BERHAMPUR: Several passengers of Berhampur-Hazur Sahib Nanded Fare Special had to forgo their journey on Sunday as the coaches allotted to them were ‘missing’. Passengers from southern districts of Odisha had booked their tickets for Hyderabad in the train which was scheduled to depart at 4.30 am. However, some of them were shocked to learn that coach no B-5 and B-6 (AC three tier) were not attached to the train. The ones allotted the coaches were then told by officials concerned that they could take a refund for their tickets.
The passengers of the two coaches then met station manager DP Brahma who asked the TTE to adjust them in other bogies. While around 20 passengers opted to travel in other coaches, 14 took the refund for their tickets. Several passengers tried to contact the senior officials of East Coast Railway to narrate their ordeal but allegedly did not get any response.
Rajendra Samal of Jagannathprasad in Ganjam district said he had booked a ticket for Rs 1,650 in the train to Hyderabad.“I had paid Rs 300 more than other trains for the ticket. The authorities have refunded the amount but now I have to stay with my family in a lodge at Berhampur as there are no buses available to my place,” he said.Railway passengers’ advisory committee member Trinath Moharana said such incident is first-of-its-kind and has never been reported from Odisha.Moharana sought an impartial inquiry into the matter.