The train had a delayed start of about three hours at Madurai, the place where it originated. The delay kept on mounting and it reached Chennai Egmore at 14.15 p.m on 28th February. More registered passengers joined us at various stations. After reaching Kurnool, we were taken in buses to a Marriage hall for bath and breakfast. However big or good it would be, how can it accommodate nearly 700 passengers at the same time ? Somehow we boarded the bus at 8 a.m and went to Sri Sailam. We were taken to a Choultry where free food was being served. As there was huge rush over there, the trip guide could not suggest us the alternate place. The passengers divided themselves in small groups and went to nearby hotels. Thus the IRCTC had failed to provide lunch for the passengers due to poor planning. We appeal to IRCTC to recover the Lunch expenses from Travel times (India) P.Ltd for not providing the service as promised .
After lunch, we went to the temple to have dharshan. In the absence of the guide, the passengers bought the special Dharshan ticket for Rs 200 ! We had to return to the bus in order to undertake the return journey by bus for another 5 hours.
Waste Disposal appears to take the least priority on board the train. It is a common sight to see passengers of ordinary express trains dropping all sorts of waste around their seats. It is also an eyesore to find empty bottles dropped inside toilets and wash basins. The toilet with an unbearable filthy smell makes the journey a curse. On the contrary, this particular trip did not have these problems at all. Toilets were neat,dry and tidy. They were promptly refilled with water en route. But the credit goes to the passengers as well.
When the passengers sensibly put all food waste into a black cover kept for the purpose, is it not the duty of the house keeping staff to tie it properly during nights and dispose them the following day ?The house keeping boy did not even look at our face to reply. The contents of the bag were enough to attract rats . It did not stop there. The rats even invaded the compartments when the passengers were fast asleep. Bags / Luggage brought by fellow passengers were cut open . Reporting the problem was in vain.
The house keeping boy was seen collecting empty water bottles and throwing them out from the running train one by one. Any amount of advice did not work. Just imagine 5000 empty containers thrown on both sides of the truck during this trip !! All we could do was to make our points in the feed back form given to us. God knows who will read it and what action will be taken.
Of course, we have travelled quite a lot of distance during this tour. It is not to be forgotten that most of the travellers are aged. By calling the facilities enough for a budget tour, does IRCTC shows blind eyes to the Senior citizens ? All we request the Railways is to provide atleast minimum standards of stay. Please do not insult them by showing places fit for tying cattle ! The one provided at Nasik road was just horrible. The dirty rooms with pungent smelling linens supports the above view. Will the authorities look into this?
IRCTC can still make the trip more convenient by tightening the grip over Travel India , its service provider. If IRCTC still argues that this is all they can provide for a budget tour, well, it will reveal their unwillingness to improve customer service and in the future land up in putting an end to many programs due to poor occupancy .
