mid-day editorial: Let's be cool about the new AC train

Mumbai railway is all set to become the coolest, with the Railway Board confirming that the AC local service will be available for the public from September this year.

A report in this paper stated that the train is all set to run both on the Western and Central Railway lines. This is just a start. A top official has said that they are going to procure nine more AC rakes and will ensure that they operate both on the WR and CR lines.

Even as trial runs of the AC train are on, there's no doubt that the AC train is going to add a welcome dimension to the city's commuting graph. It is now upon citizens to value this new addition and respect the infrastructure. We need to see that the train is kept clean. Do not vandalise the new train.

Do not scrawl graffiti in the compartments or plaster the coaches with posters advertising different services. Do not try to break the lights, or mangle the seats.

We have a shameful example of the Mumbai-Goa Tejas Express, the country's first high-speed semi-luxurious train, which was ruined on the very first day, after passengers smashed the LCD screens, stole headphones, soiled the toilets and littered all over the train. Some of the passengers tried to remove the LCD screen by pulling on its hinges.

The toilet began to stink an hour into the journey as people did not bother to use the flush.

This points to the lack of civic sense we display on our part, only to then go on and gripe about the standard of public infrastructure. Let us use this train, and all other trains, in a spirit that this belongs to the city and to each of us.
Let us try and preserve it as best as we can and use it with pride and respect.

The AC train is an exciting new twist to our daily commute, but please, let's be cool about it.