A summer trip---

Its 5 a.m. An early summer morning in the heart of Indian Subcontinent. The daylight has already indicated the beginning of another hot day. We were in platform No. 6 in NDLS. In between Purushottam Express and Shramjeevi Express (coming from Rajgir). Yellings of people everywhere. My eyes were wandering in the platform as if I was looking for a missing person .

The crowd was of poor people from different places in India. Male, female, boys and girls, majority are youngsters. My eyes last focused on a small family, seems they were from Bihar. The young wife tries to dress her small naughty son. She forces him to wear a small trouser and the boy was running here and there. Last the by surrendered and the mother could win. Standing near to him was his elder brother and his father. Father appears to be in his mid 25’s, but looking like a College Boy with smart dressing though he was of medium built. His wife was dark complexioned and the saree was carelessly folded either side of the body. A very lean ordinary Indian women who represents the rural poverty and strugglefull  life.  After she could complete her first assignment of the day (To wear the dress of her children, she nodded her head to her husband as if she was gaining permission to move. The man took the small child and along with the boy and with his wife he moved in to the crowd.

My attention shifted to the side of the train this time. Three kids (eldest-boy, elder-boy and young-girl). The boys accompanied the girl to the coach side. The little girl around one year or so slowly stood near to the coach and pizzed. Two bold brothers of her (aged 3 and 5) guarded her left and right  side. I was really amazed by the care shown by the young siblings of this baby girl, while her parents were sitting side by side and preparing to leave with their children to the next destination.

We moved to plat form no. 6 (advised by a coolie) in search of an EMU which goes to Nizamuddin Railway station. It is approximately 5.30 a.m. Noone could give us an answer that which platform the train may come, or at what time. A shop keeper casually told that train may come at 6.20 in the same platform but no guarantee that it would come in platform no. 6 . suddenly we could hear an announcement in a slow voice that the train is arriving at platform no. 8. We moved to platform and literally rushed to the  train to catch it.

It was fully packed. This suburban train is the metro for poor people of Delhi. The inside of the train gave a picture of poor and suffering people of India who absolutely has no idea about scams  or scandals of cricket or 2g or coal etc. etc. People, many of them are malnourished moves with the entire family in search of their fortune in Delhi. The only thing I could see was though they are the citizens of the country, denied of basic facilities due to their paying capacity,   still they have hopes in their eyes. Me and my wife balanced in the slow moving train with handful of luggage. People are every where, in seats and even floor.

Reached Nizamuudin station and now our hunt was for a place to sit and freshen up. Had a first look on the amenities in the station. Lot of passengers arriving by different  trains, and many boards to their final destinations. But the quality of amenities are very poor in the station. I wanted to take a bath and  after seeing the terrible scene at the station I avoided using toilets. The toilets are very poor in construction. Doors are damaged and even I witnessed the door of a toilet room fallen down. My waiting for bathroom shown me the category of people who use these facilities. There is no age group or class for basic amenities. Availability of a shade is most important and this is where our governments fail . To offer  some basic facilities to people of this country.

At the end it was my turn to use the bath room. the only available thing is a pipe of approximately 0ne meter above floor and a small tap. No Mug. No bucket and don’t expect a hook to hang your cloths. Leave your cloths on the wall and squeeze your body under the tap. Nobody to check the time and was till as you wish until the person waiting his turn in que may not hit your door. I quickly took a shower (crow bath in Malayalam) and moved out to catch the waiting room.

There is no tea vendor inside the Nizamuddin station. But there are two outlets of Comesum (A leading brand of restaurants in railway stations). I went to check whether tea is available, but could find the price of a cup of tea is Rs. 20/- A big paper glass with full of boiled white water and a dip tea packet you call it as dip tea. It is truly torturing that a cup of tea can’t be expected, but we have softdrinks and packed food at a very decent price. (Nothing is available for even Rs.30). Imagine how an average Indian who earn less than Rs. 100 a day lives.

Millions of commuters use Indian Railways a day. In the adverse weather conditions, living itself is a challenge.  Poor facilities, higher prices and colourful locations and neon lights to attract the rich. But  what about the ordinary Indian...!