The travails of an Indian train journey
Posted on June 03, 2011
It’s still holiday season and it’s time for a break. Most of us will be in the midst of a travel plan or two, where we are planning for either a short weekend stint or an extended holiday across the country. We might choose to go by air, or take a train.
There is a particular charm attached to rail journeys – it’s the easy, lazy and definitely laidback feeling of having nowhere to go as stations, villages and picturesque countryside roll past our windows. For a while, the journey is the focus, not the destination. Provided you have made all your arrangements well in advance.
But sometimes circumstances are such that these journeys need to be made without advance planning. Then, the inevitable happens. A railway station or a train journey becomes hotspots for corruption.
Being holiday time, ipaidabribe has received a deluge of bribe reports stemming from the railway department where the total number of bribes paid to the Indian Railways so far was numbered at 238. Among these, bribes were paid for carrying parcels/luggage, to the ticket collector for berths/seats and to get out of ticketless travel.
Bribes paid to carry parcels/luggage
“I was ordered to pay money to 3 people (one who wrote the receipt, one who issued the gate pass, one who finally located the vehicle) in order to take my vehicle inspite of having all the necessary documents and paying a fine of 200 Rs. for delayed collection (20 hrs x 10 rs/hr).”
And then there is another account of a bribe paid for transferring a two wheeler intercity.
“I wanted my two wheeler to be transferred from Visakhapatnam to Bangalore. For that reason I contacted the parcel centre at the Visakhapatnam railway station and paid around Rs. 600 according to the rules. But for every small other work like packing, ceiling, writing codes for the success transfer and loading the vehicle into the train, every individual demanded a bribe of minimum 150 per individual. In such a manner I paid a bribe of nearly Rs. 500-600 again.“
On a lighter note, there also seems to be no gender discrimination in this area. Authorities of the fairer sex turned out to be equally unfair. Equally guilty.
“I sent a sofa set from Mysore to Chennai. To clear it in Chennai I had to pay bribe for each and every individual involved in clearing. They had no shame in asking bribe. I had to even pay the security at the gate to allow us take the sofa out. Most of the employees were ladies and had no shame in doing such acts. The bribe value is set based on the shipment.”
Is this necessary? Surely we do not have to pay for services that are ours by right, and an official’s daily job responsibility? But the matter does not end there.
“I am from Andhra Pradesh. I am currently residing at Chennai due to my job. In TamilNadu, the DMK party distributed free TV sets for ration card holders. My house owner is a card holder and so he got the free TV set, as he already had a Tv he gave the TV to me. While I was going to Hyderabad I took the TV with me.In the train, the police saw the TV. He said it is illegal to carry a TamilNadu TV to Andhra Pradesh and asked me to pay the fine. Saying that his officer is in another coach he asked me to follow him. I went with him. After getting into the next coach he said his officer would charge me a fine of around Rs.400, and to avoid that he asked Rs.100 for him to leave me. I did the same and he closed the matter there, saying "Thank You Sir, u can now take the TV, there is no problem actually as u crossed the Tamil Nadu border!"
Bribes for berths/reservations/upgrading
This is one area where unofficial payments are almost de rigeur. Most often, these unreserved journeys are done under emergency circumstances, without prior notice and therefore, it is expected that one will run into a roadblock here. For instance:
“On 2nd Jan, 2011, I got an instant notice to reach Bhopal. I went to NZM railway station got the general ticket and went into the reservation coach...Since waiting of many passengers was not cleared I didn't have any chance to get a berth. I asked the TC if there is any birth vacant…he said give me Rs 500 and I will give u a berth.”
And then there are cases when money does not need to change hands, but it does.
“My ticket status was RAC, I needed to get a berth if there was any cancellation. I went to my coach and found a birth above my seat vacant. Since I was tired I slept on that birth. The Ticket collector came. He was shouting at me ferociously and insulting me. He demanded Rs.100 from me and asked me to sleep in that same berth where I was sleeping earlier. I did not need to pay any money for my berth but still he demanded it and got money from me.”
Selling tickets in black
One would think this applies only to cinema tickets and queues but much to our surprise, this was not so.
“I had to travel urgently to Mumbai and unfortunately did not get tickets. I was told that i could get a general ticket, board a reserved coach and then speak to the TTR who would cut a Challan and adjust me to a seat, which I did. The TTR gave me a Challan of Rs. 220/- and said I had to pay Rs. 720/- otherwise I will be fined. Under the circumstances I was forced to do what he told me. Later I came to know that the same seat was sold by him to 3 other gentlemen who had got down in the previous station. I had to wait for 6 long hours near the toilet of the coach waiting for the seat to be granted to my name.”
Being on a moving train in unknown areas, or when travelling with dependants often contributes to the helplessness of the individual and results in an inability to take a stand. This factor is exploited by railway staff to line their deep pockets.
“My family (wife and baby) and I mistakenly got into the wrong train at Bangalore. As we were told that no tickets were available, we decided to get off at the next stop i.e. Krishnarajapuram station. Upon seeing us, the ticket inspector said that there was no need to alight and he could allocate a seat to us. An hour later after, we met up and he mentioned that it would cost me Rs. 500 but there wouldn't be any ticket. I was shocked because I was made to believe that I could buy an authentic ticket. He further added that there were several families who were waiting for the same seats and I had to give in. It's my fault too, I should have stood up and said no.”
Bribes paid even after reservation
“Me and my friends went for trip to Udaipur. While coming back we had reserved our seat in a train from Mount Abu to Jaipur. Our seat was reserved against cancellation, seats were available in the train but the TC refuse to give them to us . But after giving a bribe of Rs. 300, he gave us 3 seats immediately. Is there no solution for such kind of activity?”
There are solutions. But they are evidently applicable only when the train is not moving. The thought of being offloaded on a strange platform in an unknown part of the country deters us from speaking out when we should. But some of us are luckier. As we can see from the next bribe report, being on the station platform itself, made a big difference.
Bribe paid for not possessing platform tickets
“I was not having a platform ticket and the TT caught me. He asked for a Rs. 257 penalty (with receipt), I immediately agreed to that. He was shocked as to how I agreed and he told me to pay only Rs. 100 and go (without a receipt).”
While we are now immune to corrupt officials who exploit our weaknesses and get away with it, there are some circumstances where even basic human decency stands violated.
“A relative of mine expired while crossing the railway track near Khadki station. This was a police case, so a `Panchnama’ was required…we had to bribe the railway authorities and police to provide us with documents before we could take it for post mortem. We got the body out for the funeral only after sufficiently taking care of everyone from the railway police to the Morgue people.”
Therefore, to avoid these situations as far as possible, when travelling by train, you could:
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1. Ensure that your tickets are confirmed prior to departure.
2. Arrive at the station with enough buffer time to reconfirm your coach, berth and ticket details.
3. Find your seats and claim them immediately.
4. Befriend your travelling companions. You never know when you might need their assistance.
5. Note down the TT’s name and number in case of any violation of conduct, refuse to comply with unreasonable demands (if you are in the right) and say you will lodge a complaint as soon as you arrive at your destination.
The process of travelling, even for pleasure, is always fraught with mildly stressful moments. Taking a few precautions in advance can help us avoid being in a defensive position as well as undergoing tension and discomfort. It will provide for a peaceful, pleasant journey.