Ride atop Duronto

Ride atop Duronto

Having reached Nizamuddin station by 3 in the afternoon, the first cabin i came across was of Senior Station manager on platform no. 1. THe private cafeteria that used to run from this site had been shifted to another end. It was on P.F 3 Chennai Duronto came closely followed by men who had been assigned the duty to watch and whisper. Since the train had the capacity to equal Rajdhan's speed i had presumed the sleeper class too would have closed tinted windows. The sleeper coaches were in as operative spirit as any sleeper coach, the exterior should not be the sole determining factor. Inside the coach the will to have meals and water (included in the ticket) was a consolation. The first and the sole tea-serving for the first day came at around five.   As the evening turned to night the cold spell had been a drawback with the comfort that bed roll could be taken at a cost of Rs 30.

The train left at 3.56 from Nizamuddin, going past Faridabad at 4.10  hodal at 4.30 palwal at 4.50  mathura at 5.15 and raja ki mandi stations somewhere between 17. 51 and 17.49 (two display boards showing two timings). The first interruption came at 7.15 when the train slowed and remained unmoved for a while. Bhopal coming at 1 am and Nagpur at 6.30 in the morning suggested the train was behind schedule. Going past Sewagram at 7.15  and Pothra bridge at 8. 14. Reaching Majri station at 8.52 with one track occupied by an engine bearing  82018 number. Reaching Chandrapur at 9.10 and Balarshah at 9.25 suggested Maharashtra was coming to a close.

Going past Ramagundam 10.55 (fairly clean) and Pedapally at 11.07, with the latter having  upper waiting hall, ladies waiting hall  and a tea parcel shop on the main platform. Just before Vijaywada was to come there is a nagarjuna cement plant amidst hills which seems to suggest they are rich in resources followed by new west block hut guard giving green signal and a  flyover over rail that looked to be running out of strength.

Vijaywada came at 2.40 with P. F 7 having a Higgin newspaper/book cart run by a polite vendor and a bsnl telecom centre but no pco around. During the time the train was on the platform it saw a surge in vendors selling bananas. Then there is Dakshen rest't on the same platform and adjacent to P.F. 10 is a water tank. As the train pulls out of station near bridge no 4 one comes across a a nullah which can be effectivelu used for establishing a power plant or any such structure.
Bitragunta station came at 5.35 with the guard in starched white outfit, followed by Alluru Road at. 5.39. By this time the train had made up for the minutes it was running behind schedule. Nellore at  6 and Gudur at 6. 28 (passengers normally get down here to take another train for reaching Lord of Seven Hills)

Finally reached Chennai after 8.30 in the evening with rains dashing the city outskirts. It was a journey that had the advantage of getting ticket below 1000rs (since i had replaced the old with a new ticket the entire outgo was over 1250). Like in any  sleeper coach of a medium/fast trains, one has to be cautious while stepping in the bathroom. As for the tidy look and tight expenses, the train faulted on both. Huge serving of rice on three occasions gave ample opportunities to passengers to waste and whisper. No dearth of plain clothes rotaters and the one in the beginning when the train hadn't left Nizamuddin took umbrage when i posed to a third individual a query on whether water would be served. Plain clothes rotaters have been sapping the strength and patience. A life where they tap your every living room and give a handle to estate mafia to rob us of peace and sanity. Not a single day in the past 10 months have passed when the estate mafia has dismantled the peace and played with the innocence. Shame to those who give such irritants the freedom to play with city tranquility .These rotaters have come handy for construction estate mafia and the past ten months have illustrated that. What rotaters seem to suggest once this mafia would go they have amply supply of other mafias to give peace a beating.  

As for Duronto huge amount of rice and other vegetables are wasted.  Something could be done to correct that. Reaching Chennai and staying for three days were good tidings that could be essayed the other day.