Railways Offers Massage Services, Netizens Remind it of Filthy Toilets, Poor Safety Record

In a historic move, the Indian Railways has decided to add massages to the list of services provided on trains. Not surprisingly, many in India had an opinion on that.

The massage services are going to be made available on 39 trains departing from Indore, a railway official said Saturday. Services will include foot and head massages for Rs 100 each.

According to railway officials, the move is meant to bolster revenues from non-ticket sources in railways. However, the new service may not have been met with as much enthusiasm as authorities would have hoped.

As the news filtered out on social media, many netizens felt that the adding a massage service was unnecessary, especially when so many other sectors of the railways required more attention such as hygiene and food quality.

Others stressed that instead of adding superficial services, the railways should rather concentrate its energies on maintaining punctuality and making the transport system more efficient.

Not sure who came up with this stupid idea of massage service on train, at this trend soon spa, bar, dance may be introduced. Let railways focus on providing safe, reliable, fast transport instead of such pathetic, stupid, third rated ideas!

— Core Socio (@CoreSocio) June 8, 2019

@indianrailway__ @PiyushGoyalOffc @PiyushGoyal @RailwaySeva Kindly focus on toilet cleaning.Massage is not a necessary issue but toilet is during Journey.

— Amarendra yadav (@iamAmar264) June 8, 2019

HMMM Run a more efficient railway system, upgrade underlying infrastructure, improve health and safety ? Nope. Foot massage is what passengers require https://t.co/v4Q0T1yzzu

— advait palepu (@advaitrao1) June 8, 2019

Massage services? In trains? Thailand banane ka hai railways ko?

— Proud Indian (@prajakta_s_c) June 8, 2019

It's been long available for free in suburban trains under @drmsdah. The push nd shove in overcrowded 🚆 is no lesser than a massage 😉

— ABong (@aBong_aami) June 8, 2019

Hope they don't massage the pockets too while doing head and foot massage

— zorba (@khannaa) June 8, 2019

Railway ministry is not concentrating for the safe and efficient travel. Stupid idea.

— sivakumar (@msiva1957) June 8, 2019

The services are expected to roll out in 115-20 days and expected to earn the Railways expecting to earn an additional revenue of Rs 20 lakh annually and an estimated increase of Rs 90 lakh per year through additional sale of tickets from about 20,000 passenger who will be the service providers.

(With inputs from PTI)