Some unreserved coaches chug free in Guruvayur Express
S. Sundar
Madurai, May 11, 2018 00:00 IST
There is no place even to stand in the unreserved coaches found in the front and rear of the Chennai-bound Guruvayur Express.
R. AshokR_ASHOK
As passengers are clueless about the coaches in the middle of the formation
Though adequate number of general coaches are available in Guruvayur Express running between Chennai Egmore and Guruvayur/Thoothukudi, absence of announcements in railway stations about the availability of unreserved coaches in the middle of the train formation makes the passengers jostle for space in the few coaches placed in the front and rear.
The train that starts from Guruvayur comes with 18 coaches. One set each of three unreserved coaches (two general coaches and a seating-cum-luggage van) are left in the front and back portions of this rake. The Thoothukudi Link Express comes with a rake of seven coaches. It has one SLR and an unreserved coach in the front portion and another SLR in the back. These general coaches and SLR have unreserved seating facility.
The Thoothukudi Link Express is attached as the front portion of the combined rake at Vanchi Maniyachi Junction. This leaves five unreserved coaches (including SLR coaches) in the middle when the train leaves Vanchi Maniyachi.
With the Railway having the tradition of providing unreserved coaches only in the front and rear portions of trains, passengers with open tickets wait only in the extreme ends of the platforms to vie for space. And this is true in this train too.
On Thursday, the five coaches in the middle had relatively less crowd with people seen lying on seats and a few vacant seats too even as the train left Madurai junction. However, the scene in the five other coaches in the front and back was different as they were jam-packed.
People were seen sitting on the footboard, near the toilets and also in the pathways leading to different bays. In two coaches, people did not find space on the floor even to sit and had to stand. Among them were women and children.
A Railway source said that the plight of people could be easily solved by making announcements through public address system about the availability of general coaches in the middle at all railway stations from Vanchi Maniyachi. “Though there are coach indication display boards on platforms in Madurai junction, a lot of unreserved passengers fail to take notice. Besides, many stations en route do not have such boards. Hence, only announcements made a few minutes before arrival of the train will help people find space and avoid all inconvenience,” he said.
This will be of great help for unplanned rail journeys during summer vacation.
S. Sundar
Madurai, May 11, 2018 00:00 IST
There is no place even to stand in the unreserved coaches found in the front and rear of the Chennai-bound Guruvayur Express.
R. AshokR_ASHOK
As passengers are clueless about the coaches in the middle of the formation
Though adequate number of general coaches are available in Guruvayur Express running between Chennai Egmore and Guruvayur/Thoothukudi, absence of announcements in railway stations about the availability of unreserved coaches in the middle of the train formation makes the passengers jostle for space in the few coaches placed in the front and rear.
The train that starts from Guruvayur comes with 18 coaches. One set each of three unreserved coaches (two general coaches and a seating-cum-luggage van) are left in the front and back portions of this rake. The Thoothukudi Link Express comes with a rake of seven coaches. It has one SLR and an unreserved coach in the front portion and another SLR in the back. These general coaches and SLR have unreserved seating facility.
The Thoothukudi Link Express is attached as the front portion of the combined rake at Vanchi Maniyachi Junction. This leaves five unreserved coaches (including SLR coaches) in the middle when the train leaves Vanchi Maniyachi.
With the Railway having the tradition of providing unreserved coaches only in the front and rear portions of trains, passengers with open tickets wait only in the extreme ends of the platforms to vie for space. And this is true in this train too.
On Thursday, the five coaches in the middle had relatively less crowd with people seen lying on seats and a few vacant seats too even as the train left Madurai junction. However, the scene in the five other coaches in the front and back was different as they were jam-packed.
People were seen sitting on the footboard, near the toilets and also in the pathways leading to different bays. In two coaches, people did not find space on the floor even to sit and had to stand. Among them were women and children.
A Railway source said that the plight of people could be easily solved by making announcements through public address system about the availability of general coaches in the middle at all railway stations from Vanchi Maniyachi. “Though there are coach indication display boards on platforms in Madurai junction, a lot of unreserved passengers fail to take notice. Besides, many stations en route do not have such boards. Hence, only announcements made a few minutes before arrival of the train will help people find space and avoid all inconvenience,” he said.
This will be of great help for unplanned rail journeys during summer vacation.
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