Central Railway

health faucets

Mumbai-Manmad Panchavati Express

Segways for cops to patrol Marine Drive grind to a halt Two vehicles, which were bought last year, have been gathering dust for 2 months due to lack of repairs

Mumbai-Goa Tejas Superfast Express

Armrests have been ripped out or damaged. Washroom fittings, including health faucets, have been stolen or removed. Even a fire extinguisher has been stolen, along with toughened glass of the luggage racks

POLL After seeing the train vandalism, do you think commuters do not deserve such upgrades? Yes No Can't say VOTE

The great Indian traveller

Corruption stalls JVLR extension Only 4 of 80 structures standing in the way of the project have been demolished, thanks to a BMC offi cial who is under scanner for corruption.

(L) SAFETY FIRST?: Fire extinguishers have disappeared from many compartments; (R) FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A damaged tray table. A furious CR says this is no way to travel

(L) BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Rubber wadding of doors has been ripped out in many coaches; (R) WHERE’S THE REST? A big portion of a centre table between seats was broken and taken away

(L) A WINDOW INTO VANDALISM: A damaged window is fixed with tape. The rake is only 4 months old; (R) SPACED OUT: The cover of a storage compartment has been removed

Trail of vandalism, theft and defacement on Rs 38-crore rake leaveswith a repair bill of Rs 9 lakh.Tray tables wrecked, armrests dislodged or made unusable, upholstery damaged, curtains torn, seat-reclining handles broken, window smashed, rubber door wadding ripped out, and, taps, toughened glass of luggage racks, trash bins and mirrors stolen.This is the trail of destruction passengers have left behind aboard the, just four months after the popular intercity service got new Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, with better features and comforts, at the cost of Rs 38 crore. The frequent incidents of vandalism and theft have left the Central Railway with a repair bill of around Rs 9 lakh, excluding the cost of paint needed to gloss over hundreds of paan stains and other signs of defacement (the dreaded name graffiti).Rankled rail officials said it had almost become a practice among travellers to ruin newly introduced services and facilities. In May last year, several headphones were stolen by passengers from theduring its debut run. There were also reports of infotainment displays being damaged on the train, which was introduced with flight-like amenities and modern conveniences such as LED screens attached to seats, Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee vending machines.The new rake of Panchavati Express, which is preferred by many Mumbai-Nashik passengers, was introduced on May 9 this year to improve the overall travel experience. The train has 21 coaches, including three AC chair compartments, and it is faster and safer than normal rakes with the capacity to hit 130 kmph. But it has taken passengers little time to mete out third-rate treatment to the ride.A railway official revealed the extent of the vandalism: upholstery of 1,016 armrests was damaged, 536 armrests were wrecked, knobs of 513 snack tables were stolen, 179 magazine holders were torn, 86 handles to recline seats were broken, 50 health faucets, 43 washroom mugs, 25 taps, 37 flush valves, 15 mirrors and 17 dustbins were stolen, and 27 curtain pieces were ruined. Twenty-three vestibule doors were also damaged and a centre table in an AC coach vanished.“If people keep causing such damage, it will be difficult for the Central Railway to maintain the rake to a reasonable standard,” said CR’s chief public relations officer, Sunil Udasi. “We appeal to passengers to help us curb vandalism and to maintain the service.”Another senior railway official was more critical of the travellers. “How can they behave this way? This is gross misuse of property, which belongs to the entire country. This is no way to travel,” the official said.Panchvati Express has a long history. It was inaugurated on November 1, 1975, and has always been popular among businessmen and working professionals travelling between Mumbai and Nashik. The train has an ‘Adarsh Coach’, which earned a spot in the Limca Book of Records for its cleanliness and general calm.