Infected & Infested

Pleas click: http://youtu.be/w5Vsn899LYg

September 30, 2014, I was booked for Abu Road Station to spend one week at the hill station Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Departure time for the train was 0744 hrs. Rafiq and Ajay dropped me at the Railway Station Jammu that is 8 minute drive from my place at Kunjwani. Rafiq was on the wheel.

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.

Empty hand wash bottle was awkwardly in a hanging position exhibiting emptiness of the railways.

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.