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System Design for Indian Railways - Primary research

Rakhi Menon
Rakhi Menon

The document summarizes feedback from various passengers on their train travel experiences. Some key points mentioned include: - Many passengers prefer 3AC class for cleaner facilities and more behaved passengers compared to sleeper class. Safety and cleanliness of toilets is a major concern. - Most book tickets in advance online but some still use counters or agents. Passengers check status updates and platforms carefully to board the right train. - Passing time on trains involves sleeping, talking to co-passengers, mobile use, or reading. Street food from vendors is avoided due to cleanliness issues. - Long distance travelers prefer trains for cost savings compared to flights, though flight travel is seen as

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User Study - Passengers
Hari Singh Sodha | 36 | Section Officer | Bhurj Nbh jn kjkjkjkkjhh Does not travel much on trains. Travel short distances on train. To and fro from Jamnagar to Rajkot. Purpose of travel is mostly work. Less awareness about laws and rules. For passing the time. Wants IR to be like Delhi metro. Cleanliness of IR is average. Long distance travel done through air.
Paras Patel | 35 | Govt teacher | Mehsana Longest distance travelled adi to pathankot. Travels with family mostly. Likes 3AC. Packs food if short journey otherwise no. For safety of luggage uses chains. One person awake while travelling for check on luggage. While waiting play with kids and talks to each other. Never had issue with tickets or fine while travelling. Overall review of train journey is satisfying. Relaxing, neat and clean. Male can get out of the train, hard for females and kids or with them.
Sanjay Patel | 33 | Lance Naik | 13 yrs of duty Visited Goa, kashmir, rajasthan, gandhinagar. Watch for kids in train. Basic awareness of rules and laws. During duty make food on train, in their bogie. On duty, 6 officers awake per bogie at a time for 6 hours. Cant sleep on duty, otherwise charged. While on duty each guard has coordination with each other. Can sleep but gets up when needed on duty. Carries their own luggage. When off duty travels through train mostly with family. For safety one person is always awake when with family.
Devesh Deo | 28 | Hyderabad | Software Engg. Likes travelling. Prefers flight over train, money is a factor so travels by train. Flight because it reduces the time. Proper facilities, convenient. On station: Books cab from home to station. Never had any issues. Starts early from home to reach station before timing. Checking status of the train is priority one. Platforms no 3 and above has no proper information system to check on trains. Does not have washroom facilities, more variety of shops to choose from. If has time goes out of station to eat because it is cheaper and to avoid the rush. Does not interact with people, only to get information. Using wifi and mobile to watch videos and check social media, wifi also helps in office work.
On train: Travels in sleeper because money is concern. Otherwise prefers 3AC. Sleeper has open windows so more noise. Toilets not clean, Rush almost all the time, anyone comes and can sit on your breath. 3AC has less rush, people are much behaved, toilets and bogies are clean most of the time, Provides blankets and sheets, TT comes on time, more comfortable. Safety is more or less same in sleeper and 3AC. If small journey prefers any seat, if journey is long prefers upper seat. Prefers night travel because it is cooler and can travel in sleeper. Safety is considered according to specific route, if concerned then uses chain to lock the belongings, otherwise the luggage is kept under the seat. Prefers taking own food, does not trust in train food. Used sleeper class waiting room, is considerable clean, can not complain except the toilets. Was travelling in sleeper side upper, fan did not work, complained through tweet, no help came, it was broke all the way. Wants to have a point of contact service where one can go or call to get any kind of help.
Aminuddin Shroff | 26 | Hyderabad | Head of purchase Likes to travel a lot, work or pleasure. Prefers flight over train because less time, facility, amenities, comfortable, status checking from google which is accurate. Premium tatkal equals flight tickets. Likes long journey over short journey, get to meet new people, likes the noise of typical train journey. Books uber to station, checks for status on station. Habit of getting an hour before time. The display does not provide the information of trains before half and hour or so. It is pain to get the right information. Ease of access bad in train. For ex in flights if a person is disabled and can not walk, a person will take the person from entry to the flight seat. On station : Platform dirty,bad odour, a bit panicked when boarding because the bogies are not right according to platform information. Porters are super rude, super demanding, there must be porters rate chart and service. For timepass eats vendor, charging points for mobile, get a seat if lucky, use mobile, observe people, wifi.
On train : Prefers 3 AC+ for long journey, for short sleeper works just fine. Reason for liking is Rug and blanket provided, clean sheets, comfort, behaved people, AC. Prefers Side lower in middle row. It's safe because its at distance from the gates, charging points, more privacy, more safety, window view. For time pass talk to people, bujy chit chat, read books if alone, walk from bogie to bogie, don't like food on train but swallows anyways. Travelling in group is much fun because one can share experience, play games, company. Travels more in winter because he can travel in sleeper and its cheaper, gets saved from the heat. Purpose of travel is mostly holidays. Books tickets from IRCTC in advance, avoids tatkal because it is risky. If dont get tickets, cancel plans. Best experience is he gets to know new people on the route, with the amount of money the services provided are good but those services should be proper. Overall the train journey is inconvenient like delays, washrooms, odour, cleanliness etc. Theft of laptop and camera from sleeper class.
Sachi | 29 | Likes to travel new places for leisure specially on holidays. Prefers flight over train, Time, behaved passengers, comfort, not confusing, someone always present to guide, window seat view, exciting. Prefers both long and short journey on train, can carry more luggage than by air. Book tickets in advance from IRCTC, in emergency from agents. Uses uber to get to station or personal vehicle. On station Check status of train is priority one. Go to given platform, buy food, water and wait. For passing the time talk to friends, mobile, social media. Board the train and make the seat a comfortable personal space by keeping the luggage safely and occupying the seat. Prefer 2AC and 3AC because less crowd , behaved passenger, cleaner and safe.
Safety and frequency of women traveling in 3Ac is more. Comfortable, safety of luggage. In train : Likes to travel with one or more than one person. Carries games like ludo and uno. Eats food from pantry car and vendors, relies on immunity. Washroom are not clean sometimes. Likes upper seats, gives privacy, does not talk to people until necessary. Does not matter if day or night journey. Boarding wrong train at station was a panic situation. Getting cleared of 250 waiting list. Always have fear of being in wrong platform, bogie or train because of past experiences.
