The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Reader's Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 09, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Reader's Mail

Mast lamp

It is almost nine months since a mast lamp was erected in the traffic island of Thiruvagoundanur bypass of the national highway. The highmast lamp is yet to be commissioned. The traffic island is dark and highly accident-prone. Will the authorities concerned commission the highmast lamp immediately?

Anirudh,
Salem.

Welfare scheme

This refers to the report on the Government's welfare scheme for pregnant women (The Hindu, Dec 31). The Chief Minister's gesture in offering financial assistance to women for care during pre-delivery and post-delivery period is laudable. The scheme should cover daily wage employees, low income groups, financially backward middle class women, temple priests' families etc. Information regarding the scheme should be intimated to all maternity hospitals and should be telecast.

M.S. Sankaran,
Palani.

Students' dilemma

A lot has been written about the entrance examination for professional courses. The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed a Bill scrapping the entrance examination. However, it is yet to become a law. Many students have filed cases in courts against the entrance exam cancellation. One is not sure whether a final decision about the entrance examination will be made in the near future. The plus two examination will begin on March 1 and the students are not sure whether there will be an entrance examination or not. The government should announce that status quo will remain and declare without any ambiguity that the entrance examination will be conducted this year. Cancellation, if legally possible, may be from the academic year 2008.

V.S. Venkatavaradan,
Salem.

Train fare refund

This refers to the report `Railway fares lack transparency' (Dec 28). Coimbatore Consumer Cause has said that the railways collect "hidden" charges while reserving tickets such as reservation charges, safety surcharge and supplementary charge for superfast trains and extra reservation charges for return journey tickets. Added to this is the difficulty in getting refund of the excess money because of stringent rules and formalities.

For instance, an ordinary class ticket fare from Erode to Chennai on Yercaud Express is Rs. 194, which includes reservation charge, safety charge, berth and open ticket amount (Rs. 25+10+60+99=194). It is difficult to get reservation in this train.

After RAC passengers, waitlisted (WL) passengers are allotted berths and seats. But the WL passengers not allotted berths and seats are forced to travel in seat only. The charge collected for berth at the time of booking the ticket is to be refunded to the passengers. But the excess amount refund (ie. berth charge Rs. 60) procedure is very stringent. Claims for refund will be entertained only if the following conditions are met: TTEs should certify that the ticket holder has not availed himself of berth.

Tickets should be handed over to station supervisor at the railway station. Only if berth is confirmed can the TTE collect the extra amount.

V.S. Ganesamurthy,
Erode.

(Mail to cbereaders@

thehindu.co.in with address and telephone number)

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