Lengthy seat adjusting levers leave Kovai Express passengers fuming

CHENNAI: Southern Railway’s decision to increase the length of the seat adjusting levers in chair car coaches of Chennai - Coimbatore Kovai Express has drawn flak from a section of rail passengers. 
A mechanical jack is used for adjusting the reclining seats in buses and trains. While the seat adjusting holders are always shorter than the height of seat in buses, the navigating levers in chair car coaches of Kovai Express are longer by two to three inches thereby preventing the passengers from occupying even a bit of space beyond actual dimension of the earmarked seat putting them to hardship, say regular train commuters. 

“I could not fold even one of my legs on the aisle seat of the chair car for nearly eight hours during my recent train travel from Coimbatore to Chennai. When I moved my leg on the right side, my thigh hit against the seat adjusting jack due to which I was forced to keep my legs in the same direction without any movement,” said K Rajendran (63), a commuter from Kodambakkam.

According to official sources, until a few months ago chair cars of Kovai Express were operated with old coaches in which the seat adjusting lever was only within the height of seat. 
Followed by repeated complaints over damaged seats, Southern Railway replaced the old coaches with renovated chair car coaches. During renovation coach floor and interiors were wrapped with vinyl sheets. 
While increasing the cushion, Railways reduced the reclining angle of seats so as to increase the leg space between two opposite seats. The length of the navigating holder also increased. 

Kovai Express is much sought after in Chennai - Coimbatore section. Business class passengers who travel from Chennai to Salem and beyond prefer the air-conditioned coaches.
Referring to the seat adjusting levers in private omni buses and AC buses operated by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala state governments, rail passengers expressed their disbelief that Southern Railway could not design the seats matching the need of passengers. 

Southern Railway Chief Rolling Stock Engineer P Mahesh said different types of seats are used in different classes. “We will look into the issue, if there is any specific complaint on seat design in Kovai Express,” he said.