DAY - 1 ( 23 SEP 14） Started by kolkatta Rajdhani express at 1655 hrs in A-5 compartment from New Delhi station . Train is clean nice, AC is working , suddenly an announcement in english, bengali and hindi spoiled the whole show. It says due to some problem today wifi wil not be available to passengers. I wondered in todays scenario when such a huge rail network is working on softwares why this small problem could not be fixed. I understood rail staff thought too hoot to passengers ameneties and comfort we will not bother as hardly anyone would report. This lack lustere attitude of railway toward its passengers has reduced the income as people prefer for alternate and more comfortable transport system. Anyway our journey stared but after every fifteen to twenty minute train would give heavy rattling sound and jolt whenever it picked up speed or reduced it with sudden break. My initial reacion OMG will train dis-integrate. Anyway journey continued via kanpur, Allahabad, Mughal sarai, Gaya and Dhanbad. Reached howrah station twenty minute late. My host Mr B K Chatterji was awailable to receive us. We started in old Ambassador taxi, which is available in plenty at railway station. It was drive filled with excitement and dreading, as even main roads are small compared to Delhi roads.Buses, tram, cyclist, car and scooter all zooming past each other reminded me of Nagpur roads travellers. Sometime when tram is coming on its track, its road is blocked by car, bus etc. Good thing no expletives used by kolkattans unlike Delhites, all patiently waiting for road clearance. Amicably people shorted out such problems. We continued our journey towards Behala area. Reached safely at our guest place and relaxed for rest of day. DAY-2 (24 SEP 14） I had planned to visit few places but our journey got delayed as famous Bengali pooja slumber struck my schedule. Someone was to arrange taxi but he miserably failed by giving excuses upon excuses of Bengali kamchori during Durga pooja festiwal. Their unwillingness to work during this period has struck me strange as no such thing I faced. The matter reported to his boss, my friend. Next I picked up a mini bus at 1 PM from Diamond harbour road, Behala jon kaulyan kendra to Victoria memorial. Bus ride as expected bumpy and slow, reached destination in 50 minutes istead of 30 minutes. I requested bus conducter to drop me near Victoria memorial instead he dropped me one and half kilometer away, fully knowing that I was not from Kolkatta. Later I came to know through my host Mr BK Chattrjee, who travelled along with me for Esplanade that immediately after my geting down from bus another bus coming parallely rammed towards driver side and dissappeared. Driver escaped with minor injuries but my co-passanger scolded conducter for dropping me far away, whereas he could have dropped me just in front of memorial this was after effect of treating outsider in bus. I went through Victoria Memorial exhibition with happiness. When I came out about 1530 hrs from another gate, lo and behold I realised that my minibus just went from infront of that gate. Anyway I came out on main road and tried for taxi many just refused to go on my way to Behala area. One taxi driver looking like Bappi Lahiri with black spectacle agreed to go on my way with request that I should pay Rs 20/- extra, other than meter charges. I agreed and boarded the taxi, he knowing me novice in citi took me round about and produced meter reading of Rs140/-, hence I gave Rs 160/-. In evening my host told me that taxi driver cheated me by charging Rs 160/- for 7- 8 kms, this again brought bad taste on first day travel in kolkatta. Now my mood has compltely been spoiled hence I decided to skip dinner with heavy heart. Continued next:-
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 13:09:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015