Chandigarh, April 30
Introduced as a train of the new generation for comfortable and fast inter-city travel, Shatabdi Express, has lost both its speed and sheen since its introduction
17 years ago.
Though the one-way fare in chair car on Chandigarh-Delhi sector has increased from Rs 110 to Rs 500 (454 per cent increase), this super-fast train now takes 20 minutes longer to reach its destination than it used to when it started.
This is in spite of the publicised announcement by Indian Railways that its speed will be gradually raised to 140 kmph from its starting speed of 100 kmph. Now the train, after electrification of the entire stretch of Chandigarh-Delhi sector, has dropped to 80 kmph. It now invariably takes three hours and 30 minutes to reach the union Capital from Chandigarh against the 3 hours and 10 minutes it used to take in the early 90s.
If one looks back at the brief history of this train, which was introduced with great pomp and show on the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Railways was to gradually introduce digital music, a special Shatabdi magazine, eco-friendly and hygienic crockery, meal trolleys and automatic vending machines for coffee, tea and soft drinks in the train.
But for a cross-section of the people who have been regular on the route, it is no more the train it used to be. At the best it is a mail train donning an elitism garb.
Instead of improving the on-board services and introducing the promised things, Indian Railways has imposed severe cuts on the existing services. For example, the spray of coach (room) freshner in the train has been discontinued. Those who travel by evening Shatabdi from New Delhi to Chandigarh, do not get any evening newspaper any more.
And the worst part has been its catering
service. If one gets to scan through the complaint book placed on the train, one finds that as many as 47 complaints in the first fortnight of March this year were about poor or inadequate quality of snacks served on board.
On March 10, for example, no mineral water or food could be served in one of the coaches of 2006 Dn Shatabdi Express. And six days later, passengers complained about bread infected with fungus and detestable quality of food.
Stunned by the growing complaints, a special inspection was conducted in March. But a month later, conditions remained unchanged.
Even late last year, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (September 14), the
Assistant Commercial Manager (September 20 and 25 and October 10) and the Chief Vigilance Inspector (November 5) conducted special inspections.
Investigations reveal that the Railways pays Rs 53 per passenger in chair car to a Bihar/Jharkhand-based contractor for the supply of the morning cup of tea which includes two toffees (Eclairs), two biscuits (Glucose/Marie Gold) and tea, besides the breakfast. The menu fixed for breakfast is a croissant (50 gm) or two slices of bread, vegetable cutlet or paneer cutlet (two pieces), finger chips and some green peas, a tetra pack (juice), tea and coffee. In case cutlets are not given, then vada and bonda or upma-vada or vada-idli are to be given.
Though these days there are no non-veg dishes served on board thanks to the bird flu otherwise for non-veg passengers , the contractor is supposed to supply omelette of two eggs or two boiled eggs or stuffed paneer or cheese omelette.
In case of executive class, the contractor gets Rs 79.50 per passenger for serving almost the same menu. The only additions are corn flakes or porridge with milk and sugar.
For dinner or lunch, the contractor gets paid Rs 115 per passenger in chair car and Rs 175 in executive class.
Even after paying so much, the quality of food has failed to improve as is evident from the number of complaints. Passengers rue that in spite of their complaints and special inspections, no action is being taken against the catering contractor who, they allege, does not have even qualified and properly trained
staff. Under such a situation will the Shatabdi still be called a train for the elite?
