[Vishid]

HI everyone,
After reading a lot, in both the printed and electronic media, about the Tejas express and it's infamous first trip, I thought of starting a new thread on the topic.

For an introduction, Tejas express is a new, luxurious train of the Indian railways. It has modern amenities including e-leather seats, onboard infotainment, bio vacuum toilets etc. On the mechanical side, it can achieve a maximum speed of 200kmph, and is provided with steel discs for the required braking ability. The first train operates between Mumbai and Goa.

These are technologies which appeared years ago in modern trains around the world. However, it was indeed a moment of pride to see the Indian railways introducing such a train. The role publc transport systems play in India will become bigger in the near future. So, modern, clean trains seemed to be a step in the right direction.

However, the train has been vandalised by the very first passengers. It returned to Mumbai with broken glasses, stolen headphones and damaged LCDdisplays.
What does this show? It shows the utter lack of civic sense Indians display once they step out of their homes. The lack of respect for public property is shocking.

On a lighter note, some posts and trolls criticize the railways for introducing such an initiative. One of them read, 'In a country where trains carry plastic cups chained to a pillar in toilets to prevent their theft, the railways brought LCD screens, and paid for it!

Please share your views,
Regards
Vishid

[Sawyer]

A monkey would do the same to a computer, if one were to give it one.

This manifests itself in many ways, all over India. Witness the state of all public toilets as just one example among hundreds.

The only answer is education and development from the grassroots, an investment in a very long term process that no politician will make because it takes too long to pay off and does not help winning the next election. So we will continue with abysmal quality of candidates for public office, that will behave the same way when elected no matter what party they belong to, and India will only progress at the rate of its lowest common denominator.

[shankar.balan]

The basic problem is the angry "have nots" vs the less angry "haves".
Our greatest strength and our greatest weakness is our unbridled population and unchecked breeding of our own race of humans.
In any place where the population is so large and so diverse and has this deep sense of parochialism, entitlement and a complete, utter lack of civic sense and respect for public property, this is going to be the scenario for years to come.
No way out.

The thing is, public property paid for by the poor taxpayer, is amongst the softest targets for this kind of vandalism.
It is collective property, hence belongs to no one.

The idea of India is in shreds!

[Sawyer]

I would agree with the have nots theory if the vandalisation was limited to throwing stones at the train as it passes by. This is more than just that, done by people that have paid not small amounts of money for tickets.

[batterylow]

This is why we cannot have good things in India.


Today's Hindu has a satirical article on the same subject.

Sir/Madam, what nonsense person puts LCD TV and headphones and hi-fi toilets on an Indian train? Ha ha ha ha. What they thought? That public will nicely sit and use everything decently and go back home? And that too on a train from Mumbai to Goa. Sir/Madam, in the history of this country has anybody gone from Mumbai to Goa for any civilised purposes? If you want to try such modern things on a train, why not do it on some Chennai to Trivandrum, or Bangalore to Chennai or Chennai to Hyderabad trains.

More

[nakul0888]

The biggest problem our country faces is the lack of Law Enforcement. You don't need to be an Engineer or Doctor to be a civilized person and neither the possession of such degrees ensure that you are one either. Our garbage filled streets, hartals, total lack of traffic sense, mob justice mentality, can all be attributed to this. Our police are corrupt as hell and completely toothless on issues that matters. And even if they wished to be competent, the vile and crooked politicians would just get in their way. And if a decent person who advocates for proper law enforcement, civil liberties, decent behavior stands for election he wouldn't get voted. It all comes back in full circle, doesn't it? This is all just hopeless.

[lurker]

they should have introduced such trains in the south or far east first, nothing would have been broken or trashed. I suspect even Delhi or Punjab would have done better in this regard.

[Vishid]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

The only answer is education and development from the grassroots, an investment in a very long term process that no politician will make because it takes too long to pay off and does not help winning the next election. So we will continue with abysmal quality of candidates for public office, that will behave the same way when elected no matter what party they belong to, and India will only progress at the rate of its lowest common denominator.

