The Goa Express i took by Puneet Rajhans

The Goa Express i took and the expressive intent that others showed

As i took Goa express with no expressive intent of reaching Goa, the B1 ticket was till Gwalior , with the TTE (TTE hota hai ki TTI? Kaun Jane?) expressing the persuasive skills i need to employ to make his expressionless face undergo a transition from head to toe. Perhaps the intro from my side of being a journo attempting to be a writer did not cut much ice with him and he took offence to my tone. Having being ticked off for my tone i apologised (apology dena tha nahi toh train ka safar kar deta kharab) , he said he would communicate to me about my onward journey from Gwalior and he promised to do his best.

At Nizamuddin Station, the chart clearly showed at least two seats Seat Number 2 and 39 to be filled from Ahmednagar and beyond. When i approached him at Gwalior, the TTE was in a different mood and told me point blank that no extension of journey can be provided and i deboarded the train at Gwalior. The transaction that this TTE had engaged a little after a man boarded the train from Agra with no exchange of receipt made me suspect that i stood little chance of extension as receipt the TTE won't be complying with and i won't be taking the other route which some passengers do as they give a damn to rules. The Gwalior stay was for over five hours as which ever train came, the TTE refused point blank to give a seat. Here in Gwalior i made innumerable rounds to TC Head office and made innumerable requests. But these guys were in their own world obliging those from whom they could gain. First i took the Karnataka Express General Ticket replaced it with a GT General Ticket and when GT came the first TTE of the first ac coach was furious and took no time to show his temperamental nature. The second TTE was better and simply expressed his inability.

Having taken the Karnataka General ticket again, this was followed by Karnataka Express turmoil (Thursday morning well after 1 a.m.) where the batch the AC TTE was wearing showed him to be Head TTE. And he was bang on brutality: "Kahein se laon seat.? Thali me parosh do.? Apne pocket se nikaloo.? And a lot of other stuff. The other TTE (another AC Coach) ahead of that AC Coach wasn't brutal but he could not provide a rescue plan. THese two TTEs, one of GT Express and another of Karnataka Express, were brutal to the core and if ever the department does a honest check, the truth would come out. Perhaps the passengers are to be blamed for taking these TTEs to such heights where they use their imaginary skills - not to be used at their place of stay- to make the immaculate passenger bow to their real and not imaginary command.

As some sleeper coaches were locked from inside, i somehow managed to get in Karnataka Express S2 coach and there was a big rush that followed me. There were two lathi wielding security guys too got inside by landing slaps on standing passengers in the coach and were at their expletive best. Later they did rounds of the coach and looked to be normal and tamed ones. Perhaps they would have realised that by raining blows on hapless passengers, the same can happen to the members in their family as the WORLD IS ROUND.

THe coach like any other coach was brimming to its capacity, each flowing with no less than 400 passengers given the spiritual meet that they had gone to attend in the National Capital and most hailing from Maharashtra and some places bordering Karnataka.
Here there was a Army Jawan (Seat Number 65) with his family who boarded the train from Jhansi and made those occupying his seats vacate them - at least 15 persons had to make way for his comfortable ride - and they kept standing or getting a space to stand in the passage or next to a bathroom till late afternoon. There was another Jawan (seat number 58) having boarded the train prior to him and he flew in rage and kept repeating that this coach is meant for defence personnel and was at his best in abusing civilians. What grouse these two Jawans had was that no one could even share an inch of their seat and these hapless passengers had to settle with standing instructions. What a mockery of rules these Jawans make and how inhuman they can be .
THe Jhansi Jawan on Thursday afternoon (Nov. 17) had more sinister plans up his sleeves. He wanted an equal comfortable place for his luggage and started removing the pieces of others and even those seated in the passage, he asked them to move. i was sharing space with three persons on upper berth and the old man who was seated next to me was asked by this Jhansi Jawan to get down and remove his luggage. THe old man obliged and the rest of the members of his group too obliged and this was discomforting to a large extent.

Though i was having the general ticket but there were scores like me who were travelling on a general ticket; most seated next to the bathroom or in the passage and i knew the TTE was well aware of that and he did not raise any objection. Perhaps this TTE understood the ground reality well and was as helpful as one could get as a coach carrying 400 passengers with a seating capacity of 72 had to show the human side of existence. I got down at a station near Ahmednagar, perhaps a bit scared for the folly of travelling on a general ticket in sleeper but most of the time was spent in passage or near the entrance. At least this consolation was there that i was not made to chip in for the largesee the TTE would have demanded with no receipt whatsoever.

This train ride like the large number of ones in the past showed that there are TTEs who are understanding and there are the those who are brutal. Perhaps the aam admi needs to curb the practice of obliging TTEs and need to seek receipt. More of this is encouraged, more would be the possibility of getting the requisite seat in places like Gwalior as there are vacant seats at every station and it is up to TTEs to choose between brutality and humanity.

As for the ride from National Capital, the best course would have been to take the ticket in advance. But there have been occasions when the ticket has been procured in advance and yet the confirmation is next to impossible. Still the ticket procured in advance at least gives you the leeway to travel in the coach though the seat-procurement may be a tall order.