found boards on coaches saying that their year of manufacture was 1989. When contacted, a senior official on condition of anonymity, conceded that most of the coaches have run for 23 years in other sections, mainly in Delhi route for Rajdhani trains. “These coaches can be used maximum for another eight months,” he said.Of the 15 coaches in the train, fire extinguisher were missing in five, include three passenger bogies and two that house diesel generators for the AC units. “For the remaining 10 coaches, though the fire extinguishers are available, they have been stocked in one compartment and not placed in the designated location in each coach. So much for rail safety!”
Another missing element is the indicator light on AC coaches. It helps officials locate the coach in which the chain has been pulled to stop it during emergency.“In normal coaches, you can easily hear the sound of the vacuum release if the chain is pulled, but in AC coaches, it is the lights that act as indicators, as the sound comes from the compressor,” a technician said.
`500 Fine On Those Dirtying stations
In a bid to drive home the message on cleanliness, the Railways would soon impose a penalty of `500 on those found littering Railway premises.
Copyright © 2012 The New Indian Express. All rights reserved.
Comments(8)
it is always south the dumping ground for well used coaches and engines by northern railways , southern southeastern railway officials competing each other to beg and get most of the junk from scrap court yard of northern railways. Even your satapthis are rickety old coaches. The railways insulted tamilnadu chief minister into luring her to inaugurate this rickety old train. The quality of food in souther railways is also autrocious
Posted by Needhi devan at 12/19/2012 08:39 Reply to this Report abuse
You are absolutely right. Partly the fault lies with the passengers. They do not protest. While travelling between Bangalore and New Delhi, I have protested many times against dirty toilets, dirty linen, junk food, but none of the co-passengers supported me to sign the complaint book.In South bound trains, they never serve South Indian meals or snacks. Trains to Bangalore start from nondescript stations like Serai Rohilla in New Delhi, where even drinking water is not available, there is no bench for the passengers to sit and wait, still nobody has ever protested. Even though, the Minister of State in Railways comes from Karnataka, hardly any improvement has been done by him in any Rly Station in the Southern .
Posted by Omega at 12/19/2012 17:30 Reply to this Report abuse
what ANNADURAI propounded in the 50s is still valid to day and more so. States like UP, BIHAR, MP are a drag on the nation.Kashmir, northeast, communal riots ,are a legacy of the north. see how the massacre of Tamils in SRI LANKA in2009 was watched with folded hands by INDIA. With all powers with dynasty with no credible leaders worth the name from south we are taken for granted. See how all pleadings of JJ stands ignored by centre.
Posted by Needhi devan at 12/19/2012 18:41 Reply to this Report abuse
Yes. Your comment is apt. This applies for suburban trains as well. I heard the dilapidated local trains from Mumbai are sent for use in Chennai, although this allegation may not have a proof. This step motherly treatment by Indian Railways to the Southern States especially Tamilnadu is Outrageous. Thanks to Express for atleast bringing to the light such hidden facts. Even when it comes to the railway budget, a whopping half the number of trains are for West Bengal and when we search the list for trains from Chennai or TN, there would be few trains, but again those would be destined to Howrah or Santragachi, or some nooks and corners of West Bengal. I really wonder how people of this country tolerate all nonsense done by the politicians. I'm afraid, I wonder whether this country has got independence.
Posted by vikram at 12/20/2012 11:28 Reply to this Report abuse
What are our M.L.A's; M.P.'s both in Kerala and Tamilnadu doing on this new Duronto Express. Union Ministers are Puppets and they would not show any interest since they travel by Air only. It is shame on the Indian Railways, showing Partiality since the Coaches are made in Chennai and Bangalore. I have traveled several times and made complaints to Railways on the up-keep of Coaches with Bugs, Rats, etc.
Posted by S. Ramachandran at 12/19/2012 09:49 Reply to this Report abuse
Even in the sixties, much the same complaint was being voiced in sopite of several minsiters coming from TN in the railway portfolio. It is the practivce of the RFailways to dump old carriages and engines for use in the soutehrn railway. Aftger all the North is a better endowed part of the Indian Union than is the soutehrn one, especially TN. Even if you elect all the <MPs and MLAs in Tn from the congress, the position will be much the same. >
Posted by s subramanyan at 12/19/2012 13:53 Reply to this Report abuse
Not surprising to know this. Railways always used south to dump their old and rotten cars. North Indian Ministers used the Railway Ministry as their personal property. I always say that 'Vadaku Valarkirathu and Therku Theikirathu'.
Posted by Mooka at 12/19/2012 14:00 Reply to this Report abuse
0n 19/11/12 i traveled in coach AB1 that is Ac 2 in Duronto express from chennai central to nzm . the condition of the coach was in so pathetic that every where there were mosquitoes , rats ,cockroaches and the coach was full of smell .The curtains have not seen water for a year or so, the study lights were u/s ,the berth covers were hanging over the head . there was no water in one of the wash room, flush was u/s It was a horrible experience of my life if this is the condition of AC compartments than what would be the condition of sleeper & general class, my PNR no was 243-9788852 . After that i returned on 4/12 /12 the condition the coach was exactly same what it was on 19/11/ 12 . on this issue what railway has to say.
Posted by niraj tyagi at 12/25/2012 21:51 Reply to this Report abuse