A Tatkal Story.. a long story from my life......
Its funny to hear. But really horrifying to recollect. Being an ordinary Indian Citizen, the difficulties to manage a railway ticket to travel long distance (3000K.M.) . Travelling such a long distance seems to be exciting, but imagine without reservation ... and when the weather is aldo adverse....I had a ticket in 3rd Ac booked in March 2012 to travel between Ernakulam to Guwahy by ERS-GHY express. Three months before status showed WL 1, and on the day of travelling also it stood in the same place (without any change) even after preparation of the chart.
Daring the consequences moved to Platform no 3 by carrying all havey luggages. the AC coach was kept in th front side of the train. To add the agaony heavy rain one side. the Chorus of Workers from West Bengal otherside. I experienced that monsoons in Kerala not only attracts tourists, but also it brings lot of accompanied issues if you are a traveller without any aid/help of porter.
Met the TTE and asked is there any possibility to get inside the train... (even I thought to bribe him, if I get a berth from next day. But the response of the TTE was adament asif he has given the charge of entire Indian Railways... He refused even to hear my bundle of pains to travel such a long distance....
then a huge disappointment gulfed me, and looking for a solution was just beyond reach away from home, to go 300s of KM ahead. moved to platform and started looking for options. (Thanks for my laptop and modem, which helped me in the crucial moment ... laptop hard disk crashed after the trip, perhaps because of the travel stress). from the system found a train from Chennai Egmore to Dibrugarh on the following dates and only way to get a ticket is Tatkal. Mind advised me to check the reservation counter for any possibilities. but time was 10.30 p.m. and the counters are closed. (Here I forgot that CRS facility in stations close after 8.p.m. ) . as the time is over no scope to depend a travel agent too.
But there were almost 8-12 people waiting outside. Few of them were sitting, some of them were sleeping and some of them were outside (Scattered...) from their language I understood that they are Bengalis. (recent years shown a sharp increase in Bengali Migrant Workers presence in Kerala)
It shocked me that to get a tatkal ticket you have to be in que from the previous night.....for my surprise they have shown me a list hanged in front of the gate where few name are written. This is Kerala... you have to be in que...everywhere. but out of the names written many of them are missing. to clarify me, a person standing in que explained that they all will appear here at morning 5-8 a.m. now they are away at their homes.
Managed the huge bags to keep in some place, we started our waiting in front of the counter.
it remained me a nursary rhyme (but modified at my own style).......Pitter patter rain drops...
here it is the heavy showers and intermittant rain...
heavy winds awake you from sleepy eyes...
Horn of Trains give music to your ears
network of thirsty mosquitos
catch you from all corners
mosquitos in Ernakulam is world famous... if you arrive in Ernakulam in night (happend to stay in the road side or small hotels), as if the trade unions of Kerala all mosquitos come to wish you without giving you a break. few cars came in between and parked in front of the station as if they need some rest. some of the cars moved to new destinations.....
my fight with mosquitos taught me a new item... mosquito dance.... once you try to catch one from leg another will hit you at back, another will kist you at years, and some will keep a boundary ahead of your head and some one will guard you from the front.... if you are sleepy your movements will be more rhythemic.
Looking at my face a Keralite came and stood near to me.. He was looking like a new generation rich. I thought atleast I have got a break from Mosquitos as he was there to share the blood.
After a thorough investigation of my whereabouts he started telling his experience. The booking pattern for tatkal in ERS is you have to wait all night. who are in front will be in front. there are 5 counters and in the morning at 7.15 am. a clerk will come. she will direct people to different counters according to your turn. so dont change your position and there is no meaning to write your name in the list as some local dadagiri people (travel agents) will tear the list once they reach. although the majority of people standing there were repreentatives of travel agents.
the time shown 12.00 a.m. next day. my waiting was like each second seems to be like several years.
After sharing this he advised me to stay in his car and spend time till morning. But lovingly I refused to stay in car rether advised hime to stay in his vehicle and I continued my mosquito dance.
Around 3.30 some local people (around 3-4 looking like Ravans) came and checked the list, started calling names. I made sure that my name is therein the right place so thatI can book the ticket immediately after opening. They just repeated the name of the missing and just torn the sheet .... All in the air. no seniority and no majority.. I was stuck like an electric shock. then I decided to fight and not to move an inch.
mean time one lady reached the spot and started to look for a place in the front side of the que. with great hate on all women in this world (because they get priority..... only my concern of over looking equality, as I was in que from 9.30 p.m. previous night. where this lady just came at 5 a.m.). Instead of me several other men started recommending her to go back and stand in que, otherwise you will not even get a plac ein que....
time moved to 7 am , 7.10 a.m. 7.15 a.m., my anxious wait continued till 7.30 a.m. where a lady clerk came and started regulating the traffic of all tatkal ticket bookers.....
I reached counter no. 4 and my tun is 2. sure that I get a chance, but not sure about a ticket. time reached 7.50a.m. then 8 a.m. all system started a wild begining ... People were roaring behind to complete each bookings.
My turn came..08.02. a.m.. my heart beats gone high.. Ticket availablilty is ........its there... a confirmed ticket at the end for the next day....
without even collecting few coins as change, I rushed to the seat,..to cross check boarding point, derture date, and class, age sex etc..... (I stood in que without sitting from 5 a.m. to 8.05 am, the longest in life ).
Real relief, a breath full of relax and happiness atleat to hold a confirmed reservation through tatkal system in Indian Railways.....
Note:
1. It wouldnot have been possible to get my chance if I was there in any other station (including Kerala) as the mad rush of agents and pax I would be surely kicked out.
2. Over dependence of Travel Agents to get a ticket, and the greed of making money (we are forced to pay Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 to get a tatkal tickets during summer vacations)