Railways are the second fastest mode of transport. It is also the most dependable mode of transport where it offers a wide range of facilities compared to other means of transport. It is also the safest mode of transport. It manages the fourth-largest railway network in the world.
With fixed routes and schedules, the service is well organized as compared to the other modes of transport. You don’t have to sit for long hours when you have enough space to stretch your legs and sleep for longer hours, you don’t have to get stuck in the traffic jam when the transport is quicker, you don’t have to pay more when Railway transport is economical.
There are many passengers who travel in trains in India. The Indian Railways has been doing everything to satisfy the passengers. Shockingly, irresponsible citizens got involved in stealing Railways’ property which is something not acceptable by any means.
As per the recent report released by the Western Railways, in the last fiscal, around 1.95 lakh towels were stolen from its long-distance trains along with 81,736 bedsheets, 55,573 pillow covers, 5,038 pillows, and 7,043 blankets.
In addition to that, around 200 mugs attached to the wall in train toilets, around 1,000 taps and over 300 flush pipes are stolen each year. According to Sunil Udasi, CPRO Central Railway, between April to September 2018, 79,350 hand towel, 27,545 bedsheets, 21,050, pillow covers, 2,150 pillows and 2,065 blankets were stolen, estimated to be around Rs. 62 lakh approximately, says a report by Mumbai Mirror.
The report points a recent incident where one of the passengers, Shabbir Rotiwala who is a Ratlam resident boarded a long-distance train from Bandra Terminus. He planned to steal as many things around him as he was stuffing his bad with as many as 3 blankets, 6 bedsheets and 3 pillows. He was caught red-handed for stealing. He was travelling in an AC coach and was observed by the attendants quickly stuffing the bed linens in his bag before descending from the train at Ratlam Station, where he was arrested.
The Indian Railways has been on the downside over the last three fiscals where it incurred a loss of around Rs 4,000 crore due to thefts on trains. The Western Railway sources said adding that the railway property worth Rs 2.5 crore was stolen last fiscal. “The cost of each bedsheet is Rs 132, while a towel costs Rs 22 and a pillow Rs 25. It is the coach attendants’ responsibility to ensure every item is returned by the passengers,” a railway source told Mumbai Mirror.
In 2016-17, bed linen and towels estimated to be around ₹71.52 lakh were stolen from 56 trains in the Mumbai division comprising Mumbai Central, Bandra and Surat, as per the Western Railway.
(With Inputs From Mumbai Mirror/Facebook Image From Indian Express)
