Status of Indian Railways (2) - Tale of Three Train Jurneys

Last month I had the chance to travel by train in India through its length (Bangalore – Nizamuddin by Rajdhani Express) and tiny part of its breadth (Delhi – Haridwar by Mussorrie Express and Haridwar – New Delhi by Shatabdi Express).

Two of these trains, Rajdhani and Shatabdi, are considered Indian Railways’ pride. The Bangalore Rajdhani covered the distance of 2454 kms in 33.5 hours. This is an average speed of 72 kms/hr and even with this comfortable speed required to be on schedule, we arrived 30 minutes late. Food served in the train is ordinary, with the catering company more interested in complying with tender specifications than client taste. So for three consecutive meals you will be served paneer (cottage cheese) curry or chicken curry depending on veg/non-veg choice. On being told that it is due to tender requirement that we have to eat the same curry for three meals, we decided to demand things as per rules. “Why was the ‘juice in tetra-pack’ (even the packaging is specified so that fraudulent caterers have no leeway) not served?” we complained. It was only after we demanded the complaint book that the juice was served. The waiter wasn’t even ashamed of the whole affair that he went around demanding tips with an aggressiveness only seen in some American restaurants. I did not complain about the large hole in my hand-towel as it only helped to distinguish mine from others’. There was no water in the train for a while, and after authorities at Nagpur station expressed inability to supply additional water. It was assumed that people can live without using washroom facilities for next 5 hours till the train reached Bhopal. Or it was assumed that you can use the facilities and leave the mess behind. Fortunately, the train was reasonably clean, thanks not only to bowel control of passengers but also due to cleaning staff in Airtel uniform. Incidentally, this train is Airtel Rajdhani having been painted to look like this mobile service provider’s billboard than India’s pride. Can you imagine a TGV being a Carrefour Train or ICE being a Siemens Train painted across the length of the train reducing the visibility for travelers sitting inside? I make my living in the private sector and hence have some appreciation of market and marketing but this is just shameful – more so when this train is run by an organization which made 25,000 Crore rupees last year.

Our next journey started at Delhi Railway station with an altercation with porters. This is a common feature as official porter rates carry no meaning. Thank God for that as in the same period in which my wages would have tripled in corporate sector, the government rates for porters have remained unchanged. But it also results in unseemly arguments all around as passengers haggle with porters. The train arrived half an hour late even though it originates at Sarai Rohilla, 5 kms away. It beggars belief that a train can fall 30 mins behind schedule covering a 5 km distance. The next morning we arrived about an hour late in Hridwar covering 282 kms in nine and a half hours – traveling at under 30 kms/hr an average speed which might have been acceptable for the first Mumbai –Thane train in 19th century. But that wont stop our Cabinet Minister responsible for Railways bask in adulation at B-Schools for his great management of the Railways.

Our Haridwar – Delhi journey by Shatabdi was a better experience due to very courteous service staff and tasty food. Possibly the only Shatabdi or Rajdhani journey in my life where the meal service was not followed by the service staff aggressively soliciting tips. I am not sure how Railways would manage to differentiate between catering contractors for this Shatabdi from the one for the Bangalore Rajdhani but they certainly need to find a way. But this four and a half hour journey took more than five hours, this time the train averaging 55 kms/hr (just to put this speed in context – Shatabdi’s are short-distance premium service of Indian railways, as Rajdhani’s are for long distance connecting Delhi to State Capitals).

Two fundamental problems are evident – one is Indian Railways being run like personal fiefdoms of successive ministers with sole intention of currying favor with their local constituencies. Much has been written about this issue, but there is a wider question of Public-Private Partnership in areas in which it creates private monopolies. In some of outsourcing decisions about railway services like catering, station up-keep, we lose out on ‘not for profit’ motive of a public utility and also the 'market forces' getting out the best of a private player. Corruption thrives, service quality remains poor, and the minister continues to celebrate his success as the media plays the band!