Merry X-Mas & Happy New Year
and you never thought....Railways could ROCK!
Here is a fwd email that gives a bit of hope...and yes...if we can wake up and do our bit of bringing 'things' [complaints, if you will] to the notice of the concerned, well, who knows 'things' might improve.
Incident 1
It happened few months back. We were traveling and I and my family were waiting in the A/C waiting room at Secunderabad Station. The attached bathroom was not clean and was giving bad smell. Added to this discomfiture, the bathroom door was not closing tight, and I also observed that shutter was not closing tight because of faulty door closer. I complained to the attendant.
I also sent an SMS “The bathroom of A/C waiting room on platform No 1 of Secunderabad Station is dirty and stinking. Pl arrange cleaning. Also the door is not closing properly". After few minutes we left the waiting room as our train arrival was announced. Within few minutes I received text reply from Railways, giving an Id No and that action will be taken. After few hours I received a message that the bathroom has been cleaned. After ten days I received another message that the faulty door has been repaired and thanking me.
Incident 2.
Recently on 24 the October I and my wife were traveling by Hyderabd Ajmer Express on our Rajasthan trip. Next day morning, I noticed there was no water in the bathroom and the taps are all dry, whereas our journey will continue and we will be reaching our destination ( Bhilwara near Ajmeer) after another 18 hours. I was worried that it is going to be a miserable time to travel without water. Water or No water, people will continue to use the bathrooms and the stink will become unbearable. I complained to the Conductor. I also sent a SMS "Traveling in the A1 compartment of Hyderabad Ajmer express train No 12720. No water in the bathrooms. Pl arrange. Also replace leaking valves else problem repeats."
Pat came the reply" Your reference id is 1110250019. For status visit www.scr.indianrailways.in. Or SMS as STATUS TO 8121281212. Thanks for registering complaint”. After about 20 minutes I received message that water will be filled at the nearest Railway station having water filling facility. At Itarsi station water was filled and we had no problem. After about a week I received another message that the faulty valves have been replaced. It was amazing.
I am thankful to the Railway authorities for introducing a system where one can complain from a running train and doubly grateful that they have acknowledged the complaint and attended.
I collected this help line number from the Railway waiting room!
Many times while traveling by train we are put to unexpected inconvenience, we react by cursing and criticizing. No other response. Of course once we reach our destination we just forget.
There is no use in cursing the darkness around you, Do light a candle however small it be, it gives an inspiration and ten more candles will be lit . The process continues reducing the darkness.
The Railway Number to which you can SMS is 8121281212. Another SMS # 09724998975
|
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass....it's about learning how to dance in the rain"
|
I was only waiting for someone to confirm my faith in the Indian Railway greivance redressal system. I have had several occssions to complain and every time, without fail the Railways have replied and taken corrective action.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting and my first incident happened in 1970 at Bangalore City Railway Station. As a young Sub Lt in the Navy I had gone to the station for confirmation of my return reservation to the RTO. They were opening at 1000 AM and I had time to kill. Wandering around the platform I used a Eastern Scale Weighing machine ( a common sight on most urban Railway Platforms ) and the lights of machine blinked and when the red and white disc stopped rotating I inserted the 10 P coin. After much gurgling noise I did not get the card. As there was still time for the RTO to open I decided to talk to the Asst Station Master regarding the defective weighing machine. The Asst station master was reluctant to talk to me. When I asked for the complaint book he told me that the book was with the Station Master. I went to the office of the station master - who was certain that the book was with the Asst station master.I had to go back and forth once more before I lost my patience. When the Asst station master realised that I wsn't going to give up he produced the complaint book. I registerd the complaint regarding the faulty weighing machine and also narrated the Asst station master's reluctance to part with the complaint book. As a normal Indian I thought nothing would happen. To my surprise after about a month I received a reply from the HQ Southern Raiways - They had informed that action had been taken on the Asst Station Master and he was transferred out of Bangalore and the matter regarding the weighing machine was taken up with HQ of Easter Scales Private Ltd at Calcutta. To my greater surprise I even received a letter from Eastern Scales Pvt Ltd and they apologised for the inconvenience and had refunded my lost 10P by the way of a postal Stamp. I have written several suggestions and complaints over the years and have always received a satisfactory reply from the Railway authorities. I fully subscribe to your view that instead of cribbing one should take steps to keep the appropriate authority in picture. Thank you for informing about the SMS feature.
Commodore BC Jayaprakash
Armed forces Veteran
Indian Navy