Chaudhry Prakash | 22 | +3 Student | Village Travelled only in General compartment ATVM convenient, doesnt have a ATVM card because few travel Only gets counter ticket, found waiting in line for ticket difficult only once, in Bhopal First travel was with friends when he was 18 (Surat - Amdavad) Prefers trains for long distance travel Travel standing is difficult, realises adjustments has to be made and plans accordingly to get to tickets and catch the train early Gets food from local vendors when on train While waiting or travelling alone Engages in mobile (whatsapp, Facebook etc. - doesnt play mobile games), uses Jio instead of Free Wi-fi Finds general compartment toilets clean enough to be used, says those toilets gets cleans on all big stations
Nanji Bhai | 45 | Shopkeeper - One Stop Collection | Gandhinagar Travels on vacations with family, Sleeper class used to travel on Mumbai locals 2 yrs before Makes counter-ticket, because agents takes extra charges and doesnt know english, because of which he never tried app/online Takes food from home, never eats fast food from local vendors. For long journey takes meals from pantry car, finds the food taste-less Talks with peers if around, talks to strangers but makes judgements from past experience and community, doesnt use mobile to save charge Bathroom : Meh ! Okay type, for one night it is okay, will adjust Reads information boards for train details Had to wait for 8 hrs to get a tatkal ticket from counter in Mumbai, still got a waitlisted ticket, disappointed about the ticketing system
Chetan, Deepjosh | 24 | Govt. Employee and Students | Gandhinagar Never travelled in train, visited railway stations only for casual purpose, travels through car and flights for long distance. Finds railway stations very crowded, Thinks information dissemination at stations are adequate for educated people and difficult for others Considers train unsafe, with poor hygiene on toilets and improper food, made this notion by listening to stories by friends and family Convenience by personal travel, to stop for refreshment according to will Never had to travel much, school, college and job all had been in and around gandhinagar
Mehul bhai & Zuber Mallik | 30, 32 | Salesman - Electronic Store| Gandhinagar Travels less, only for recreation | Wanted to experience train Travelled once alone (ADI - BCT) | Travelled twice, once alone (Mail Exp.), once with wife (Duronto) Did reservation 15-20 days before travel day vis agent | Tickets were given to him by his father, uses makemytrip for flights Asked people for train details, platform no. etc Dont want to go again | would prefer train for 3A or better reserved tickets Toilets were bad | Toilets were maintained well Uses red-bus and prefers buses over trains (night bus) Keeps power bank and engages in mobile, watches videos | Plays games like teen patti etc. Dont buy food from train because of vomiting issues Preconceived notions about local trains being unsafe, know about this from news. Prefers 100% more expensive cab, than local trains
Natwar | 21 | Shopkeeper - Chai wai | Modasa village Travelled in train while in ahmedabad because of the availability, Once - long distance with colleagues, tickets were bought by his Seth Gets general ticket from counter before journey never had any issues, come early, nearly 1hr Plays on mobile, listens to music and talks to peers while travelling Train for his nearest railway station which is 40 kms far from his village, is unavailable from Gandhinagar, due to which he travels by bus. Train journey is a thing for people with privileges and not for poor, because the general compartment is too crowded even to stand, and the reserved classes are too expensive for them Doesnt buy food from train, expensive and also the short journey duration
Poonam | 27 | Make-up & Hair Professional - Spalon | Surat Travels frequently to home at vacations, also for tourism or recreation Mostly travels alone, less often with parents (only during family tours) Travelled in General, Sleeper, 3A, 2A Parents stay worried and advises, against her travelling alone, she thinks they fear if something might happen to her Reads information, finds it easy and available Takes own food, only buys chatpat chana from local vendors Takes less luggage when travelling to-from home, one or two bags Travels in General only when tickets are not available or not confirmed, but it is essential to travel, like when coming back from home to work Toilets ganda - takes less water, so that she doesnt need to visit the toilet
Sam Chandegra | 24 | Freelance | Ahmedabad Travels often to nearby places, and prefers personal vehicle Takes buses for long distance journey, (ADI to Mandsaur, ADI to Mumbai, Pune to ADI), had travelled in train twice Ticket booking was done online - till travel it was waitlisted so before boarding the train had to ask the TTI on station, if they could board the train - with the station TTIs approval they went on to board the train and got into sleeper class - they slept in some vacant seats until the respective reservators came - then they shifted to some other compartments searching for vacant seats, there they encountered the trains TTI - the TTI asked them fine which was too expensive and so they requested for non-fine agreement - the TTI then took less than half the money in total without any official document (bribe) and let them stay - the whole journey they spent drowsing at the floor This followed by difficulty in identifying local train in mumbai made their journey even worse. After a hectic day, they decided to go for pune, by train, because it was readily available. Counter ticket, got easily - boarded General Compartment - soon at next station the coach was packed with people - it was difficult sitting so he gave up the seat and sat on the floor, while his friend sat over the luggage rack - within this uneasy surrounding they interacted with nearby people (Man of age 40-45, advised him to stay calm and trains has to be adjusted with) - soon they started playing Ludo king in his mobile
Harish | 25 | TCS - IT dept.| saurashtra Travelled with Family and Friends, also travelled alone but just once or twice Very bad experience - Andheri express ka light chala gaya - in general compartment - alone - 10th standard - People rushed into the train in the next station - thought of getting out of the train - made up mind to adjust till destination General ticket - first class coach - TTI - Rs 500 /- fine (couldnt understand and differentiate between different coaches then) Public and system are equal participants and should take own responsibility for cleanliness of toilets and property Reads books, prefers reading over mobile during long journey, checks social networks, prefers 3A for there are only reserved passengers Conversation depends on people around (mostly initial conversation grows and some doesnt), plays with kids near his berth Takes packed food from home, or buys from IRCTC, doesnt take from local vendors Reads instructions and signages for any form of information before trying to ask IRCTC site is worse, agent ka problem, e-rail is good - database synced with irctc, login takes unnecessary time and sign-up shouldnt be required
