Hordes of rats sneaking into A-C coaches
Large and small rodents are finding their way into train coaches, and they prefer A-C atmosphere to ordinary class
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Monday, March 30, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20090330200903300311331432fef49d8)
Seen those cat-sized rats roaming on railway tracks at stations? Now, chances are that you might stumble upon the creatures in your coach, and an A-C cabin more so. Railway authorities have tried out all possible ways to eliminate the rodent menace at stations, but few are working. In fact, it’s worsened. Recent experiences indicate these large and small rodents are finding their way into train coaches.
The rats thrive in the filthy conditions on railway tracks and feed on leftovers thrown by passengers and excreta on tracks. The place breeds cockroaches too.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Udayshankar Jha admits rodents and pests are a nuisance at railway stations, but said railways was taking measures to contain it. “We have given the contract to Pest Control of India Pvt Ltd, which is coping with the tough task. Among the measures, we spray pesticides in coaches and keep them closed for 24 hours. We also use anti-rodent treatment at railway yards.”
With their numbers rising, these creatures are creeping into trains through water inlets and outlets and air-conditioning ducts. A-C coaches provide more conducive conditions for rodents, in that the carpeted floor holds more titbits to nibble on, and the fewer number of passengers permits them a free run. Non-A-C coaches, on the other hand, are more crowded and noisy, which work to scare away the rats.
However, there are more leftovers in these coaches, making the lure for rats irresistible.Passengers have often cringed, and complained to railway authorities of the appalling sight of rodents in A-C coaches. The railways do their bit by spraying pesticides and setting traps for rats, but not to much avail.Says Jayendra Shah, a III A-C coach passenger travelling on Rajdhani Express two months ago, “I checked my baggage before going to sleep, but when I woke up I saw that rats had chewed up a large portion of my bag. I complained to the ticket checker, who took down a complaint.” A few days later, Shah received a letter from railways apologising for the ‘inconvenience’. “The railways said they would take care to see that such incidents don’t happen again.”
The experience for young Naimita Rai, an executive in a company, was much more scary. She was travelling on Suryanagri Express by II A-C on January 12, 2009. The coach incidentally had just two girls. What they saw on a window as they entered the coach gave them the shudders. “A bunch of rats were crawling on the window. We screamed and rushed towards another cabin. Cockroaches too were scurrying from corner to corner. On complaining, the TC told us such things have to be put up with.”
Ramesh Parakh of Chennai spent a horror of a night amidst hordes of rats in the first class A-C of Madras-Jodhpur Express on January 6. They jumped and walked all over him every now and then. Parakh could not sleep a wink and later lodged a strong complaint with the railways. The senior DCM, however, says, people are also partly to blame for the situation. “Passengers keep away food packets for later use and throw leftovers on the floor or outside on the tracks. This is a major cause of pests and rats flourishing at stations.”
I checked my baggage before going to sleep, but when I woke up I saw that rats had chewed up a large portion of my bag . I complained to the ticket checker, who took down a complaint — Jayendra Shah, passenger III A-C Rajdhani Expresss
A bunch of rats were crawling on the window. We screamed and rushed towards another cabin. Cockroaches too were scurrying from corner to corner. On complaining, the TC told us we have to put up with such things — Naimita Rai, passenger II A-C, Suryanagri Express
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Monday, March 30, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=20090330200903300311331432fef49d8)
Seen those cat-sized rats roaming on railway tracks at stations? Now, chances are that you might stumble upon the creatures in your coach, and an A-C cabin more so. Railway authorities have tried out all possible ways to eliminate the rodent menace at stations, but few are working. In fact, it’s worsened. Recent experiences indicate these large and small rodents are finding their way into train coaches.
The rats thrive in the filthy conditions on railway tracks and feed on leftovers thrown by passengers and excreta on tracks. The place breeds cockroaches too.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Udayshankar Jha admits rodents and pests are a nuisance at railway stations, but said railways was taking measures to contain it. “We have given the contract to Pest Control of India Pvt Ltd, which is coping with the tough task. Among the measures, we spray pesticides in coaches and keep them closed for 24 hours. We also use anti-rodent treatment at railway yards.”
With their numbers rising, these creatures are creeping into trains through water inlets and outlets and air-conditioning ducts. A-C coaches provide more conducive conditions for rodents, in that the carpeted floor holds more titbits to nibble on, and the fewer number of passengers permits them a free run. Non-A-C coaches, on the other hand, are more crowded and noisy, which work to scare away the rats.
However, there are more leftovers in these coaches, making the lure for rats irresistible.Passengers have often cringed, and complained to railway authorities of the appalling sight of rodents in A-C coaches. The railways do their bit by spraying pesticides and setting traps for rats, but not to much avail.Says Jayendra Shah, a III A-C coach passenger travelling on Rajdhani Express two months ago, “I checked my baggage before going to sleep, but when I woke up I saw that rats had chewed up a large portion of my bag. I complained to the ticket checker, who took down a complaint.” A few days later, Shah received a letter from railways apologising for the ‘inconvenience’. “The railways said they would take care to see that such incidents don’t happen again.”
The experience for young Naimita Rai, an executive in a company, was much more scary. She was travelling on Suryanagri Express by II A-C on January 12, 2009. The coach incidentally had just two girls. What they saw on a window as they entered the coach gave them the shudders. “A bunch of rats were crawling on the window. We screamed and rushed towards another cabin. Cockroaches too were scurrying from corner to corner. On complaining, the TC told us such things have to be put up with.”
Ramesh Parakh of Chennai spent a horror of a night amidst hordes of rats in the first class A-C of Madras-Jodhpur Express on January 6. They jumped and walked all over him every now and then. Parakh could not sleep a wink and later lodged a strong complaint with the railways. The senior DCM, however, says, people are also partly to blame for the situation. “Passengers keep away food packets for later use and throw leftovers on the floor or outside on the tracks. This is a major cause of pests and rats flourishing at stations.”
I checked my baggage before going to sleep, but when I woke up I saw that rats had chewed up a large portion of my bag . I complained to the ticket checker, who took down a complaint — Jayendra Shah, passenger III A-C Rajdhani Expresss
A bunch of rats were crawling on the window. We screamed and rushed towards another cabin. Cockroaches too were scurrying from corner to corner. On complaining, the TC told us we have to put up with such things — Naimita Rai, passenger II A-C, Suryanagri Express
