By seven-ish in the evening trains had almost stopped plying. Those who boarded the locals hoping that they would chug out, instead had to face a sweltering and a sweating crowd!
The famous 'Mumbai spirit' came handy once again last night as railway motormen struck work and left the lakhs of commuters in lurch.
By seven-ish in the evening trains had almost stopped plying. Those who boarded the locals hoping that they would chug out, instead had to face a sweltering and a sweating crowd!
"It was extremely mean on the part of motormen as they worked in the first half and allowed the people to reach their destinations. This compounded the problem as they struck work big time in the evening only to leave the same swathes of commuters stranded at all suburban stations in the mega polis," said Vikram Deshmukh, an exasperated commuter.
Anxious family members kept calling each other to keep themselves posted about the whereabouts of the near and
dear ones.
In no time, Mumbai was going mad venting anger and abuses at the striking rail staff. But are not the gusty Mumbaikars known for their never-say-die attitude...the famous Mumbai spirit, which helps it spring back to its feet and life braving all odds and adversities ?
Rains, strikes or deluge, long live the Mumbai spirit! So how could they be cowed down by just not being ferried back to their destinations ?
People of the city awake 24X7 believe in work-hard-and-party-harder mantra. This unheralded, mandatory holiday of sorts provided one such occasion.
It proved to be a blessing in disguise for those who otherwise have to slog it out round-the-clock. Mumbaikars took to merriment with a vengeance.
Movie theatres, pubs, hotels, clubs, did a brisk business as they were unusually choc-a-bloc with stranded commuters who were left with no where to go and had to take refuge in these places.
Those who could afford and decided to take a cab back home, were caught in the snarl traffic moving at snail's pace.
The roads were busting to its seams due to crippled train services. Even BEST had pressed in its entire fleet to abate the commuters woes.
Unwittingly it also added some! People adopted the mode of transport they could lay their hands on.
While some hitched a ride, other over enthusiasts climbed trucks, tippers, tempos to travel.
Taxi and auto rickshaw drivers had a field day charging the desperate-to-reach-home Mumbaikars, extra.
While some office-goers were held back at their workplaces... blessed few were invited by their caring colleagues and friends to their places.
Lovelorns found it romantic to roam through the lovely empty South Mumbai roads culminating their strolls or rides at the Marine Drive only to be shooed away vigilant cops a few minutes later.
"We all colleagues too had a gala time... Got a lot of time to spend together and bond. Our hectic schedules scarcely provide us with such an opportunity," said Ashfaque Khan, who translated this otherwise nightmare into a dream after being hit by the motormen strike.
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