I never understood the ranting blogs recently written by people and also wondered why they go to the extent of ranting, until I began writing this. I will write this in the most organized way I can so it can be understood as clearly as possible. Also, I write poems, not stories, but this incident got me so angry that I just wanted to write!
To,
All the railway ministers/officials in India who were present when or after Garibrath express(A complete AC train) was begun.
Also, to all those garib passengers who suffered.. We are the bravest.
From 2009 to 2011 is the time I spent in Bangalore to do my masters and I had worst experiences in trains, but Garibrath the the queen of worst experiences. Here's why
- The cheap read affordable rates will lure you into buying the tickets in an AC train, which is a luxury for middle class Indian sector.
- You get in and realize that the train is full of people, especially the corporate crowd who often travel to and fro home city to work city, who are very literate but will not bother to complain ever. Agree I am one of them.
- Usually the "bedding"(as it is termed in trains/blankets) is given free of cost in other trains with AC bogies, since it is covered in your ticket charge, but here, as soon as the train starts, you will have to dig in Rs 25 and run to the store place (next to the loo)
- It is usually a very unorganized queue, dying to get the "bedding" and the small area near the loo and the aisle near the loo is filled with fighting passengers to get them first.
- Bedding- consists of 1 blanket(a stinky poky one), 2 white bed covers (usually brown), 1 pillow(with a just now put muddy cover), 1 napkin(which is not given these days).
- Next to every berth is sticker put with writing on it saying "do not accept bedding if not in a sealed cover". But the fact is that the "bedding" is dirty despite being the sealed cover. Brown and cream stains, hair, tea stains and what not.
- See this picture to know how well they maintain them.
- Talking about the berths, there are usually 6berths and 2 side berths. But this train has 3 side berths with an extra middle berth, which when opened makes it really hard for a normal person to sleep. It must be 2 feet in length.
- Also Garibrath has berth width which is smaller than any other AC train.
- So, if you are especially picked by the train ticketing authorities to sleep on the side middle or lower birth, you will have a special privilege to experience an after death experience. It will show you how life may feel in a coffin. Added, if your 'lower side' berth is right in the beginning where the door opens, you can experience 2 things. 1) The door slamming on the wooden board next to your face(attached to safeguard your face whenever someone enters) 2) The better feeling of a coffin than the other 'side berths' would provide(since its not only closed on the top, but also towards the side with a wooden board). So, even a non claustrophobic can start feeling claustrophobic.
- Another thing about lower side berth is that when the two seats close to form a bed, there is real level difference between the two, making it so impossible to sleep(It is a lot worse than sleeping on the crack of two beds). Say good bye to your perfect back.
- Restrooms are a topic which makes me want to kill every government official in-charge for. Sanitation is an issue all over the country, and for women, there are no public restrooms at all to even talk about. They may be not expected to be neat and clean as a general Indian public restroom rule, but even when you just get into the train when no one is there, they will still stink and put your olfactory cells to real pain. So ladies who are even averagely concerned about clean toilets or those of you who are at that time of the month, get ready for a real cramping intestinal torture.
- Another site, not so amusing even for an animal lover are the cockroaches which move not only on the floor, but also on the walls, ceilings and also happily on your not so 'white bedding'. Little kids may also be quite amused to look at the rats which play "Stamp me if you can" with the moving passengers in the aisle.
- All this often brings to my head that 'Garib'rath aptly stands to its title.
As I end this letter, I would like to know if these are the things which seem so trivial that no one bothers to rant about or even try to complain. Things seemed the same with trains since I was a kid. Talking of privatization is next to impossible to maintain the number of passengers travelling but can't the housekeeping and maintenance be privatized?
Being an ordinary middle class passenger who opts to choose an AC coach, does this seem acceptable and ordinary? Or is it too little to think about when compared to the bigger issues we face?
I am writing this to the railway officials and ministers concerned, but am quite sure that this wouldn't go anywhere because we are one such literate race who are quite indifferent to many such issues. But railways is such major sector of Indian government that this situation is quite shameful.
Thanking you,
A troubled 'garib'rath passenger.
