On the road to Sabarmati-5
In my maiden On the road to Sabarmati-1 (https://konsultramesh.medium.com/on-the-road-to-sabarmati-2-8a8a2da2fcd), I went ga-ga over the performance of Train №22222 Delhi Mumbai Rajadhani Express. Land transport friends more or less have eaten my head lambasting for such a pro-rail piece, though the focus was on passenger, not freight, movement.
Yes, Kumbakarn has woken up from the deep slumber. The Railways is a different entity today, daily performing and posting its improved performance profile.
My transport guru, the late Chittranjan Dass, always maintained that rail and road have no option but to co-exist. Teekay, rail has been a sarkari baby from the British rule of India. Post-Independence, a such practice continued. Even the double driver format for long hauls recommended by the government was from the learnings of railways.
Why go elsewhere? Vinod Dasari, ex-Ashok Leyland supremo, harped on the rest and relay model for freight movement by road, purely based on the Railways model. Such a model was a total flop in India (practiced by Rivigo). Now that Mahindra Logistics has recently bought over that part of the business, will the rest and relay model get a new lease of life? From the first special logistics secretary, N Sivasailam, to the rest and relay drivers (the actual participants) have revealed their minds.
The success of this practice needs an open mind and pure cold business calculations. Operational cost is bound to explode. At the same time, operational efficiency also goes northwards. The question is whether the final outcome out beats the effort. Put it differently, does the rest and relay model helps the fleet operators to make a profit? If it had all the noise over the past 8–9 years, the land operators would have embraced a la the successful Dharmanda-Hemamalini marital alliance!
Chalo, back to my bitter rail travel from Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to the Orange City: Nagpur by 12289 Nagpur Duronta Express.
We boarded the train just as it was about to leave Platform 18 at the Victoria Terminus. Love or hate me, I prefer VT to CSMT — mouthful! I am no loyalist of the mercantilist and slave trade promoter British
monarchy. Still, VT sounds better. Like calling Mount Road in Chennai almost half a century after it was renamed Anna Salai in Chennai.
Before 12289 could cross Dadar, we realized this overnight intercity express does not provide a pillow and blanket. Dear passengers, bring your bed rolls! It was a big disappointment.
Soon we learned there is no onboard food service, although the steep price one pays for the journey. Mind you, it is a non-stop Mumbai-Nagpur speedster. Hunger rose its ugly head after eating lunch around 1 pm and a few rounds of garam chai. But no food service, co-passengers said. Actually, we were misled by Google Aunty. She said that all was hunky dory: food was available.
As co-passengers began unpacking their homemade food in front of us and began their jaw movements collectively (not a noiseless job, you know!), My colleague and I began looking through the window, trying to count whatever was moving in the opposite direction, cursing our fate.
One blanket vendor was doing brisk business to the unfortunate lot like us. The easy option was to buy a pair, use it, and take it home. We did not. Fools we were. We kept bugging the blanket vendor about the possibility of food packets. He assured us that we may be lucky. Someone may come. Did he use “may,” or was it our hunger-induced hallucination? As 12289 crossed Kalyan, one vendor offered tasteless, cold bricky biryani. Anything is better than nothing. We imbibed half of it and dumped the rest into the bin. Chalo, one problem is solved.
The lights went off, and screens were pulled to shut out the passage light. The temperature was moving southwards. The lady passenger above me in the upper berth was snoring happily. The noise pattern was rhythmic:. Snorers will never admit it, and the sufferers can never forget the snore-watching exercise.
Yes, it was a sleepless night. An unforgettable journey, not in a positive manner. Dear Ashwiniji, don’t do this, Sir! Why not provision the Rajadhani style bed kit? Clean toilets are fine. Cleanliness is fine. But no pillows and blanket or linen? Don’t kill poor souls like me! Please!
P.S. Hang on. Sabarmati is around the corner!
