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Kanyakumari Express delayed as AC fails TNN | Aug 4, 2012, 05.39AM IST by sushil on 04 August, 2012 - 09:02 AM
avatar sushil Kanyakumari Express delayed as AC fails TNN | Aug 4, 2012, 05.39AM IST on 04 August, 2012 - 09:02 AM

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TRICHY: Passengers of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Express (Train No. 12633) travelling by two-tier AC raised the pitch against the railway administration as an air-conditioner in a coach was out of order. Frightened by the recent fire-mishap on a Tamil Nadu Express train, they insisted that the railway officials attach a new coach with air-conditioner facility. So a new coach was attached in Tiruchirappalli railway junction in the midnight of Thursday.

According to the railways, the train departed from Chennai Egmore junction at 5.30 pm on Thursday as per schedule. A few minutes after departure, the passengers on coach no A1 (fourth from the rear side) raised a hue and cry over the air-conditioner not functioning. They took up the issue with the travelling ticket examiner (TTE). The TTE assured them that they would fix the problem once the train reached Villupuram railway junction. Even after the train reached Villupuram, the problem remained unsolved. So, the passengers disembarked and agitated.

The deputy station master was forced to rush to the spot and tried to pacify the passengers, saying the problem would be attended to in Tiruchirappalli junction. But the passengers did not get convinced and continued to protest. Then a team of technicians led by senior section engineer ( SSE) carried out repair work on the coach. Unfortunately, they could not mend the faulty air-conditioner, said the railways.

Meanwhile, the passengers refused to accept a spare air-conditioner to be fixed instead of the defective one because they were afraid of any fire accident. Despite the railway officials trying to convince them, they kept on demanding a new coach. Since their demand could be fulfilled only at Trichirappalli junction, the official gave up the effort to placate them. But on the demand by passengers, the officials opened the emergency exits of the coach to facilitate free flow of air into the coach until the train arrived in Tiruchirappalli.

The train arrived in Tiruchirappalli junction at 11.52 pm instead of the actual arrival time of 11 pm. Then a 3-Tier A/C coach was attached in place of the 2-Tier A/C coach. The train arrived in Kanyakumari with a 29- minute delay at 7.19 am on Friday.