It is the fastest and elitist train in India. It connects commercial capital Mumbai to Delhi. The corresponding fares are 30% more than other mail/ express trains running on the route. Food is served on board. Even soft music is played.
Rajdhani Express stops only at important stations normally after 3 - 4 hours of continuous running. Due to less number of stoppages and high-priced tickets, public in general do not have opportunity to travel by Rajdhani Express. For this very reason, this train becomes special.
There are three classes in Rajdhani Express – 1 AC, 2 AC and 3 AC. Only high ranking government/state functionaries and wealthy people living on rent-revenue use 1 AC, the highest class. Others, who have to buy tickets from their own income, prefer 2 AC and 3 AC. High profile businessmen and professionals go for flight in order to save time.
This time I was traveling in 2 AC. As I was about to board, I noticed that I was bit excited and nervous as well. After all, I was to travel by the elitist train in India. The train arrived late by 10 minutes, nothing unusual. Here, in India, minute and second arms of a clock are rarely used. A cool compartment with mild music and a very polite waiter was waiting for me. The entire train including the lavatories and corridors was air-conditioned. Co-passengers were very reserved. In fact, except the waiter and a kid no body was talking. Welcome tea followed by snacks was served. Before that, the coach attendant had supplied a ‘small towel’ for my personal use. Altogether, seven items were there in a service tray – Cold drink, Cheese patties, vegetable sandwich triangle, tomato sauce sachet, one piece sweet(mithai), and one éclair. Meanwhile, the ticket examiner visited us one by one. After an hour or so, there was a soup course followed by a rich dinner. I opted for vegetarian dinner. Before we retired to bed, ice-cream(Vadilal brand) was distributed, for which the kid was talking to her grand mother since 8 pm.
Some of the passengers immediately retired to bed. I felt seeing lavatory. What a smooth user friendly design? Is it not possible to copy this design to other trains, came to my mind. Well, on cleanliness front I felt disappointed. Mosquitoes were everywhere, even around my berth. Sleep was disturbed despite comfortable bedding with fresh linen provided by the coach attendant.
Next morning, service started with tea followed by snacks. Destination was near. There were four or five European tourists in the coach. The waiter came to say ‘GOOD MORNING’ with sweet mouth fresheners and a ten rupee note in a tray. Each passenger(total 54), including myself gave him ten rupee for his service. He collected approximately Rs. 500. ‘THANK U kahne se kaam nahi chalega, kuch dalo isme’(Don’t say only thank you, please drop something in this tray) I heard the waiter saying loudly, and the foreigners had to oblige ‘the EXTRA POLITE WAITER’. He like others was after some extra bucks.
PART-II RETURN JOURNEY
For return journey, my ticket was waitlisted(W/L1) in 3 AC, though it was booked 45 days advance through internet. I was worried as waitlisted passengers are not allowed to board into Rajdhani Express. My host approached someone in Railway Ministry with a request to accommodate me in ‘H.O’ quota. It seems he failed. For, I didn’t get my ticket confirmed.
Anyway, I got RAC.(Reservation Against Cancellation). Under RAC system, I was to share my berth with another RAC passenger. His waiting list was W/L153, and he booked his ticket the previous day. Anyway, we got permission to board into the train and a berth to share. He told me that his friend managed this from some ‘mysterious quota’ which are not available for computer booking. It was neither a TATKAL nor Head Office quota, it was ‘something else’. For, Tatkal tickets are charged 15% extra and are normally booked for originating station to terminating station. Head office quota tickets are indicated so in the chart. His ticket was simple waitlisted ticket, and he got a RAC berth. Indian Railway has many such mysteries beyond ordinary man’s imagination. Rajdhani Express is not an exception.
Well we were comfortable with each other. Our immediate worry was about availability of food and bedding. Thank god, we were not told to share food, though waiter in this coach was not so polite. He had to serve more than 80 passengers single-handedly. The coach attendant provided extra linen on demand. Meanwhile, a small group of passengers perhaps waitlisted but not having confirmed or RAC tickets started having drink in the space meant for boarding. They were having drink and being served with non-veg snacks on payment. After a while, under influence of liquor they started making noise in running train. The TTE(Traveling ticket examiner) was conspicuous by his absence. The ‘drunkards’ were boosting their connection with powerful men in railway ministry.
The morning session was no different. A passenger boarded into Rajdhani Express without ‘proper ticket’ The TTE got some extra bucks and indicated him to occupy an empty upper berth. Meanwhile, the waiter approached all passengers with his ‘GOOD MORNING TRAY’. We all had to oblige him with 10 Rupee notes. My journey came to an end. My excitement was gone. At home, I didn’t tell anything to my excited daughter. I simply promised her to take along on next journey by Rajdhani Express. After all, “the Rajdhani Express, India’s superfast, fully air-conditioned deluxe train gives you the unique opportunity of experiencing Indian Railways at its best.”