When passengers are willing to pay a little more for an AC coach, they are anticipating comfort as well as cleanliness. Yet, on Train No. 15713 – Intercity Express, from Katihar to Patna, one passenger said the experience was precisely the opposite. Ravi Shan Karan, with an exchange of ₹550 plus GST for an AC seat, explained how the coach was turned into a general compartment for no apparent reason along the journey. What ensued was an utter nightmare filled with overcrowding, filth and an utter absence of accountability.
The passenger had purchased an AC coach ticket, which held the expectation of a calm and clean transit. Rather, the coach was full of passengers who were ticket-free who sat comfortably in their seats and had no problems taking up a lot of space. Air conditioning was meaningless as the coach was full, loud, oppressive, and choked. Comfort was promised but delivered instead to chaos.
There were reported to be unusable toilets and no cleaning staff. Passengers were left helpless owing to the fact hygiene standards were nonexistent. On the other hand, for those who paid extra for better facilities, the conditions were something of a betrayal. The trip became a miserable experience when basic cleanliness was absent.
Added frustration to the situation, the TTE was not on duty that was able to look at tickets and regulate people's movements. Passengers with no tickets roamed around without tickets; those with full fare were either left standing the whole time or squeezed into corners. Railway staff were in no place in attendance, a major case of negligence and lack of responsibility made the lack of any significant complaint.
Ravi Shan Karan denounced it as “daylight robbery.” It is unacceptable to charge premium fares while allowing third-class misery, he argued. His words mirror the anger of many passengers who believe that the system has failed them. Paying for AC comfort but receiving a general coach experience is nothing less than exploitation.
The whole situation that took place on the Katihar–Patna Intercity Express raises serious questions about the standards of service experienced by Indian Railways. If after paying extra, passengers cannot rely on facilities promised above and beyond that, then not only is the system in question, but the credibility of it as well. Comfort, hygiene, and accountability are no luxury; they are basic expectations. Passengers will feel cheated and disrespected until these solutions are created.
