Nov 14, 2017
Updated by jaspal gatel A journey in indian railways
I jaspal a jawan of indian navy was traveling from vadodara to ambala cantt by 12471 (Swaraj exp) on 05 nov 17 to meet some emergency requirement at home. I purchased online ticket from irctc through paytm. My pnr no. Was [protected]. My ticket was not confirmed when the chart was prepared. I had to travel and i bought a general ticket from vadodara station ticket no. N43627133 for rs. 300/- i boarded the train and approached the tte. Tte refered me to some one who was in civil dress and he (Who introduced himself as a special flying) asked me to pay rs. 480/- extra. I told them humbly that i had already paid rs. 300/- and you can charge extra money. He did not agree and told me that i have to pay the fine. I objected and resisted for that asking them whether they i would be alloted any seat. He disagreed and said me there is no seat available or told me to confirm the seat from tte after paying the the charge. I paid rs. 480/- again (Rs. 230/- as difference and rs. 250/- as fine).
I had to pay the fine for not doing any mistake and for being loyal to the system by purchasing two tickets. By being loyal to system by approaching tte of coach s4-8 (Who did not tell his name upon asking) who once hold my ticket checked the chart for availability and was about to allot me seat when flying person came and interrogated him "is there any thing?" then he refered me to that person.
All done i approached to tte of ac coaches for availability of seat. He asked me to contact after godhra station. I went to meet him after godhra station and didn't found him there. I then asked other tte of iind ac for ticket or other tte of ac coaches (Whom i met earlier). He replied that he would be sleeping in some where and told me not to disturb him and come later. I took 3-4 rounds of ac coaches and did not find him.
At dahod station i got down at the station to meet/locate the tte of ac three tier with whom i had spoken earlier to allot me seat in ac by paying the difference. He was in pantry car sitting with other tte of sleeper class.
He said, "800 rupees difference ka or baki jo dena hai de dena".
I said to him, "baki kya 800 rupees ka ticket banao or bas".
He said to me, "go to sleeper s1-3 tte has 3-4 seats vacant.
When i reached the tte for coach s1-3. He was alloting those seats which were vacant to three persons who were standing there with general ticket. I requested him to allot seat to me first, as i had already paid the charge and the fine also. He said that those three persons had approached him and that he would make their ticket and will allot seat to them. On my objection and on arrival of other tte of coaches s 4-8 to whom i had already met. He decided not to make their ticket also for those vacant seats. Upon asking his name he got angry and asked me,"who are you to ask my name"and threatened me that he will not allow me to travel by the train by asking rpf to throw me out. The other tte told him to tell his name and finish the issue. Then he told me his name"prasad". God knows it is right or wrong.
Again i went to ac coach tte. The story there is different. The two seats which were vacant in b-3 he alloted those seats to other two persons on making a paper ticket of rs. 1400/-.
My questions to authorities are
(A) when i approached tte for making difference payment slip for sleeper ticket why was i charged for fine amount.
(B) railways authorities/railway minister keeps on saying"everyone will get confirm ticket". When will that day come?
(C) why ttes on duty are not wearing name talley?
(D) why inspection staff are not coming in uniform and not showing their identity.
(E) when will this corruption end in indian railways.
(F) why the booking starts four months prior. This is increasing corruption and the railways is reserving money of everyone for long time making profit out of it and when the ticket is cancelled charging extra money.
(G) warrent ticket is not made for short distance in ac class even if the seats are available latest rule from jul 17. Jawan has to travel in sleeper when he is entitled for iind ac/iii ac.
I further want to say that.
The sufferer is always the poor. The inspection team will come and charge the poor and loyal people for fine. The corrupt people are rarely cought.
Again there was a problem of very high vibration noise and burning smell in coach s-4 which was reported to tte and station staff at nagda station. The train was stopped for 30 minutes.
The condition of toilets in train is miserable, no pipes for flush, brocken bolts, faint smell, and many more.
The govt. Is daily announcing many new schemes but in my views the basic facilities are not being improved. The comditions of passangers facilitiea are getting worse and worse. The accidents are increasing. With this condition as i saw at nagda station the passangers circled the train and station staff and there was heavy hungama over there. The passangers feel that they are not safe in the trains now a days. They are helpless because there is no other optionwith them. For earning their living aome people have to travel a long distance and rail is the only available resource.
Please find the photographs attached.
Jaspal
[protected]
Arjun kr Jha
[protected]