The behemoth network of two parallel rails running across the entire nation requires a dedicated planning and budget allotment. I want to read a book on Indian railways. trains have been an integral part of my life. I boarded them when i was in school , college and now in the industry. The uniformity and seldom irregularities you find in the entire system of railways is worth noticing and reading.
i append an incident which happened at railway station.
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Last week while i was coming from Indore to Vadodara, i had to wait for my train in a waiting hall. (Indian railways have taken up an initiative by constructing air conditioned waiting halls in major railway stations). There was another bunch of passengers waiting for their respective trains. Out of all the trains which run from Indore there are three trains which i have been noticing since last two months during my travel to Indore. One is Jammu tawi - indore express. This train reminds me of my home town and tats why it has got a mention here.
Second is Indore-pune. this train leaves at around 2:30 from the station.
Third one is my train i.e. Avantka express.
That day was the day before diwali.
Passengers of indore pune train were irate. Their train was 9 hours late. Imagine how bad you feel when you reach the station to board a train , to travel to your home for Diwali ; and then you are told that your train is late by 9 hrs. It is bad.
Luckily it was not my train.
People were making alternate arrangements. Bus and Air were the two options.
I could only sympathize with them. There were two people sitting next to me. They were to board my train. They worked in Indian railways. So it was obvious for me to quench my curiosity about Indian railways. And they reciprocated my gesture. They told me about some technical and managerial procedures about railways.
About the current scenario, they were of the opinion that the train which had just reached indore (9 hrs late) and would be finally leaving for Pune , should be made available in a short span. They told that , normally it takes 6-9 hrs for a train get ready for the next journey(there are certain mandatory checks that are to be performed). So this train will be made available only after 6-9 hrs , and thus make the train run around 9 hrs run behind schedule. However , the two gentleman contended that the train could be made available within 3-4 hrs provided it was done so with an intention to make it happen(the checks to be made can be done quickly). So 6-9 hrs duration can be constrained to 3-4 hrs in times of need.
I appreciated their concern for something which they were not responsible for. At least they were contributing healthily towards a solution for a problem.
And there was another elderly gentleman in the waiting room who was under delusion that he has got some real innovative ideas.
He suggested that all trains which were available at the Indore station currently should be contributing in this fix. Now hear this... " they should take out one coach each from all the available trains and attach it with a spare engine. And the train would be ready to accommodate people for Indore-Pune journey"
And then he cribbed that Indian system is so corrupt and that there should be some youngsters who should protest against this rotting system; and that today's youth lacks the 'AAKROSH' ...
After the most anguished diatribe he could deliver, he left the waiting room because his son had already booked Air tickets for his 'army retired' father.
I wont comment on this small incidence, but probably i can say this.
We should only comment on something about which we know certain things( or we have worked on it to know it). Detaching so many compartments from so many trains and making a new temporary train may solve problem for the Indore-Pune passengers but put a lot other people in trouble. Where will those passengers be adjusted whose compartments were detached to make the new train?? How will those TC manage all the clamouring passengers whose seats were cancelled..??
Probably the elderly gentleman did not have any answers to these obvious questions. And had i dared to put these questions in front of him , i am sure , he would have easily said " its not my job to devise further solutions, Its the Indian railways who are responsible , and let them work on it"....
In a nutshell, if you are unhappy about something then you may express your emotions.Let the concerned people do their job.They will devise some solution.After all they have been working with these system for so many years. Don't let the expression of anguish be so meaningless and unwanted that it simply creates noise.
Noise , which is termed as pollution now a days..
जिसका काम उसी को साजे,
और करे तोह बंदर लागे !!!