Kavi Bhai | 81 | Retired Propaganda agent | Gandhinagar Travels only with family, mostly in 2A and sometimes in 3A, always on reservation Prefers journey at day because the family stays awake, he stays awake all the time while journey Prays and thinks about god while travelling, and this is how he passes idle time during journey, avoids talking to strangers Never hires porter and packs only one bag which he could carry, keeps their luggage chained and stays awake to watch over it, while using toilets, asks other known individual to watch over luggage Reaches early to station and prefers Auto-rickshaw despite having personal car, because rickshaw drivers are capable of dodging road traffic Always carries original documents of identity and ticket, never had any problem with Ticket Checking etc. Never carries any gold or other ornaments, carries less cash, for security reasons. Wears a Khaki pant, which he believes keeps the trouble away. Carries tiffin with light food e.g. Thepla, Sukhi Bhaji, doesnt buy at food on train Relies on people for information at stations, more than display board and announcements His childrens make bookings for him Deals calmly by taking when any adverse situation arises
Nishant Julian Minj | 25 | Student | Gandhinagar Feels good to travel good memories are tunnels, comics, goa trip via pune, kochi trip. It's awesome to be with friends while travelling by train bad will be traveling in a packed train where someone else is on ur seat sleeping at 2am and the entire path is filled , packed with sleeping pilgrimage goers, took us 2 hours just to move our luggage 2 berth ahead i prefer online booking, n minimal luggage,generally last min booking so i'll take a bus, Tickets are always available for bus, but train pe nai. Also i hate general tickets travel Roam around, sleep, listen to music, look outside the window if daylight Bathrooms can be a lot cleaner, But i still have no problems. Definitely the platform toilets needs to be cleaned !! information is available online nowadays for train route n delays.. tickets can be better designed to emphasize relevant information.. Things often get stolen during a journey and passengers vandalise the trains.. if that can be taken care of with better design, it would be awesome
Varun Panchal | 25 | Game Developer | Mumbai Planning of a journey consist of all the possible ways to reach the destination, packing the stuff according to the destinations environment and taking the precautionary measures as well Generally I reach 10 to 15 min before the train arrival, but while waiting I usually listen to songs or just see other people moving here and there In India our network is pretty unreliable, hence the only way of passing your time is through music or movies, If you are with family or friends then the pass of time happens via talking and having fun with them Indian railway is pretty good at service but needs a lot of refinement if it wants to get profit for the same, Cleanliness and hygiene is still not a priority for Indian railway
Abhidutta srichandan | 25 | Student | Gandhinagar I prefer the default irctc web site, use the journey planner from station A to Station B to see all the available trains according to my date, budget etc I like everything, or else i just sit beside the window and watch things outside, the running train, the kids waving hands, even the city or factory lights at night
User Study - Railway Employees
Ram Naresh Tangid | 52 | Loco Pilot - Mail Express | Rajasthan Proud to be a part of organisation which serves the nation Joined railways as a Loco-Pilot on 25 March 1987, Class 4 - 10 Years Steam & 20 years Diesel engine experience Refresh training every 3 years and Medical examination each year, so despite age they have to keep fit Basic Pay 68,000/- INR Inadequate rest / lack of proper rest, in the job For night duty (against to nature work), allowance is given TA is not free - 30% taxable, Banking and Salary - Tax, TDS, PF (minor problems) Work like Robot Job Isolates them from family, friends. Cannot be present for own kids Keeps personal problems at home Works against nature - Rain, Heat, Cold and other extreme weather conditions High decibel working environment - train horn, engine sound, air rush due to speed Risks to Heart disease, Blood pressure, Diabetes, Eye and Ear damage Have to stay active all the time during driving, need good hand, eye, brain coordination while simultaneously needing to make decisions and act accordingly, many times they have to shout
Responsible about Signal, people, machinery, equipments, maintenance, fire safety, has to operate and repair all of of them while in train, also has to do cleaning and make punchnama in case of some accidents A single mistake may shake the ministry Name is Pilot but the conditions are not slightly similar to the Aero-plane Pilot Goods/Lorry (Maal - Gadi) driver sometimes get upto 36 hours out of headquarter (Home) duty Approximately 16 hrs leave in home, has to take-off as soon a call arrives 104 hours of work within fortnight is mandatory duty time, after that overtime starts Engine has no toilets - it is very difficult to control nature's call until next station arrives, it may get even more difficult for female loco-pilots (currently recruiting) Use of Social-Media has made it even more difficult for open defecation Penalty and punishments are heavy (remove from service) for any mistakes - e.g. Signal crossing by few feets, overspeeding etc. Drivers takes food & luggage of upto 20 kgs from home, private contractors hired by govt. change quite often, so no consistency in food and many times unhygienic Railway provides SIM card, phone is self-purchased, has to attend phone-calls anytime, otherwise complaints are lodged Many Run-over experiences, have to stop train and take action. Police enquiry, at-least 10 times in last 7 years Schedule should be changed. Window screen, Speedometer, Seat, head light should at-least be up to a minimum standard for the convenience of driver
Shakti Rajawat | 32 | Inspector - RPF Ahmedabad Division Theft of Personal Belongings (Maximum reported cases in ADI region) Coordinate with GRP & RPF for distribution of force Number of RPF personnel in ADI division - 200, while travelling in train, they get off as soon as their jurisdiction is over and return 1 & 遜 years of training including approximately 90% commonalities and 10% specific Has to respond anytime, even outside working hours Response to Run-Over : Save life (human or cattle) : Disposal / Legal Processes follows Section 147 RM : Prohibition of people entering railway tracks Daily diary / General Diary / Post Diary - a daily document containing activities explanations with time stamp Uncertain about any activities, No fixed routine, this is hectic sometimes RPF ADI is the 1st division to have Body worn Camera - which helps for evidence collection and does the job of 2-3 men simultaneously 182 Helpline : Responds immediately if on stations, if in between they attend to it in the next station Variety of complaints e.g. about fetching milk, lights, fan, coach etc. Ladies mostly complain about Misbehaviour and eve-teasing while Gents complain about Quarrels, fights, abuses
Sailesh Parmar | Public Relations Inspector, DRM Office Manage and grant permissions of shooting recording etc, press and media, press release of all departments. Recruitment done through RRB. Started working as Loco Pilot, had to quit because eyesight became weak. Driver duty is broken into small duration chunks. Only trains like shatabdi have single driver. Longest distance is Valsad to Ahmedabad, 5hrs. Lots of readings to take note of when driving, keeps them engaged. Diesel and Electric locomotives have different training, used to drive Electric locomotives. Had to face accidents, Truck, Cattle, Suicide attempters, track crossers, etc. All drivers face such incidents. On his first trip had experienced a suicide attempter, bent down to not see the death, but did not hear voice later informed that he escaped at last moment. Stopping trains not feasible, passengers can get injured, train brakes get locked, machinery get damaged. If accidents occur they throw a stone with details of accidents at next station, Police and authorities sent to the scene. High Priority trains have extra technical staff in engines else only driver and co- driver.
