Recognising the hardships faced by sportspeople during train travel, the Indian Railways will set a sports equipment policy that spells out how sports goods can be transported, The Indian Express understands.
Following last week’s incident at Rajahmundry station, where poles tied to the window grill were offloaded as pole vault athletes were travelling from Bhubaneswar to Salem after a competition, the railways have asked ticket-checking staff to be mindful of the plight of sportspeople on trains.
In a letter dated May 8, Shivraj Manaspure, a senior Divisional Commercial manager of the Central Railway, advised ticket-checking staff to adopt a ‘considerate approach’ towards sportspeople and their equipment, asking them to be ‘polite and courteous’.
The Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and the Indian Railway Traffic Department, which oversees freight and passenger movement, have been in talks with the sports ministry over the past two months to understand the extent of the issue and the type and dimensions of the equipment, including poles that measure up to 5.20 metres, arrows used in archery and rowing equipment, among others.
In January this year, former national record holder Dev Meena and his coach were fined for carrying pole vaults before boarding the train at the Panvel railway station. Meena was travelling with the current national record holder, Kuldeep Kumar, after participating in the Inter-University Championships in Mangaluru.
The Indian Express understands that sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, taking note of Meena and Kumar’s ordeal, reached out to the Ministry of Railways to highlight the need for a policy on transporting sports equipment. “Following an earlier incident at the start of the year, of pole vault athletes having difficulty in boarding a train with their equipment, the sports ministry had asked the railway ministry to find a solution. The sports ministry is hopeful that rules for transporting sports equipment will be notified soon,” a sports ministry source told The Indian Express on Saturday.
A railway official confirmed that they were working closely with the sports ministry. “The issue of carrying sports equipment has come to the attention of the railway administration. Proactive action is being taken. Because it is a sports-related issue, the railways are in touch with the sports ministry to address policy issues and had to get details like the equipment size, what kind of equipment, etc,” a railway official said.
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The latest episode of tension between pole vaulters and railway staff occurred in Rajamundhry. Five athletes were travelling with eight poles when the Railway Police Force personnel cut the ropes securing the poles to the window grills. Kavinraja, the reigning U20 Federation Cup, had to jump off the moving train to pick up the poles, which cost Rs 1 lakh each.
The Athletics Federation of India spokesperson and World Athletics vice president Adille Sumariwalla said the federation was in touch with the sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) about sports equipment and rail travel for athletes. “Yes, we are working on it through the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Sports Authority of India. All equipment, including throwing equipment,” Sumariwalla told this paper on Saturday.
Manaspure, the senior Divisional Commercial manager of the Central Railway, said in a letter dated May 8 that ticket-checking staff must adopt a ‘considerate approach’ when it comes to sportspeople and their equipment.
“It has been observed that sportspersons frequently travel by train while carrying sports equipment of large size and dimensions, such as kits, bags, poles, specialised gear etc., for participation in National and state level championships. In this regard, all are advised to maintain a polite, courteous and considerate approach while dealing with such passengers. Their equipment, though bulky, is essential for participation in the competitions and should be handled with understanding. While ensuring compliance with railway rules regarding luggage, staff must avoid rude behaviour or harassment. Special care should be taken to uphold the image of Indian Railways as a passenger-friendly organisation,” the letter mentioned.
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In March, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a circular which mentioned that ‘carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments are to be facilitated in a transparent and passenger-friendly manner’.
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