AC chair coach dropped from Padma Express

Friday, April 24, 2009

Despite good demand, the Western Railway Authorities dropped the lone air-conditioned (AC) chair coach from Padma Express train that runs between Dhaka and Rajshahi from yesterday.

The train starts for Dhaka from Rajshahi in the afternoon and leaves the capital for Rajshahi at midnight.

The railway authorities said the AC chair coach has been added to a Dhaka-bound train from Khulna as the AC coach of Chitra Express needs repair.

"The Padma Express will get back its AC coach within two weeks when the AC coach of Chitra Express will be repaired," said the chief commercial manager of Western Railway.

"We have decided to drop the coach temporarily following its 30 percent demand. Moreover, the Padma Express has an AC berth-coach alongside the AC chair coach," he added.

However, the passengers have complained that the dropping of AC chair coach would have a bad impact on the service of Padma Express as its demand have risen this summer.

They say they prefer AC chair coach to AC bus for Dhaka as the chair coach costs only Tk 334 per seat while a seat of AC bus costs Tk 500.

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