I was home for a break in ’96 when I got the news that rail
tracks on the east coast were damaged by heavy floods. This meant the return
journey to my place of work in Andhra Pradesh would be difficult. Anyway, I
decided to go ahead since I wanted to report on time. I would get a bus from
Chennai, if trains were not running as usual.
I booked my train ticket from Kollam to Chennai. On reaching
Kollam railway station, I found a special enquiry counter at the platform near
the entrance. There was a lady behind the counter. I asked her if trains were
running from Chennai towards the north. She looked at me and repeated my
question. I could not understand the need for a special enquiry counter if they
couldn’t provide the required information. A man standing nearby overheard me
and told me that the trains from Chennai towards the north were not running.
I boarded the train to Chennai. The compartments were
dilapidated. Like most travelers, I had a chain and lock to secure my luggage.
If you don’t do so, you may get down for a tea and return to find your luggage
missing. Theft was common. I saw my brothers on the platform. They had come to
see me off. The train started moving but it was slow and reached Ernakulam at
about 8 pm . Then there was an
announcement that we had to change to another train on the next platform. Since
I had less luggage, I could easily change trains. Those who had more luggage
found it difficult. I noticed a man with a leg in plaster being carried to the
other train. The train started moving and early next morning we reached Coimbatore .
Again there was an announcement that the train would not proceed any further
and that all passengers could report at the ticket counters with their tickets
for a full refund. We stood in queues and collected the refund. I decided to
get a bus to Chennai. I saw the man with the fractured leg being carried to a
taxi. They may have decided to go by taxi since getting on a bus would be
difficult.
I got a bus to Chennai but by the time it reached Erode it
got a flat tyre. Since they didn’t have a good spare tyre, they send someone to
get one. While waiting for the tyre to be replaced, I met two keralites who
were traveling with me. One was a navy man and the other worked in a bank. I
was having a headache and took a disprin. My new friends asked me to join them
for a beer at a nearby bar. I was reluctant since I had just taken a disprin
and didn’t know if it would react with alcohol. They told me it would not cause
a problem. The navy man told me disprin was banned in the navy and that I
should not be using it. After having some beer and snacks we went back to the
bus and were informed that the bus will not be going anytime soon. We were told
to board another bus that stopped nearby.
This bus reached
Chennai early next morning. The navy man left for his house in Chennai. I went
with the other man looking for a room but were informed that rooms would be
available only at 6.30am . I then
decided not to take a room since I had to continue my journey. I left the man
and went to the railway station. There were no trains running towards the
north. I went to the next station where electric trains were available. They
were running but they do not go long distances. I took an electric train as far
north as possible and then took a bus to Nellore
and had my lunch there. Then I took another bus to Vijayawada .
I reached Vijayawada at night and
had some snacks at the bus station before boarding another bus to my place of
work. Along the way there was a railway crossing and our bus was moving very
slowly across the tracks because it was between a convoy of trucks. It was
frightening because I have read of trains crashing into vehicles on the tracks.
I reached my room at about 2
am , took a bath and had a cup of tea before going to bed. I had
taken 3 trains and 5 buses to reach my destination. A normal journey would have
required only 1 train and 1 bus.
