Mumbai locals may not have doors but entering or exit is impossible during peak hours. But still, people have a lot of compassion for their group of regular travellers, they pull and push fellow passengers if it is tough. The direction of entry/exit has to be kept in mind. That is towards south Mumbai in peak hours and towards north Mumbai, during evening hours it is next to impossible.
Whether it is first class or second class or whether it is General or ladies class make no difference. The only exception is Ladies specials which are only one or two in a day, but after all this, one of the best things about Mumbai local is its systematic sitting culture during Peak Hours. The people travelling during peak hours (6 am-9 am) are regular commuters and they board the same local every day from their respective stations.
Now the local trains’ seats are structured such that there is a sequence of two opposite facing seats on both sides inside the local. This sequence is placed between every two doors of a boogie. This is for those who have not yet travelled on a local train, if you can’t picture, have a look at his image. Getting accustomed to this mode of travel will consume some time and effort.
I like travelling in Mumbai locals because it’s the easiest and the fastest way to reach Mumbai city or Mumbai suburbs by escaping all the tedious and hectic traffic. It’s very much punctual and people run on the local’s timings. You meet interesting characters in the local. If you have an art of winning people then those travellers become your lifetime friends.
There is hardly a case when these Locals get close down even though Mumbai is ‘bandh’. But this is the first time that the trains were closed for months during the pandemic. Some people went into depression because they were missing their local train life, is it sort of an emotional outlet for many. Mumbai is considered to be the largest local network in India. With the help of it, you can reach anywhere in Mumbai.
Even though these locals have received terror attacks like bomb explosions and gun firing, these locals were running perfectly on time the next day with the same number of people travelling in it. Mumbai Locals have been serving Mumbaikars since its first journey and to the last till the coming years. Sudden stoppage of Local trains is heart-wrenching.
The only transport system in the entire country which runs from morning 4 am to 2.30 am in the night. Comparatively cheaper mode of transport than rest. A local train ticket from Churchgate to Virar single way costs around 20rs for a distance of more than 60 kms. A monthly pass costs you around 315 rupees to and far. Three different lines with interconnecting stations make travelling anywhere in the city a possibility.
Both slow and fast trains with few important stops makes the journey easier in terms of time saved. It brings people closer literally, you can find food vendors outside major railways stations late in the night. Midnight cravings anybody, that generous amount of ventilation. Pole Vaulting for all the future gymnasts and stuntmen. The science of adjustment, where four or five people sit comfortably (or not) in a seat for 3 people. If you have heard the bhajan toli (Bhajan Singers) endlessly singing from Churchgate to Virar in the evening. The art of getting through at Dadar or Bandra in an evening Virar Fast Local makes our body much stronger.
As soon as the locals arrived, people gushed out of it as if the honeycomb was disturbed by throwing a stone on it and the angry bees were spouting out rapidly. The train was already packed due to the delay. Somehow, one manages to climb up. Everyone on the platform starts entering rapidly inside the train.
However, the train started and a man was left outside the train while still holding the bar. He got stuck in such a position that neither he could leave the train nor could he board the train. The train was rapidly gaining its speed in a full tide. A man behind grabs him by his shoulders tightly and speaks
“Bhai Sahab, Girne Nahi Dunga” (I won’t let you fall, don’t worry), these words say, we all made space for one another without even a single word. This is the compassion of my Mumbai local that has no doors but always loaded by all means.
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