Errors slip into rail reservation lists, leave passengers in splits

LUDHIANA: With the rise in online railway bookings, scrolling through the reservation list may have become a rare practice, but just a close look at these could leave you in splits.
Among the passengers resting at the waiting hall of Ludhiana railway station, Mohsin Ali had an interesting tale to share. "When I boarded my train to Bhopal last week, my name on the chart appeared as Mausi Ali.People read it out loud and mocked the error, which embarrassed me, said Mohsin, a beautician from Dugri."
"It is difficult to identify people's handwriting on reservation forms. Filling the form in block letters would keep the writing a bit clearer," said DRM of Ferozepur Rail division N C Goyal, adding, "And names don't really matter but PNR numbers do."
Vivek Samaiya, who travelled between Ludhiana and Gwalior, said he remembers clarifying the spelling of his name while booking the ticket. "But when I checked it on the chart, my name had changed to Bibek," he says.
Biju Kochuonunni, a Keralite who resides at Kidwai Nagar, said he avoids his long and tough-to-pronounce second name. "I mention my name as Biju K O in reservation forms as I do not even remember what railways made of my surname the last time I spelled it," he added. "South Indians use their father's name as surnames and I personally hate it when my surname is fiddled with. The reservation officials at the counter should concentrate on entering correct spellings," says medical student from CMC Sarvi Shashi.
"My husband continues to tease my friend Ankita Khanna, who visited me this summer as Gannna because her second name was misspelled so," said Model Town resident Reena Soni.