Cockroach Menace In Trains Leaves Passengers Sleepless

KAKINADA: The increasing presence of cockroaches and insects on some trains has become a major concern for rail passengers, with complaints about poor maintenance and unhygienic conditions increasing. Especially passengers traveling long distances face great difficulties due to insect infestation in buses and toilets.

Gatti Satyanarayana, president of Godavari districts railway passengers association, said that the association has received many complaints from passengers regarding poor maintenance of trains. He noted that cockroaches and insects deprive passengers of sleep and create an uncomfortable travel experience.

According to him, trains like Seshadri Express, Kakinada-Hisar Express and SKMT-Bengaluru-Balurghat Express are among the trains where maintenance standards have deteriorated. It is reported that women and children are afraid to use train toilets due to the presence of cockroaches, and passengers have sleepless nights as the insects fly over the docks.

Satyanarayana cited the experience of a passenger traveling on the Balurghat train who shared photos of the invasion on social media. Railway staff responded by spraying insecticides near the docks, but the cockroaches returned within a few hours, rendering the exercise ineffective.

Passengers also complained about poor cleaning and the lack of locks on some toilets. A female passenger traveling on the Hisar train said that insects were found everywhere in the carriage, from the sleeper class to the air-conditioned compartments. He added that even ticket collectors cannot provide a permanent solution because they do not have the tools to eliminate the infestation.

Satyanarayana urged divisional railway managers of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam to take immediate steps to resolve the issue. He said passengers pay significant fees and deserve clean and hygienic travel conditions. The association plans to make a representation to the railway authorities and has warned that it will launch an agitation if corrective measures are not taken immediately.