Ask for more trains, get seats taken away

While commuters have been demanding more 12-car trains and services for years, Western Railway plans to modify three-seater chairs in trains to two-seaters

While commuters have been demanding more 12-car trains and services for years, Western Railway plans to modify three-seater chairs in trains to two-seaters
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As a rail commuter in the city's bursting locals peerless in herding commuters to destinations here's what you have been insisting on: increased seating capacity, more 12-car trains, more services, all so you could get those precious few inches to sit while in transit.


The existing seats (darkened spots in the first diagram) will be removed to create more elbow space in Western Railway locals

But here's what the railways plan to give you: eightu00a0 seats less per coach. Rail authorities' latest brainwave, which involves modifying three-seater chairs in trains on Western Railway to two-seateru00a0effectively slashing the capacity by eight seats per coach in a train (see pic) has, thus, elicited incomparable scorn from commuters.u00a0

After general manager of Central and Western Railway, Kul Bhushan, cleared the proposal sent last week by a member of National Rail Users Consultative Committee, Shailesh Goyal to dock current seat lengths in WR trains, condemnations were in order.

While railway authorities seemed self-satisfied with the move they think will allow more elbow space to passengers, commuter associations found no reason to restrain from ranting against it.

Said Goyal, "Passengers find it difficult to board the local because people stand on the footboard and the side of the door, blocking the way. If this proposal is implemented, passengers will get more space to stand and can get off and on easily.

The standing capacity per coach will increase by almost 24 passengers by doing away with the seats." Adding the cherry on top, he said, "This is a very good proposal and we should also implement this on the Central line."

'Inverse logic'

The 'goodness' of the plan was lost on commuters, however, as was its logic. As four people share the three seats on a chair, more people are going to suffer if they are turned into two-seaters, commuters complained.u00a0
Madhu Kotian, president, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, exclaimed that it was a nuisance.

"Even after the proposed changes, the carrying capacity of the coach will not increase. In fact, it will add to quarrels over seats.

People on the seats will have to navigate through a thicker crowd," he said, adding that similar experiments in the past had flopped. "Railway authorities should think twice before implementing. Passengers will get less seats to sit," he said.

Kotian also mentioned a protest against the proposal. "We will protest this. If they are so bothered by overcrowding, why don't the railways convert 9-car trains to 12-car trains, or increase the number of services and trains? Instead, their solution is to decrease the seats," said Kotian.

Other associations are also on the same page as Kotian. Deepak Gandhi, president of Mumbai Suburban Passengers Association, threatened to take the railways to court if they implement the proposal.

"Instead of getting additional rakes, railways are wasting time on such proposals. This is no remedy to ease the rush. We will approach the courts if the decision is implemented," he said.

Voices

We are already facing a seat crunch in the ladies' compartment, thanks to the discrimination of lesser seats in women's bogies. We had been asking for more seats and this is what we get. Travel will be unbearable if the seats are decreased.
Priyanka V, daily commuter between Borivli and Churchgate

Railway should think about the passengers first. The population of Mumbai is increasing by the day and 12-car trains are so few. Why aren't they thinking of increasing these, instead of toying with this rubbish idea?
Pushpa Chauhan, travels regularly from Kalyan to CST

I travel during peak hours everyday. Already the seats are limited. A further reduction will cause more fights between passengers. Those like me who stay in Virar are bound to get mad if they do not get to sit at all because of fewer seats.
Shirish Kumar, a marketing executive

The Other Side
Sharat Chandrayan, chief public relations officer, Western Railway, said, "We will take passengers' reaction to the modifications in account before proceeding further. The feasibility will also be checked and decided on the basis."

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