Not Bullet but Bullock Trains

For years, we have been reading and hearing about the transformation of Indian Railways. After regular intervals, news and reports keep appearing about bullet trains, high speed trains, semi-high speed trains and many more changes in the system. No problem with that. We need better transport system in order to travel faster and safer.

But, before we usher in a golden era of Indian Railways, we must check the solidness and strength of its existing axle. There was a time, not long back, we had mostly Mail or Express trains. Then suddenly Railway terminal or rather say terminology was enriched with 'Superfast'.  Superfast Express trains flooded the every terminal of the country.

At first, we were impressed but it didn't take us long to realize the gimmick. The leader at the helm of affairs had created 'Superfuss' trains not Superfast trains; otherwise how can a train that covers 1000 km distance in 20 to 24 hours is called Superfast train. May be it is time we redefine the words Fast and Superfast, particularly to suit Indian Railways. If a speed of 40 or 50 km per hour can be called Superfast, then what should be the appropriate speed for fast trains? 20 or 30 km/hour? What about passenger trains? 10 or 15 km/hour? A bullock cart can run faster than that, can't?  

So, in reality, we are travelling in Bullock Trains. Isn't it right?

If you are not a frequent traveller like me, then you must travel in any long distance train, apart from Rajdhani trains, which are certainly for elite class, not for Aam Admi of this country. And if you are as unlucky as ninety percent people of this country, you will within hours realize what destiny holds for you: dirty toilets, torn seats, tasteless foods, soiled sheets, stinking blankets and unscheduled stoppage after every 10 or 20 kilometres. 

Wait, that is not all. Real test of your patience will start when the scheduled journey time-whatever it may be, 10 or 16 hours- will start getting longer and longer and if you are the luckiest among unlucky ones, you may reach your destination in 16 or 20 hours and if you are just one of them then it may take 26 hours or may be even 36 hours.

As an ardent admirer, I had Great Expectations from our Macho Man.  I had thought something dynamic would happen. At least, PUNCTUALITY would be given priority. But no, in the name of dynamism, further enriching the terminology of Indian Railways, Dynamic Fare System, Premium Trains, Tatkal Trains and now Suvidha Trains have been introduced and accorded priority.

Earlier, it was during winter our trains used to get delayed due to fog. The days are gone, now it is an annual affair. Just a few days back, and this is July, I travelled in one of the best trains and it was not one or two but FORUTEEN hours late. And I heard from passengers that it had been going on for months.

Shouldn't Railways install bio-metric system for its trains also? After all, Railways collect fare from us up to four months in advance?

‘We, sometimes, just wonder what will happen to this system or to whom we should look forward. The one, we trusted, has neglected it even more,’ said one old passenger, who had missed the connecting train despite a gap of 12 hours between the two. At the end of our conversation during my last journey, he said like an innocent child, ‘I just appeal:

Hey Prabhu,

We don't want Bullet Trains,

We don't want Highspeed Trains,

We don't want even Semi Highspeed Trains,

We don't want SuperFuss Trains,

We don't want Ma(i)l (e) or Female trains;

We simply want TRAINS, which RUN ON TIME, which take us to our destinations on the scheduled time without any delay (We will not mind one or two hours delay!).’

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