My husband and myself were travelling from Chennai-Coimbatore in Cheran Express Train Number: 12673 on 5- Sep- 2011 (PNR-Number: 454-5189826). We were taking our pet dog with us. As instructed we had taken our dog 2hrs prior to the departure of the train to Chennai Central to book our dog with the parcel services so that he can travel with the Guard. My husband took the form to be filled which is common for all kinds of parcels. It had no specific asking about details of the pet, breed, age etc. The queue was very very long and almost after 45mins, my husband's turn came. On reaching the counter the booking officer very rudely said " Dont you know that you have to fill the details about the dog? You are wasting my time.." On saying so he kept the form aside and never gave it back. My husband apologized and said he was not aware as none of such details were asked when we travelled from Coimbatore to Chennai just 2 days before and filled the details. On handing over the corrected form the officer once again snarled and said " I will make you cry today... Go i will send the booking slip with a loader". Normally the booking slip should be given to us after the booking is done. But we didnt say anything and rushed to the platform, to place our dog and then find our coach (B3).
Our train departure was at 22:10hrs and until 20mins before the departure time the guard doesnt come. The cleaner in the guard compartment said that if we have the booking slip he would board the dog and then one of us could wait until the guard came. So my husband rushed back to the parcel counter and asked for the slip for which the officer said sarcastically" Go.. Go i will send the slip"(the slip was on his desk). We were getting tensed as the station is very busy with so many people rushing to their trains. We still hadnt gone to our compartment and placed our luggage. My dog was getting restless, some people were passing bad comments as to why we have brought a dog to the station... all this was so heartening and terrible to hear as pet lover. Finally when the guard arrived the loader comes with both the slips and we boarded our pet, paid the loader a bribe of Rs.20/- and rushed to our coach just in time... we stepped in our coach and the train departed.
This kind of verbal harassment is to seriously looked into. That officer on duty not only wilfully made us suffer because of our mere ignorance of not filling the form as per his requirement, but he was abusing almost every other passenger who had come to book their luggage. One should understand how difficult it would have been for the pet which is already scared of the crowd and the kind of unnecessary mental strain we underwent that night.
thanks and regards
Rukmeni Sarathkuma
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