Improve the services in Railway first.

Before introduction of new trains, it is better if the Minister improves the conditions and services in the existing trains. He has to do a few things to improve the image of railways and imoprove the services to customers. Some of the area he can concentrate relate to1. Reservation. With all improvements in the system of Reservation the fact remains that people do not get accommodation in trains and seats are going empty. There is some total mismatch between the availability of seats and allotment of seats.I have seen during my travels that many seats are vacant and people do not get confirmation of seats if they are in the waiting list. Something is seriously wrong.2. The toilets, beddings and curtains in the trains are in pathetic conditions and THEY really CAUSE health hazard. Some of the Doctors have openly advsed their patients to avoid bedding in the train as it results in some skin and eye diseases.3) Beggars and unauthoried vendors are freely moving in all compartments and adding risks to the passengers in temrs of risks of thefts, and health issues as many serve stale and hopeless food..4) Some of the stations are hopelessly maintained and they never care for passenger conveniences. They seldom make any announcement of trains arrival and departure and never display the position of compartments to enable passsengers to identify their coach postion and board the train comfortably.I had a very bitter experience in mADURAI JN   VERY RECENTLY.These are all some small but important concerns which the Railways should set right before additions in the number of trains are considered.

Dr.T.V.Gopalakrishnan
THIS HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN tIMES OF iNDIA DATED 21/2/13.