The Great Indian Railway Apathy

It gave me Goosebumps when the headlines told about a 24-year old killed in the bomb blast in the train, which was running late. Near Déjà vu moment, just 4 days ago. I was about to take the Kerala Express to reach Delhi from Vijaywada (Near to Guntur). I have always loved railways, as it showed life as it is. Added, belonging to an average middle class, I felt air travel was beyond what I deserved, except for inevitable emergencies. So, I went through the 1^st stage - the Tatkal booking. Let the play begin !

Stood in the queue for 3 hours only to see my counter officer talking on phone, at 10:00 am - yes, the time when the bookings start like mad in the whole nation. People behind me - shouting, most of them even jumping the line and the rest of us were in suspended animation. We were not to miss his attention through that small glass opening as he would throw the form away, if the smallest detail was unclear (in my case, the full form of New Delhi, NDLS, dint work as per his rules.) After winning the race, I went home with the pride of winning The Bharat Ratna equivalent, only unaware of the perks I got free with it. 

I went to the station promptly the next day; it was announced to be late by 10 hours. The enquiry process is another feat - Half of those machines don’t work, the only saving grace is the Internet I thought. It was my 2^nd wrong step. 

 

Spot the train option in Indiarailgov.in was showing the expected arrival at 4:00 pm, enquiry fellow shouted at me (just less than swearing) for asking futile questions. He promptly leaves for the lunch break 30 minutes before and comes to the office 1 hour late. I had 10 solid hours to explore the station. Vijayawada was expected to be one of those decent stations in my state. Then began the waiting hall debate. I was requesting the lady to let my parents in as I was travelling alone and was not safe for me to wait till 12 in the night. The cold reply to my polite request was to  go take a hotel room outside “Can’t you afford half a thousand bucks when you booked an a/c chair car?” Yes, we the voters don’t get a say till the next election. We waited outside, drinking that watery coffee (note, standards aren’t maintained, in any level). Curiosity made me check that website which was still showing 4:00 pm arrival when the clock ticked 5:30 pm. The LOL moment.

I had been a cooperative citizen till then - I never litter on the platforms/trains and carry a bag for the waste, always bought the parking tickets and platform tickets, never used the lift which was for the elderly. But I lost my cool, when people there, showed that apathy is not just big word, but a way of life. These were chunks of their duty after all. In the meanwhile, there is this constant stick-your-eyes-glued phase, watching that little TV showing various train arrivals. It resembled a world cup match. Uff's of people whose train is still not displayed, and swift joy for those who had a platform number shown. The train finally arrived at 11:45 pm, actual arrival being 10:15 am. 

My worried parents asked the family in my coupe to keep a watch on me. Yes, ladies have the cumulative disadvantage in such scenarios. 2nd Class Sleeper berths aren’t safe in the first place, nobody checks who came in or jumps out. So book the A/c car, whether you can afford it or not, if you have to travel alone. Yes, the very next morning started the typical Indian male flirting. What could I do, except for dissecting that in my head? There is no place I knew where I could complaint/ write a grievance against that in the whole train. TTE (The Travelling Ticket Examiner)comes only if he can make some money in letting an authorised passenger. As it takes almost 25 hours to reach your destination, you tend to get befriended with the Co- travellers, but, yeah, wait. This rule is dangerous for women, fate ! Poker face is the best and then look away. A new tool I found, speaking in English and reading an English newspaper. 90% of the nuisance cut down. Food. Oh yeah. The best I had ever got, only charging twice its worth. Well, better that those movie scenes, which carried cockroaches and papery papads.

My point is simple. Why to torture the passengers who are in concordance with the rules. We never did dharnas for the railway price hikes. We never complain for the stinking shitholes, sorry, the bathrooms in the train. We don’t destroy your berths with marker ink’s “praneeth loves radha”. Is silence considered the new helplessness ? I wonder.

If I had to take a pro-government stand in all my views, I can rant this paragraph “ certain committee recommendations are to be stringently followed, there is need to awaken and empower the civil society, draft new rules as per the changing demands and allow holistic international collaborations”. Common man just doesn’t get all that. Remember, a particular class of people have already discarded railways and shifted to air travels. Safety has already given a blind eye, so far no one spoke of it in the plan documents nor amongst serious academic discussions. Indian railways is the largest employer in the world, yet such service availability is not a good way out. Improve it or please remove “Athithi Devo Bhava” from Incredible India’s tourism promotion. It’s as if we, the passengers are made gods, deprived of a chance to articulate our legitimate say. 

This is not to blame the system per se, we, the people also make significant contributions to make it dysfunctional. Start with spitting on platforms, jump the queues, avoid buying tickets. If this proceeds, Railways The life line of my nation, will not take longer to become the dead end. Of zero hope and null growth. 

P.S I want to quote my friend who says, Govt most often doesn't serve us, it assumes charity tone, assuming we are passive recipients and Citizens assume no resposibilities and want all rights, in the most prompt way. Any debates ?