Triveni express incident is really unfortunate. One can easily understand the plight of female passengers if males (normally rowdy ones, as naïve males do not knowingly enter these coaches) enter totally unexpectedly.
Snag in LKO-R engine even before commencement of journey creates a doubt whether the locos are properly inspected and tested before sending them to haul the passenger trains fpr long journeys?
Dear friends, there is an interesting history of R-LKO GR which I would like to share with you, hope you will like it.
It...
more... will be in the fitness of things if I add the following info to explain the situation to ones not so conversant with Chhatisgarh (CG). There are three major cities of CG i.e. Raipur (present pop 15 lacs extrapolated from 2011 census figure), Durg-Bhilai (pop.13 lacs), and Bilaspur (pop 7 lacs). The 3 cities are located on Mumbai-NGP-HWH trunk line as per: Durg 266km (E of NGP), Raipur (37km E of Durg) and BSP (111 km E of R). Any train introduced from Chhatisgarh towards east must start from Durg, and one introduced towards west must start from BSP, so that all the 3 cities are served and better occupancy is assured.
A large number of people from UP are residing in Durg-Bhilai twin city and work in Bhilai Steel Plant as well as do other jobs & businesses. There was a demand for a new express train from Durg to LKO, survey was done and assurance was given to start one by Rly officials. But it was era when Garib Raths were raining in Rly budgets and one dropped in Chhattisgarh also in the form of GR from LKO to Raipur, just 37kms short of Durg!
Reason given for not starting from Durg in spite of the survey was “GR has been given to connect state capitals” and also “double line from R-DURG was fully saturated”. With many GRs connecting non capital cities & R-Durg 3rd line commissioned long back, there is no reason for not extending the GR to Durg.
Large number of persons travelling from Durg-Bhilai and nearby area going to LKO have to go to Raipur to board train due to lack of a direct train. In addition to this difficulty, they have to shell out extra money for a separate Durg-R ticket as continue tickets cannot issued with Garibrath.
Also this train is not a full length one with 12 coaches only and used to get full only in peak season days and used to have vacant seats during off seasons till few years back.
The GR rake remain parked at Raipur platform and no washing/ maintenance is done as there is no Coaching depot at Raipur. This train must be extended to Durg where its washing & maintenance can be done at the coaching depot. The train shall be getting higher occupancy and the no of coaches may also be increased in the future.
Does IR have information, how many passengers from Bhilai/Durg/Rajnandgaon area are actually booking tickets in GR from R to LKO. Or Rlys consider all passengers as originating from R only. If later is the case, then their data is not realistic and lead to faulty decisions in future. Development should be need based and inclusive in the national interest.
