Mumbai Local Speaking...

My day starts before dawn, moving from my car-shed to the platform. It’s still dark with the faint yellow lights. The daily commuters are eagerly waiting for me.  Some are with tickets and some are ticket-less. I am called the lifeline of Mumbai; I am the Mumbai Local Train. The motorman drives me stations to stations with a half minute halt. Within the very half minute, I see the struggle you do to get in somehow in any of my compartments. Some even keep hanging to my door; it’s so scary. Though my capacity is some n number of passengers; I almost carry multiples of those n numbers to their destinations and then back to their homes safely. I run to and fro from one end point of the railway lines to the other, never counted the trips so far. Sometimes I am a Fast and sometimes I am a Slow. I meet my colleagues on the way; some going parallel and some going the opposite direction. It’s very crucial that we don't dash on the one ahead of us, so we follow the signals. I move on my tracks, my friend forever. Let me remind people that tracks are for trains; neither for answering nature's call nor as a moving garbage bin. I am a moving market for almost anything; fruits to fast food, hair clips to sandals, socks to sarees, etc. Many a times I have to swim through water logged on my path due to heavy rains. I know commuters get troubled on Sundays due to mega-blocks. But it is done after all for safety of the people. I just do not want to imagine myself slipping over the tracks and putting commuters’ life in trouble. I am deeply hurt when people commit suicide by jumping on the tracks all of a sudden. I cannot stop for that one person and risk the n number of commuters that I am carrying.

I have seen celebrations during festivals. I have seen deluge of 26^th July, 2005. I have seen the disaster of 11th July, 2006. But I have noticed one thing; the Mumbaiker’s spirit is always high. If they can get back on track the very next day of a deluge or disaster; why should I remain in the car-shed to protect myself? I was, I am and I will always remain the lifeline of Mumbai.