I was travelling from Ernakulam to Varanasi on 21/1/2017 by train No. 16359 (ERS Patna Exp).

Would like to submit the following few lines for kind perusal and necessary action please.

Food in train through pantry car:
It has been observed that the pantry car people has been charging very exorbitant rate from the passengers travelling in train. They have been charging Rs. 90/- for Veg. meal and for Non-veg. meal Rs. 130/- whereas I understand the rate fixed by the Railways for providing food through pantry car in train is much cheaper. The catering people charging more than double of the rate fixed by the Railways.

As per information, every day around 25 million passengers travel from Indian Railways. It is needless to mention that about 75% of passengers take food from Pantry Cars. Therefore, you can imagine how much money the pantry car people accumulate by charging exorbitant rate from the passengers. They never provide or show the price list of the food approved by the Railways or give any bill.

Suggestion:
The price list of the food items approved by Railways should be displayed inside the coach of every train so that passengers should aware about the standard rate fixed by the Railways for the food provided through pantry car of the train. This, you will appreciate; will benefit both railways and passengers. I do not think any passenger will go out of the train for purchasing food from outside vendors if food of hygienic with lucrative price is offered in train. If any pantry car people charge more than the rate fixed by the railways, their contract should be cancelled. I am confidant that such arrangement is made in every train there will be much comfortable journey through Indian Railways. I earnestly request the competent authorities of the railways to please throw a light into this direction and take necessary action against the culprit of the pantry car fraud.

Cleaning in coaches of the train:
As narrated above, I started journey from Ernakulam in B3 coach (IIIrd AC) on 21st January, 17 (Saturday) and ended journey at Varanasi on 24th January, 17 (Tuesday). During this period, no one turned to clean the coach. Complained several times to the TTs who crossed through the coach but no one came to clean the coach. Both toilets were so dirty that one cannot enter the toilet. Written complaint was lodged through one of the TT at Itarsi but nobody turned to clean the coach and toilets. The entire coach was full of waste until I got down at Varanasi on 24th Jan.

Suggestion:
All the coaches of the train in either Sleeper or AC classes should be made cleaned at least twice in a day (morning & evening). There should be a time schedule in cleaning the coaches and toilets and the same should be displayed in every coaches. TTs concerned should be made responsible to make it sure that the time schedule of cleaning of coaches and toilets is adhered to. Any grievance by the passengers should also be attended to. It has been observed that sometimes used bedsheets are provided to the passengers in AC coaches. To be ensured that passengers, especially for long journey, they should be provided with cleaned and unused bedsheets, pillows & blankets. Spray and pesticides should be sprinkled in each coaches especially in AC compartments from time to time.

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) launched by our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi should also be applied and carried out inside the trains of our Indian Railways also instead of its limit to clean only in streets, roads, railway tracks, etc.