Thursday, February 09, 2006
Taj Express: The train to Agra falls from grace
By Brij Khandelwal
Agra: Once the blue eyed flag bearer of Indian railways the Taj Express to Agra has fallen on bad days. Its celebrity status as a prestigious train, recognized as one of the best trains worldwide has been snatched away by Shatabdi Express.
Foreign tourists have en masse switched over to Shatabdi Express, while the domestic budget tourists who unknowingly happen to board the Taj Express have plenty of time to rue their decision.
The facilities are poor. People board the train without reservation and pull the chain to get down virtually at their door-steps. Daily commuters from Kosi to Mathura and Agra follow no rules and there is little that the railway staff can do to discipline hordes of rowdies who board the train unrestricted from just anywhere. Railway officials say the degeneration process started when politics got the better of Taj Express, which lost its glory and élan, after its run was extended to Gwalior by late Madhav Rao Scindia.
During the 9th Asian Games in October 1982, the Taj Express was modeled on the Great Oriental Express of the west. In terms of décor, accommodation and the standard of comforts it was closer to the Deccan Queen run between Mumbai and Pune. Recalls Rajan Kishore, a frequent traveler of the 1980s, “Taj Express trips used to be a memorable experience. The train never got late and we got off fresh and smiling at the New Delhi railway station. What made the Taj Express popular those days were the promise of a less tiring journey, orderly and comfortable seating arrangement, the overall ambience of the train, the thrill of a “chuk chuk karta” steam engine, coupled with synchronized sight seeing trips by UP roadways buses.”
The bullet nosed WP class of locomotives, with a crew of four ensured the train stuck to a punctual time schedule. At times the train touched 120 kmph from the average 105 kmph. “We did have quite a few express trains those days which were part of the historical tradition like the Frontier Mail, the Punjab Mail and the Toofan Express,” reminiscences old timer Rajendra babu, adding “ there was something uniquely romantic about a trip to Delhi by the Taj Express.”
When it started in 1964, the Taj Express was drawn by a WP 7003 steam engine, which roared past history on its way to Agra. In 1982 the navy/cream colored steam engine made way to a standard Indian railway Maroon colored diesel engine and in 1986 Taj Express had an electric engine. These days it is hauled by a WAP/4 or WAM/4 high- powered engine.
After 1998, the ex-darling of the Indian railways was reduced to just another train. Facilities declined and the pantry car also vanished. On an average day the train is full of daily commuters, big families out on an outing to Agra with all the paraphernalia in attendance from paranthas to bananas and oranges. The foreign tourists have long deserted the train except for a stray couple in the AC compartment.
“We have allowed history and heritage to be vandalized, “laments a retired ticket collector whose stiff and starched uniform used to be the talk of train.
Agra: Once the blue eyed flag bearer of Indian railways the Taj Express to Agra has fallen on bad days. Its celebrity status as a prestigious train, recognized as one of the best trains worldwide has been snatched away by Shatabdi Express.
Foreign tourists have en masse switched over to Shatabdi Express, while the domestic budget tourists who unknowingly happen to board the Taj Express have plenty of time to rue their decision.
The facilities are poor. People board the train without reservation and pull the chain to get down virtually at their door-steps. Daily commuters from Kosi to Mathura and Agra follow no rules and there is little that the railway staff can do to discipline hordes of rowdies who board the train unrestricted from just anywhere. Railway officials say the degeneration process started when politics got the better of Taj Express, which lost its glory and élan, after its run was extended to Gwalior by late Madhav Rao Scindia.
During the 9th Asian Games in October 1982, the Taj Express was modeled on the Great Oriental Express of the west. In terms of décor, accommodation and the standard of comforts it was closer to the Deccan Queen run between Mumbai and Pune. Recalls Rajan Kishore, a frequent traveler of the 1980s, “Taj Express trips used to be a memorable experience. The train never got late and we got off fresh and smiling at the New Delhi railway station. What made the Taj Express popular those days were the promise of a less tiring journey, orderly and comfortable seating arrangement, the overall ambience of the train, the thrill of a “chuk chuk karta” steam engine, coupled with synchronized sight seeing trips by UP roadways buses.”
The bullet nosed WP class of locomotives, with a crew of four ensured the train stuck to a punctual time schedule. At times the train touched 120 kmph from the average 105 kmph. “We did have quite a few express trains those days which were part of the historical tradition like the Frontier Mail, the Punjab Mail and the Toofan Express,” reminiscences old timer Rajendra babu, adding “ there was something uniquely romantic about a trip to Delhi by the Taj Express.”
When it started in 1964, the Taj Express was drawn by a WP 7003 steam engine, which roared past history on its way to Agra. In 1982 the navy/cream colored steam engine made way to a standard Indian railway Maroon colored diesel engine and in 1986 Taj Express had an electric engine. These days it is hauled by a WAP/4 or WAM/4 high- powered engine.
After 1998, the ex-darling of the Indian railways was reduced to just another train. Facilities declined and the pantry car also vanished. On an average day the train is full of daily commuters, big families out on an outing to Agra with all the paraphernalia in attendance from paranthas to bananas and oranges. The foreign tourists have long deserted the train except for a stray couple in the AC compartment.
“We have allowed history and heritage to be vandalized, “laments a retired ticket collector whose stiff and starched uniform used to be the talk of train.
# posted by mediabhartiwebsolutions @ 1:34 AM 
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]