Finally

after a long long wait, I got all my household articles shifted to Mohali. I

had asked my brother in bangalore

to avail VRL’s service in transporting my dear pulsar and other articles to Mohali.

The guy there told it would take 10 days but it took more than 15 days to

arrive at Mohali. These guys have net tracking system like all other cargo guys

but the information presented is more useful to them than to us.

Had to

leave office early but reached the VRL office in chandigarh transport area late evening. Collected

a bottle of petrol in one liter water bottle on the way and arrived at VRL

office. I was charged another 50 rupees as miscellaneous charges. Haggling with

a goods carrier, I finally managed to load all cartons onto the carrier. I decided

to ride my bike back tot my place. Filled the petrol and turned the knob and

for some reason my dear bike never started. I looked down in the dim yellow

street light and to my horror saw petrol dripping onto the road. I then looked at

the petrol pipe and saw that some one had cut (not removed) the pipe to draw

petrol. My brother had removed all petrol (as asked by the office during

packing in bangalore)

but I guess he forgot that pulsar has another liter in “dead” that can be

accessed only by tilting the bike to the side. The greed for 50Rs cost me the

original petrol pipe and my ride back home. Loaded the bike also onto the

carrier and took it home. The  packing was done by the VRL guys in bangalore itself for 250 rs.

In the

morning, I took a good look after pushing it to the local mechanic. More damages

were noticeable. The rear guard rail was badly damaged on the right side. The mechanic

explained that it was due to rubbing action. My bike must have fallen on its

side during transport. One of the rear turn indicators was bent and destroyed

beyond recognition. Tank on the same side had a nasty scratch. All this on a

bike that is hardly one year old. Cant do much when about it. I asked the

mechanic to polish the bike and hide the scratches as much as possible. Hopefully

with lesser two wheelers in Mohali, my bike’s dome/tank will be with a lot less

scratches.

VRL used to

take good care of goods they transport. Looks like complacency has set in like

all huge goods transport agencies. Few cartons were damp. I think they got soaked

somewhere. I had anticipated this and had asked my brother to wrap things

finally in plastic sheets.

It makes me

wonder whether it is useful only to transport rocks in any cargo carrier. Nothing

can happen to it. The bill clearly mentions that they are not responsible for

damages. If the carriers cannot take minimum care of the goods entrusted to

them, what is their responsibility ? All it needs is a small change in mindset.

All they need to do is handle goods as if it is their own that they are

transporting.

I remember

a friend of mine who was narrating a conversation he had with a mezzanine maintenance

guy of a reputed pharmaceutical company. The guy was incharge to ensure good

functioning of machineries that supply air the manufacturing area below. The

area is not usually visited by any of the auditors. But the guy had maintained

the area very very clean. When asked about it, all he had to say was: sir, who

know one day my family will be having the very same medicine that we produce

here. How very true!!

Commitment

to responsibility and commitment to job is two very different things. guess VRL guys and most others in service sector need to inculcate it.