IRI - चाहे कितने भी हों मतभेद, फिर भी हम परिवार एक - Dr. Abhishek Rai

Trip Report :(Tooooo long)
They say travel helps in understanding the various places and people. If the travel is made through train, it helps in higher understanding of the ways people travel
Development of roads and up-gradation of buses by the various STU's and their private competitors may have made road travelling faster, but still train travel happens to be a preferred and a comfortable one especially for the night journey. Train still acts as a intermediary overnight connector for many places still though end to end journeys may have reduced
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call to be in Erode on the 26.06.2017 set me off from Bangalore on the night of 25.06.2017 by the 16565 Mangalore "Detour" express. The presence of this train helps in planning a journey in short notice on Sunday night and this time, sunday being in middle of a long weekend, helped it.. But 26th was Ramzan and all trains showed a huge waitlist for Erode-Bangalore section
The Waitlist of Chalukya showed some respite but wasnt comfortable for booking. But the tatkal status of Sleeper class in SBC-DR section still showed a availability of 18 tickets giving a hope for free tickets on Tirunelveli-Bangalore section. The quota from Tirunelveli to Bangalore was in PQWL and the same was for all stations from Tirunelveli till Salem for Bangalore bookings
At 11:25AM on the 26th, IRCTC app gave the good news. Chart was prepared for Tirunelveli Departure and Current Availability for same was SL-18 tickets. Called my mom and asked her to do the bookings @ Rs. 175/- while i went off with my work. 5 mins later mobile beeped.. PNR-xxxx S4, 55 dep 2135 from erode. Yipee.. Got a ticket to Bangalore on long weekend
Completed my work, the dinner and reached station at 20:45hrs. The train was displayed as a PF-3 arrival at 21:25hrs. Went to the platform and occupied the seat near the underbridge. 22650 Yercaud was ready to leave from Pf-3 with the crowded rake of the weekend rush to Chennai. Huge crowds gathered around TTE hoping for the RAC confirmations and open ticket accommodations and TTE didnt entertain anyone and got into their respective coaches as the signal turned amber for the proceed. Sharp 21:00hrs Yercaud left
After Yercaud left, gave a glance around the crowded platform of PF-3. There were quite some people waiting for 11022 Chalukya giving me a surprise. This crowd was unexpected. Weekend Bangalore crowd i thought to myself. But that was when my surprises started
Sir,, Sir.. turned back hearing a voice. A lady in the middle 40's was standing.. sir Hubbbali vandi inga thaan varuma (Train to hubli is coming here)- I was surprised.. The lady was from the working class sector and asking me of a train of Hubli at Erode.. I said yes.. sir unreserved compartments .. I said you need to move a bit back, it will be reserved here.. she said ok.. i need to go to Gokak (2nd shock.. major people in Bangalore itself will not know where this small town is ) so was waiting for this.. Thanks sir. and she went.. I was completely shaken.. Erode to Gokak.. in Chalukya.. and never imagined i would be hearing a town name of Gokak in Erode.
Well there is a small connection.. Erode 50 kms from the textile town of Tiruppur while Gokak too boasts of its textile mill established by the Britishers.. So connection between 2 textile towns is not a matter.. May be workers went in search of job, advised by someone, transferred, migrations.. Well migration from a TN town to KA town connected by textiles.. Quite possible
Eyes went across again.. there were few other families with quite some luggages.. South Indian tour from Maharashtra- quite possible. Travelling patterns seem to have changed. 11022 connects the Western part of Maharashtra generally untouched by the various other Mumbai bound trains. 16381/11013 take the Chennai mumbai trunk route while some weeklies take the KR route. 11022 has a unique route connecting the Western KA and the MH generally untouched by trains but only through NH-4
As I pondered over the above, announcement went for 12695 Chennai-Trivandrum SF arriving shortly. The clock ticked to 2115 hrs. 390 kms from Chennai at less than 6 hrs is quite an achievement for this. At 2115 WAP7 of RPM shed pulled in with the 12695 pulling a CC coach of GR. At around the same time, Palghat-Erode MEMU pulled in into PF-4.
