With the arrival of monsoon and trains once again running choc-a-block with long waiting lists, extra coaches, announcement of special trains and a scramble for seats in unreserved coaches, there is a sense of deja vu for the Indian Railways.
But, those travelling by air-conditioned coaches have to keep an eye out for the provision of blankets and pillows — the South Central Railways (SCR) zone, only 39 train pairs (or 78 trains) originating from within its jurisdiction have restored the supply of linen from April 1 as directed by the Railway Board. Seventy-six other trains are yet to provide that service.
This is important as the AC coaches become ‘freezing’ cold in this season. With the linen supply yet to be completely restored, it is better to carry one. “I could not sleep at night because the temperature was kept quite low,” said a passenger, who had travelled recently.
