Rajkot Express: Untidy coaches leave passengers sore

Hyderabad: Despite high-tech facilities like SMS to get train coach or toilets cleaned and coach-mitra services provided by Indian Railways, trains and toilets still remained untidy.

Passengers from Hyderabad were unhappy with the poor condition of toilets and lack of water in train washrooms. They said they were not even aware of whom to complain and about SMS alert for train clean-ups. This was owing to lack of awareness-creation by authorities concerned.

City passengers alleged that even second AC trains were stinking and unhygienic and there was water scarcity. Leftover food and empty disposable tea and coffee cups and snacks were all over the place in front of the wash basin and at the door of toilets and on the bridge between coaches.

Though it was common habit with passengers to leave the left overs under the seats and near the bins, it was the responsibility cleaners to maintain the coaches, said passengers.

Mr Parit Jain of Kacheguda told this newspaper, “My wife was travelling from Secunderabad to Rajkot in Rajkot Express which had the worst cleaning service. At the time of boarding, the dustbin was almost full with the plastic water bottles, disposable plates and tea cups. We complained to the attendant many times but he didn't respond.”

The ticket examiner blamed the passengers and continued with his work. Fellow passengers requested the cleaning staff to clean the compartment but they did not respond, he said. The toilets were dirty and there was no water.

An annoyed passenger, Mr Hardi Tukaria, said, “When the condition of second AC is so bad, we can imagine the conditions of the sleeper class passengers. Why do we have to pay such a huge amount to travel in second AC when we are getting such bad environment in the train?”

He said even if the passengers were careless, the staff should have cleaned the trains. “We had no idea of facilities like SMS services as there was no awareness created by the authorities. Otherwise we would have used the facility.”

A South Central Railway spokesperson said, “We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers and will try that this sort of incident does not happen in the future.” He said the railways had a facility where a passenger can SMS his or her PNR number to 58888 based on which our system tracks the train and the complaint will be acknowledged and attended to immediately.

If a GO was issued, some could go to court against that and get exemption, said an officer of law department.