Not too long ago, there existed a train called KING COROMANDEL. It was also referred to as the KING OF SER. But alas today it reminds me of the decadent HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. One of the favourite quotes of HISTORY relating to the DECLINE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE is " There came a time when the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE WAS NEITHER HOLY, NOR ROMAN NOR AN EMPIRE. If we were to stretch that to the COROMANDEL exp, the time has now come when KING COROMANDEL is no longer a KING but a mere COMMONER. Just one more name in the roster of trains run by IR. But how have things come to such a sorry pass.
Well let me begin at the...
more... beginning. Having arrived at Chennai Central at 6.45 am on 1st October, by the 16042 Aleppey Chennai Express, I spent time with admin Pramodh before we parted company at 7.15 am. On to the Saravana Bhawan branch at the station for hot steaming idlis and a cup of coffee, before I wended my way to PF 9 at 7.45, simultaneously as the empty rake of my train was ushered in to the platform by a shunting engine. Soon the bogies started filling up with the early birds among the reserved passengers, like me, occupying their seats. To my reckoning, about 75 to 80 % of the passengers hailed from Bengal or Bihar. I parked my modest one-piece luggage on the window seat no. 65 corresponding to my Lower Berth in S12 and strolled on the platform to witness proceedings prior to departure. The 2 UR coaches at the rear of the train were soon filled to the brim and the latecomers took their seats near the doors with their feet planted firmly on the footboards of the bogies. After these coaches were the AC coaches and then my compartment viz. S12. And then after the PC were the other sleeper coaches starting from S11 to S1, which was close to the loco, an ERODE WAP4.
And now the mayhem started, as WL passengers, general ticket holders who had arrived too late to even enter the UR coaches, made a beeline for S12, the most accessible non-AC coach. S11 too was a soft target for such last minute arrivals. And slowly but steadily S12 started bursting to the seams. Some of the general ticket holders entered S12 and occupied whatever vantage points were available at sight. When questioned, they confidently remarked that they were willing to pay the fine and travel in the sleeper coach without the benefit of any reservation. To my estimate by departure time at 8.45 am, the passenger count in my coach had exceeded the CENTURY MARK. This was one CENTURY which did not bring any CHEER to me. But before that, say around 8.30 am, a MAS-based Ticket Examiner (not TTE), boarded my coach and fined all GEN TICKET HOLDERS left and right. He must have realised penalties and excess fares from at least 15 persons, at the rate of Rs. 450 per pax, travelling to Howrah and Rs. 500 from those travelling beyond HWH, against receipts in the form of EFTs. By the time the train got off the blocK from PF 9, there were at least 10 passengers at either end of the coach, occupying the space between the doors and leaving just the bare minimum of room needed for a visit to the loo, in case of need. Add to that the liberal overload in the side lower/upper berths. For instance berths 71/72 just opposite to 65, where I was positioned, were home to 6 passengers. 1 confirmed (72), 2 RAC (71) and 3 penalised general ticket holders. The same spectacle was visible in quite a few other side lower berths, but not all of them.
My apprehension is that this has BEEN ACCEPTED BY IR as a FAIT ACCOMPLI. The next target, in my view, will be the AS YET UNAFFECTED DURONTO EXPRESSES and the AC Coaches, were too the non-AC, space between the doors of the coach, offer themselves as VIRGIN & hitherto UNUTILIZED TERRITORY
WHAT A FALL IT HAS BEEN FOR THE COROMANDEL, THAT LEGENDARY EMPEROR OF YORE, which at one point of time, NEVER CARRIED MORE PASSENGERS THAN WHAT WAS STATED INSIDE THE BOGIE BOLDLY as "TO SEAT 72, TO SLEEP 72".
(To be contd....... )
