Let’s not scuttle discipline by bullying, name-dropping

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Women first class commuters of the 8.27 am Ambernath-CSMT local who have taken the initiative of forming a queue to get into the train to avoid chaos are upset that a few travellers are forcing their way into the coaches claiming to be relatives of railway employees, a report said in the paper.

The women commuters have demanded deployment of more ticket checkers and Railway Protection Force personnel apart from advance announcements of the arrival of the train. The train has three sections, each with 14 seats, for such commuters.

The women stated that they do form a queue but random people claiming they are relatives, jump the queue and grab seats.

The Central Railway authorities have stated that they will look into the matter but one does hope this is not just a placatory response.

It is truly heartening to see that a queue is formed and, however small, it would be helpful and should be taken as lead to change the culture across railway stations. If commuters see that the queue is very effective, it may start happening at other stations too, though the sceptics will say that is Utopian. One can, though, say without doubt that order is always good and discipline in any field, queues are manifest of that, brings pleasing results.

For years now, commuters have dreamt, and it remains a dream, of an organised boarding of trains. While this may not happen in the very near future, especially in peak hour, any kind of regulated travelling must be lauded, applauded and given even more strength to go on.

That is why it is imperative that those who are disrupting this must be caught and punitive action taken against them. Let small steps open new and more pleasant chapters in train travel, we all need to work to make this happen.