Hey there ! I’m a regular commuter by Mumbai’s infamous local trains. And since I stay in Dombivili ( for those of you who don’t know where it is ; its beyond Thane and before Kalyan on the main Central Railway line.
After 12th, my urge to go to a Mumbai college landed me up in H.R.College, Churchgate.
Commuting was no big deal for me as I anyways travelled from Dombivili to Thane for my language classes.
But Dombivili-Thane is a totally different thing to Dombivili-CST/CCG. Last year, i.e.F.Y.Bcom, my college started at 9.30 in the morning. So I normally used to catch the 8.20F from Dombivili towards CST. Of course, 8.20 has to be THE peak time.
8.20F came from Karjat and arrived at platform number 5 at Dombivili station. I stared blankly towards Thakuli station , just 1km from Dombivili towards Kalyan. No sight of the train.... Central hain to always LATE ~!!
I had just begun to get some nightmarish thoughts when those came true. ’’aath bujkar bees minat ki mumbai chhatrapathi shivaji terminus jaanewali ( I wonder y on earth cant they just say CST) tej local abhi kalyan station se rawana ho chuki hain. Alas, I thought !!!!
The crowd at the platform was increasing. Karjat fast trains are VERY CROWDED - on par with exVIRAR CCG bound trains. And much to my horror-I had to do with a 2nd class pass. Atlast the train came.
Dombivli station is compared with Borivali, Mulund and Dadar stations in terms of crowd. I struggle n push n get pushed. Amazing--but im inside the train. The 2nd class coach is ughhh...stinking of whatever u can imagine. Somebody stands on my foot-cant help it.
Ahh!! Thane station(fast locals from Dombivli halt directly at Thane-15kms away n 13minutes of horrifying journey). There is no room to spare and then it happens, that someone puts their hand near ur crotch(i leave the rest to your imagination!) and u try to break free.
The tunnel is long and dark between Mumbra and Thane and I nearly die of asyphixation. Much to my relief- THANE station arrives shortly. The crowd gets a little free.
Bhandup is the next station and the stink and the crowd doesnt end till Dadar when for the first time in 40mins the train becomes 3/4th empty and passing Byculla I get a place to sit. My shirt is all wrinkled and my forehead shows signs of utter sweat and tension.
I carried on like this till May, 2004. This year though...its been relative comfort in terms of crowd though time is a big INCONVENIENCE. My college starts at 7am at ccg and I have to catch a train at around 5.19am.
Slow local you see ! The train is not crowded at all-first class you see ! and joining my friends at mulund and kanjurmarg, it passes in a jiffy. Returning, its the off-peak hour and the trains are empty. Really a journey to be cherished by all !!!!!