After a long time, nearly seven to eight years I got the chance to visit the Pune railway station. I had gone there twice in last one week drop and receive my parents. I was thrilled to visit railway station after so many years as when I was kid I traveled so much by trains, I wanted to experience the same hustle bustle but now after visiting station I do not feel the same. The smell which was there everywhere is discomforting even now when I am writing this. Train tracks were horrible on the Pune station. It is such as shame that after so many years Indian railways can not come up with human waste disposal techniques. If any outside Indian visit these stations will never feel like returning to India despite any growth we make in country in other sectors. Indian railways please do something for proper human waste management solutions!
Re: Re: Tip is invitation to corruption
by jack on Jan 22, 2014 12:11 AM
Ridiculous. You tip someone at the end of the service. If the service is bad,don't tip and make sure you complain to his supervisor.
I had a similar experience when I travelled from Pune To Hyd by Shatabdi Express. In my life time I have never had such a good meal in any train or platform. The food was amazing and it was a pleasant and tireless journey.
Re: Pune Hyderabad Shatabdi Express
by kalyan sundaram on May 13, 2013 11:54 AM
I have recently traveled in Pune-Hyd and Hyd-Pune Shatabdi expresses legs. I will say the coaches in this train is probably one of the worst of all the Shatabdis. I have traveled something like 6 times in the last 6 months and I will say that the food quality is pathetic. The areas, where they keep the warmer, the tap through which they fill up water for tea are all horribly greasy, unclean and full of muck. The food trays on the seat backs are all having worn out clamps and the rattling sound is unbearable. I have traveled in all coaches from C1 to 6 and I can say that this observation is consistent. Finally on the scheduling of this train - The ideal direction should be reverse - meaning, it should leave from Secbad in the morning, thereby giving a day travel option to Mumbai (with a change over at Pune) and Return back to Secbad by night will be fine. The traffic is from Secbad to Pune and not the otherway around (meaning Pune will see floating population rather than Punekars coming in droves to Secbad)
Re: Pune Hyderabad Shatabdi Express
by kalyan sundaram on May 13, 2013 11:54 AM
I have recently traveled in Pune-Hyd and Hyd-Pune Shatabdi expresses legs. I will say the coaches in this train is probably one of the worst of all the Shatabdis. I have traveled something like 6 times in the last 6 months and I will say that the food quality is pathetic. The areas, where they keep the warmer, the tap through which they fill up water for tea are all horribly greasy, unclean and full of muck. The food trays on the seat backs are all having worn out clamps and the rattling sound is unbearable. I have traveled in all coaches from C1 to 6 and I can say that this observation is consistent. Finally on the scheduling of this train - The ideal direction should be reverse - meaning, it should leave from Secbad in the morning, thereby giving a day travel option to Mumbai (with a change over at Pune) and Return back to Secbad by night will be fine. The traffic is from Secbad to Pune and not the otherway around (meaning Pune will see floating population rather than Punekars coming in droves to Secbad)
Re: Pune Hyderabad Shatabdi Express
by kalyan sundaram on May 13, 2013 11:55 AM
I have recently traveled in Pune-Hyd and Hyd-Pune Shatabdi expresses legs. I will say the coaches in this train is probably one of the worst of all the Shatabdis. I have traveled something like 6 times in the last 6 months and I will say that the food quality is pathetic. The areas, where they keep the warmer, the tap through which they fill up water for tea are all horribly greasy, unclean and full of muck. The food trays on the seat backs are all having worn out clamps and the rattling sound is unbearable. I have traveled in all coaches from C1 to 6 and I can say that this observation is consistent. Finally on the scheduling of this train - The ideal direction should be reverse - meaning, it should leave from Secbad in the morning, thereby giving a day travel option to Mumbai (with a change over at Pune) and Return back to Secbad by night will be fine. The traffic is from Secbad to Pune and not the otherway around (meaning Pune will see floating population rather than Punekars coming in droves to Secbad)
Re: Pune Hyderabad Shatabdi Express
by kalyan sundaram on May 13, 2013 11:56 AM
