'The day I felt truly Garib'

Mahim real estate agent spent 16 hours shivering in the cold asu00a0Garib Rath train to Ajmer didn't have enough blanketsRizwan Macchiwala spent his entire journey from Mumbai to Ajmer shivering.The real estate agent from Mahim spent 16 hours in the cold as the Garib Rath train didn't have enough bedrolls and blankets for the 78 people in the compartment.And his return journey yesterday was no different.There were only 30 bedrolls for 78 passengers. I had children travelling with me and they were cold throughout the journey.u00a0I had no problem paying Rs 25 for a bedroll, but the authorities hadn't stacked enough in the train, said Macchiwala. Chilling Encounter: Rizwan Macchiwalau00a0was refused bedfolds and blankets even though he was ready to pay the required Rs 25 for itSeveral complaintsWhen he travelled to Ajmer on December 22, the train had stocked up 50 bedrolls.When I complained to the ticket examiner on the train, he told me that the complaint book was full with passenger grievances about the non-availability of bedrolls for the last few months. Some even said the railways curtail supply so they can charge more from the very desperate passengers, Macchiwala said.Only, if one demands a bedroll the moment one boards the train, does one get it. The railways have to ensure there are enough bedrolls for everyone, he added.2005The year Garib Raths were introduced by the then railway minister Lalu Prasad YadavRs 578The cost of a Mumbai-Ajmer Garib Rath IIIAC ticketRs 891The cost of a IIIAC ticket u00a0on the Mumbai-Ajmer Aravali Express Did you know?The maximum speed of Garib Rath trains is 130 km/hr, which is the same as the Rajdhani Express's top speed. The Other Side Railway officials say that Garib Raths were launched with the intention of providing high-speed air-conditioned trains at minimum fares. Therefore, items like bedrolls are charged for separately. The bedrolls are kept as per demand and passengers are supposed to book them in advance. There is not much demand, as people often carry their own blankets, said Western Railway CPRO S S Gupta.