KOCHI: With 11 entries, Kerala featured prominently in the list of Southern Railway’s top 25 stations with highest originating passenger revenue in fiscal 2023-24, with Thiruvananthapuram Central, which posted Rs 262 crore, ranked fourth. However, if accounts of lack of cleanliness and poor maintenance of coaches narrated by passengers are to be believed, these proceeds are not translating into facilities on board trains.
The other day, former finance minister Thomas Isaac wrote about the poor condition of the coaches of Jan Shatabdi express that he had recently travelled in. He also posted a picture of water seepage in his compartment, with the caption: “When Jan Shatabdi reached Kollam, it was raining. But the rain did not persist. But look at the water in the D6 compartment! How are such special coaches selected and sent to Kerala?”
According to J Liyons, secretary of Friends on Rails, a WhatsApp group of train commuters, this has been a problem in trains with old coaches. “In the case of LHB coaches, jammed windows often lead to the entry of rainwater,” he said. Liyons highlighted how the fans in many trains, especially passenger services, remain covered in a thick coat of dust and grime. “This renders the fans useless. We have been filing complaints urging authorities to clean them up,” he added. However, according to Rajani S, a daily commuter, the situation now is much improved. “The RailMadad app has proved handy with several complaints registered through it being dealt with promptly,” she said. But filing regular complaints is very tiresome, she pointed out.
Ramesh Mathew, another frequent traveller, said, “The situation is worse in Garib Rath trains with dirty toilets and unclean blankets. It came as a surprise to hear the Union railway minister recently say that the blankets are washed twice a month.” But this also depends on the firms contracted for the upkeep of trains, he added. “This may vary from contractor to contractor and route to route.”
Ajas Vadakedam, executive member of Friends on Rails, said, “Railways must keep track of the performance of firms contracted to maintain trains. Many times these firms do shoddy work. The poor maintenance is visible, especially in long-haul trains.”
He remarked that people waiting at stations are forced to hold their breath when many long-distance trains arrive or pass by. “People living in houses located near tracks also complain about the smell. This situation is caused when toilets are not cleaned and the bio tanks are full,” he added.
Snake and rat-infested coaches have also raised a few hackles.
“This happens because many of the rakes are parked at small stations which have unkept yards overgrown with weeds. For instance, for the past three months, Garib Rath rakes have been parked at the third platform of Vaikom Road station,” Ajas added.
And there have been instances of passengers getting bitten by snakes and rats inside the train.