                                 Railways are the lifeline of Mumbai connecting different places across. The western and the central our the 2 routes on which passengers ply the most via Mumbai Local, there also is the harbour line. Nowadays the ‘gap-trap’, there is a wide gap between the platform and the local train which is causing accidents has brought the Mumbai local on the front pages but whether or not in the media glare for the common man it is a part of daily commute and in a broad sense has become a part of their lives.
Commuting in a Mumbai local is of utmost convenience for a Mabaikar, very reasonable and saves a lot of time. However it’s a nightmare for people coming from other states and most the people get claustrophobic just at the sight of the crowd at the stations. Mumbai locals have changed a lot, the old red and yellow coaches have been changed to white and purple, the seats have become better and the windows are much better. But what hasn’t changed is the experience one would have in a daily commute.
An individual would definitely come across vendors on a Borivali – Churchgate bound train or vice a versa. In ladies compartment they enter and sell all kinds of clips, earrings, bindi’s, all types of accessories. One gets a good deal after a rattling negotiation. They offer a variety of things and at reasonable price; the quality is mostly good depending on one’s luck. There are also vendors selling vegetables or seasonal fruits at times at certain stations. There are these women who try selling and marketing their products of Avon and Oriflame. Home utility stuff and other things like napkins, mats, etc is also sold by these vendors. It’s a nice time to shop for women whose day starts with going to office and ends with hurriedly returning home.
Often one also hears a fight breaking out between women, God alone knows the reason, people around are too scared to bother to ask. They hurl out abuses at each other, grumping and furiously fighting. These women are an entertainment package for the remaining compartment. There are also some who utilise their journey time by taking a nap or by reading novels. Some women who have to reach home and cook, clean the vegetables and there are other spiritual or religious ones who prefer to chant or read religious stotra’s. There are a few who have a fixed time for daily commute and end up boarding the same train, they end up getting acquainted and in the long run become friends. They talk about their routine activities, work life, family, share recipes and problems, etc. unknowingly this daily commute becomes a big part of their life.
Mumbai locals are a big part of Mumbai, it is because of the people commuting daily in these trains. different individuals having different dreams and destinations yet making the same journey one day after another. board on a train to experience it for yourself it’s much more than words can ever say just beware if you board the Virar local.
–Â Anjani Nautiyal
yeah missing the local train travel… rightly said ‘different dreams & different destinations’ yet the same journey day after day for many mumbaikars !