Matsyagandha Express gets a fresh start with brand-new coaches

Commuter who escaped injury on old train felicitated as upgraded LHB coaches roll out. mid-day highlighted Kole’s ordeal, and the videos and story were picked up by Udupi MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, who had already been advocating for the train’s upgrade. He presented the evidence to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Story of change. Six months after mid-day highlighted how a commuter had narrowly escaped injury aboard the rattling and broken Matsyagandha Express, the Southern Railway has now upgraded the entire train with high-end, brand-new Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB) class coaches. Udupi MP Kota Srinivas Poojary felicitated the commuter for pushing for change.

Back in August 2024, passenger Chimay Kole was travelling on the train when ceiling panels in his coach's passageway collapsed, missing his head by mere inches. Quick reflexes saved him from harm. Following the incident, Kole had filed a complaint, stating, “For passenger safety, it is high time the Railways upgrade Matsyagandha Express with LHB coaches. The coach I was travelling in—B1 (WGACCN 156115)—was old and lacked maintenance.” 

mid-day highlighted Kole’s ordeal, and the videos and story were picked up by Udupi MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, who had already been advocating for the train’s upgrade. He presented the evidence to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Following the report, the Railways assured that the train would be upgraded by February 2025. Now, all four train sets have been fully upgraded. Kole travelled on the first revamped run and was honoured by Poojary onboard. 

“I have old memories with Matsyagandha Express, having travelled on it since childhood from Kudal. This train is close to my heart. Seeing it today with LHB coaches fills me with joy. Passengers had long complained about the ageing coaches, but no action was taken. After my terrifying experience, I shared my story on social media, and Udupi MP Kota Srinivas Poojary showed my video to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Within 3–4 months, the train was upgraded. On February 17, I travelled from Mangaluru to Mumbai on its first LHB run, where the MP felicitated me with a shawl,” Kole said.  “We had been making sustained efforts to get the train upgraded, and this positive change will now benefit all passengers,” MP Poojary said.

Voices

Akshay Mahapadi, Commuter activist
“The old coaches of the Matsyagandha train were in a very poor state of disrepair and were proving to be risky for the travelling public. The train is very popular and always runs at full capacity, and the need for an upgrade was urgent. It is indeed a good step that the coaches have been upgraded.” 

Sandeep Hegde, Commuter
“Good to see some long-pending essential improvements finally happening.”

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