Trapped On Benches: How Indian Railways’ LHB ‘Modernisation’ Turned The Jan Shatabdi Into A Nightmare
For years, the intercity rail arteries of Kerala have served as the indispensable backbone for thousands of daily commuters, families, and elderly travellers moving between the state’s bustling hubs. Yet, what was once a dependable, comfortable journey has swiftly degenerated into an ordeal of physical endurance. The culprit is not a delay or poor service, but a systemic design overhaul that has replaced human-centric comfort with rigid, unyielding metal and foam.
As this reporter experienced firsthand, a simple family journey from Kozhikode to Kayamkulam district aboard the Jan Shatabdi Express (Train 12081) exposed the stark reality of Indian Railways’ coach upgrades started in October 2024. Normally, my family and I rely on overnight services like the Malabar Express or the Maveli Express, or we opt for the afternoon Kozhikode–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi (Train 12075). However, boarding Train 12081 on this occasion proved to be a thoroughly hellish ordeal, driven entirely by the train’s new seating configuration.
The conventional Kozhikode–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi relied on older Integral Coach Factory (ICF) rakes that featured individual, ergonomic reclining seats equipped with armrests and integrated food trays. By contrast, the newer rake introduced to the Kannur–Thiruvananthapuram route represents the Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) technology. Rolled out with much fanfare, these German-engineered steel coaches were touted by authorities as a massive leap forward in passenger safety and operational speed. Yet, for those sitting in non-AC Second Seating (2S) coaches, the reality is a drastic, agonising downgrade.
The L-shaped structure of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) seats
The crux of the problem lies in the coach’s L-shaped, 90-degree seating architecture—a layout virtually identical to short-distance Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) commuter trains. These fixed, face-to-face three-seater benches are fundamentally unsuited for long-distance transit. Covering a six-hour stretch became an exercise in pain management. So severe was the discomfort that many spent large portions of the journey standing up in the aisle simply to relieve the pressure on their backs.
Throughout the coach, the scene was one of collective distress. Every hour brought fresh complaints from elderly passengers grappling with the impossible task of remaining upright on hard, vertical seats with stiff cushioning. In our coach alone, an elderly gentleman lamented how difficult it was for senior citizens to endure hours on end without reclining flexibility, fondly recalling the older individual chair cars that provided proper body support. A fellow traveller, who suffers from physical health issues, endured severe distress during the long stretch from Calicut to Kotttayam.
“This seating design is not merely inhumane; it is entirely unscientific for journeys that span six to eight hours, such as the full run from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram,” commented the elderly person. The sentiment among commuters is unanimous: Indian Railways must reinstate reclining seats for long-haul Jan Shatabdi services.
The old ICF recliner chairs
This outcry is far from an isolated incident. Across the country, passengers forced onto the upgraded 2S LHB coaches have taken to social media and public forums to express their fury. One aggrieved traveller on Reddit captured the widespread anger after taking a similar coach on the Pune Express: “Whoever designed these seats and approved them for installation needs to be in jail, and whoever gave the idea to make them front-to-front facing should also be in jail… How would someone be able to travel 6 hours without any issue plus it hurts just to sit on it? Paid 15 rupees extra for a comfortable reserved journey just to get general coach-like seats… I had the option for a bus, but I thought the train would be more comfortable, but unfortunately, railways failed me.”
When Southern Railway announced the upgrade of the Thiruvananthapuram–Kozhikode Jan Shatabdi to LHB rakes on social media, claiming it offered “modern comfort and enhanced safety standards,” the comment section was quickly flooded with sharp rebukes.
One user, Jophy Jose, wrote: “For the general seats, it’s a disaster. Earlier seats were recliners, but the current seats are 90-degree seats. Longer travellers will feel severe fatigue and neck pain. Earlier LHB coach upgrades have the same issue. The passengers mentioned that earlier, but the railway ignored it.”
Many complain that this model is not spacious enough for three people
Another user remarked bitterly: “Ignorant officials of Indian Railways don’t understand the difference between a ‘chair’ and a ‘bench’. Chair car is now more like bench car.” Others termed the experience a “trauma” and noted that the narrow three-seater benches barely accommodate three adults comfortably.
The disconnect stems from a nationwide standardization policy. According to official railway specifications, the 3×3 non-AC LHB seating configuration (designated as LWSCZ/LWS) is a standardized blueprint designed to maximise capacity and lower manufacturing costs across all regional zones. While older ICF Jan Shatabdi rakes featured individual, divided push-back seats with pull-out dining trays, the standardized LHB 2S layout crams 102 seats per coach onto fixed metal-framed benches with sliding windows, eliminating armrests, footrests, and meal tables entirely.
Trapped On Benches: How Indian Railways’ LHB ‘Modernisation’ Turned The Jan Shatabdi Into A Nightmare
Ironically, while the upgrade was promoted as a modernization project, according to reports, it actually reduced overall passenger capacity on the Kannur Jan Shatabdi. The older ICF train configuration accommodated 1,856 passengers, with 106 seats per non-AC coach. The new LHB rake yields only 1,663 total seats—a loss of 193 seats overall—even as non-AC seating capacity dropped to 102 per coach. While AC Chair Car capacity saw a slight increase from 219 to 234 seats, the non-AC majority faced a double blow: reduced overall train capacity paired with vastly inferior comfort.
