Title - Ruckus in Rajdhani after AC failure

PATNA: Passengers travelling in 3AC bogie (B-4) of the New Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express (12310) created ruckus after failure of the AC in the bogie on May 31 night at New Delhi station. They delayed departure of the train, demanding that the fault be repaired first.Irked at non-functioning of the AC in the bogie in such sultry weather condition, passengers insisted on the presence of senior railway officials at the station so that technical snags in the AC could be fixed. However, the train was allowed to leave New Delhi on assurances that the fault would be repaired at Aligarh station.According to railway sources, as the fault was not repaired at Aligarh, agitated passengers broke windowpanes of the AC bogie to allow fresh air. Railway electrical staff, who tried to repair the fault on the running train, were assaulted by a few passengers, sources said.According to divisional railway manager (DRM), Danapur, L M Jha, the entire Rajdhani Express rake was of Danapur division. It was maintained at Rajendra Nagar coaching complex, he said. The AC fault was repairable by the staff escorting the train from Patna. Unfortunately, they were not allowed by angry passengers to check the AC panel for repair, he added. In fact, they were roughed up by agitated passengers, the DRM said.Acting swiftly, railways attached an extra AC chair car coach to Rajdhani Express at Kanpur to enable passengers to travel comfortably from Kanpur to Patna. It is just a chance that the AC failed in the LHB coach, otherwise ACs in LHB coaches are foolproof, the DRM said.According to aggrieved passengers, railways should have checked the condition of AC bogies of a premier train like Rajdhani Express at New Delhi station itself before placement of the rake on platform. Furious passengers pulled alarm chain of the train several times between Aligarh and Kanpur. Other Rajdhani Express trains scheduled to run behind Patna Rajdhani Express were detained for about to two to three hours, sources said.