About Railways Commercial department handles all commercial activities including vendors, porters, etc. Private contracts given on lease based on trains. Cleaning, catering, etc. All documentation, salary payments, promotions, transfers managed at the division headquarters. Grade B and C Recruitment are done through Railway Recruitment Board (Cell). Recruitments are not regular. RRBs based on divisions, large divisions have boards. Requirements of employees are indented and then based on requirements and urgency exams are conducted. Exams, Orals, Psychology tests done based on requirements. Railways provide on demand doctor services in case of emergencies, which is chargable. Cattle guard is there in front of the locomotive, if cattle guard is damaged by large animals like elephants and cows then the brake cable breaks and brakes are applied. Loco pilots need to be prepared for abnormal events like , human/animal run over, difficult signals etc. If accidents occur and engine is damaged then they may need to remove remains.
Station Manager | Ahmedabad Overall incharge of station, admin power over staff and other departments. Operation Dept. Operation and working of trains, Station Superintendent is under operations, yards and station premises maintenance under him, 60 station managers under the amd superintendent. Ahmedabad station has two yards. Primary maintenance of trains is cleaning and safety checks (inside coach, central pivot, etc) Premier trains like rajdhani shatabdi have mechanical dept onboard. Max work time of loco pilots is 8 hrs for mail and express trains, Link of drivers is made for achieving this. Goods trains can have higher than 8 work hours. Employees have passes for travel on trains, tickets are booked using this pass. Officers get metal passes. Privilege passes get privilege passes which allow 6 journeys on trains free of charge. UPSC and Promotion are two ways in which officer posts are fulfilled. UPSC officers have higher work term so higher chances of promotion. Most difficult jobs are gangman and loco pilot. Gangmans job is to maintain the tracks, he has to take of rail fractures, checking for washouts. Station Managers (Additional Operations Superintendent) Officers pool post Station Superintendent (Operations Superintendent) Station Master Route Relay Interlocking system is used in ahmedabad station, it works by making paths for movement of trains on each line. Panel interlocking is done my individually changing all the track points.
Until the route is interlocked the signals will not work. Level crossing gates also work on the same interlocking signal. Gates in the station area are under Traffic department, gates in between stations are operated by Engineering department. Gates between stations may or may not be interlocked. Unmanned level crossings are the largest reason for railway related deaths in India. Executive Lounge, internet, magazine, food, spacious, luxurious, etc in the old ticket counter, planned for ahmedabad station similar to New Delhi station (Rs 150, IRCTC run). Acs in TV waiting room now removed, free wifi provided, TV not no necessary because of that. Armour entertainment systems is announcement systems used. Catering units are licensed, they pay water charges, rent,, etc. Rates and quantity of food provided is prescribed. Quality compromise in there, its cause of complaint sometimes, bill is also to be given. Railway court and Magistrate are there to deal with RPF complaints. Ahmedabad station have more complications, stations like mumbai have more public sense and hence less requirements of RPF and further Ahmedabad station is in old area, people throw trash on tracks. Do not allow food donations on station as it promotes more homeless to stay on stations. Long distance passengers come a little early. Long distance with less rate passengers, labour forces who are sent en mass etc are those who stay on platforms. High traffic always on general classes. Diesel Multiple Unit, Trains Electric Multiple Unit trains. 28 second halt for trains. (Like local trains) No toilets to incorporate more people, new racks started to have toilets due to longer journeys (300 kms) than planned (100kms). Old locomotives did not have washrooms unlike newer ones. Demand was for ACs too but not met due to stress based work environment, and high risk factor. High allowances given to loco pilots. Loco Pilots and guards have to do breath analysis test everytime when going on and off duty. Communication between loco pilots and guard is done by changing brake pressure. Pulling chains applies breaks for all the coaches in the trains, dropping pressure applies brakes.
Mr. Wilbert Samson | | Train Superintendent - Western Railway Job profile includes checking tickets of First class passengers, managing and coordinating with train staff including Loco Pilots, Guards, Ticket Checkers, Catering staff, Cleaning staff, etc. Prefers AC First Class vs Anubhuti coach because of better legroom and comfort. Working since 34 years, 31 years on Rajdhani. From Mumbai. Currently working with all female TC crew, do not like the odd working hours, some stay far away in mumbai less time for family. Long work hours, no fixed schedule. Long distance journeys to and fro and then get break for proportionate days. No need to Try to solve complaints on train itself. Was corrupt, stopped 10 years ago. Never caught by Vigilance staff or RPF or enquiry. Does not hide his story from kids. No seat for TC on Sabarmati express. If no vacant seats, have to sit on attendant seat. Legs swollen when reach home, need rest. Have to stay away from home. Train berth allocated to rest not sleep even on long distance trains. 16 hrs journey in Rajdhani 8 hrs gap and then 16 hrs return. Extra Rest out of Home. Time between to and fro can be spent in running rooms. Running rooms not good, bed bugs, etc. Some ticket checkers like the current work rules, like to stay away from home, affairs, drinking, gambling, etc. Some passengers ask for favours if they don't have tickets.
