A holiday in Bangalore had just got over in May. And now Amma and i were on our way back. The train ride was smooth, as we sat and watched the Karnataka countryside roll by, all hills and rolling grasslands. Once the plains came into view however, trouble started.
Our compartment comprised a varied section of travellers, as all compartments do. However, this fact will play a key role later on. For now, the train rattles on.
Well, the train entered Andhra. At Kuppam, it stopped for an unnaturally long time. And we were an hour behind schedule. But luckily we entered Tamil Nadu. Vellore was one and a half hours behind schedule. Here a lot of people got out. And then we reached Wallajah road junction. A sleepy town near Arcot, Wallajah road station is one or two stops before Arrakonam station.
We sat in the train for nearly two hours at that station. Finally, those who could, got out and booked taxis for themselves, and headed home. Chennai. Now the train was nearly 3 hours behind schedule.It was past midday. And there was no clue on what was going on. That was when i called a friend who used to work in the railways. She explained that there was some track laying work going on at Arrakonam station, and that usually took 3-4 days. Were we to be stuck here for that long??
Well, Amma decided to make her own enquiries, and after 15 minutes she came back highly irritated. It seems the engine driver (the engine was hardly 2 compartments away) told her he was only waiting for signal and the TTE told her that he had no idea, and that if she was in a hurry, should get down and book a cab. Irritated, she asked him if he would book it for her, as she had already booked a railway ticket. What was the use?
The other problem with booking a cab was, would there even be cabs available in Wallajah road?
For the last few hours as we sat at Wallajah road, we had been sweating without the AC as well.
That was when we got lucky. The diversity of our group saved us. One man, travelling with his son and some aunts for a wedding in Chennai, knew a van agency in Wallajah road. He managed to get hold of a 15 seater van.
This the man was planning while amma was outside listening to announcements and I charged my phone inside.
Suddenly Amma ran in and said the train would not go even upto Arrakkonam. They were stopping at the previous station! And thats when we were invited onto the van.
15 of us got out of the compartment, and stood on the platform. The man got on his phone and wandered off, leaving his son to guide us to him. Our next hurdle now awaited us. Getting to the van.
First we walked half the length of the platform. Then we crossed the foot over-bridge. That was where we all carried each others luggage, and an old lady, bent double, was helped to hobble up across and down slowly. That was when we heard a trains whistle, and the double decker, that was meant to get there at 8, rolled in at 2. Once back on land outside the station, we crossed a little bridge and got to the bus stop where the van awaited us. Putting our luggage in, and squashing in after it, we all managed somehow. The van then navigated through the town, and entered the highway. I turned off my dying phone, but not before getting some photos. The van would only take us upto Poonamallee but we were fine with that, as that was at least inside Chennai.
The van shot across the state, passing Kanchipuram, and following the course of the Palar, as people talked and got to know each other, something that would not have happened without the accident. Someone talked about how this rail work was apparently mentioned on South Indian Railways FB page, but we all wondered who would bother looking at it. Someone else said they had tweeted this, tagging the Central Minister for Railways, hoping we would all get some compensation for what we had been through.
As we passed the place in Sriperumbedur where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, someone mentioned how they had been working at a nearby factory at that time, but because of calling in sick that day, they had avoided going to the rally and being splattered with blood like his colleagues.
And then at long last, Poonamallee. We said our goodbyes and thanked that man who had booked the van. I turned on my phone and died conveniently died, as we had a quick coffee before heading back home.
The last stage of our journey also bears mentioning. Our Ola driver was very happy to get a South Chennai drop as he lived in Thoraippakkam, and was hoping to get a drop in that area.
As we drove past St Thomas Mount and turned towards Pallikaranai, I saw the last stretch of the MRTS rail, waiting to be connected. Sad really that this vital connection was being held up because of a few metres of land. It was also ironic, as they had ploughed through the marsh for this destroying a natural ecosystem, but a few people insisted on staying put (though they probably didn't have anywhere else to go). The marsh looks reduced everytime I see it, and I try to avoid that route if possible to avoid seeing that depleted marshland.
Finally we reached the ECR, and our driver got a call for a drop to Kottivakkam. He was now doubly happy. Only a couple of kilometres left for him after that on his own money.
We however, were not. Dirty, tired and irritated, we showered the moment we came home and rested well, having had our arrival delayed, (now at 5:30) by 5 and a half hours!
