It was an good idea for me who has returned back from abroad,bored with flight journeys,to try indian railways.As that will also serve a purpose for me to train my kids of the goodness of indian railways.I decided to travel from coimbatore to vijayawada and back by alleppy-bokorrow express. For a reason , I booked my tickets in two tier AC from coimbatore and sleeper class in return. Every body in my circle cautioned me that this train always comes late. I reached the station along with my family on 24th Feb,2006 on time.To my surprise I found the train on right time( hats off laluji). We were booked in coach A1 - Seat 45,46,48,49. After searching all while we could not find the coach and desparatly approached the Near by TTE who has said very politly - They have not attached AC two tier from allepy. They neither bothered to announce the same . Finally after an argument and shuffle we were accomadated in AC three tier( Later I claimed and got the reimbursement of the differance amount back from vijayawada station with difficult - another issue).
The train left coimbatore late and reached erode after 5 hours( normal journey time is max 2 hours).
On my return, we were booked in S6 seat nos 25,26,27,28 on 28th Feb. On boarding the train we found very bad smell and too much dirt everywhere.The seats were sticky like the train carried pigs earlier.The floor was filled with groundnut husk and rubbish. I was desparatly tried to contact the attendent or any body responsible to assist me in cleaning ,without which no animals will dare to sit. Since I got no response from TTE or any other station staff ,by the time train left,I decided to clean the area myself. I immediatly pulled mu lungie from my suitcase and cleaned the area.( My kid asked me, seeing the developments why railways are not providing brooms inside the coach,so that atleast passengers can clean themself).
The journey was terrible till coimbatore.( Later on my sleep I had a beautifull dream in which laluji is asking the parliment permission to outsource the cleaning in railways.As usual the lefts were against,and the railway staffs were on strike just to keep their vision - Neither we will or will allow anybody to do that-----)Hope readers take my dream in humor.
- Thank You! We appreciate your effort.