On Tuesday, May 28th, passengers on the Shalimar-Mumbai LTT Express (Kurla) were angered when they discovered that the AC in five coaches was not working. The train arrived at Gondia station at 3:25 PM, and the passengers refused to allow the train to depart until the AC was fixed. This...
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caused a standoff between passengers and railway officials, lasting for about 1.5 hours. The train finally left for Nagpur at 4:48 PM after passengers were assured that the AC would be repaired at the next station. The issue began on the train’s departure from Shalimar station when the AC in one coach malfunctioned near Kharagpur. Passengers reported the issue to the ticket collector and through the railway app, but no action was taken. The situation worsened at Raipur station when the AC in two more coaches failed. The lack of AC was particularly troublesome in the summer heat, causing distress to passengers, especially children. While railway staff initially promised to fix the AC at the next station, by the time the train reached Gondia, five coaches were without AC. Passengers then descended from the train and gathered outside the station manager’s office, demanding the AC be fixed before they would allow the train to continue. The train remained at Gondia’s platform 3 for 1.5 hours. Finally, station officials promised to send a technician to fix the AC in Nagpur, after which passengers relented. The delay caused by the incident also led to delays for other trains at Gondia station. This incident highlights a recurring problem of train delays on the Mumbai route, with many trains running 2-3 hours late. The issue has persisted for over a month, causing inconvenience to passengers. However, the railway administration appears to be neglecting the problem.