Salute to the Mumbai trains service

M

MAGNeT

Skilled
Was reading yesterdays newspaper...saw a good article...so sharing with u guys

East or West, suburban rail always the best

Trains uphold the indomitable spirit of Mumbaikars, seldom failing to attend to complaints

N Raghuraman

In the aftermath of the July 11 train bombings in 2006, a journalist working for a foreign broadcasting service called to enquire when the services would resume. He was amazed when I told him that trains had started running within hours of the explosions and that people were travelling again!

Such is the symbiotic relationship between the railways and city life. Contrast this with what happened after the September 11 attacks in the US. Air services were grounded and even George Bush Sr could not take off!

We Mumbaikars need to pause and salute the persevering spirit of the faceless motormen and rail employees who keep the mega city on the move. All through Independence Day, engineers and workers toiled to refurbish the Masjid station. The work included dismantling of the old road over-bridge at the Kalyan-end of the station, and extending the length of mainline platform to accommodate 12-bogie trains. All that was accomplished in just 48 hours!

The railways recently introduced a service in which commuters can send a text message to the administration and report a fused light bulb or a dead ceiling fan. Railway workers carry out the repairs when the train reaches the next station. In private airlines, you will be lucky to find a seat you have reported as broken repaired the next time you fly. Similarly, try changing the tariff plan of your mobile phone. You will find yourself listening patiently to a jarring on-hold tone for 20 minutes or unsuccessfully trying to explain your problem to a clueless call-centre executive.

The suburban railways' responsiveness is all the more remarkable because the system is the most complex, densely loaded and intensively utilised network in the world. It has the highest passenger density on earth, a staggering 6 million commuters per day. Its route is spread over 319 km while 191 rakes (train sets) of 9-car and 12-car trains deliver 2,226 services.

The railways live up to its social responsibility quietly and without fuss. It employs physically handicapped people as schedule announcers. One such announcer saved many lives on November 26, 2008, by alerting several passengers about the presence of trigger-happy Ajmal Kasab and his fellow-crazed killer.

The railways are among the most egalitarian organisations in the country. Where else would you find a picture of A Ramji, the then divisional railway manager of Central Railway, and Brahmin to boot, adorning the walls of the All India Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Railway Employees Union office? You can check, it's at Byculla station.

During peak periods, such as summer vacations, the railways invariably increase the number of trains. To cope with the sweltering summer, it plans to start air-conditioned rakes. Wi-fi facilities and supermarket conveniences at railway stations are not far away. Sadly, most of the railway's efforts go unsung. In fact, it often bears the brunt of lobotomised mobs. Trains have been set on fire by protestors for the flimsiest of non-reasons; and railway motormen have been punched mercilessly for no fault of theirs.

Oh, Mumbai! Try telling a pilot that the six-hour delay was his fault!

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Source:: Dna newspaper
 
Railways problems are more associated with management/bossism and politics than with the actual workers. I guess that is true for most psu's in general.
 
The trains work great in Mumbai than most cities. But going by present trend of hardly a few seconds stop on any station and the huge crowd ready to pull whatever part that comes in hand of the person in front, the railways is soon going to be a nightmare/impossible dream for elderly people or handicapped ones. The city is in need of serious revamp of public transport.

But that's OT. For topic, yes, trains in mumbai rock!
 
Well, the article speaks about two things - Railway drivers and the Railways - two totally different things!

Have to salute those guys who keep the trains running day in and day out! :D :D
 
chiron said:
Railways problems are more associated with management/bossism and politics than with the actual workers. I guess that is true for most psu's in general.
Click to expand...

Which is why that article is an utter waste of space.

Did it tell you WHY things work so well, no ?

It just attributes this success to "ppl from mumbai" !!

So whats to distinguish this from NYC or London ?
 
ani_meher said:
The trains work great in Mumbai than most cities. But going by present trend of hardly a few seconds stop on any station and the huge crowd ready to pull whatever part that comes in hand of the person in front, the railways is soon going to be a nightmare/impossible dream for elderly people or handicapped ones. The city is in need of serious revamp of public transport.

But that's OT. For topic, yes, trains in mumbai rock!
Click to expand...

Its already a nightmare for old people. there should be a queue system enforced (which is impossible). Young people dont care about elderly and just rush in like bulls. I've seen elderly people getting knocked down (getting in/ getting out or in the passage) in first class. and to top it they get scolded for being in the way.

hope those young fellows doing this get a taste of their own medicine when they get old. :mad:
 
Yep rightly quoted. Hats off to railway men. I have seen commuters bad mouthing motormen for train delays or halts at signal. Its not the motormens fault. He has to follow the signal. Dats the system. A train is not a car which a driver can drive or take turns at his/her whims and fancies. Imagine the plight of motormen who have to face and live up everyday of people being run over by their trains.

Rather than railways i would applaud the men keep the railways running day in day out come rain or sun.
 
The railways live up to its social responsibility quietly and without fuss. It employs physically handicapped people as schedule announcers. One such announcer saved many lives on November 26, 2008, by alerting several passengers about the presence of trigger-happy Ajmal Kasab and his fellow-crazed killer.
Click to expand...

That's Really Great :clap::clap::clap:
 
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