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Journalism of Courage
Following reports that safety in trains was at risk due to excessive baggage carried by Army personnel, Railways would now consider a proposal of providing coaches exclusively for them.
This was stated by Commissioner, Railway Safety (CRS) Bhupinder Singh, to The Indian Express.
In the wake of the Frontier Mail tragedy on May 15, it was widely reported that the S-4 coach turned a death-trap for many as bags and steel trunks of Army personnel blocked exits. A complaint regarding this was also registered by a passenger with Railways Minister Nitish Kumar, who visited Ludhiana on May 15.
On the other hand, Army personnel recounted their problems in train travel. ‘‘The trunks which are part of our gear in the course of emergency or temporary duties, don’t fit under the berths, nor are there arrangements for storing this kind of luggage. We have to accommodate it, wherever we find sufficient place — and that is usually in the passage,’’ said a jawan travelling in Malwa Express.
Jawans suggest the Railways can provide one or two special coaches in every long distance train, to start with, which may have sufficient space for storing their luggage.
CRS Bhupinder Singh said this was a good suggestion and Railways would consider this. Today, the Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) at Ludhiana were telling passengers not to block the passage with luggage.
