Bed Bugs and Cockroaches stop Sethu Express!!!

Bushes near the shunting station are a reason for cockroaches to find their way into the coaches

In a bizarre incident, Bed Bugs and Cockroaches in the AC Compartment of the Rameswaram-Chennai Egmore Sethu Express meant the train had to be halted for almost 90minutes at the Tiruchchirapalli Junction last week.

When the train was about to leave the station, well past mid night, the passengers pulled down the chain. After spraying the disinfectants and cockroach repellents, when the train was about to leave again, the passengers from the next AC coach rushed out complaining that the cockroaches had changed coaches thanks to the spray.

And now, it was time to spray the disinfectant in the other coach.

Railway Sources say that the reason for this is the lack of attention and supervision at the shunting station. Another important reason is the sprouting of big bushes at many of the shunting places that has aided the bugs and cockroaches to find their way into the coaches.

While cockroaches have been part and parcel of the Sleeper coaches, their presence in the AC coaches leaves one raising the question on the quality of maintenance of the coaches.