Railway Infrastructure Inquiry
Running Room (ADI Junction)
Sabarmati Railway Station Free Parking lot two-four wheelers No guard or authority present to monitor Despite above, people maintained column Kids playing cricket at parking lot, concrete floor
Sabarmati Railway Station Ramps available for luggage and wheelchair accessibility for disabled Unreserved ticket counter Detailed instructions and train information on station
Sabarmati Railway Station Rail tracks Maintenance car and crew Train arriving at station, station staff showing green flag
Anubhuti (Shatabdi Express)
Divisional Railway Manager Office
IRCTC Rail Aahar

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System Design for Indian Railways - Primary research

  • 1. User Study - Passengers
  • 2. Hari Singh Sodha | 36 | Section Officer | Bhurj Nbh jn kjkjkjkkjhh Does not travel much on trains. Travel short distances on train. To and fro from Jamnagar to Rajkot. Purpose of travel is mostly work. Less awareness about laws and rules. For passing the time. Wants IR to be like Delhi metro. Cleanliness of IR is average. Long distance travel done through air.
  • 3. Paras Patel | 35 | Govt teacher | Mehsana Longest distance travelled adi to pathankot. Travels with family mostly. Likes 3AC. Packs food if short journey otherwise no. For safety of luggage uses chains. One person awake while travelling for check on luggage. While waiting play with kids and talks to each other. Never had issue with tickets or fine while travelling. Overall review of train journey is satisfying. Relaxing, neat and clean. Male can get out of the train, hard for females and kids or with them.
  • 4. Sanjay Patel | 33 | Lance Naik | 13 yrs of duty Visited Goa, kashmir, rajasthan, gandhinagar. Watch for kids in train. Basic awareness of rules and laws. During duty make food on train, in their bogie. On duty, 6 officers awake per bogie at a time for 6 hours. Cant sleep on duty, otherwise charged. While on duty each guard has coordination with each other. Can sleep but gets up when needed on duty. Carries their own luggage. When off duty travels through train mostly with family. For safety one person is always awake when with family.
  • 5. Devesh Deo | 28 | Hyderabad | Software Engg. Likes travelling. Prefers flight over train, money is a factor so travels by train. Flight because it reduces the time. Proper facilities, convenient. On station: Books cab from home to station. Never had any issues. Starts early from home to reach station before timing. Checking status of the train is priority one. Platforms no 3 and above has no proper information system to check on trains. Does not have washroom facilities, more variety of shops to choose from. If has time goes out of station to eat because it is cheaper and to avoid the rush. Does not interact with people, only to get information. Using wifi and mobile to watch videos and check social media, wifi also helps in office work.
  • 6. On train: Travels in sleeper because money is concern. Otherwise prefers 3AC. Sleeper has open windows so more noise. Toilets not clean, Rush almost all the time, anyone comes and can sit on your breath. 3AC has less rush, people are much behaved, toilets and bogies are clean most of the time, Provides blankets and sheets, TT comes on time, more comfortable. Safety is more or less same in sleeper and 3AC. If small journey prefers any seat, if journey is long prefers upper seat. Prefers night travel because it is cooler and can travel in sleeper. Safety is considered according to specific route, if concerned then uses chain to lock the belongings, otherwise the luggage is kept under the seat. Prefers taking own food, does not trust in train food. Used sleeper class waiting room, is considerable clean, can not complain except the toilets. Was travelling in sleeper side upper, fan did not work, complained through tweet, no help came, it was broke all the way. Wants to have a point of contact service where one can go or call to get any kind of help.
  • 7. Aminuddin Shroff | 26 | Hyderabad | Head of purchase Likes to travel a lot, work or pleasure. Prefers flight over train because less time, facility, amenities, comfortable, status checking from google which is accurate. Premium tatkal equals flight tickets. Likes long journey over short journey, get to meet new people, likes the noise of typical train journey. Books uber to station, checks for status on station. Habit of getting an hour before time. The display does not provide the information of trains before half and hour or so. It is pain to get the right information. Ease of access bad in train. For ex in flights if a person is disabled and can not walk, a person will take the person from entry to the flight seat. On station : Platform dirty,bad odour, a bit panicked when boarding because the bogies are not right according to platform information. Porters are super rude, super demanding, there must be porters rate chart and service. For timepass eats vendor, charging points for mobile, get a seat if lucky, use mobile, observe people, wifi.
  • 8. On train : Prefers 3 AC+ for long journey, for short sleeper works just fine. Reason for liking is Rug and blanket provided, clean sheets, comfort, behaved people, AC. Prefers Side lower in middle row. It's safe because its at distance from the gates, charging points, more privacy, more safety, window view. For time pass talk to people, bujy chit chat, read books if alone, walk from bogie to bogie, don't like food on train but swallows anyways. Travelling in group is much fun because one can share experience, play games, company. Travels more in winter because he can travel in sleeper and its cheaper, gets saved from the heat. Purpose of travel is mostly holidays. Books tickets from IRCTC in advance, avoids tatkal because it is risky. If dont get tickets, cancel plans. Best experience is he gets to know new people on the route, with the amount of money the services provided are good but those services should be proper. Overall the train journey is inconvenient like delays, washrooms, odour, cleanliness etc. Theft of laptop and camera from sleeper class.
  • 9. Sachi | 29 | Likes to travel new places for leisure specially on holidays. Prefers flight over train, Time, behaved passengers, comfort, not confusing, someone always present to guide, window seat view, exciting. Prefers both long and short journey on train, can carry more luggage than by air. Book tickets in advance from IRCTC, in emergency from agents. Uses uber to get to station or personal vehicle. On station Check status of train is priority one. Go to given platform, buy food, water and wait. For passing the time talk to friends, mobile, social media. Board the train and make the seat a comfortable personal space by keeping the luggage safely and occupying the seat. Prefer 2AC and 3AC because less crowd , behaved passenger, cleaner and safe.
  • 10. Safety and frequency of women traveling in 3Ac is more. Comfortable, safety of luggage. In train : Likes to travel with one or more than one person. Carries games like ludo and uno. Eats food from pantry car and vendors, relies on immunity. Washroom are not clean sometimes. Likes upper seats, gives privacy, does not talk to people until necessary. Does not matter if day or night journey. Boarding wrong train at station was a panic situation. Getting cleared of 250 waiting list. Always have fear of being in wrong platform, bogie or train because of past experiences.
