‘Adjust kariye', says staff as leaky VB roof leaves students drenched

Time of India

24-06-2025

Lucknow: A trip in the premium Vande Bharat Express (22415) became a tale of disappointment and trauma for a final year undergraduate of physical therapy, who was heading back to Delhi with his family, and other passengers on Monday.
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Travelling from Varanasi to Delhi in the C7 coach (242627), Darshil Mishra faced an unexpected downpour—not from the sky, but from the train's roof due to some fault in air conditioning.
"My ordeal started as I boarded the train in Varanasi. My tablet, trousers as well as other passengers were drenched due to leaky roof. To prevent the leak, the staff switched off the AC around my berth, which was next to the entry door of the coach.
Now, I and other passengers were not only drenched but continued the uncomfortable journey amid humid conditions," recounted Darshil.
When Darshil raised the issue with onboard railway staff, the response was a dismissive "adjust kariye" (just adjust).
Adding to the frustration, the train ticket examiner (TTE) never showed up to address the situation.
"The Vande Bharat Express, touted as a symbol of modern rail travel in India, promises comfort and efficiency.
However, this incident highlights serious maintenance lapses that undermine its reputation. Further even after reaching out to DRM Lucknow division social media handle, no action was taken," said Darshil, who filed a complaint in the consumer forum for a refund.
Darshil is pursuing Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Ambala. After reaching Delhi, he boarded a connecting Vande Bharat Express to reach Ambala while his mother and brother alighted at Delhi, where they reside.
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The incident, captured on video by Darshil, has since gone viral on social media, igniting widespread outrage against
.
Netizens have slammed the railways, with many calling for accountability and improved service standards. The railways is yet to issue an official statement.
However, a note prepared by Northern Railway following the incident reads, "This incident could have been avoided if additional metallic washer had been wielded over the existing washer of return air filter of the air conditioning system. The incident in C7 happened due to a choked drain hole of a drip tray beneath the cooling coil."
The railways has suspended V S Galhot, senior section engineer Varanasi, rake in-charge for not ensuring proper draining of condensate water through drain hole during regular maintenance.