May come in handy for our next train trip friends…

Incident 1
It happened few months back.  We were traveling and me & 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 Secunderbad 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 th October I and my wife were traveling by Hyderabd Ajmeer 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 Ajmeer 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<SPACE><id> 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 even 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 . Please pass on this message to your friends and it may help some one in need including you.

Thanks parveen for sharing such nice post and this link about train inquiry.