Barring high end luxury trains and a few privileged trains, the condition of our coaches are almost primitive. They simply announce that India is traveling one or two centuries way behind. In fact, compartments of local trains in most countries are far more comfortable and swanky than our hundreds or long-distance trains.
What the writer has written could be existing some 4 to 5 decades back. Travelling in indian railways is a hell. Except travelling FirstClass AC all other categories even 2AC to 3 Tier reservation to unresrved all are of no safety. There are no railway staff to attend, protect and take care of passengers. Some crooks entered into catering business through railway contacts and setve worst most degenerated food that can cause havoc in health. Stations are crowded with hawkers, beggars, thieves, all duplicate costly things sold as utility. Shortage of Ticket inspectors so roaming vagabonds, risk to woman travelling alone and no police during emergency. Indian people whether rich or poor, educated or illiterate all equal rascals in dirtying the coach. Toilets are deliberately misused, waste thrown scattered inside and on rail tracks, people use toilet when train halts in stations causing filthy look to stations. There is no Minister to administer a serious stern law to keep platforms safe only for passengers. Some decades back Ticket checkers were seen in platform with black coats but these days they are missing. In local trains the First class coach is often used by hooligans, slum dwellers, ticketless passengers apart from hawkers, boys hanging in ladies coach etc. It is now important that the railways make station masters responsible for maintaining cleanliness, safety, and make passengers feel happy to travel by enforcing strict law to ofdenders even to those who spit. Immediate suggestion to Railway Minister to make category of class in locals visible from outside and readable so FIRST CLASS be painted light green from outside. SECOND CLASS be painted yellow from outside. LUGGAGE be painted brown and LADIES SECOND class be painted blue. In addition a small portion be painted black for ticketless travellers as they wud be confinrd to their territory and will not disturb genuine travellers. Hawkers, beggars, blind beggars. Eunuch all should be stopped from entering platforms. If there is a WILL there is a WAY or else Jai Maharashtra.
Not only the Railway Minister, but in-fact its the citizens and passengers responsibility to help in keeping the trains clean. Our little effort towards cleanliness will reap in big results of making Indian Railways Proud.
