The railways is at its wits end to find a solution to the problem of hundreds of suburban ticket-holders entering the air-conditioned as well as regular coaches of the Singhad Express from Pune when it halts at Karjat and Kalyan during its morning journey to CST. The problem has become very acute now with as many as 50 to 60 extra passengers forcing thier way regularly into the 75 seat AC coach during weekdays.
The train halts at Karjat (give time) , where a smallish crowd enters, and then at around 8:50am in Kalyan, which sees the maximum number of suburban commuters boarding the train. The timings, officials said, make the Signhad Express ideal for suburban commuters to hop onto and reach Dadar and CST well within an hour and that too by beating the crowds of the morning rush-hour local train. The passengers of Deccan Queen are spared the ordeal because the train does not halt at Karjat or Kalyan.
"To put it bluntly these suburban commuters are enjoying what is becoming the first 'Air Conditioned local' in Mumbai. For hundreds of regular travellers on the train, it is a nightmare and even ticket-checkers do nothing after being overwhelmed by the crowd," a senior CR official said.
A regular commuter on the train who travels by the AC coach told this paper that every passing day, it seems more and more suburban commuters are getting to know that there is a nice AC ride waiting for them on the Singhad Express. "I pay Rs 290 for a single journey and Rs 2200 for a monthly season ticket. What do I get in return? Being pinned to my chair as the standees crowd around me," said the commuter .
For CR authorities the issue flies directly in the face of recommendations made by the Allahabad High Court recently. The High Court, while hearing a suo moto petition on the safety of railway passengers, had asked the railways to crack down on the menace of general ticket-holders entering into reserved coaches.
Citing Rule 242.1(iv) which specifically says that seasonal tickets are not valid for travel in reserved coaches and trains, the Allahabad HC has asked the railways to refer to certain sections of the Railways Act to ensure passenger safety inside trains remains at its best. These rules include Section 145 punishes drunkenness or nuisance, Section 147 punishes trespass or refusal to vacate, Section 155 makes entry into reserved compartment punishable and Section 162 makes entry into ladies coach punishable. It has recommended that both the railway police and RPF conduct random checking inside reserved coaches to root out this problem.
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