New design for train coaches

The week from tomorrow will have the country’s largest economic exercise on Friday. 2 days prior to the Union Budget is that by the railways.

For the charismatic LP Yadav, this years’ railway budget will be the fifth in a row. During his tenure he has preserved and enhanced railway’s profitability. And he also sprang surprises now and then, often to others’ delight.

This year he is likely to announce major changes in the interior design of 3-tier sleeper coaches. The figure below – courtesy ABP, Feb 1 – is a schematic of the new design.

According to the proposal the coach will be divided longitudinally into 2 equal halves. Instead of one corridor there will be 2 that will clearly lessen the crowding of passengers.

Windows will be made larger as in Rajdhani Express to give a feel of more space. However these will be along side berths only. The coaches will have the same dimensions outside, and the number of berths too will remain unchanged.

A couple of disadvantages that come to mind are:

• There will be no privacy since there will be no concept of cubicles. Chance of theft of luggage will increase.
• If your seat comes on the wrong side of the coach when it stops in a station, it’ll be difficult to buy things from the platform while remaining inside. Also, the Indian tradition of ‘seeing off’ will become difficult in that case.

Yet for all that matters, the change may be welcome if only because we’re tired with the looks of sameness all these years. And we can thank LPji for his strive for innovative thinking and putting new ideas into action.