  • 11. Chaudhry Prakash | 22 | +3 Student | Village Travelled only in General compartment ATVM convenient, doesnt have a ATVM card because few travel Only gets counter ticket, found waiting in line for ticket difficult only once, in Bhopal First travel was with friends when he was 18 (Surat - Amdavad) Prefers trains for long distance travel Travel standing is difficult, realises adjustments has to be made and plans accordingly to get to tickets and catch the train early Gets food from local vendors when on train While waiting or travelling alone Engages in mobile (whatsapp, Facebook etc. - doesnt play mobile games), uses Jio instead of Free Wi-fi Finds general compartment toilets clean enough to be used, says those toilets gets cleans on all big stations
  • 12. Nanji Bhai | 45 | Shopkeeper - One Stop Collection | Gandhinagar Travels on vacations with family, Sleeper class used to travel on Mumbai locals 2 yrs before Makes counter-ticket, because agents takes extra charges and doesnt know english, because of which he never tried app/online Takes food from home, never eats fast food from local vendors. For long journey takes meals from pantry car, finds the food taste-less Talks with peers if around, talks to strangers but makes judgements from past experience and community, doesnt use mobile to save charge Bathroom : Meh ! Okay type, for one night it is okay, will adjust Reads information boards for train details Had to wait for 8 hrs to get a tatkal ticket from counter in Mumbai, still got a waitlisted ticket, disappointed about the ticketing system
  • 13. Chetan, Deepjosh | 24 | Govt. Employee and Students | Gandhinagar Never travelled in train, visited railway stations only for casual purpose, travels through car and flights for long distance. Finds railway stations very crowded, Thinks information dissemination at stations are adequate for educated people and difficult for others Considers train unsafe, with poor hygiene on toilets and improper food, made this notion by listening to stories by friends and family Convenience by personal travel, to stop for refreshment according to will Never had to travel much, school, college and job all had been in and around gandhinagar
  • 14. Mehul bhai & Zuber Mallik | 30, 32 | Salesman - Electronic Store| Gandhinagar Travels less, only for recreation | Wanted to experience train Travelled once alone (ADI - BCT) | Travelled twice, once alone (Mail Exp.), once with wife (Duronto) Did reservation 15-20 days before travel day vis agent | Tickets were given to him by his father, uses makemytrip for flights Asked people for train details, platform no. etc Dont want to go again | would prefer train for 3A or better reserved tickets Toilets were bad | Toilets were maintained well Uses red-bus and prefers buses over trains (night bus) Keeps power bank and engages in mobile, watches videos | Plays games like teen patti etc. Dont buy food from train because of vomiting issues Preconceived notions about local trains being unsafe, know about this from news. Prefers 100% more expensive cab, than local trains
  • 15. Natwar | 21 | Shopkeeper - Chai wai | Modasa village Travelled in train while in ahmedabad because of the availability, Once - long distance with colleagues, tickets were bought by his Seth Gets general ticket from counter before journey never had any issues, come early, nearly 1hr Plays on mobile, listens to music and talks to peers while travelling Train for his nearest railway station which is 40 kms far from his village, is unavailable from Gandhinagar, due to which he travels by bus. Train journey is a thing for people with privileges and not for poor, because the general compartment is too crowded even to stand, and the reserved classes are too expensive for them Doesnt buy food from train, expensive and also the short journey duration
  • 16. Poonam | 27 | Make-up & Hair Professional - Spalon | Surat Travels frequently to home at vacations, also for tourism or recreation Mostly travels alone, less often with parents (only during family tours) Travelled in General, Sleeper, 3A, 2A Parents stay worried and advises, against her travelling alone, she thinks they fear if something might happen to her Reads information, finds it easy and available Takes own food, only buys chatpat chana from local vendors Takes less luggage when travelling to-from home, one or two bags Travels in General only when tickets are not available or not confirmed, but it is essential to travel, like when coming back from home to work Toilets ganda - takes less water, so that she doesnt need to visit the toilet
  • 17. Sam Chandegra | 24 | Freelance | Ahmedabad Travels often to nearby places, and prefers personal vehicle Takes buses for long distance journey, (ADI to Mandsaur, ADI to Mumbai, Pune to ADI), had travelled in train twice Ticket booking was done online - till travel it was waitlisted so before boarding the train had to ask the TTI on station, if they could board the train - with the station TTIs approval they went on to board the train and got into sleeper class - they slept in some vacant seats until the respective reservators came - then they shifted to some other compartments searching for vacant seats, there they encountered the trains TTI - the TTI asked them fine which was too expensive and so they requested for non-fine agreement - the TTI then took less than half the money in total without any official document (bribe) and let them stay - the whole journey they spent drowsing at the floor This followed by difficulty in identifying local train in mumbai made their journey even worse. After a hectic day, they decided to go for pune, by train, because it was readily available. Counter ticket, got easily - boarded General Compartment - soon at next station the coach was packed with people - it was difficult sitting so he gave up the seat and sat on the floor, while his friend sat over the luggage rack - within this uneasy surrounding they interacted with nearby people (Man of age 40-45, advised him to stay calm and trains has to be adjusted with) - soon they started playing Ludo king in his mobile
  • 18. Harish | 25 | TCS - IT dept.| saurashtra Travelled with Family and Friends, also travelled alone but just once or twice Very bad experience - Andheri express ka light chala gaya - in general compartment - alone - 10th standard - People rushed into the train in the next station - thought of getting out of the train - made up mind to adjust till destination General ticket - first class coach - TTI - Rs 500 /- fine (couldnt understand and differentiate between different coaches then) Public and system are equal participants and should take own responsibility for cleanliness of toilets and property Reads books, prefers reading over mobile during long journey, checks social networks, prefers 3A for there are only reserved passengers Conversation depends on people around (mostly initial conversation grows and some doesnt), plays with kids near his berth Takes packed food from home, or buys from IRCTC, doesnt take from local vendors Reads instructions and signages for any form of information before trying to ask IRCTC site is worse, agent ka problem, e-rail is good - database synced with irctc, login takes unnecessary time and sign-up shouldnt be required
