MUMBAI LOCAL

Local train!

Heard it! Seen it! Checked in! Clicked in and Traveled by it!

We all have once or frequently or daily traveled by local train more popularly called as Mumbai local. It’s just not is a means of public transportation, but it breathes a world of its own. With every passenger adding a glory to it and with every station adding life to it. Traveling by local train is on to do list of every film stars, politicians (not only Indians but Americans too), industrialist, man owning a Lamborghini to a backpacking foreigner. Starting from first local of 4.15 am to ek chaalis ki last local…. it’s been written, spoken and even documented very well all over!

So like some of us who are blessed with cars, ubers, olas and private transport and who do not get luxury to travel by local may not know how a life of a simple local train regular commuter works like. Everyone who travels by train from a college student, teacher, elderly businessman, daily wage worker to employee… make the local train come alive!

A journey from Virar to Churchgate says it all. Its like a kaleidoscope with variety of people from different caste, creed, gender, age and professions adding different colors to it.
A college going student with dreams in his eyes and book in his hand sits by window and silently reads his book for upcoming exam in a hope of better future. This young man in a crisp ironed shirt and a big smile is trying his best to save his ironed shirt from getting crumpled till he reaches his office. He is working hard and honest to earn a few thousands to pull a food, clothing and shelter for his family. Here travels a father with lot many things going on in his head and a new hope to make a good profit today to give his family a lavish lifestyle. There is this good mother, the wrinkles on her face tells me she is a mother. Everyday she makes meal early morning for the whole family and lastly packs her Tiffin to board the local. She sits silently completing some office assignments. This everyday efforts put in by her in a hope to provide her family a better living while shouldering husband with his responsibilities are worth many praises. Then there is a young teacher who travels all the way from one end of the city to other just to take her class in time and educate her students for building up bright future.An old lady comes in with lots of baggage to sell cheap cutlery and accessories during rush peak hours so she can manage to feed her stomach at the end of this day. There are hawkers who jump from train to train to make their living and provide doorstop shopping to commuters.Not to forget the chain of dabbawaalas delivering tiffins from home to workplace with excellence.The young group of college girls discussing new trends, syllabus, fashion and exams makes me curious to eavesdrop their talks. The naïve romantic lover boy with bunch of flowers in his hand, protecting them from getting crushed in crowd and his dreamy eyes after hard day at work overwhelms me. His travel all across the one end of city to other to catch glimpse of her Juliet gets butterflies in your stomach. There are groups of people singing and chanting prayers to pass time of their journey with their regular fellow travellers. These group of local friends who have fixed train timing and fixed station to board make the journey entertaining. Here is such bonding where they will sit together in same coach every day and travel to work together. From Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi to Christmas every festival is celebrated by this group of regular travellers with fun irrespective of caste creed or culture. So strong is the bond here. From daily advices and experiences to troubleshoot personal or professional problems to financial tips are shared and nurtured here. An old couple with hand in hand directing each other to senior citizen coach to a physically handicapped man earning a proud living makes you overwhelmed. The sharing of fourth seat to door etiquette of getting down at station is unsaid rule that everyone in local follows. Local train is one of the fastest and cheapest and safest mode of public transport which is part of millions of people in Mumbai. The survey carried out by Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation to count people using local train over 3000 services is approximately 80 lakhs per day!
So easy target it was for antisocial elements to blast our locals full of innocent, hardworking people all at once shattering dreams of eagerly waiting mother, wife, sister and a father for their beloved ones to return home.

To every father, to every mother, to every son, to every daughter, to every brother, to every sister, to every husband, to every wife, to every romantic lover who travels in jammed packed trains, getting pushed and punched still travelling for sake of work, time and saving some money as it is cheapest mode of transportation available, I salute you! These are real heroes, the common man who don’t know what luxury is but truly believes in hard work and perspiration.
Millions of hopes!
Millions of dreams!
Millions of emotions!
All can be seen here!