Woes of a train traveller

Sir,

Last week, I travelled by Tipu Express from Mysuru to Bengaluru. I purchased second class A/c Chair Car ticket by paying around Rs.325. But immediately after boarding the train, I was totally disappointed by the type of individual seats provided in that particular bogie.

The reason behind was the seat specifications — as I observed such as seat height, seat width, arm rest height, quality of the cushion, tilting angle of push back seat, depth of seat measured from back rest to seat edge in knee direction, leg room space etc., were not on par with other A/c Chair Car bogies, which I have travelled before.

Moreover, it was like a baby seat in dimension. On enquiry with the TT, I came to know that it was an old model second class A/c Chair Car bogie, which is regularly being coupled to Tipu Express, where the seat ergonomics are not much focused like latest design seats.

Also I was told that this kind of bogies (of old design) are being removed soon from operations by Railways in a phased manner. In fact, the above journey was very painful to me with lot of seat discomfort, even after paying Rs. 325 owing to the poor seat ergonomics. Interestingly, same day I boarded evening Chamundi Express at Bengaluru, for my return journey to Mysuru. There I purchased an ordinary second class train ticket (in reserve compartment) by paying around Rs. 80 only.

In fact the degree of seat comfort I experienced there was considerably higher than that of Tipu Express, because of the better seat ergonomics excepting A/c effect.

I request the Mysuru Division Railway authorities to immediately change this second class A/c Chair Car bogie that is being coupled to Tipu Express from old design to new design in order to increase the passenger comfort and thereby provide real value for ticket fare.