Sunday, June 3, 2012

Indian Rail: Feedback and Reaction

This is copied from the Facebook status update of my friend Gurunath Waigankar. A very good example of how even the public sector is adopting technology and is providing instant solutions to make our general travelling experience better.

Incident 1 
It happened few months back. We were traveling and me & family were
waiting in the A/C waiting room at Secunderabad Station. The attached
bathroom was not clean and was giving bad smell. Added to this
discomfiture, the bathroom door was not closing tight, and I also observed
that shutter was not closing tight because of faulty door closer. I
complained to the attendant . 

I also sent an SMS " The bathroom of A/C waiting room on platform No 1 of
Secunderbad Station is dirty and stinking. Pl arrange cleaning . Also the
door is not closing properly". After few minutes we left the waiting room
as our train arrival was announced. Within few minutes I received text
reply from Railways, giving an Id No and that action will be taken . After
few hours I received a message that the bathroom has been cleaned . After
ten days I received another message that the faulty door has been repaired
and thanking me. 

Incident 2 
Recently on 24 th October I and my wife were traveling by Hyderabd Ajmeer
Express on our Rajasthan trip. Next day morning, I noticed there was no
water in the bathroom and the taps are all dry, whereas our journey will
continue and we will be reaching our destination ( Bhilwara near Ajmeer) 
after another 18 hours. I was worried that it is going to be a miserable
time to travel without water. Water or No water, people will continue to
use the bathrooms and the stink will become unbearable. I complained to
the Conductor. I also sent a SMS "Traveling in the A1 compartment of
Hyderabad Ajmeer express train No 12720. No water in the bathrooms . Pl
arrange. Also replace leaking valves else problem repeats." Pat came the
reply" Your reference id is 1110250019. For status visit
www.scr.indianrailways.in. or SMS as STATUS<SPACE><id> TO 8121281212 .
Thanks for registering complaint " . 

After about 20 minutes I received message that water will be filled at
the nearest Railway station having water filling facility. At Itarsi
station, water was filled and we had no problem . After about a week I
received another message that the faulty valves have been replaced . It
was amazing.

I am thankful to the Railway authorities for introducing a system where
one can complain from a running train even and doubly grateful that they
have acknowledged the complaint and attended. 

I collected this help line number from the Railway waiting room !

Many times while traveling by train we are put to unexpected
inconvenience, we react by cursing and criticizing. No other response. Of
course once we reach our destination we just forget.

There is no use in cursing the darkness around you, do light a candle
however small it be, it gives an inspiration and ten more candles will be
lit . The process continues reducing the darkness.

The Railway Number to which you can SMS is 8121281212 . Please pass on
this message to your friends and it may help some one in need including
you .

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