At 2125 announcement went for 11022 arrival. There was a flutter on the Pf. The people bound to UR's went to the corners to wait. GOC WDP-4D pulled in with the 11022 rake, a not so crowded UR's gave a pleasant view to the eyes. A co-passenger enquired " Sir what is this- they announcing something and some other train coming". I said "No.. its chalukya arriving".. Sir hows it possible.. The train is coming in from same side as Chennai-Trivandrum.. Oh so this is the confusion now.. I replied, no sir, they will reverse the direction here and move out. He: But why?? . Then explained to him that tracks from Karur come in the same direction as those from Chennai. He said oh ok.. where are you going sir.. i said-Bangalore.. Repeated the question.. Davangere came the answer.. Oh so now 2nd connection.. Erode to Davangere.. Looks like people are bound to every possible place on the Ka sector. one more family confirmed with me whether its the Hubbali bound train.. Yes i said only to find out I was standing at an absolute wrong place.. Coach S4 had been pulled way ahead and its S7 thats crossing me now.. Went to Pf4 direction and walked towards my coach as a mother-daughter (child of 5 years) walked in same direction.. Daughter was scared (Same like how I was in that age)- Train that platform why we walking this side- Mom said to avoid crowd and walk comfortably.. see that uncle (me!!) walkign for the same.. Daughter-- but if train goes off- mom: See train has not stopped yet.. and they have to do engine reversals also (Not bad ma'am.. replying with same patience as my mom used to.. and of course talking about reversals).. Went and boarded my 90% fileld coach.. Except my berth 55, all other berths were occupied
Settled in my berth, pulling up the downed glasses.. Looked around. everyone almost settled for sleeping.. So this SLB is mine.. but I was exhausted cant enjoy the SLB for whole night.. Looked in my bay.. 5 people present with a mother daugher (child of 2) occupying the upper and grandmother in lower. Father was awake.. No no we will miss our station if I also sleep, i will sleep going home.. Oh now which is this station they going to get down.. Hope he didnt mention YPR
In the meantime, the 2nd longest daily pulled in with the Erode WAP4 onto PF-1. Now this train will have a loco and crew change and a long wait. Our P-4D was detached and sent through Pf-4 for attaching at other end. The coach a 08 made was quite a clean coach not looking old with proper cushions, good lighting. Dinner vendors, coffee tea went on the platform, as major people collected their dinners and had them comfortably on platform benches, taking the reversal time into advantage.
stretched my legs and time ticked.. It was 10PM and announcement went for 16609/11 Nagercoil-tuticorin link express combo arriving on Pf-3.. means we have to leave before that.. Searching what was stopping us.. answer came in a few minutes.. A WAP4 entered onto PF-2 with the 16381 CAPE bound Jayanthi.... Oh so chalukya was waiting for the Jayanthi to arrive.. We got the starter immediately
Crossed the loop seperating from the CBE bound track and the KRR bound track hiding behind a cement wall structure, we steadied the speed. Rocketed to 80 with the advantage of the downward gradient and joined back the pairing track as thadak thadak thadak, the Cauvery river was thundered across. the tracks again seperated and went far off to join back at the Anganoor station and again bid bye.. GPS recorded 95 maintaining for quite some time, as a distant hill temple lights gave us company (Tiruchengode or Sankagiri not sure). The crossing of 16315 was missed out in the seperated area, as when we crossed Sankagiri WAP4 went past us with the LHB 12685 rake shining in the livery.. All the stations were despatched with ease and at Magundanchavadi, A WAG7 hauled BCNA rake was coming to a halt on the loop, possiblity of some overtake not very far off. at 22:55hrs, 45 mins into the journey, the Namakkal track joined us, as we made a halt at the outer
