Sep 02, 2008 01:26 PM
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The Indian railways recently introduced 139 service. By dialing this number from your local land line or mobile phone, you can know about seat availability, PNR status and arrival and departure timing of trains. This is a very very useful facility provided to the rail travelers.
By dialing 139, you will be guided by computerized instructions. The good thing is that you can choose your own language. If you find it difficult you can choose to talk to the operator by pressing a button. But, are you satisfied with the service??
Pl look at the incidents that happened with me.
1) I was to travel in a train. The scheduled departure of the train was 1805 hrs. I was ready. I was looking for arrival status of the train in internet. There was 'no delay' in arrival of the train as mentioned in internet in the page https://trainenquiry.com/. However, there was no mention of time of updating of the mentioned status. So it was not reliable.
Hence, I tried 139, I was told through computerized data system that the train was running in time. At 1600 Hrs, again I used 139 service to talk to the operator who told the train was in time. So, we packed and reached at the station before enough time only to see that the train was canceled. The train was canceled from the originating station where the departure time is 1000 Hrs. I could manage to reach my destination through some other train on the next day.
2) On return, from the destination, I was to travel in a morning train which leave the station at 725 hrs. Since the train usually remains late, I preferred to know the time of arrival. from 139 service, I got the information that the train was 1.07 min late. I tried 139, ow the train was 1.18 min late. Again I tried at 800 Hrs to be informed that the train would leave reach at 832 Hrs and leave at 847 Hrs. I reached the station at 825 Hrs. When I went to inquiry counter, there was no mention of the train. I asked at the counter to only be told that the train had just left.
I had to cancel my ticket and shed out 50% of the ticket charge. Forget about the agony of traveling without a reservation in some other train. Hence, I would advise not to trust 139 service of the Indian railways. Its better if we ask the concerned inquiry counter at the stations.
