LET THEM TAKE A BREAK!

BY NOLAN PINTO

Picture courtesy- www.ksrtc.in

Ever since accidents have been reported at frequent intervals, the very thought of traveling in a bus is extremely scary. And that Volvo buses have been involved in most of them was especially shocking. 

I have been traveling on the Volvo buses of KSRTC regularly since 2007. That year, I would travel in one almost every fortnight to and fro Bangalore. Never once did we meet with an accident but then, the buses were new and the drivers were still a bit more careful. It was a new toy in the hands of KSRTC. There was this one incident when the driver tried to overtake a truck but erred in his judgment. The rear mirror rammed into the back of the truck and shattered into pieces. No harm done to anybody there.

I was traveling to Mysore on the same day a Vovlo bus toppled on its way to Bangalore from Nellore. The thought of that accident was still very fresh in my memory considering that as an anchor, this story was very big for the channel I work for. 5 people died and many were injured.

While the reason given by the travels owner was that the accident was because a pack of dogs ran across the road, eye witnesses said that the driver was fast and reckless. According to some reports, the drivers in these travels are overworked and hence reaching their destination on time means some extra rest before they head out again on a long journey.

Many a times I have noticed drivers speeding just in order to be on time. They struggle to head out of the jam packed city and then while on highway speed up. It is nothing but scary. Many passengers do not mind that speed since they too want to reach their destination on time.

The bus I was in while on the way to Mysore was supposed to be this Volvo non-stop. Commonly known as the Airavat, passengers are ready to pay a bit more for the comfort and speed. Sometimes the drivers do stop on the way to allow passengers to drink some tea/coffee or even relieve themselves and nobody complains. The drivers too get a small break and it’s necessary. But this was the first time I heard some passengers yelling at the bus driver. They were angry that he stopped to get something to eat and drink.

The passengers started barking that this is a non-stop service and that they were getting late. Some even yelled that the driver should have taken a break before starting and more. But when the driver regardless of the yelling and shouting parked and got off, the passengers who yelled and screamed also got off for a tea break!

I remember saying to myself, what was the use of all that? The driver required a break and hence he stopped. It’s best he did so rather than falling asleep at the wheels and putting all our lives in danger!

My point is that non-stop or no non-stop service let the drivers stop when they feel like doing so. It is not easy to drive a big bus especially with such terrible traffic and horrible roads. Add to their misery, the constant worry that cars, bikes and autos cut in. We want to be safe and maybe half an hour late is better than never reaching your destination at all ever!

INNOCENTS JAILED, WHILE THE GUILTY ROAM FREE?

BY NOLAN PINTO

A pastor who regularly helps in the prison here in Mysore and I were having a talk on many things a few days ago. From what happens in there to how life is tough for them, we touched upon all these and more. The warden himself confessed to the pastor that many in there are not at all accused or involved in the crime but due to reasons unknown to us, were put behind bars.

The pastor then began to speak about how those incarcerated have lost their families. They could not even get out when somebody was sick, dying or even passed away. They had to grieve in silence. What caught my imagination was that Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is out on parole. His wife is unwell and hence the authorities gave him a month if I am right.

He told me about this one man, who was allegedly falsely put in jail. He was an eye witness to a murder. This person has been in jail for the past 8 years. During these years, his wife, son and parents passed away. The pastor tells me that this man has nobody and nowhere to go. The jail is now home sweet home. Even if he is let out now, he said, what can he do? Shunned by society and by his own relatives, who will give him a job? This man, when asked by the pastor for his jail number did not know what that was either. The others convicts upon hearing him being asked, forced him to go get all the documents he had to give it to the pastor. Such is that man’s state of affairs.

Then there was another case where this man was jailed after his wife passed away. Again, we do not know how true it is but according to him, his wife's family put a dowry case on him and that is how he was arrested and incarcerated. He told this pastor that if his wife was alive, she would tell the world he is innocent. She, according to him, was suffering from heart problems and he, the husband tried to take care of her by getting her treated in different hospitals. He was crying bitterly while narrating his life.

I listened patiently and quietly to what he was saying, all the time feeling real sad and at the same time once again angry with our system. The system that favours the rich and powerful and ignores the poor.

Maybe they were wrong and deserved punishment, maybe they have been reformed or maybe they just have been framed. All I am saying is that the justice system must be equal to all. Why is Sanjay Dutt out on parole while these people are stuck inside? I am sure his wife has a lot of aides and family to look after her. They are not without money either. So why did he get parole? Our system sucks.

I have personally seen how the poor are treated and how the rich are worshipped. It is sickening to see all that happening in what we call a thriving democracy. WE are not a democracy.

TRAINS & NIGHTMARES

BY NOLAN PINTO

It was almost 8 years since I last stepped into a train to travel anywhere and I would not have done it if not for them being damn cost effective especially for short journeys. The cost of a train ticket on the push pull from Bangalore to Mysore at 6 in the evening and then again from Mysore to Bangalore at 6 in the morning is peanuts considering the way the volvo bus tickets cost today and also if one had to drive all the way to and fro.

But what always stopped me from taking one of these trains at these hours was the cattle class treatment. Whenever I traveled, and thought of taking a train journey, I would always stop myself just because of this. But a few weeks ago, I decided after 8 long years to once more give it a try and once I stepped in, I immediately regretted it.

It was in the evening and more than 90% of the passengers were heading home. Many were drunk and sweaty and the stench in the bogey was just unbelievable. To add to the misery were the dull lights and the continuous buzz of many top fans on. But what I hated the most was the ever growing number of passengers entering just literally squeezing me. It was like if you decide to move your finger, you would for sure touch somebody somewhere on their body. My thoughts immediately went to how Jews were transported in train cars stuffed tightly together on their way to be gassed by the Nazis!!

The most common mode of transport can also be very deadly!

Sad though, for the women who had to manage like us men in the stuffed compartment. Men would deliberately push against them and with the train moving continuously, they could always say they did not do it on purpose and conveniently blame the train. To add to that misery for them, many would just keep on staring and one does know what they mean when they stare in that way, they literally rape these hapless women with their eyes.

Why on earth can’t the railways just add more bogeys for these rush hours in the morning and evening? What’s the big difficulty in that? And why can’t they just have at least 2 separate bogeys for women? At least in that if they all stand together crammed up, at least they will be safe from those prying eyes and also unnecessary touch.

Adding more bogeys the solution?

Many years ago while in my final year degree, while returning to Mysore with my classmates most of who were girls, we happened to see something that left us all disgusted. A bunch of young boys, a little older to us brought in a woman and initially made her stand near the toilet. Then it began. One by one, they all took turns to force her into the toilet, finish their work with her for a good 10-15 minutes and get out. This went on for almost half the journey till Mandya and we just could not do anything about it. Even the adults on the train were helpless against this bunch of rowdies. This matter has digressed from the cattle class treatment to security in trains but it happened in the same rush hour train at 6 in the evening.

What I am trying to say here is this: Have extra bogeys during the rush hour and keep at least 2 of them exclusively for women and have some RPF personnel for the safety of passengers even on short journeys moving from one bogey to another continuously. But really, after 8 years, I thought things would have changed but sadly I was wrong.