[Resolved] Indian Railways — Harassment faced during travel | |
This is to bring to your kind attention the traumatic experience I as a bona fide woman passenger had to face during the journey from Thiruvalla to Bangalore in the Kanyakumari-Bangalore Island Express at 4.10 p.m. on the 7th of January, 2009. I, with my daughter, got into the train with a second class sleeper ticket to Ernakulam, for a journey of less than three hours. Since we had paid the excess fare for travelling in sleeper class, we confidently entered an empty -looking compartment and sat down at the far end of a seat on which a woman was lying down, with her permission. To avoid disturbing the woman, I kept my daughter in my lap. But some male passengers who were accompanying the woman in the same compartment began hooting and yelling at me, as if I were some kind if criminal, demanding that I vacate the seat immediately. When I replied in polite language that both o[censored]s were carrying sleeper-class tickets entitling us to travel in such compartments from 6 a..m. to 9 p.m. according to Railway rules, they again yelled at us using abusive language with vulgar connotations. Some attempted to pull my hair, and break my specs. Some of them even tried to drag out my bag which was kept under the seat, and throw it outside. They did not leave out even my daughter who was sitting on my lap, and tried to misbehave towards her. During all this time I was under excruciating mental agony and shock. After some time, a passenger summoned the policeman and TTE to the scene. Their response was even more strange. They told me I should be grateful that the above passengers did not throw me overboard from the running train. They added that everything depended on their charity and goodwill. They could decide whether or not to accommodate me inside the compartment. I tried to explain that we had paid excess fare for travelling in a sleeper compartment during daytime, they simply laughed at us. Anyway, they led us to another compartment and seated us there. This traumatic experience very clearly demonstrates the impunity with which such hooligans flout guidelines laid down by .the Railway authorities. The Reservation Rules laid down by Indian Railways clearly state that “When berths are reserved for passengers, the intention is to provide sleeping accommodation between 9 PM to 6 AM. During 6 AM to 9 PM, the passengers concerned, if required make room for other passengers in compartment up to its carrying capacity”(sic). It is a pity and a grievous anomaly that (i) bona fide passengers, especially women travelling with sleeper tickets, alone or with children, are thus left at the mercy of such villains who are a threat to their dignity and modesty, or even their lives, and that (ii) the employees of the Indian Railway such as TTEs, who are supposed to safeguard the interests of passengers facing difficulties, are blissfully ignorant, or pretend to be ignorant, of existing Railway Rules. In the light of the above, with a view to preventing such humiliation, inconvenience, and mental agony to innocent passengers, I earnestly request that at least the following measures be taken by the authorities immediately: (i) On all sleeper tickets it should be mentioned that passengers travelling with reservation for berths and seats are supposed to accommodate day time passengers between 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (ii) On the sleeper ticket purchased for day time travel, it must be shown that it is valid between 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., as per existing rules. (iii) Inside sleeper compartments, notices should be displayed, conveying the gist of the above-quoted rule of Indian Railways. (iv) TTEs and security personnel must be given clear instructions regarding this, so as to prevent similar mishaps in the future. Was this information helpful? | |
Aug 14, 2020 Complaint marked as Resolved | |
3 Comments | |
Comments
For those who have complaints towards individuals and/or individuals working for organizations, please publish the name and rank(if applicable) of the persons who harass you in your complaint. I understand the hooligans who troubled the lady in the complaint above might be difficult to get but the name of the TTE should be very easy to get. Also the name of the policeman who took no action. Publishing these names can help - if official action isn't taken, someone will take some 'unofficial' action against them. But we need to know the identity of those who trouble helpless folks.
I am really feel sorry the situation that you had undergone in the Sleeper Compartment but there is a catch. People who travel on long distance trains like Kerala and Mangala Express which starts from H. Nizammudin to Ernakulam, they have to make reservations 120 days in advance to get a seat / birth. During the journey which is more than 48 hours, the passengers feels very tired and would wish to stretch their legs and sleep for a while etc. and what do you think if during this time other passengers who has to travel from One station to the other come and sit on their seats they would really feel uneasy and if at all if someone is allowed thinking that he will get down at the next station, then another guy will get in on from the other station and this will continue till the end of the journey.
So, I would request railways to take back this rule of allowing passengers sit during 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in long running trains, otherwise what is the use of making an unnecessary reservation. Such passengers who wish to travel like that may travel in General Compartment or put pressure on railways to increase additional General coaches so that such situations are avoided for better.
So, I would request railways to take back this rule of allowing passengers sit during 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in long running trains, otherwise what is the use of making an unnecessary reservation. Such passengers who wish to travel like that may travel in General Compartment or put pressure on railways to increase additional General coaches so that such situations are avoided for better.
25%
Complaints
6269
Pending
0
Resolved
1580
+91 11 2338 1213
Rail Bhawan, Raisina Road, DL, India, New Delhi, Delhi, India - 110001
View all Indian Railways contact information
we gone through this bitter experience just because, the railway is not giving a clarity information about the rules/rights regarding the sleeper class ticket passengers. The passengers who are travelling by paying extra charges for the sleeper class, other vice mean that they can travel on the sleeper couch if the co- passengers admits them and the railway who is getting the money have nothing to do with this. Which would be greatly against the self esteem of everybody.
I very much support your statement regarding the measures to be taken by the railway authorities on the matter. And kindly request the concerned authorities not to transfer the authority to the persons travel on the train but to retain it and to use it for the facilities of all the passengers not only for the persons who have reservation ticket.
Confirmation code