AUTO-MATICALLY CHARGED BLUES

A green and yellow colored vehicle screeches to a halt. A Kurta-clad petite girl steps out and clumsily shakes her blue bag. Searching vigorously through the dungeons of her bag, she pulls out every teeny-weeny stuff out of it. She takes a look at her surroundings for a while and then pops out 100 bucks from her pocket. After a few seconds, she is seen roaming around the entire place waving the 100 rupee note asking every pedestrian for a change, wearing a worried look on her face.

The distressing lines on her forehead, the beads of perspiration on her lips, the hasty breathing through her puffy lungs- A simple narration of a horrifying episode of daily commuting through the dreadful autos. Delhi’s transport system has taken a beating in the recent years making life terrible for its citizens. Waking up early in the morning is not a thing that I detest but facing these iniquitous autowallahs or the rustic conductors of Blue line buses gives me awful goose pimples. Shelling out anywhere between 45-50 bucks for barely 7 Kms burns a huge hole in my pocket every sunny morning Walking through the Delhi roads, you are bound to bump into one or the other victims of these wicked autowallahs who have created havoc in the whole city. While commuting to my college I witness numerous girls or for that matter working women stranded on the bus stop (even I belong to this category of poor mortals), waiting for long strenuous hours just for that single bus which refuses to appear and even if it turns up it hardly guarantees you a safe and sound journey to your destination. Shifting out of the route to avoid traffic jams, these Blue line buses have become a master of their own destiny dropping commuters somewhere long on the road to their destination but charging the full price for the journey.

Exhausted of hanging around at the dreary and stinking bus stops of the capital and time consuming bus travels, one is compelled to avail the autos which is the beginning of yet another terrifying tale of Delhi’s transport system. Not only do they charge exorbitant prices but also shamelessly mislead you in broad daylight by opting for lengthy treacherous routes. Their meters are always out of order and fleecing the commuters their hobby. Keeping change is out of fashion for them and pestering the commuters their forte. They choose their victims with care and if needed, indulge in exhibition of mood swings to scare away those commuters who refuse to comply with their conditions. Playing cards at the auto stands, sipping innumerable cups of tea after tea and scrutinizing each and every commuter with suspicious eyes, they live their life king size with no stopping to their wayward avenues.

Do not be surprised if you see them exchanging warm greetings with the protectors of the law and having a healthy chat like long lost brothers. Well a sturdy alliance with the law holders... this is what keeps them going on and on like an unending river with indefinite depth... and when the law makers join hands with the law breakers, it is less said the better. Inefficient transport system, growing commutation problems and increasing corrupt practices. At the end of the day, the common man goes back home disappointed with no gains in his kitty.

The Government instead of playing politics and bulldozing unauthorized structures should first improve the basic transportation system so that the citizens can at least take solace from the fact that they are residing in the CAPITAL of the most developing country... developing in terms of corruption, bribery, dirty by lanes, criminal activities, caste violence and not to forget the ever growing population.