  • 19. Kavi Bhai | 81 | Retired Propaganda agent | Gandhinagar Travels only with family, mostly in 2A and sometimes in 3A, always on reservation Prefers journey at day because the family stays awake, he stays awake all the time while journey Prays and thinks about god while travelling, and this is how he passes idle time during journey, avoids talking to strangers Never hires porter and packs only one bag which he could carry, keeps their luggage chained and stays awake to watch over it, while using toilets, asks other known individual to watch over luggage Reaches early to station and prefers Auto-rickshaw despite having personal car, because rickshaw drivers are capable of dodging road traffic Always carries original documents of identity and ticket, never had any problem with Ticket Checking etc. Never carries any gold or other ornaments, carries less cash, for security reasons. Wears a Khaki pant, which he believes keeps the trouble away. Carries tiffin with light food e.g. Thepla, Sukhi Bhaji, doesnt buy at food on train Relies on people for information at stations, more than display board and announcements His childrens make bookings for him Deals calmly by taking when any adverse situation arises
  • 20. Nishant Julian Minj | 25 | Student | Gandhinagar Feels good to travel good memories are tunnels, comics, goa trip via pune, kochi trip. It's awesome to be with friends while travelling by train bad will be traveling in a packed train where someone else is on ur seat sleeping at 2am and the entire path is filled , packed with sleeping pilgrimage goers, took us 2 hours just to move our luggage 2 berth ahead i prefer online booking, n minimal luggage,generally last min booking so i'll take a bus, Tickets are always available for bus, but train pe nai. Also i hate general tickets travel Roam around, sleep, listen to music, look outside the window if daylight Bathrooms can be a lot cleaner, But i still have no problems. Definitely the platform toilets needs to be cleaned !! information is available online nowadays for train route n delays.. tickets can be better designed to emphasize relevant information.. Things often get stolen during a journey and passengers vandalise the trains.. if that can be taken care of with better design, it would be awesome
  • 21. Varun Panchal | 25 | Game Developer | Mumbai Planning of a journey consist of all the possible ways to reach the destination, packing the stuff according to the destinations environment and taking the precautionary measures as well Generally I reach 10 to 15 min before the train arrival, but while waiting I usually listen to songs or just see other people moving here and there In India our network is pretty unreliable, hence the only way of passing your time is through music or movies, If you are with family or friends then the pass of time happens via talking and having fun with them Indian railway is pretty good at service but needs a lot of refinement if it wants to get profit for the same, Cleanliness and hygiene is still not a priority for Indian railway
  • 22. Abhidutta srichandan | 25 | Student | Gandhinagar I prefer the default irctc web site, use the journey planner from station A to Station B to see all the available trains according to my date, budget etc I like everything, or else i just sit beside the window and watch things outside, the running train, the kids waving hands, even the city or factory lights at night
  • 23. User Study - Railway Employees
  • 24. Ram Naresh Tangid | 52 | Loco Pilot - Mail Express | Rajasthan Proud to be a part of organisation which serves the nation Joined railways as a Loco-Pilot on 25 March 1987, Class 4 - 10 Years Steam & 20 years Diesel engine experience Refresh training every 3 years and Medical examination each year, so despite age they have to keep fit Basic Pay 68,000/- INR Inadequate rest / lack of proper rest, in the job For night duty (against to nature work), allowance is given TA is not free - 30% taxable, Banking and Salary - Tax, TDS, PF (minor problems) Work like Robot Job Isolates them from family, friends. Cannot be present for own kids Keeps personal problems at home Works against nature - Rain, Heat, Cold and other extreme weather conditions High decibel working environment - train horn, engine sound, air rush due to speed Risks to Heart disease, Blood pressure, Diabetes, Eye and Ear damage Have to stay active all the time during driving, need good hand, eye, brain coordination while simultaneously needing to make decisions and act accordingly, many times they have to shout
  • 25. Responsible about Signal, people, machinery, equipments, maintenance, fire safety, has to operate and repair all of of them while in train, also has to do cleaning and make punchnama in case of some accidents A single mistake may shake the ministry Name is Pilot but the conditions are not slightly similar to the Aero-plane Pilot Goods/Lorry (Maal - Gadi) driver sometimes get upto 36 hours out of headquarter (Home) duty Approximately 16 hrs leave in home, has to take-off as soon a call arrives 104 hours of work within fortnight is mandatory duty time, after that overtime starts Engine has no toilets - it is very difficult to control nature's call until next station arrives, it may get even more difficult for female loco-pilots (currently recruiting) Use of Social-Media has made it even more difficult for open defecation Penalty and punishments are heavy (remove from service) for any mistakes - e.g. Signal crossing by few feets, overspeeding etc. Drivers takes food & luggage of upto 20 kgs from home, private contractors hired by govt. change quite often, so no consistency in food and many times unhygienic Railway provides SIM card, phone is self-purchased, has to attend phone-calls anytime, otherwise complaints are lodged Many Run-over experiences, have to stop train and take action. Police enquiry, at-least 10 times in last 7 years Schedule should be changed. Window screen, Speedometer, Seat, head light should at-least be up to a minimum standard for the convenience of driver
  • 26. Shakti Rajawat | 32 | Inspector - RPF Ahmedabad Division Theft of Personal Belongings (Maximum reported cases in ADI region) Coordinate with GRP & RPF for distribution of force Number of RPF personnel in ADI division - 200, while travelling in train, they get off as soon as their jurisdiction is over and return 1 & 遜 years of training including approximately 90% commonalities and 10% specific Has to respond anytime, even outside working hours Response to Run-Over : Save life (human or cattle) : Disposal / Legal Processes follows Section 147 RM : Prohibition of people entering railway tracks Daily diary / General Diary / Post Diary - a daily document containing activities explanations with time stamp Uncertain about any activities, No fixed routine, this is hectic sometimes RPF ADI is the 1st division to have Body worn Camera - which helps for evidence collection and does the job of 2-3 men simultaneously 182 Helpline : Responds immediately if on stations, if in between they attend to it in the next station Variety of complaints e.g. about fetching milk, lights, fan, coach etc. Ladies mostly complain about Misbehaviour and eve-teasing while Gents complain about Quarrels, fights, abuses
  • 27. Sailesh Parmar | Public Relations Inspector, DRM Office Manage and grant permissions of shooting recording etc, press and media, press release of all departments. Recruitment done through RRB. Started working as Loco Pilot, had to quit because eyesight became weak. Driver duty is broken into small duration chunks. Only trains like shatabdi have single driver. Longest distance is Valsad to Ahmedabad, 5hrs. Lots of readings to take note of when driving, keeps them engaged. Diesel and Electric locomotives have different training, used to drive Electric locomotives. Had to face accidents, Truck, Cattle, Suicide attempters, track crossers, etc. All drivers face such incidents. On his first trip had experienced a suicide attempter, bent down to not see the death, but did not hear voice later informed that he escaped at last moment. Stopping trains not feasible, passengers can get injured, train brakes get locked, machinery get damaged. If accidents occur they throw a stone with details of accidents at next station, Police and authorities sent to the scene. High Priority trains have extra technical staff in engines else only driver and co- driver.
