Overcrowding in Trains

The overcrowding in out trains, especially in the intermediate and third class, and not infrequently in the second also, has become a chronic complaint for some years. The authorities of the North-Western Railway have no doubt been anxious to do all that is possible to prevent it. As a matter of the fact the train service had attained a high degree of efficiency when the process of cutting down the number of trains started, first at the time of the doubling of the Lahore-Ambala line, and later, owing to the war. The result has been extremely unfortunate, particularly for the two lowest classes. It is a frequent sight to see certain trains invariably packed like sardines from one end to the other. Men, women and children are huddled together in every possible corner and numbers of them often strain their necks outside the windows to breathe. An instance in point is the fast passenger which arrives at Lahore at 21.25 p.m. or thereabouts. Throughout its journey to Lahore and onwards the train is packed to its fullest, the number of actually seated being out of all proportion to those shown in the compartments as provided for. On the night of 30th July, when the train reached Wazirabad station, it is reported, the dead body of a Mahomedan passenger was taken out of a 3rd class bogie carriage and the man was believed to have been suffocated to death.