Hurrying up quickly, beating all obstacles and stepping in safely inside the local is the small adventure we all perform every day. Our incredible local trains never fail to provide us the best service. The local trains of Mumbai spread over 465 kilometers (289 mi), the suburban railway operates 2,342 train services and carries more than 7.5 million commuters daily. By annual ridership (2.64 billion), the Mumbai Suburban Railway is the busiest rapid transit system in the world. It has some of the most severe overcrowding in the world and the Trains run from 4 AM until 1 AM. There are 6 no of lines. The western has 36 stations, 62 in central, 32 in harbor and 10 in trans-harbor.
Perhaps we really do no care this awing information. As far as concerned, we know how the real local trains work and is everyone’s favorite travel vehicle. We abuse it but it’s the first alternative that we select too. The point the trains enters the platform track we peep in to gaze at the amount of crowd available and will it be safe to catch this one. It’s true and funny. If not it’s better to leave it and instead of grinning over missing a train remember Salman khan’s famous useful dialogue “Never run behind a train and girl, it keeps on coming” 😛 it teaches us to be patient and we cannot get everything in life. It’s one in a blue moon when you get a proper satisfactory seat to complete your travel. The new 4th seat introduced where all the already 3 seaters pledge some kindness and shift in order to produce some space at the edge where the 4th seater can rest. This provides some amount of relief instead of working a whole busy day and again standing in trains. Kudos to the unknown inventor.
Also the funny moment arises when people book a standing place, taking the support of the walls. The seat bookings are common though where we are asked “Where we are going to halt” and it’s not allowed to say “why should I say you, who are you to ask me that?” if you are halting place arrives earlier then the offeror – your seat is booked and as soon as you get up to avail the door the person is most happy to finally sit. We poor Indians.
All the train travelers don’t know each other’s still when asked where are you halting. – The station’s name is ready. It’s like a lingo which is passed. We are given new names on the basis of our halting stations. People call you and ask– ‘dadar?’ as if it’s your name. And you say ‘yes’. This lingo’s will never die and are super fun if you have the vision. The advertisements sticked everywhere are the mid-entertainers when it’s raining and your window has to be shut down. Even if you want to feel the cool breeze and water strains on your face. Sadly, it’s not alone you in the train – the other thousands have paid too.
The other and most important best thing about the local trains are the PEOPLE. You can see all species of people in your 20 minutes ride. Right from when you are pushed by 2 on the door and you struggle to come in and someone makes an irritating noise because your bag seemed to touch the passer by, you get stuck in between and want to go to the other side where another again pushes you to reach the door (selfish). The train starts and you miss your balance and someone holds and saves you (helping), you finally stand properly and clean up your cold sweat and another stranger gives you an effortless smile, you smile back and feel good (kind) While others daringly enjoy the wind at the door side (lively), some aunties gossiping and uselessly complaining about their in laws, (gossipers) a girl silently reading a novel in this noise,(unreactive) an old lady struggling to operate her phone,(curious) a girl is lost in her dreams and doesn’t respond you when you ask her to go ahead, the jewelry vendor comes and all suddenly pop out their eyes and scan all the stuffs, while some ignore it and some really don’t bother to devote an eye. Bargaining never fades and the scene is watchable which also gives you great tips.
A girl leaves her standing place to go to the door and you take her place, your beside aunt is screamingly telling her tragedy story to her friends which attracts the interest of all standing near the door and wall. The great scenery outside makes you feel fresh. While another station comes, more people climb up and squeeze your front and side which irritates you gives a sought of pain and another woman facing the same situation as your give you a big smile laughing and dealing with the expected situation. You both smile and adjust to occupy a safe small space in the squeezing crowd and wait desperately to get out of this shit. You are lovingly pushed out of the train as your station arrives. You shrug off yourself and arrange up quickly and blow a breathe off. Incredible!!!
We all face this, but many get offended, angry and irritated. Common, look at its serine philosophy… the one I mentioned up. The incredible Indian local trains where we want to get a space. During rains there has to be “the trains problem” which gives us some real excuses to bunk college and work. But it works every day and never fail to entertain people’s hopes. Kudos to the railway workers who work constantly during bad weathers and clear the tracks and make it possible for mumbaikars to head start our daily routine journeys. Trains provide employment to the vendors who get great marketing in the train itself. They earn. The only thing that upsets me when those small cute boys and girls, in their cute dirty clothes travel in trains alone, selling their products. They don’t know what fear is, they are not aware of many such aspects either. God bless this souls.
Tip to toe our local trains’ rolls in all the crazy, beautiful and awing things in one journey and every journey. There are metros building and there will be bullet trains coming – but the incredibility of Local rains will be alive!
SANGITA MAITY.
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