  • 28. About Railways Commercial department handles all commercial activities including vendors, porters, etc. Private contracts given on lease based on trains. Cleaning, catering, etc. All documentation, salary payments, promotions, transfers managed at the division headquarters. Grade B and C Recruitment are done through Railway Recruitment Board (Cell). Recruitments are not regular. RRBs based on divisions, large divisions have boards. Requirements of employees are indented and then based on requirements and urgency exams are conducted. Exams, Orals, Psychology tests done based on requirements. Railways provide on demand doctor services in case of emergencies, which is chargable. Cattle guard is there in front of the locomotive, if cattle guard is damaged by large animals like elephants and cows then the brake cable breaks and brakes are applied. Loco pilots need to be prepared for abnormal events like , human/animal run over, difficult signals etc. If accidents occur and engine is damaged then they may need to remove remains.
  • 29. Station Manager | Ahmedabad Overall incharge of station, admin power over staff and other departments. Operation Dept. Operation and working of trains, Station Superintendent is under operations, yards and station premises maintenance under him, 60 station managers under the amd superintendent. Ahmedabad station has two yards. Primary maintenance of trains is cleaning and safety checks (inside coach, central pivot, etc) Premier trains like rajdhani shatabdi have mechanical dept onboard. Max work time of loco pilots is 8 hrs for mail and express trains, Link of drivers is made for achieving this. Goods trains can have higher than 8 work hours. Employees have passes for travel on trains, tickets are booked using this pass. Officers get metal passes. Privilege passes get privilege passes which allow 6 journeys on trains free of charge. UPSC and Promotion are two ways in which officer posts are fulfilled. UPSC officers have higher work term so higher chances of promotion. Most difficult jobs are gangman and loco pilot. Gangmans job is to maintain the tracks, he has to take of rail fractures, checking for washouts. Station Managers (Additional Operations Superintendent) Officers pool post Station Superintendent (Operations Superintendent) Station Master Route Relay Interlocking system is used in ahmedabad station, it works by making paths for movement of trains on each line. Panel interlocking is done my individually changing all the track points.
  • 30. Until the route is interlocked the signals will not work. Level crossing gates also work on the same interlocking signal. Gates in the station area are under Traffic department, gates in between stations are operated by Engineering department. Gates between stations may or may not be interlocked. Unmanned level crossings are the largest reason for railway related deaths in India. Executive Lounge, internet, magazine, food, spacious, luxurious, etc in the old ticket counter, planned for ahmedabad station similar to New Delhi station (Rs 150, IRCTC run). Acs in TV waiting room now removed, free wifi provided, TV not no necessary because of that. Armour entertainment systems is announcement systems used. Catering units are licensed, they pay water charges, rent,, etc. Rates and quantity of food provided is prescribed. Quality compromise in there, its cause of complaint sometimes, bill is also to be given. Railway court and Magistrate are there to deal with RPF complaints. Ahmedabad station have more complications, stations like mumbai have more public sense and hence less requirements of RPF and further Ahmedabad station is in old area, people throw trash on tracks. Do not allow food donations on station as it promotes more homeless to stay on stations. Long distance passengers come a little early. Long distance with less rate passengers, labour forces who are sent en mass etc are those who stay on platforms. High traffic always on general classes. Diesel Multiple Unit, Trains Electric Multiple Unit trains. 28 second halt for trains. (Like local trains) No toilets to incorporate more people, new racks started to have toilets due to longer journeys (300 kms) than planned (100kms). Old locomotives did not have washrooms unlike newer ones. Demand was for ACs too but not met due to stress based work environment, and high risk factor. High allowances given to loco pilots. Loco Pilots and guards have to do breath analysis test everytime when going on and off duty. Communication between loco pilots and guard is done by changing brake pressure. Pulling chains applies breaks for all the coaches in the trains, dropping pressure applies brakes.
  • 31. Mr. Wilbert Samson | | Train Superintendent - Western Railway Job profile includes checking tickets of First class passengers, managing and coordinating with train staff including Loco Pilots, Guards, Ticket Checkers, Catering staff, Cleaning staff, etc. Prefers AC First Class vs Anubhuti coach because of better legroom and comfort. Working since 34 years, 31 years on Rajdhani. From Mumbai. Currently working with all female TC crew, do not like the odd working hours, some stay far away in mumbai less time for family. Long work hours, no fixed schedule. Long distance journeys to and fro and then get break for proportionate days. No need to Try to solve complaints on train itself. Was corrupt, stopped 10 years ago. Never caught by Vigilance staff or RPF or enquiry. Does not hide his story from kids. No seat for TC on Sabarmati express. If no vacant seats, have to sit on attendant seat. Legs swollen when reach home, need rest. Have to stay away from home. Train berth allocated to rest not sleep even on long distance trains. 16 hrs journey in Rajdhani 8 hrs gap and then 16 hrs return. Extra Rest out of Home. Time between to and fro can be spent in running rooms. Running rooms not good, bed bugs, etc. Some ticket checkers like the current work rules, like to stay away from home, affairs, drinking, gambling, etc. Some passengers ask for favours if they don't have tickets.
  • 33. Running Room (ADI Junction)
  • 34. Sabarmati Railway Station Free Parking lot two-four wheelers No guard or authority present to monitor Despite above, people maintained column Kids playing cricket at parking lot, concrete floor
  • 35. Sabarmati Railway Station Ramps available for luggage and wheelchair accessibility for disabled Unreserved ticket counter Detailed instructions and train information on station
  • 36. Sabarmati Railway Station Rail tracks Maintenance car and crew Train arriving at station, station staff showing green flag