Free for all in first class city coaches

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Cases of ticketless travellers occupying first class seats in suburban trains on rise. Even top railway officials have admitted to class-II passengers entering first class coaches, illegally.

A well-dressed techie, in his mid-20s, Abhijit was the object of envy for most passengers aboard a first class coach of BeachTambaram EMU. On his way to a technical presentation, the techie, however, only wore a scowl.
Wonder why? He was among the hundreds of first class season pass holders whose seat get occupied, or rather ‘stolen’, by second class or ticketless passengers. Add to it the list of railway staff whose membership card, which protrudes out of their shirt pocket and is sufficient for them to board the class-I coach in violation.

First class passengers on the city’s EMUs have been pleading to change this scenario, but to no avail.

The aggrieved passengers were justified in complaining and seeking official intervention as they pay four times what other EMU passengers pay just for that extra bit of comfort, which includes velvet-lined seats, stainless interiors without rusty roofs. Incidentally, the railway department revised the fare by 10 per cent only in April.

“Worse, an additional `25 is being charged since October 1. Even the booking clerks at the ticket counters do not know what the money is for.

Some say it is service charge,” Mr Ahmed Fazil, a BPO employee who travels between Tambaram and Tidel Park daily, complained, wondering, “Why do they charge the additional service charge when we don’t even get seats?” “It is about time railway authorities showed as much care to improve quality of service as they do for increasing the fare.

The seats are mostly occupied by railway staff, police constables and class-II passengers,” complained Ms Vaishnavi, another techie in the city.

Even railway officials admitted to class-II passengers entering first class coaches and said the intrusion happens mostly before 6 pm and after 10 pm when the illegal occupancy goes unnoticed.

“This is when they spit pan and leave the first class coaches stained,” they said, admitting to violations even during peak hours and lean hours.

EMUs are the lifeline of Chennai as over 3 lakh commuters depend on the network.