Indian Railways – Incorrigibly indifferent!. Review on General views on Indian Traffic

When you pay good money for a supposedly premium service, you expect at least some preferential treatment. Not from Indian Railways. Although Lalooji's methods have managed to find their way into IIM’s classrooms, nothing much has really changed in IR, particularly the way they treat their passengers who dare to avail their services beyond Rajdhanis and Shatabdis.

Recently, we traveled from Madgaon (Goa) to Jaipur by Marusagar Express. We had booked two AC II tickets (we would have booked AC I tickets but there was no AC I coach in the train) more than a month in advance, and paid about 4000/- bucks for the same. Our woes began the moment we reached Madgaon station. We were informed that the train (which was coming from Ernakulum) was a good 75 minutes late. Anyway, having seen enough of IR in the past, we were habitual of such things, but it was exasperating to stand in the platform for the whole duration as there were no benches on platform II.

Upon boarding the train, we were shocked to find that we had been allotted two side berths next to the aisle/passage, instead of the cabin. It was quite irritating for us to be nudged (though probably unintentionally) by every Tom, Dick & Harry who traversed the passage while going to the toilet. We asked the TT to relocate us elsewhere since there were a couple of partially occupied cabins in the coach, but he refused to do so.

We resigned ourselves to fate and tried to make ourselves as comfortable as possible within that cramped space. Hunger pangs made us ask for lunch packets, which were delivered to us for Rs. 35 per packet after a mandatory delay. Food quality was abysmal. A small quantity of cold coarse grained rice, some obnoxious yellow coloured liquid (dal makhaani, the bearer claimed), two pieces of potatoes in a watery gravy (dum aloo!), two hard stone cold chappatis and some sour curd. The whole packet wouldn’t have cost more than 3-4 rupees to make, inclusive of the elaborate aluminium foil packings. Then why this savage plunder? This blatent mockery? In Jaipur, there is a foundation supported by Infosys and run by the State Govt.(Akshay Kalewa Foundation), where very decent, warm, sufficient and palatable food is served for just Rs. 5. So many daily wage labourers, rickshawpullers, and workers have derived immense benefit from this endeavour. Even Mrs. Murthy (W/o Mr. Narayan Murthy, Infy mentor) enjoyed that food the last time she visited Jaipur. So IR – why this hypocrisy in the name of providing subsidized food? Why charge Rs. 35 for stuff  worth Rs. 3.50. Why charge at all? And if you do wish to charge, then charge 50 bucks or even 100 bucks but please, for God’s sake, give something decent, and more importantly warm, to eat. Needless to say, we gave up the idea of ordering food on board that evening and the next day, and enjoyed poori-subji-achaar for Rs. 10 bought from vendors at stations where the train halted.

There was an appalling observation I luckily made. In one station, the dustbin of the coach was emptied next to the railway track. Soon a number of ragpickers appeared, selectively picked up the discarded aluminium foils and moulded food packets, stuffed them in their jholis and disappeared. I was left with a numbing feeling. WERE THEY GOING TO BE RECYCLED JUST LIKE THAT?

Our arrival at Jaipur was delayed by 4 hours. Usual. Predictable.

As I sit back and think about IR, I realize that nothing has really changed. No one is accountable, and there is no value either for you or your hard earned money that you spend on IR services. It really makes no difference whether you travel AC II or AC III, first class or second class. You are fortunate if have a reservation and are not wallowing on a waiting list. It is the greatest leveler. Still it is our national carrier, a formidable mover of men and machines, an unparalleled pillar of the nation’s economy.  So IR, good luck to you. And my best wishes. You need both.