I have recently traveled in Pune-Hyd and Hyd-Pune Shatabdi expresses legs. I will say the coaches in this train is probably one of the worst of all the Shatabdis. I have traveled something like 6 times in the last 6 months and I will say that the food quality is pathetic. The areas, where they keep the warmer, the tap through which they fill up water for tea are all horribly greasy, unclean and full of muck. The food trays on the seat backs are all having worn out clamps and the rattling sound is unbearable. I have traveled in all coaches from C1 to 6 and I can say that this observation is consistent. Finally on the scheduling of this train - The ideal direction should be reverse - meaning, it should leave from Secbad in the morning, thereby giving a day travel option to Mumbai (with a change over at Pune) and Return back to Secbad by night will be fine. The traffic is from Secbad to Pune and not the otherway around (meaning Pune will see floating population rather than Punekars coming in droves to Secbad)
On the Day the Scamster Rail Manthri Resigned!!!! - SO much good news about Railways when so much bad is happening at the Rail Bhavan. Mr Author, you have paid a hefty premium thats why everything was offered to you. Tipping is not wrong but claim that this was extra ordinarily good is not. Anyways it was nice to hear that you had a good train journey.
the level of service given is not extraordinary. whats so great? This is what is expected when you pay premium for shatabdi and rajdhani. I feel the author is not from india and its his first journey in AC train. Coach attendants work only for tips. If you don't given then see their face. I remember very well once a passenger asking for extra breakfast as his child wanted something more and the coach attendant scolded him so badly that the passenger felt so embarassed. these coach attendants throw all the empty cartons, disposable plates, glasses, food wrapers outside running train instead of giving it to garbage collection department at the ending station. Many coach attendants don't give you towel. Do you know that you should get a towel whenever you travel in AC class (rule not applicable for garib rath / yuva express). But they will never give you one. Even after asking for. When many passengers shout at them then they give. Whats more shocking is if you are RAC passenger then they don't give you bed roll in 3A. Just below wash basin there is dustbin in AC coaches. If you go to throw any thrash then they tell you not to throw in the dustbin but between two coaches where there is cushion with gap (out of running train). See it is their job to keep the coach clean. They don't want to do. They are interested only in tip and in serving TT. mumbai ahmedabad shatabdi worst maintained train. why its still running? instead the double decker train should replace shatabdi.
Re: whats so great?
by V SR on May 11, 2013 05:03 PM
For some people, everything look below ordinary. Well that they belong to a different category of people, who want pick holes in everything. Somebody was explaining his good experience. Why do you have to crib, Mr. Agarwal?
Re: Re: whats so great?
by kalyan sundaram on May 13, 2013 12:06 PM
this only opens a chalta hai attitude. These trains may look better compared to the cattle cars which pass as trains in our country, with toilets which pollute the whole nation and making it as stink hole. Can any sensible human being walk near the train track anywhere in this country. The shatabdi cleaning concept on the 2nd leg of the journey (for example in Pune-Secbad, the reverse one I am talking about) goes through a so-so cleaning since there is about 20 minutes at best. In these 20 minutes, our aam janata rushes in as if there is some gold rush to keep their oversize luggage. There are atleast 20-25 cleaners waiting in the platform ( I have seen swiss trains are cleaned squeeky clean in 10 minutes by just a crew of 3) but they do some so so job. I traveled this April and saw the cleaners not even doing a cursory job. When i questioned them, one of them said that I should tell that to his supervisor. After a lot of threatening and shouting, something got done but it was a shoddy job. The food service is poor. Same old oily and greasy packaging; have you tried opening the milk whitener they give - you can't slit the packet at all.even if you slit it, it will spill all over rather than into your cup. Details, details, details. Our country seems to be in a vicious circle of corruption, where there is no attempt to improve and the casual attitude of our passengers add to the problem as well
glad to hear a very positive report aabout indian raliways! indian hotels are quite good and so really comes as surprise that indian Railways is usually average
