On Saturday (20th April), the Ministry of Railways, in a series of tweets, busted fake news pointing out that old videos with misleading claims have been circulating on social media to allege overcrowding and lack of basic amenities in trains. The ministry said that the videos showing overcrowded train coaches and other irregularities are old. Additionally, the Ministry of Railways also urged netizens to not ‘malign the image of Indian Railways’ by sharing misleading/old videos.
Notably, in the last few days, several videos showing overcrowded trains were circulating on social media, with the claim that people without tickets are crowding reserved coaches, even preventing passengers with reservations from reaching their berths. Moreover, several netizens while trying to peddle the opposition’s propaganda of ‘privatisation’ of Indian railways in the future, alleged that the Indian Railways was not providing basic amenities like water, cleanliness in toilets, crowd management in reserved coaches, and adequate number of trains to ease passenger traffic. It was further claimed that even semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains are also running overcrowded.
However, days after their posts started doing rounds, the Indian Railways updated the current status of the trains in question that were mentioned in these misleading videos.
By sharing the live update of the ‘structural’ health and hygiene of these trains and amenities provided thereof, the Ministry of Railways categorically noted that the videos being peddled to malign the Indian Railways are old based on which misleading claims are being made.
Incidentally, the Ministry has prominently highlighted three fake instances that are doing rounds.
A post claimed that passengers who had reservations in the third Air condition compartment (3rd AC) were not allowed to board the Kaifiyaat SF Express (12226) as the train was packed to the fullest. Resultantly, the angry passengers waiting outside broke the glass panel fitted in the compartment gate.
Responding to the post, the Ministry stated, “Based on the internal investigation, no such incident related to breaking of glass was reported. Kindly refrain from sharing old misleading videos,” as it also shared the status of the 3rd AC compartment mentioned in the viral video in which the glass panel is seen intact in the compartment gate.
Based on the internal investigation. No such incident related to breaking of glass was reported. Kindly refrain from sharing old misleading videos. https://t.co/9TlYqVIVdr pic.twitter.com/hrBsf4MoAh
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 20, 2024
Likewise, another post called out by the Ministry of Railways for spreading fake news claimed grievances in four different trains/railway stations namely Ranchi-Patna bound Vande Bharat, 3rd AC Coach, station in Bihar, and an S1 coach in train number 14632.
The post also alleged systematic destruction of the Indian Railways under the Modi government. The handle brazened it up by alleging that all types of Trains are running either late, have no water, have dirty Toilets, or transport humans like ‘cattle’. The post further alleged that this was being done ‘intentionally’ for the privatisation of the Indian railways, a trope that the opposition has been using against the Modi government to allege nexus between major corporate houses and the Union government.
In separate videos recorded from the said trains in question, the Ministry called out the fake claims made in the aforementioned post in all four different trains. “The present video of the coach. No overcrowding. Please don’t malign the image of Indian Railways by sharing misleading videos,” the ministry said in a tweet.
The present video of the coach. No overcrowding. Please don't malign the image of Indian Railways by sharing misleading videos. https://t.co/70xQkhRVdT pic.twitter.com/ivz9LDyFly
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 20, 2024
Referring to claims of overcrowded trains including Vande Bharat trains, the ministry clarified that the videos are old. The rail ministry also posted a video of the preset condition of a Vande Bharat train, which is not crowded.
It is hereby informed that videos shared in this post are old. Watch the present condition of train mentioned. IR is running record number of additional trains in this season to facilitate passengers. https://t.co/rcz3znHGia pic.twitter.com/BELcfYbbeZ
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 20, 2024
Regarding the concerns of overcrowding, the Ministry of Railways also noted that the Indian Railways is running a record number of additional trains in this season to facilitate passengers.
It is pertinent to note that the Modi government has laid a special focus on improving the punctuality of Indian railways, cleanliness, increasing the speed of trains by launching advanced and high-speed trains like Vande Bharat, dedicated freight corridors, and improving the Railway infrastructure including steps to averse accidents like the elimination of manned railway crossings and deployment of Kavach system among others. The slew of developmental measures by the Indian railways have been hailed as one of the striking achievements of the Modi government in the last ten years.
