Mumbai flagged of its first Metro
Line yesterday. Mumbaikars gets one more alternative for public transport,
local trains though will still always be at the center of our hearts. People have memories of struggle, love,
happiness, fear , success associated with it. Local trains rides have its
peculiar characteristics which our advanced Metro System might fall short to
offer. Few Things of Local Trains you may probably miss in a Metro…or may be not...
- Hawkers turning the local to a mini shopping mall, a source of entertainment at times. Merchandise consists of Combs, Key Chains, Wallets, Cough Tablets, Laser Pens, etc etc…this list would be endless if our female friends contributed to this blog.
- Hanging at the door is probably the world cheapest adventure sport. It takes some practice to give way to people to get in and get out when a station arrives and yet don’t lose the spot to competition eyeing on it. They will pounce on a single opportunity you leave the space. People even fight for it. However it is freely up for grabs once it is raining cats and dogs.
- The fourth seat is a fundamental right of every passenger who failed to make it to the other three seats. The ones who dont offer the fourth seat are looked down upon.This guy who fought his way to enter among the first may not make it to the fourth seat in the metro. Or may be.
- The blockers or the train bullies are the ones Mumbaikars would never to wish to see in the Metro. There is no way to get out of the metro even if you fight and manage to wrestle through these maniacs and finally stamp your face on a automatically closing door.
- Train Groups singing Bhajan Kirtan on top of their vocal chords. Some of them are really good, while others are plain nuisance. I wonder what will happen if they are given a closed environment in a metro.
- Another type of train groups who reserve seats for members who are going to board few stations down the line.
- Women cutting vegetables. Fellow passengers even helping them!
- Adventurists getting down at some station to pack samosas for his gang back in train and managing to catch a running train after taking full change back from the canteen guy who is also running with him.
- People opening their brief cases pulling out a pack of cards and all the office bags now become a table for playing cards. I think this may continue in a metro as well.
- Asking the lucky ones sitting where they will get down and stand just next to him. Putting half of ones weight over him to declare to others…”Don’t you dare try sitting here, its mine!”
- Killing time eating bhel or having jaljeera soda in the station while waiting for train or Getting a quick shoe polish. Will the metro station have all this value added services?
- Romeos doing stunts before ladies dabba, touching electric poles besides tracks while train is in full speed. Some travelling atop. Unfortunately he will not have the stage to display his talents in the metro.
- Video Coach, yes the bogie in which starved men can ogle at women. Someone is going to get disappointed.
- Numerous ‘Baba Bangali’, ‘Pass Directly’ posters will hopefully not make its way to a metro.
- Names and Numbers etched on the train for ‘Love’, ‘True Friendship’ etc
- An additional coat of red on the bogie, free of cost by passengers spitting ghutka and paan.
- Beggars singing to “pardesi, pardesi jaana nahi” with tile chips in their hands.
- And of course who can forget the Fights. Some just end in empty threats. Aah disappointing!
