Mumbai: Central and Western Railway are quietly steering passengers toward WhatsApp numbers and personal mobile contacts of divisional officials and contractors instead of the official 139 helpline a practice that sources say is artificially reducing the number of complaints recorded in official data.
In recent months, coaches of long-distance trains have begun displaying these informal contact details, prompting passengers to lodge grievances directly with local officials. Since complaints made over WhatsApp or personal mobile numbers are often not entered into the centralised complaint system, they leave no official data trail keeping recorded complaint figures lower.
The impact is already visible in official statistics. Western Railway’s Divisional Railway Manager for the Mumbai division, Pankaj Singh, while presenting the annual review, stated that helpline complaints on Western Railway had dropped by 9 per cent this year. However, railway insiders claim the decline reflects diversion of complaints rather than an actual improvement in services.
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The 139 helpline system operates round-the-clock in 12 languages and logs every complaint while tracking response time and resolution status. These records form the basis for departmental performance assessments. Bypassing this system creates accountability gaps and may reduce pressure on the railways to improve services.
Passengers, meanwhile, are left confused. With both official and informal contact channels displayed inside coaches, many are unsure which platform should be used to register complaints. Railway officials maintain that the official system remains effective. “Rail Madad and the complaint system are regularly monitored and action is taken accordingly. Steps are being taken to further strengthen it,” said Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer, Western Railway.
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