Title - SEAT RESERVATION IN TRAIN: AN ORDEAL IN VAIN

SEAT RESERVATION IN TRAIN: AN ORDEAL IN VAIN


Sir,

On May 27, I along with my husband, daughter and grand-daughter travelled by Mayiladu-thurai Express from Mysore to Bangalore. We had booked our seats in advance, but when we boarded the train, our seats had been occupied by others. We tried to explain to them that those were reserved seats, but they did not listen. Instead, they said, "We came an hour early to get these seats," and refused to budge.

We went looking for the Station Master to complain, but his office was locked. We then went to the Assistant Station Master who said he would immediately send the TC to resolve the issue. But no TC came. So we complained to the Railway Policeman who was nearby. He then summoned the TC. But to our misfortune, the TC could speak only in Hindi and not Kannada.

The people who had occupied our seats bullied the TC by saying, "You are a Hindi-speaking man and do not argue with us. You can do anything you want, but we are not vacating these seats," and the TC just went away.

By then, the train had started moving. Since we had no other option, we somehow managed to squeeze ourselves in whatever little space that was available and all through the journey, we had to listen to people saying, "You could have adjusted from the beginning itself. What did the TC do?"

Is there no value to advance booking of seats? It is no fun paying Rs. 120 for a Rs. 42 ticket and sitting on top of each other on a three-hour journey. If the TC cannot evict an encroacher of seats, why is he there? The concerned officials should give attention to this problem and try to help people who reserve seats.

—H.N. Lalithamma

Sriramapura

5.6.2012