Not worth the fare: Genuine passengers statement.Duped and hopes belied, the passengers rue the absence of the cellular phone and e-mail facilities on board. But more than that, they long for the warm hospitality of ``smiling'' hostesses who, it had been promised, would greet the passengers. Stinking toilets, dry taps and lack of other basic facilities put them off, passengers told The Indian Express reporter who travelled from Amritsar to Ludhiana, yesterday.

Kanika Soni, a student who boarded the train at Jalandhar, complained that cellular phone was not available. Dr Renu Bajaj wanted to talk to her husband but was disappointed. The promised mobile telephone service whichwas available for the first few days of the launch of the train on Independence Day, went off the air for reasons not known even to the officials accompanying the train.

Vijay Dutt, Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Operations), when contacted in Delhi, however, said that the passengers were not keen on getting the mobile facility as most carried own mobile phones. ``If cooling is good, cleanliness is proper, food is okay and seats are comfortable, the mission is successful,'' he added.

In fact, the mobile telephone connection between the driver and guard of the train had failed to save the railways from an utter embarrassment on September 1 when the engine had got detached from the train after crossing Jalandhar and the driver learnt about it only after reaching Ludhiana. The train was late by three hours. ``It was a bad lapse'', admitted Vijay Dutt. ``We hope it will not happen again'', he said and added that no inquiry was needed into the incident.

Again, passengers, mostly business class,complained to this reporter about stinking toilets. Ashok Aggarwal, a Delhi-based businessman said, he had no choice but to take his bottle of mineral water to the toilet. ``I travel in executive class paying a fare of Rs 1180 which is double the AC car chair fare and equal to the air fare between Delhi and Amritsar. One expects at least the basic facilities,'' he said.

Another businessman conceded that hospitality had of late improved but complained about the non-availability of water in the toilets. Brig S S Bhatti, General Manager, Adani Exports of Ahmedabad, said that the tissue paper and toilet paper were not available.

Incidentally, two engineers of the Northern Railway who were travelling in the compartment, contested the passengers' claim and offered to accompany them to the toilet to see things for themselves. To their surprise and the amusement of the passengers, the flush tank was dry. Anil Mahajan, another businessman, said the train had been reduced to any other Shatabadi. The store wherefood was stored was not clean. Hardip Singh and Tagdi Singh from the United Kingdom, said it took them 45 minutes to get tickets for the train at Amritsar station. Hardip Singh said they stood in the queue for about 15 minutes before the clerk at the counter told them to fill the form. When they submitted the form, they were told to write the train number which they did not know.

K V Rehani, an engineer from Pune, found fault with the design of the coaches. ``Can't they make world class quality coaches'', he asked. He said the wiring was exposed and western seats were not suitably fixed.``The VVIPs are spoiling the culture of this prestigious train,'' complained Rajinder Vashist of Delhi. He said on September 7, he travelled from Delhi to Amritsar and a Samajwadi Party leader was also on board along with his supporters. He alleged that the supporters pulled the chain, drank beer and caused discomfort to the passengers. The train was delayed for about 15 minutes at Jalandhar to facilitate the leader. Havingseven chair cars, one tatkal and one executive coach, Swaran Jayanti runs almost empty from Amritsar to Ludhiana and runs to capacity onwards.