New Panchavati Express is only aesthetics, no comfort, say regular passengers

"We don't want the new train, give us the old one back." This is what Nashik-Mumbai commuters, who got a Panchavati Express, as per their demands, on May 8 have said, adding that the new train has made their five-hour journey "hell". In a letter to Central Railway 10 days after the new coaches arrived, angry passengers have written that the seats are small and uncomfortable, windows are not in sync with seats, passageway is narrow, and the train is stuffy. The letter, a copy of which is with mid-day, states that the width of the new rake is much less than the old one, making the passage between two rows extremely narrow.

No hits, many misses
It adds that the new push-back seats appear comfortable at first sight, but if the person sitting at the window seat needs to get out, those sitting next to him also have to get up to make room. "There is absolute no legroom, and it is very painful to sit there. The old train had 108 seats in a coach, but the new one has only 102 because of the pantry space. Windows are the worst part. The old train had windows that opened upwards; the new one has windows that open lengthwise. We can't open any window fully and enjoy the breeze," said Amol P Nikam, a regular passenger.

The letter states that the fans are positioned in such a way that there's hardly any air circulation, with most of the air directed at the luggage racks. It adds that the doors to a coach have been reduced to four from six. "We cannot understand the new design. It has been made without keeping passengers in mind, only aesthetics, no comfort," Fokane said. It was passenger activism that led to Panchavati Express getting new coaches - after late passenger activist Bipin Gandhi's persistent demands since December 2017, the railway ministry yielded and gave a new train. Gandhi died of a cardiac arrest on the day of the launch. "Gandhi's demands were sincere; it is the railways that has goofed up in the design," said Nikam.

CR explains design
CR's Senior Public Relations Officer Anil Jain said feedback from passengers was important, and the Central Railway would forward it to the coach manufacturing unit for consideration and review. Giving a detailed analysis, Jain said the windows are as per the standard design of non-AC LHB class coaches. "The horizontally sliding window panes avert accidental injury due to incorrectly locked vertical shutters and also provide sufficient airflow," he explained. He added that the seats were reduced to provide a special pantry cabin, so that hygienic food could be provided, and that there had been improvements in the legroom and the seats were designed ergonomically.

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