I am a regular traveler of routes- Coimbatore-Bangalore, Chennai-Coimbatore, Salem-Chennai and vice versa. Sometimes I travel by train, mostly by bus. Often I travel by KPN rather than other operators. I woudn’t say KPN is bad, but I like to indicate some of the sensitive issues I faced in KPN travels.
I travelled by KPN AC SLEEPER from Bangalore to Coimbatore, Thursday, October 13, 2011(10.30PM-Kalasipalayam) and I would rate it as my worst experience in KPN ever. As soon as we (Me and my sister) boarded the bus, the bus assistant came to our berths and arrogantly shouted to keep our bags down. After that the bus departed and it was stopped for a break near Adayar Anandha Bhavan(NH7, Hosur-Krisnagiri Road). To my surprise the driver and assistant didn’t convey anybody to use the rest room. They two were just relaxing. I wen’t down and told them that I need to use the rest room. To my sudden surprise, they both shouted at me that I should come fast. That is the first time in my life I saw any KPN driver and assistant shout like that. After that I heard the KPN driver saying to the assistant that two people have got down, see whether they come quickly, as if a Jailer let the prisoners to use the rest room. When I returned back to my bus, my sister said that the bus assistant came to our berth, suddenly opened the screen and was watching what she was doing, when she turned, he had left. After that near thoppur, the assistant suddenly opened the screen of our berth and watched us what we were doing. This continued after Salem and after Perundurai too. I was really very much frustrated, but since my sister’s privacy will get affected, I stayed silent.
The second incident happened when I was travelling alone from Chennai to Salem on 21st October 2011 by KPN AC SLEEPER( 10.30 PM-Koyambedu). This time I was travelling alone and I have booked Single upper berth. It was midnight and I think the bus was somewhere near Ambur and it was halted. Suddenly I saw the bus assistant peeping through L7 and L8 berths of with a small gap in the screen. He peeped for nearly 5 minutes. L7 and L8 berths were being occupied by a Husband and wife in the middle 30’s. I was really shocked and understood that this happens in almost all KPN AC sleeper buses.
I woudn’t say I hate KPN and I won’t travel in it at all, since we are obliged to travel by it sometimes for various reasons, but I have made a promise to myself never to travel in KPN AC SLEEPER again in my life. Many people book KPN SLEEPER buses to have a peaceful sleep during journey, but the sad part is we don’t know what happens after we sleep. Nearly after one year am posting this article because everybody travelling by KPN AC SLEEPER should know what is happening inside the bus. Next time when you travel by KPN AC sleeper, beware your privacy is DESTRUCTED and you are EXPOSED. Please forward this article to your friends, family and your loved ones so that my experience might create some awareness to them.
Please note: This might happen with other operators too, but I don’t know about that. My experience was with KPN.