Friday, September 11, 2015

Training in a Mumbai local train

"Kya ye Malad ka line hai. Aap Malad otoroge" (Is this Malad line? Would you get down at Malad?) A man asked while trying to get down at Malad station in a Churchgate slow local. I told him "Ye Goregoan ka line hai"(This is Goregoan line). And he replied, "Muje subah hi patha chala ki Goregaon aur Malad ka separate line hai" (I got to know in the morning that there are two separate lines for Malad and Goregaon). I smiled at him and he got down at Malad station.


Mumbai local trains have typical rules predefined, formed over a period of time. People who get into the train without knowledge end up either getting down at wrong station or hear some sarcastic comments from other passengers.

A person who wants to get down before Borivali station will never catch a Virar local. This requires just one time experience travelling in a Virar local when the train is crowded ;)

People from Kandivali and Malad would spend around 30min extra just to get seat by catching a Borivali return train to reach Churchgate. They usually cannot get inside train during peak hours. Some good Samaritans get up at Bandra for other fellow passengers to sit. 

A train delayed for just five minutes will double the people standing on platforms and this would add to people woes. Some would dangerously stand hanging on the footboard. This is not at all a good learning.

Difference between first and second class compartments is that you would sometime get to hear sophisticated bad words in English ;) Only three person can sit on the seats while in second class, fourth person can be adjusted after a bit of push and requests. First class compartments have soft cushioned seats. All these three features are available at 12 times the cost of a second class fare ;)


It's takes just two days to get trained in a Mumbai local train and get accustomed to the "so" called rules.

2 comments:

sangeetha menon said...

Can relate to the post so much Prashant. I am from virar too..

Prashant Karkera said...

:)