Actually, I was sharing this blog for the cruel administration of Valsad Railway Station in their ticket selling department. They have suddenly increased fares of the ticket to Virar from 25 to 30 without any information. I know the rates have increased just few days ago but they were increased for the First Class commuters. Whether you go Bhayander or Borivli (which is couple of stations far from Bhayander), you will have to pay 30 Rs from Valsad. And for Virar, I paid 25 regularly. Since last three weeks, they are taking 30 Rs for Virar, too. It's shameful for WR. Whatever charge they desire to charge on people, they are applying and people are adjusting with. On the other side of a price hike, there is NIL facilities in trains, nor on platforms. This is the incidents happened today which may leave you in a shock.
As usual I got in from Valsad to go Mumbai in Virar bound MEMU local. Well, after getting in, I realized that I have lost my ticket and I was in no mood to go back and buy again. I was sitting alone and in front of my compartment a couple was sitting along with a woman. Soon, I found my cousin brother who works in the Bombay Stock Exchange came and joined me. My plan was to write blog on the WR. Meanwhile this incident happened. The lady, who was sitting in front of us got a natures call. I believe, she was suffering through this condition from Valsad as she was finding something and often getting out of the train but she was hesitating to say us anything about it. MEMU has no toilets. It departs from Surat around 5 o'clock and reaches Virar around 10:15 night. The rest you can imagine through which condition that lady was suffering. The MEMU had already got its regular 20 minutes halt at the Sanjan station. But Sanjan station has no toilets facility on platform number 3. And the lady didn't even wish to go for the same. When the train departed from Sanjan, going here and there, finally her husband asked us how he could take his wife for bathroom. Well it was a good chance. I am a regular commuter of the train and I knew how it would be possible. I told them both,
"Look. The next station will be Karambele which is the first station of the Maharashtra state. As it has less commuters, the platform remains 90% in dark. In front of our coach, a large bench made of stones will come. You may easily go there and behind the bench, you can complete the natures call. But be careful as the train has already halted for 20 minutes in Sanjan, it will not stop there longer."
The lady remained silent and waited for Karambele to come. Karambele is the last station which has got darker site. Later all platforms have got light on in the night time. As soon as Karambele came, I shouted," Hurry up. There's the bench. Go fast. You can easily came back before the train departs."
Again lady scared and she didn't move away. She was scared because she was thinking about losing the train and told her husband she will bear this natures call till Virar. But it was not possible for her to handle. We all could see the pain she was having. Some also suggested to clear some area and make it done but she was feeling very uncomfortable. Then we all left the hope. And look how sharp minded husband she had got. She was still searching a place and her husband got an idea. The MEMU has series of general coaches where we can easily change the coach passing through the gaps between two coaches. All the gaps have shutters in them, in case it is separated, the shutter will be locked. Her husband left her wife in the middle of the two coaches and shut down the shutters. While the woman was completing her natures call. Suddenly someone shouted,
"Hey. What were you doing in Sanjan when it was in siding."
In reply, I angrily said," Is there any toilet in Sanjan? Look at them, are they regular commuters? Did they know that the train will have 20 minutes halt in Sanjan? Or if they knew the train had 20 minutes halt there, where she would have gone for bathroom?"
Whoever he was, shut his mouth and didn't reply me. And the husband opened the shutter and woman came out with pretty relaxed face. We all were too feeling relaxed for her. This is just a single incident that took place today in front of my eyes. The Western Railway is planning to start the Valsad-Churchgate local by 2020. You can imagine how people will have to suffer when there will be no toilets in train. Let's accept local cannot have toilets, but at least platform should have much hygiene toilets for women. Because we are men and I believe we have right to stand anywhere for toilet in public place. But women can't. This is also a part of helping women where system has completely failed. WR has got big zero for this and such shameful thing for it apart from their price hike and late running schedules of trains for which they don't even have any idea!
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