Very true. Education is the answer. With the world's largest youth population, the importance of education in India is huge.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Our greatest strength and our greatest weakness is our unbridled population and unchecked breeding of our own race of humans.
In any place where the population is so large and so diverse and has this deep sense of parochialism, entitlement and a complete, utter lack of civic sense and respect for public property, this is going to be the scenario for years to come.
No way out.

There are ways out. However, they are difficult, especially with the diversity of the Indian population and their customs. The way out will need some risky 'off-roading', which neither a majority of the people nor their representatives will attempt willfully.

As an update, a total of 337 high quality headphones were lost after four round trips. Now, cheaper​ headphones are provided. Many of the infotainment systems were scratched, and some damaged. They will be repaired soon.

[Sawyer]

Introducing it in South may have fared better; and a controversial view that I hold is that in general things in India deteriorate as one goes from South to North. Including cleanliness in temples. Gurudwaras are the noble exception to this of course.

On the other hand the two times that I recall when general lawlessness of have nots prevailed and took over an entire city is Bangalore in 2006 when Rajkumar died, and some months ago in Chennai.

[IshaanIan]

Why not have a couple of cops on these trains and a button for every passenger's seat that calls upon the officers in case of any crime. They can even make announcements in different languages through each compartment about how bad vandalism is and how people should not shy away from using that button if they see it occur.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by Vishid

It shows the utter lack of civic sense Indians display once they step out of their homes. The lack of respect for public property is shocking.

Trains are for the large part, a medium of transport for the sub-middle class and for those to whom saving money matters. Things were ok till the time there were a few compartments like a.c first class and second class and so on, for those who want a bit more comfort at an additional cost, but a whole train based on the concept of luxury? Big mistake.

It'll take time, people who fly are the kind of people who'll most likely not cause harm and destruction to the insides of a luxury train, as for the others, they need to get used to it, every Indian has to understand that things are clean, neat and shiny for a reason- to remain so and not to be destroyed willy-nilly to bring it to India-spec. Reminds me of a time when I entered a new office in a ThyssenKrupp elevator.. its insides are made of brushed aluminium and 2 days later there were dents and lines across the panels.. its almost like anything that is only in a state of disrepair, rot and dilapidation will escape the malicious hands of certain countrymen.

As someone who has never bought into the logic of our country "shining" or growing to be amongst the superpowers - such acts only reinforce my theory however much otherwise the rulers may have us believe.

[drmohitg]

I am surprised at the surprise being shown regarding this vandalism incident. It is wrong for us to accept that a luxurious train should be kept luxurious but it is acceptable to spit or throw garbage on roads whenever we want. I don't agree with any of the arguments about education and money etc. In a country like ours the only thing that can bring things in control is the stick approach. And the stick needs to be thick and long. Nothing else is going to work. There is no regard for law left, forget respect for it. Put CCTV cameras in ever nook and corner of the same train and issue spot fines for anyone found damaging the equipment. Within a minute you will see everyone following the rulebook.

And the south might be marginally better in terms of absolute literacy levels but there is not much difference beyond that figure.

[PraNeel]

While people are saying people lack civic sense, it would have fared better in south (people forgot the recent Kaveri vandalism), etc the main reason behind such acts is lack of fear and assigning responsibility.
The train has CCTV cameras, so those who stole the headphones and broke glasses could be tracked easily. RPF is there to handle matters legally.
By just equipping the trains with amenities and no framework for catching miscreants this is bound to happen. Once there is fear that if we are caught we will be punished, no such activities will occur.
I read in a article where railway officials dismissed this act by saying these are teething problems and will be resolved. When railway itself is not serious about this issue then what is expected from people?

[ritz3645]

Bombay Goa is very lucrative route.

Will not be surprised to find some private bus lobby at work.

[Kestrel5915]

I don't think vandalism and pilferage has any relation whatsoever with region, religion, education level, social status or even money for that matter.

Towels, etc are stolen even from 5-star hotels.
Airlines sometimes report stolen headphones and even lifejackets.

Base instincts ain't suppressed by literacy or affluence.

And let's not get started on the North vs South debate on this thread because thinking that these problems are more prevalent in one region or the other is a sure sign of asininity.