CHENNAI: The railways’ decision to use old AC chair car coaches, with wider sliding glass windows, for unreserved travel on the Mysuru Superfast and Lalbagh Express trains has turned into a huge inconvenience for passengers. Some of them alleged that these coaches offer poor ventilation and the glass windows exacerbate the heat during day travel, no matter if the train is moving or halted. According to them, the old ICF second-class general coaches, with regular windows, provided better airflow.
After the introduction of LHB coaches, wider sliding windows were set with wooden material instead of glass. A passenger said, “The LHB version of general class coaches has less air circulation compared to old ICF coaches. But the old AC chair car coaches retrofitted into the general class coaches are worse when it comes to air flow. Within 15 minutes of boarding the Lalbagh Express recently, I got drenched in sweat.”
He added that travel during weekends and festival seasons in the crowded train is a nightmare for passengers. “The general coach overflows with passengers after crossing Sholingur, Walajah, and Mukundapuram stations. By then, those standing in the middle of the coaches could barely breathe. We feel suffocated,” said the traveller.
The retrofitted coaches feature individual seats with push-back levers on each side of the bay, providing a better seating facility for long-distance travellers. On the flip side, this arrangement significantly disrupts the airflow compared to regular seating in reserved coaches, which have a wider space between the three-person seats on both sides. Presently, a total of five coaches have been equipped with glass windows.
The 496-km Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru section has a huge ticket demand and is served by two intercity express trains, a Vande Bharat, two Shatabdi Express, and two overnight trains daily. Additionally, there are five to six weekly and pass-through trains on the Perambur-Bengaluru section.
The Lalbagh and Mysuru Express trains have over 120% occupancy throughout the year. During weekends and festival seasons, trains are heavily patronised by passengers from Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, and Tirupattur districts.
S Mohanasundaranam, a rail traveller from Walajah, said, “Travelling in unreserved coaches when the daytime temperature exceeds 37 degrees Celsius is unimaginable. I felt the heatwave on my face during the recent journey. This shows the railway’s unsympathetic attitude towards general class travellers. Due to the difficulties in overcrowded general class coaches, many passengers have started moving to reserved coaches as well.”
When contacted, the Chennai railway division spokesperson said the issue would be taken up and addressed at the earliest.
Festival crowd, suspended services affect passengers
Chennai: Commuters were forced to spend nearly two hours waiting for buses and trains, with the railways suspending nearly 25% of local trains in the Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu section on Sunday. Moreover, MTC buses and trains witnessed heavy crowds due to a slew of temple festivals celebrated during the Tamil month of Aadi.
The complete cancellation of train services in the Pallavaram-Guduvancheri section from 10 am to 1.30 pm also contributed to the crowding. Though special trains were operated from Chennai Beach to Pallavaram, they ran only once every 60 minutes. Commuters who disembarked at Pallavaram and Guduvancheri had to spend Rs 200 to Rs 300 on auto rickshaws to reach their destinations.