Humsuffer for common man
Humsafar Express, specially-designed air-conditioned trains with bio-toilets in coaches and other facilities, are no way useful to the middle-class passengers as it was assured. Even though the trains are designed to cater to middle-class travelers, the railway authorities slapped dynamic prices and moreover these trains have limited stops.
​Nellore: Humsafar Express, specially-designed air-conditioned trains with bio-toilets in coaches and other facilities, are no way useful to the middle-class passengers as it was assured. Even though the trains are designed to cater to middle-class travelers, the railway authorities slapped dynamic prices and moreover these trains have limited stops.
In fact, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced the train as part of Railway Budget 2016 saying it was an attempt to give a taste of luxury to the common man. Accordingly, the train has been unveiled by the minister in 12 routes across the country. Even though it was ‘dedicated’ to the common man, it has been a nightmarish experience to the passengers with dynamic pricing.
The peripheral look of the train has an attractive feel and the vinyl coating on the outside of the train is anti-graffiti. The train seats have been given an all new look and they are said to be more comfortable, when compared to other trains besides laptop and mobile charging points next to each column of berths.
GPS (Global Positioning System) - based passenger information systems at each end of the coach is another attraction. It displays real-time information about the train’s exact location, and the distance from the next station.
Interestingly, passengers who book tickets for travel on these trains will be charged 1.15 per cent more as base fare than the normal AC-3 class rate. 50 per cent of the tickets will be made available for passengers on 1.15 per cent higher base fare and then 10 per cent increase on every 10 per cent tickets sold on subsequent bookings mounting extra burden on ‘common man’, whom the railway ministry had targeted to provide excellent facilities.
Passengers have also to bear additional charges like reservation fee, superfast charges and service tax separately. The passengers have to pay for their meals, if booked. But, the coaches have been equipped with coffee/tea/soup vending machines in each cabin.
For example, the service which runs between Kamakhya and Bengaluru weekly express stops only Srikakalam Road, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Duvvada, and Vijayawada only. Majority of halts were concentrated only in north Andhra and has only stop for south coastal districts. After Vijayawada station, the train stops only at Perambur in Chennai city limits.
“For a travel on last Thursday from Vijayawada to Bengaluru, I tried for a ticket which showed shockingly around Rs. 1,875. It has been increasing constantly and I decided not to prefer the train which is beyond reach of a common man,” said P R Teja.
