HC pulls up Railways for reducing gen coaches in Pandian Exp

Pulling up the Railway for scaling down unreserved coaches, including one for women, in a popular express train bound for Chennai while introducing LHB coaches, Madras High Court Bench here today directed authorities to file a report on November 7 on the matter.
The court, hearing a PIL by an advocate, directed Railways to submit its view on attaching more general coaches in the Madurai-Chennai Pandian Express train.
Noting that ordinary passengers who cannot afford heavy bus fare were travelling in general compartments in trains and the railway service was meant for poor people, the court sought to know what they would do if the general compartments were removed under the pretext of introducing new coaches.

The petitioner submitted that the train used to have 24 coaches. But from August 15 last, when the new modern LHB coaches, designed on German technology, were introduced, only 22 coaches were attached.
A women's coach and a general coach had been removed, which has affected the passengers travelling by general compartments, he said adding non-provision of women's coach was against railway rules.
Counsel who appeared for the Railway submitted that the LHB coaches were longer than the conventional coaches and only 22 coaches could be attached in proportion to the length of the platform.
If more coaches should be attached, the platform length should be extended, he said.

The court directed the railways to submit a report on the plea for attaching the two coaches.