It takes a barrel to make Jan Shatabdi nobody’s train

Who runs the Mumbai-Goa Jan Shatabdi Express? Not us, said Central Railway (CR) and Konkan Railway (KR) when asked about a barrel that has been blocking the door of one of the train’s coaches.

Passengers, who take the Mumbai-Madgaon train frequently, say that the catering staff places a huge barrel, used as a makeshift refrigerator, at one of the doors. This leads to crowding in the area, making it inconvenient for passengers to board and alight with luggage.

Suhas Nagvekar, who recently travelled by the train, told DNA: “The barrel is used for keeping bottles of water and beverages cold. It has narrowed the doorway.” Nagvekar, who took photos of the barrel, said it was illegal for the railways to position it in a way that inconvenienced passengers.

Surprisingly, the Indian Railways refused to own up to the train. While Central Railway spokesperson Ashok Kumar Singh said the train was run by Konkan Railway, the latter’s chief spokesperson Siddheshwar Telugu said it was not responsible for the train’s running. A senior railway board official said he would have to check under whose jurisdiction the train runs.

Central Railway  and Konkan Railway officials said the train fell in each other’s jurisdictions and both are helpless in the matter. “Konkan Railway runs the train and they can take action,” Singh said. Telugu said, “The train is Central Railway ’s responsibility and the catering is looked after by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation.”

Rajneesh Dhuri, a commuter, said, “There should be space in the luggage compartment or the guard’s van. The barrel can be placed there. There is no point in keeping it in a place used by passengers.”

Blessy Augustine, who travelled by the train on Saturday, said: “The toilets in the train looked as if they haven’t been cleaned in a long time. I guess that is because nobody knows who runs the train.”