Checked trainenquiry and reason was spot out.. 17325 Bangalore Nagercoil had just disappeared into the Namakkal line, while 22652 Palani Chennai had entered around same time. 16613 Rajkot-Coimbatore was waiting to depart and in 2 mins, 16613 crossed us behind the Erode alco. We soon proceeded inside, with a WDG-4 LHF welcoming us in the gap between Pf-1 and Pf-2. 22652 was waiting on PF-2 awaiting traction change, possibly the WDG-4 was its hauler from Palani to Salem. We were received on Pf-3 . i looked around the bay again, the grandmother now woken up from sleep seeing Salem getting ready to get down. The father replied- no not this next stop it seems. Looks like ticket was brought by someone else and only the SMS.. Now wait.. This is interesting.. Boarding in the Southern tamilnadu in the middle of the day to get down at a station at almost TN-KA border at the end of the day.. And a CR rake doing this connection in SR.. Well I enquired which station.. He replied.. Sorry i dont know.. which is the next stop.. I replied, its Dharmapuri for which he replied. oh ya ya right same.. I said, if thats the station, you could have slept keeping the alarm.. He replied.. no they said next after Salem and I was not sure of the timings.. I said.. its still 70 kms away and the train will take minimum 1.5 hrs to cover it as about 3 crossings are due. He said oh.. I proceeded.. fine.. please keep alarm for 00:30 and sleep.. it will be correct.. Looks like he felt comfortable, he immediately laid down on hearing it setting the alarm. The passenger of SUB 56 boarded and took his berth here
We left after the mandatory halt, the 22652 awaiting signal. The 22608 ernakulam Weekly from Bangalore pulled into Pf-1 as we left. AJJ-WAP1 2207x was the header for the 22652 awaiting the starter. A family few bays away were talking of another 24 hrs journey awaiting them as they made their way to Satara in Maharashtra from where they had to proceed.
We cleared the ppints and i got readies to sleep. Bio-toilets seem to be the norm for all trains now and this was not chocked relatively clean. Came and settled in my SLB closing a shutter leaving the window open to ensure i dont get affected by chill monsoon wind hitting my face directly. We moved from the double electrified line to the single electrified line that takes to Mettur and picked up speed to slow down to a halt at Omalur platfform keeping the main line free with the freight engines on the other lines growling. i had almost fallen asleep when a continous honking woke me up as the 16232 proceeded past us
Had thought i will wake up at every crossing as we halt but only some movmeent in coach woke me up. it was 00:50hrs and we had halted at Dharmapuri where the family in my bay got down and a next family of 3 got in occupying the emptied bay. So bookings from DPJ for this train.. Based on the talks, realise dthey had a long journey to Mumbai lying ahead of them. They slept imemdiately and me too.
woke up around 03:40Am and we were slowing for some station. A line joined us from the right and I assumed it be either Banaswadi or Lottegolahalli. cold wet breeze was blowing. As i looked out, made out we were crossing the YPR yard and 5 mins later entered on Pf-6 of YPR.. Time 03:45AM
Well 03:45AM, bus services would be scanty and considering Chalukya had a departure time of 06:30, it was sure that noone would wake me up until atleast 5:30.. Settled in my berth preparing for another 30 misn sleep
"Passengers kind attention please.. Train no. 16594 Nanded Bangalore Express will arrive shorly on Pf-2.. Passengers kind attention please.. Train No. 56910 Hospet Bangalore Fast pass will arrive shortly on Pf-3. Announcements woke me up at 4:45AM. got up and picked my luggage and exited the train as everyone on Pf-6 gave a look at a person getting down an hour after train arrival. Had a cup of coffee and went to metro station the shutters being pulled up. A slightly aged couple were standing for the same talking about how they waited for metro to start despite Chalukya coming in at 3:45.. I replied stating the same and that I had slept inside till now.. The uncle gave a stare- the aunt smiled " He told me we will stay but i was scared.. We were sitting in the cold platform for past one hour.. By the time, shutters were up and we raced to the ticket counter as display went announcing the arrival of the Metro at 05:17AM
Thanks for reading.. and whoever read this line, thanks for your complete patience