Do we really need a strict Railway?

Remember how teachers used to control the kids in school ? Good teachers used to hold their attention by teaching in a really interesting and sincere manner. A mediocre or bad teacher simply acted strict. Anything you do gets punishment including asking the right and relevant questions. They instill fear in the hearts of the children and avoid the actual cause of distraction -their bad teaching and reluctance to improve. The railway drive of sending people to prison for crossing the tracks fall in the same league.

What do most people want from railways ? All they want is a) Trains should be on time and b) A good infrastructure including platform, overbridge etc to and from the station. Are we asking for too much ?

Most of us notice the hypocracy of railway in action as displayed on the railway indicator. It displays a train arrival time and when there is no train they quietly change the indicator to show the arrival time of the next train and pretend everything is well.

We Mumbaikars pay obscene amount just to travel to and fro but do we get proper service for that ? How many times do we actually reach some place on time ?

The current drive is a ploy to divert commuter's attention from real issues to sensationalism. Granted people die while crossing track. Granted crossing tracks is risky. People know this and they still cross tracks. Why? One reason is lack of proper planning in making over bridges.

Take Parel station for instance. There is a single narrow over bridge connecting parel with elphinstone and the outside world. It is always crowded. There is a long queue to use it. Even before a train load of people finish using it, the next lot is ready because there is not enough space to move fast. The station can become so crowded that even a minor push can throw a person on the tracks. Do the railway ever notice that ? Does it not make more sense to add one more over bridge or widen the existing one instead of harassing the commuters.

Those in government jobs are a blessed lot. They have no recession or job accountability that other normal mortals face daily. ,Most Mumbaikars find time to be the most precious commodity. This is because a minute here and there can make a difference between full day salary or half day pay cut. A minute late can mean lost client or lost order or a change in attitude of a boss already looking for whose job to cut.

People know they can get injured or die by crossing tracks but they still do mostly to save their jobs. They don't enjoy breaking the law most of the time. Nobody enjoys being hazzled by the police or the TC. Everybody knows what species they are.

The government allots obscene amount to railway for development. Do our stations reflect even a decent percentage of the amount given by the government year after year ?

Why is railways ignoring the infrastructure issue ? How will sending a law abiding citizen to jail solve the real issues facing the railway ? How many more such cosmetic PR campaigns before they decide to attack the root cause ? What is preventing them from acknowledging or resolving fundamental issues once and for all ?

The people do not need strictness drives which only bleeds their hard earned money and productivity. If railway is really serious, just empower the people to enforce accountability and transparency. Give us legal civil and criminal remedy against corrupt and incompetent officials - the people will manage the rest.

- Kumar Dawada

Central Railway’s SMS Feedback Campaign

Central Railway had started an SMS feedback campaign on April 16. Local train commuters can SMS their suggestions, complaints and feedback to 90044 11111. General Manager Modgil who initiated the campaign personally monitors the feedback / complaints. The suggestions are then sent to the heads of concerned departments who take the necessary steps to improve commuters’ experience.

Know all about the suggestions implemented by Central Railway here.

Courtesy: Mumbai Mirror

Vashi-Thane Train Frequency Needs A Relook

Latest update:
New timetable has been introduced from February 2012: Thane Vashi Local Train Time Table 2012

Older post: 

The frequency of local trains plying between Vashi and Thane might have been okay a few months / years ago. But now, the number of people travelling on this route has increased substantially. 20-30 minutes frequency is not at all convenient for the commuters. At peak hours the frequency must be 10 minutes at least, if not five.

One must consider that majority people travelling on this route actually travel really long distances changing 2-4 trains (one-way journey) daily. Now while returning from work after already travelling for an hour or more, if they miss one train at Vashi by a few seconds, they have to wait for half-an-hour.

Consider the train timings from Vashi to Thane in the evening:
7:25
7:45
8:05
8:30
9:00
9:30
10:00
10:30
11:10

It’s not possible for the commuters to shell out 50 rupees or more everyday on auto-rickshaws that have high fares in that side of the city. As a result many commuters cross railway tracks to get into a moving train from Vashi. And almost everyone runs from one platform to another as if hell broke. Seeing people tripping, getting hurt and getting highly frustrated by missing a train by a couple of seconds is a usual sight on the Vashi-Thane route.

It would be great if the commuters’ plight is considered and the frequency of trains is increased.

Kurla local time in morning – peak hours

Kurla local to CST (slow train) leaves from Kurla’s platform number 3 at 9:22 am daily.

This Kurla local is a very comfortable train considering the morning peak hours. If you reach 10 minutes in advance, i.e. as soon as the train arrives, you can easily get a place to sit.