Railway Coaches and wagons

poor hygiene and third rated coaches attached to most mail express trains

Two weeks back I and my wife travelled from Bangalore to Mumbai CHTS by Udyan Express. We both (aged 86 and 78 Years of age) were allotted UPPER BERTHS by IRCTC in AC II class. On getting into the train we found many seats vacant. As soon as the train started the TTE came and examined our ticket. On request the TTE immediately allotted lower berths to us. It is very clear that the IRCTC's software is worthless. It does not have a system to allot lower berths to senior citizens. This is in spite of the Railway minister's recent announcement that senior citizens' allocation for lower berths had increased by 50%

Not only this. We shall return to Bangalore from Mumbai on 27th March by the same Udyan Express. Here again we have been allotted UPPERberths in ACII. Should we totally disregard IRCTC and go to the ticket counters to purchase tickets.

Compared with our previous experience the train looked clean, the bathroom was also clean and did not emit bad smell. The cistern and water tap worked well, no water leakage in the toilets. Wastes were cleared at intervals and did not overflow. No begger problem. One begger who entered at Sholapur was promptly driven out by the TTE. There was no attendant visible in the carriage. One bed sheet only was provided with one blanket. On complaining to the TTE one person without any uniform came supplied to us the second bad sheet.

The blanket was not good to protect from cold. It looked it is a cotton mixed blanket and it is not sufficient to withstand the low temperature in the carriage., i.e. it was too cold. The AC could have been kept at a comfortable temperature level.

The train takes about 23 and odd hours to cover a distance of 1150 km. The train is stopped at wayside stations several times to allow crossings. The railway minister announced in the Rly budget that several hundred kilometers have been doubled. Perhaps they are in the north. Least priority is given to the south. The Mumbai to Chennai/Bangalore track has only single line system. It needs to be doubled very utgently. Mumbai-Chennai/Bangalore trains are perhaps the slowest. Between Kolkata and Delhi most trains cover a distance of 1450 km in 24 hours or less. South Indians also pay the same fare; why the partiality?

Poor hygiene and non efficient air conditioning in the 2AC , A1 compartment of Mangala Express ( train no: 12618) from Nizamuddin to Ernakulam..and the food served is of poor quality and is served in an unhygienic way...

now some trains having new coaches but in south major trains having old type coaches that runs in northern area every bay in each coach should be provided dust bin so that the waste wilnot be thrown outside through window this will help cleanilenes along tracks and stations awrness should be created among public not to throw wastes when the train is running

Coaches of Chennai Express -Chennai to Mangalore are badly maintained