It’s Repulsive!?
Last week, you know, we travelled from the City of Temples to the Pink City! And the means of transport was our Indian Railways!
We all know that the IR has done exceptionally well for the country…be it employment to over a million people, a huge fleet of trains, coverage of almost all destinations in the country, connectivity like never before, modernization of services (bookings and reservations) etc.
As kids, travelling in trains was some fun, an activity we looked forward to!
But now, its an unpleasant, unhygienic and unhealthy journey!
Because when it comes to cleanliness in our trains…. reams of pages, rather books can be written on that!
The bed rolls are terribly dirty. This time, I forgot to carry our own sheets and thus had no option but to use the ones provided by the Railways (coz the coach was toooooo cold)! And were they dirty??…. They were very very dirty!
One can get an asthma attack on even bringing the blankets near one’s nose! The toilets stink just after a few stations!(after the start of the journey, I mean!)
On seeing the state of our sheets, I asked the attendant to replace it with the clean ones! And he pointed to a heap of sheets lying near the toilet, and said something to the effect of, “take your pick”! Disgusted, I asked him to give me the Complaint Register. Curtly, he pointed towards the approaching TTE.
When I asked the TTE for the Complaint Register, very sweetly, he asks about the issue. When I showed him our sheets, he rebuked the attendant and the next moment, he gets clean sheets for us! And soon everybody started exchanging their sheets!
I mean, is this done?? We pay quite a lot for these services, and this is what we get…sheets used by don’t how many people before you and blankets which can make you sick, the toilets which can make you throw up and food….I better not say anything more, coz it would just get gross!
If the services in AC coaches is so pathetic, what would be the state of affairs in the general coaches and passenger trains!
I guess, blaming it all on Indian Railways is not right too, much of the problem lies with we passengers too. All we are concerned about is our seat, our bags and baggages when in the train. 
Last time, I had seen people stuffing their dirty shoes and slippers in the side basket!(I am not getting the right word…where one can keep their books, magazines, specs etc…see the pic!) And next time, you will be keeping your dear books and specs and may be even a napkin in that! EEEks!!
Self Discipline on our part and competent and effective administration by the Indian Railways should do the trick…or else we will call Indian Railways as “Its Repulsive”!
Images Courtesy: http://www.indiamike.com & http://www.brandsoftheworld.com
July 8, 2009 10:34 am|
My father is an employee in southern railways..he often says the same about how unclean the trains are.. but even though you complain..taking action is a rare phenomena.. now the railway minister has changed..lets see what she does…
July 8, 2009 10:39 am|
Hmmm…I know…it’s really bad! 🙁
What the firebrand lady does needs to be seen, yes!!
July 8, 2009 11:42 am|
u’ve just made me sad … on the 26th we’re going to Pilani (from where I won’t return … sigh …)… we’ve booked tickets on the Calcutta-Delhi Rajdhani 1st class AC … was actually looking forward to it … i mean, all travel now has boiled down to air, right? … hence haven’t been aboard a train for quite some time … but now i guess, shouldn’t look forward to it … 🙁
July 8, 2009 12:31 pm|
You shouldnt be sad coz they say that Rajdhani Express are superfast, air-conditioned, deluxe trains and are some of India’s best in terms of efficiency and service quality!!
And may be you have a great experience which will make you write on Indian Railways as It’s Ravishing!! 🙂
July 8, 2009 1:18 pm|
Yuck !!! What kind of people stuff their shoes into sidebasket … Once I had kept apples in it and ate it later …can never do it again only the paper bag in which the bed sheets are given will go into them from now ….no doubt about that…
July 8, 2009 4:01 pm|
Reminds an equally nauseating journey a few years ago, We had an old man on the opposite berth of ours puking mercilessly in a paper cup :'( and later drooling to sleep!
July 8, 2009 6:42 pm|
@ Dhiman: I know, its totally YUCK and disgusting! I do not trust anything in the trains to be ever clean!
@ Pawan: Urghh, totally eeekie! 🙁
July 8, 2009 6:49 pm|
could nt agree more… you should have also paid homage to the excellent catering services provided by these trains.may be that is why the toilets are so unhygenic?
July 8, 2009 7:18 pm|
@ Debi: Hmmm… good idea, but actually we NEVER take/eat/drink anything from the catering services, hence can’t comment much on that!! Though, I know for sure that they are truly pathetic as well!
You are bang on target…The correlation between catering services and toilets does imply causation!!!!!! 🙂
July 8, 2009 7:23 pm|
Ah!
I remember once traveling from Delhi to Mumbai in AC II tier. Seat number was 4. The aroma from the Toilet kept me awake the whole night.. 😛
Like any other public sector entity, what Railways really lacks is professionalism.
Why cant they keep toilet cleaners to travel along with the train instead of doctors????
July 8, 2009 7:25 pm|
PS: I cannot see a word in your blog. All i can see is wooden planks everywhere. Have to select text so that I can see them…
Please check the error..
July 8, 2009 8:04 pm|
@ Whats In A Name: OMG! Aroma!!! :p
Hey, Toilet Cleaners in the train always and not just at the starting junction is a good and simple idea…but its still not implemented or explored????
Wooden planks only is due to the speed of the internet connection! 😛
July 8, 2009 8:09 pm|
Oye!!
I have a broad band!! 😛
Mindd Ittt (Dhoni/Rajnikant Style)
😛
July 9, 2009 5:34 am|
😀 That’s a good one!
July 9, 2009 9:54 am|
@Whats in a Name is right I too need to select the text to read it I am using Firefox 3.0…on a very high speed connection 😀
July 9, 2009 10:30 am|
@ Dhiman: So what do you think I should be doing to take care of this issue?? Let me know, please!! Thanks! 🙂
July 24, 2009 12:27 pm|
In India, cleanliness is restricted to personal cleanliness, we don;t care about the world around us. That’s why our public places, rivers and trains are so dirty!