SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Passengers traveling on the daily Margao-Karwar DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) trains have taken to the streets to protest against the challenges they face during their train journeys, especially at night. The passengers have expressed frustration with the apparent indifference of Konkan Railway authorities, particularly those at the Margao Railway Station.
Among the issues raised by passengers, the presence of unhygienic anti-social elements who occupy reserved seats, often under the influence of alcohol, has become a major nuisance. These individuals loiter on the platform before the train departs from Margao station, with no authority addressing their unruly behavior or asking them to vacate the station premises.
Alveera Muktesar, a commuter, pointed out that approximately 85% of passengers disembark at the Asnoti railway station, which is after Canacona. Consequently, the last leg of the journey to Karwar becomes perilous, especially for female passengers who find themselves outnumbered by these anti-social elements. She also mentioned the regular presence of beggars without tickets who board the train.
Passengers have noted that ticketless travelers often enter the train, occupying seats and even sleeping on the floor if the seats are taken. They raised concerns about non-functional cameras and the absence of a Ticket Collector (TC) or Railway Police Force personnel on the train.
Furthermore, passengers questioned the delayed departure time of the train, which typically leaves Margao station at least an hour after its scheduled departure time of 7.20 pm.
Many passengers rely on this train for their work commute and must wake up as early as 4 am to catch the 6 am train back to Margao from Karwar.
The Margao-Karwar DEMU train also serves stations like Loliem, Canacona, and Bali, catering to passengers from various locations.
Safety concerns mount after passengers drugged, robbed on Vasco-Delhi train
MARGAO: Concerns were raised about how passengers on the Goa Express train were duped earlier this week.
On September 11, eight youth travelling by Goa Express were robbed after they consumed chocolates laced with sedatives. The passengers, who work as migrant labourers, hail from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh and were travelling from Vasco to Delhi. Some started vomiting and some fainted on the train. Co-passengers then alerted the railway police who stopped the train in Belagavi and shifted them to a hospital there. The doctors stated that it was a case of serious food poisoning but that they had stabilised after treatment. The passengers informed the police that their mobile phones were stolen and that they were offered chocolate and chips by three youths, who befriended them after the train had left Vasco station. The three youths alighted at Sanvordem station, according to some passengers. Railway Police are investigating the matter and clarified that the passengers had not ordered anything from the pantry car.
