Infected & Infested
September 30, 2014, I was booked for Abu Road Station to
spend one week at the hill station Mount
Abu
The Railway coolie carried my luggage and placed it under my
seat No: 9 in B1 coach. The train responded to the green signal and took leave
of platform No: 2 at the scheduled departure time.
All the passengers took to their respective positions. The
insects, mostly cockroaches from different stations and different states,
travelled along with us without any ticket. These cockroaches followed the
principle of unity in diversity. Despite being without ticket, they did not
play hide and seek with the ticket checker. Both seemed to be in close harmony.
They even took liberty to brazenly inspect the ticket checker from toe to top.
They seemed to be special guests of the Railway Ministry.
Foul smell was an additional nuisance. I pitied the
passenger that trusted hygiene of the cafeteria that served food to them.
The horrible scenario compelled me to approach one of the
railway employees for some remedial
measures. He raised his hands to express his helplessness. He said that cleanliness is being done by
contractual contractors. The previous contract after its expiry has not been
renewed so far. Let the complaint be made on the complaint book. He directed me
to the Ticket Checker and asked him to get my complaint noted in the complaint
book.
I pointed to the menace of insects to the TC.
The TC said: “I am abreast of the situation. The area of
operation of these cockroaches is my
entire body. They run about my body and care little for my uniform.”
I said: “There is no soap to wash hands in the washroom or
at the wash basin”.
I pitied him, when he offered to share his personal soap
with me.
Soon he came to me with the complaint book. He
simultaneously requested me to pardon him as the complaint would be his
liability.
Click the link and watch my conversation with the Ticket
checker.
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