The ride from Dwarka (Gujarat) to Ahmedabad
Some months ago had the opportunity to take a train ride from Dwarka (Gujarat) to Ahmedabad (Gujarat). Probably the train name is Saurashtra Mail.
There is a family from Nepal travelling with us with the elderly gentleman travelling with his daughter going to attend a rotary meet in Ahmedabad. The elderly gentleman is into some business and this train ride is being taken during a period when ties with Nepal are all but smooth.The train leaves Dwarka at 1.05 pm, gains traction at 1.09. Fertile land followed by unfertile patches we reach Gorinja at 1.17.Here little greenery is visible. At 1.23 the train slows down as we go past Okhamadh salt works. The train comes to a halt at 1.30.
The train starts again at 1.50, going past sarvodaya vidyalaya and hostel. At 2.10 it reaches Bhatiya, fairly clean station. At 2.23 at Bhopalka we come across a guard in a blue outfit holding a green flag. At 2.23 it slows down, it gets repeated again at 2.35. At 2.39 comes Bhatel station. At 2.41 the train gains traction and from 2.51 onwards the landscape is fairly green.
At 2.54 it reaches Khambaliya to leave at 2.57. Amidst fertile land we reach Kanalus junction at 3.19 and Jamnagar at 3.50.I had barely stretched myself when a Jamnagar family boards the train. Here papa, mummy and daughter (Pa Ma and Da) enter the coach and given the window seats they are in possession of i have to manage with a seat next to the passage. The Daughter's teeths are fairly clean and all along the conversation with Pa is on NPAs of public sector banks and the defeat that no one was expecting for the right wing combination in the state of Bihar. Respect for different communities was another area of conversation. Pa appears to be well read man with a fairly good knowledge. The elderly gentleman from Nepal too chips in and provides vital inputs on the state of affairs and how Madhesis are being denied their rights in Nepal. It has been over seven months since that ride and yet Madhesis are still in search for a durable solution (bigger participation of the Terai in Nepal's polity).
As for the train ride,Hapa comes at 4.05, Aliyavada at 4.17, 4.31 Jamvanthali and at 4.45 Jaliadevan, a fairly clean station. For the past one hour the train has managed a fairly good speed and it slows down at 5pm before reaching Paddhari. At 5.27 comes Rajkot from where it leaves at 6pm. From Rajkot station we collect some well prepared Idlis handed by prakashbhai/pankajbhai. We also collect Bhagyalaxmi peanuts prepared at Old Morbi Road, Rajkot. At 6.45 comes Wankaner station, fairly clean. At 7.55 we are in Surendranagar and at 10.40 we are in Ahmedabad. The ride from Dwarka to Ahmedabad was fairly smooth and the snacks collected from Rajkot coming handy.
The Nepal crisis and how political parties have failed to come to negotiating table ever since new constitution was promulgated was dwelt at length during the train ride. Though blockade has been lifted and peace has returned to the Himalayan Kingdom in the ensuing months there is still a long road ahead before stability could be the byword in Nepal.
The train ride from Dwarka (gujarat) gave us a glimpse of the concerns that surround us and how negotiations could be the sole route to break the impasse on important billls in parliament (some parties have vested interest in not letting bills pass) and how coffers of the govt could see a big drain out if corresponding revenues are not in place. As for MP local area fund there has been a fair degree of criticism and some mechanism needs to be evolved so that audit is in place. When you see big cars parked near Raisina Hills one begins to wonder if local area fund is actually required.There should be an audit and repeated audit.
Some months ago had the opportunity to take a train ride from Dwarka (Gujarat) to Ahmedabad (Gujarat). Probably the train name is Saurashtra Mail.
There is a family from Nepal travelling with us with the elderly gentleman travelling with his daughter going to attend a rotary meet in Ahmedabad. The elderly gentleman is into some business and this train ride is being taken during a period when ties with Nepal are all but smooth.The train leaves Dwarka at 1.05 pm, gains traction at 1.09. Fertile land followed by unfertile patches we reach Gorinja at 1.17.Here little greenery is visible. At 1.23 the train slows down as we go past Okhamadh salt works. The train comes to a halt at 1.30.
The train starts again at 1.50, going past sarvodaya vidyalaya and hostel. At 2.10 it reaches Bhatiya, fairly clean station. At 2.23 at Bhopalka we come across a guard in a blue outfit holding a green flag. At 2.23 it slows down, it gets repeated again at 2.35. At 2.39 comes Bhatel station. At 2.41 the train gains traction and from 2.51 onwards the landscape is fairly green.
At 2.54 it reaches Khambaliya to leave at 2.57. Amidst fertile land we reach Kanalus junction at 3.19 and Jamnagar at 3.50.I had barely stretched myself when a Jamnagar family boards the train. Here papa, mummy and daughter (Pa Ma and Da) enter the coach and given the window seats they are in possession of i have to manage with a seat next to the passage. The Daughter's teeths are fairly clean and all along the conversation with Pa is on NPAs of public sector banks and the defeat that no one was expecting for the right wing combination in the state of Bihar. Respect for different communities was another area of conversation. Pa appears to be well read man with a fairly good knowledge. The elderly gentleman from Nepal too chips in and provides vital inputs on the state of affairs and how Madhesis are being denied their rights in Nepal. It has been over seven months since that ride and yet Madhesis are still in search for a durable solution (bigger participation of the Terai in Nepal's polity).
As for the train ride,Hapa comes at 4.05, Aliyavada at 4.17, 4.31 Jamvanthali and at 4.45 Jaliadevan, a fairly clean station. For the past one hour the train has managed a fairly good speed and it slows down at 5pm before reaching Paddhari. At 5.27 comes Rajkot from where it leaves at 6pm. From Rajkot station we collect some well prepared Idlis handed by prakashbhai/pankajbhai. We also collect Bhagyalaxmi peanuts prepared at Old Morbi Road, Rajkot. At 6.45 comes Wankaner station, fairly clean. At 7.55 we are in Surendranagar and at 10.40 we are in Ahmedabad. The ride from Dwarka to Ahmedabad was fairly smooth and the snacks collected from Rajkot coming handy.
The Nepal crisis and how political parties have failed to come to negotiating table ever since new constitution was promulgated was dwelt at length during the train ride. Though blockade has been lifted and peace has returned to the Himalayan Kingdom in the ensuing months there is still a long road ahead before stability could be the byword in Nepal.
The train ride from Dwarka (gujarat) gave us a glimpse of the concerns that surround us and how negotiations could be the sole route to break the impasse on important billls in parliament (some parties have vested interest in not letting bills pass) and how coffers of the govt could see a big drain out if corresponding revenues are not in place. As for MP local area fund there has been a fair degree of criticism and some mechanism needs to be evolved so that audit is in place. When you see big cars parked near Raisina Hills one begins to wonder if local area fund is actually required.There should be an audit and repeated audit.
