The morning was healthy and warm and I started out in strict
earnest with my little phone and ear plugs to listen to music . Also I kept a few books in a polythene
envelope, in case I am stranded anywhere en route. Near the house there was a lot of digging
and shifting a dusty mud being done by unknown people. Flying dust and hanging dust was all over. I walked through the dust filled tarred road
to reach a small junction called Sector
82 Bhangel. An auto-rikshaw with 11 people in it hailed me. The driver craned his neck through two other
passengers and signed me with his head to come in. I squeezed in to a meagre seat at the window
and held on the top bars holding the canopy of the vehicle. The vehicle had two back to back seats and at
the back of the last seat there was a temporary arrangement for a third seat in
case there was more passengers.
Soon the vehicle started moving among other competing
vehicles. Youth hood people kept on
coming in a dropping off every now and then.
If an ill-clad man or woman hailed the rickshaw, the driver said there
is no space and pushed on. House mothers and elderly ladies at the stops still
coaxed him to carry them and he did. They were not dissuaded by the driver that
quickly. We were heading to the metro
station. Near the station there was an underpass being dug up and dust and
earth being transported filling the place with dust and also compelling the
walkers and drivers to take a de-tour to the metro station at Sector 32. Near
and under the metro the driver dropped us!
A few flights of steps and a side by side running escalator
were taking people up to the upstairs metro station. I took the escalator which
brought me to the station proper where I joined the line for a token. A five
minute exercise show me to the entry where straight walked into the metro train
which was standing ready to go.
I had seen the little girl with folded hands in blue dress
and a cap namastheing those entering the station. The little girl in her blue
dress and cap was very cute! Soon inside, she spoke up to say that the next
station is Golf Course and warned every body to mind the gap! Only two lines of
seats are provided at the wall sides of the coaches and one has to turn or
strain to look back if one tried to look out!
As more and more people came in, one cannot see directly opposite side
as the people standing will obstruct the sight! That is what happened to me! In
the seat, I turned like a screw to watch outside. But that was not easy nor was
it preferable for a long time. People of all hews entered, young girls giggling
and bubbling, youth couples with their low hush hush talk, an occasional guy
talking on a cell phone at the top of his voice, announcing his talk to the
whole compartment, many of them simply carrying an office bag or brief
case, or a hatch bag at the back, some
carrying suit cases which can be pulled these days and of course some with huge
back packs which disturbed others many a time.
All just travelled as they had to reach different places with different purposes. The cars slowly made their way through upper
metro ways and entered the tunnel to traverse below the city.
I had to change a Rajiv Chowk and got out when the station
came and moved to a yellow line to reach the Ajmere Gate station. The station was just two stops and once
outside, I found myself in a gali. The
boards aroud on shops all handling hard were stuff announced it is the ‘Ajmere
Gate inside’. I had to ask for my way to Asaf Ali Road. The only place I remembered for sure was the
“Delite Cinema” ! Each one whom I asked told me to go straight
up and turn left. I went straight
Up and went through different galis (small by-ways, where a
cycle rikshaw cannot enter) and reached a bigger road and ultimately after a
few more askings for the place came out of the dark galis a big chouraya or a
circle. The circle some how seemed to be
known to me as there was more light and I had been to the place earlier to meet
a friend of mine.
Once there I was able to place my friend’s office and I
simply walked up. It took me sometime to
meet my friend and come back to the road once again. Now at this place, I enquired about the Asaf
Ali Road Metro. I had walked quite a distance from Ajmre Gate to Asaf Ali Road and
I did not wish to walk all the way back.
The people here are generally helpful and guided me saying “If you want
to catch the metro catch it just there, instead of going to Ajmere Gate and
pointed to my right. I took their advice and slowly walked with slight
perplexion and to see the Metro. With
all my strainful watch, I could not see the Metro, but of course see a sign
“Sea Food and other Foods” on a flashy yellow and red board! Since all my
guides had pointed me in that direction I pushed on as the place was Kamla
Market and it was known to me earlier too, but the Metro, which was not there
in those olden days.
At last I found the Metro board on a pillar, well
camouflaged by a tree. The metro was stillnot in sight. I swivelled in my place
to see the board of the food stall had
the world Metro Sea Foods and like that.
This meant this place is Metro indeed! The place was full of food and
food sales filling the place with very appetizing smells all over. I pushed on two more steps to see the Station
on the left. Once I took the steep flight of steps the metro was reached, a
clean place with lots and lots of people going in all directions. But I had to buy a token again.
I suffered the line and came out with the token to catch a
metro brimming and bursting with people. I squeezed in. The metro spat me out
at Rajiv Chowk where I changed for a blue line metro to reach my Noida City
Centre and the Auto rickshaw back home.
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