Our compartment comprised a varied section of travellers, as all compartments do. However, this fact will play a key role later on. For now, the train rattles on.
Well, the train entered Andhra. At Kuppam, it stopped for an unnaturally long time. And we were an hour behind schedule. But luckily we entered Tamil Nadu. Vellore was one and a half hours behind schedule. Here a lot of people got out. And then we reached Wallajah road junction. A sleepy town near Arcot, Wallajah road station is one or two stops before Arrakonam station.
We sat in the train for nearly two hours at that station. Finally, those who could, got out and booked taxis for themselves, and headed home. Chennai. Now the train was nearly 3 hours behind schedule.It was past midday. And there was no clue on what was going on. That was when i called a friend who used to work in the railways. She explained that there was some track laying work going on at Arrakonam station, and that usually took 3-4 days. Were we to be stuck here for that long??
Well, Amma decided to make her own enquiries, and after 15 minutes she came back highly irritated. It seems the engine driver (the engine was hardly 2 compartments away) told her he was only waiting for signal and the TTE told her that he had no idea, and that if she was in a hurry, should get down and book a cab. Irritated, she asked him if he would book it for her, as she had already booked a railway ticket. What was the use?
The other problem with booking a cab was, would there even be cabs available in Wallajah road?
For the last few hours as we sat at Wallajah road, we had been sweating without the AC as well.
That was when we got lucky. The diversity of our group saved us. One man, travelling with his son and some aunts for a wedding in Chennai, knew a van agency in Wallajah road. He managed to get hold of a 15 seater van.
This the man was planning while amma was outside listening to announcements and I charged my phone inside.
Suddenly Amma ran in and said the train would not go even upto Arrakkonam. They were stopping at the previous station! And thats when we were invited onto the van.
15 of us got out of the compartment, and stood on the platform. The man got on his phone and wandered off, leaving his son to guide us to him. Our next hurdle now awaited us. Getting to the van.
First we walked half the length of the platform. Then we crossed the foot over-bridge. That was where we all carried each others luggage, and an old lady, bent double, was helped to hobble up across and down slowly. That was when we heard a trains whistle, and the double decker, that was meant to get there at 8, rolled in at 2. Once back on land outside the station, we crossed a little bridge and got to the bus stop where the van awaited us. Putting our luggage in, and squashing in after it, we all managed somehow. The van then navigated through the town, and entered the highway. I turned off my dying phone, but not before getting some photos. The van would only take us upto Poonamallee but we were fine with that, as that was at least inside Chennai.
The van shot across the state, passing Kanchipuram, and following the course of the Palar, as people talked and got to know each other, something that would not have happened without the accident. Someone talked about how this rail work was apparently mentioned on South Indian Railways FB page, but we all wondered who would bother looking at it. Someone else said they had tweeted this, tagging the Central Minister for Railways, hoping we would all get some compensation for what we had been through.
As we passed the place in Sriperumbedur where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, someone mentioned how they had been working at a nearby factory at that time, but because of calling in sick that day, they had avoided going to the rally and being splattered with blood like his colleagues.
And then at long last, Poonamallee. We said our goodbyes and thanked that man who had booked the van. I turned on my phone and died conveniently died, as we had a quick coffee before heading back home.
The last stage of our journey also bears mentioning. Our Ola driver was very happy to get a South Chennai drop as he lived in Thoraippakkam, and was hoping to get a drop in that area.
As we drove past St Thomas Mount and turned towards Pallikaranai, I saw the last stretch of the MRTS rail, waiting to be connected. Sad really that this vital connection was being held up because of a few metres of land. It was also ironic, as they had ploughed through the marsh for this destroying a natural ecosystem, but a few people insisted on staying put (though they probably didn't have anywhere else to go). The marsh looks reduced everytime I see it, and I try to avoid that route if possible to avoid seeing that depleted marshland.
Finally we reached the ECR, and our driver got a call for a drop to Kottivakkam. He was now doubly happy. Only a couple of kilometres left for him after that on his own money.
We however, were not. Dirty, tired and irritated, we showered the moment we came home and rested well, having had our arrival delayed, (now at 5:30) by 5 and a half hours!
People from everywhere sit around as no train is going anywhere
Entertaining Nandan. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Delete