Mumbai 2 Madras

CST 11 30PM RAVI VERMA WAS SITTING IN THE VICTORIA TERMINUS WAITING HIS TRAIN THE CHENNAI MAIL TO COME IT WAS ALREADY 11 30 PM HE WAS TIRED AND FED UP WITH THE INDIAN RAILWAYS BUT HE HAD NO OTHER OPTION BUT LOOKING AT THE SEA OF HUMANITY BEFORE HIS EYES AND WAITING FOR HIS TRAIN THE MAIL WAS SCHEDULED TO START AT11 30 PM BUT DUE TO SHORTAGE OF ENGINES IT GOT DELAYED RAVI VERMA ALWAYS TRAVELED BY FLIGHT HE WAS THE DEALER OF TYRES HIS SHOP HAD ITS SUPPLIES FROM CHENNAI SO HE FREQUENTLY TRAVELED BETWEEN MADRAS AND MUMBAI HE ALWAYS PREFERRED THE 11 AM FLIGHT OF JET AIRWAYS BUT STRANGELY HE COULDN�T GET A TICKET ON THAT FLIGHT OR ANY OTHER FLIGHT FOR THAT MATTER SO HE HAD TO TRAVEL BY TRAIN HE BOOKED HIMSELF A SECOND AC BERTH BUT HERE HE WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM STILL WAITING FOR THE TRAIN TO COME TO THE PLATFORM HE HATED RAILWAY STATIONS AND THEIR STINK AND THE MASSES OF HUMANITY THERE BUT OF COURSE NOW EVEN AIRPORTS ARE LIKE THAT WHEN HE WAS A KID HE LOVED TRAVELLING BY TRAIN THE SOUND OF CHUK CHUK FROM THE WHEELS OF A TRAIN WAS A WONDERFUL SOUND TO A KID S EAR BUT THE SAME SOUND TWENTY YEARS LATER TO THE SAME PERSON WAS A IRRITATING NOISE THE VENDORS SHOUTING CHAI CHAI WAS SIMPLY MAGICAL TO RAVI VERMA WHEN HE WAS FIVE BUT NOW HE DESPISED IT HE WONDERED WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM HIS SUPPLIERS IN CHENNAI CALLED HIM AND ASK HIM TO MEET HIM IMMEDIATELY AS THERE WERE COMPLAINTS THAT HIS SHOP HADN�T BEEN VERY COURTEOUS WITH THE CUSTOMERS AND THERE WAS SOME MISBEHAVING OF THE SALESMAN WITH ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS WHEN HE ENQUIRED ABOUT IT IN HIS SHOP HE FOUND OUT THAT ONE OF HIS SALES MAN NAMED RAGHU COMPLETELY IGNORED A MLA WHO WAS THERE BECAUSE HIS CAR HAD A PUNCTURE WHEN RAGHU EXPLAINED THAT THE SHOP IS NOT A PUNCTURE SHOP THE MLA WOULD SIMPLY NOT LISTEN SO RAGHU COMPLETELY IGNORED THAT MAN WENT ON DOING HIS OWN WORK BUT MLA S ARE MLA S THE MATTER DIDN�T END THERE THAT MLA FELLOW COMPLAINED TO THE HEAD OFFICE IN BOMBAY WHO IN TURN REFERRED THE COMPLAINT TO THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DEPARTMENT IN CHENNAI SO HERE HE WAS WAITING IN THE WAITING ROOM BECAUSE SOME IDIOT OF AN MLA DIDNT KNOW THAT THEIR SHOP WAS NOT PUNCTURE SHOP SIR THERE IS A DIESEL ENGINE AVAILABLE HOW QUICK CAN WE GET A ELECTRIC ENGINE THERE IS ONE COMING TO BOMBAY BUT IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME SIR OKAY PUT A DIESEL ENGINE TO THE MAIL AND AT A STATION IN BETWEEN SWITCH THE ENGINES OKAY SIR MOHAN WHO HAD BEEN WORKING FOR THE RAILWAYS FOR NINE YEARS KNEW THIS METHOD VERY WELL IF THERE ARE SHORTAGE OF ELECTRIC ENGINES THEY WOULD SIMPLY PUT A OLD DIESEL ONE WHEN THE TRAIN MEETS AN GOODS TRAIN IN BETWEEN THEY SIMPLY SWITCH THE ENGINES SO THAT WHEN THE TRAIN REACHES MADRAS WHICH IS UNDER SOUTHERN RAILWAY THE WESTERN RAILWAY DOESN�T NEED TO ANSWER FOR THE SHORTAGE OF ELECTRIC ENGINES

HE CALLED THE SHOLAPUR STATION MANAGER AND ASKED HIM TO STOP ANY ELECTRIC TRAIN GOING TOWARDS MUMBAI SHOLAPUR RAIWAY STATION 1135PM THE STATION MANGER OBLIGED AS ALWAYS HE TOO KNEW THIS PRACTICE TRAIN NUMBER 2364 MUMBAI TO CHENNAI THE MUMBAI MAIL IS SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT 11 55 PM FROM PLATFORM 7 PLATFORM 7 SAAB THE COOLIE SAID TO RAVI VERMA OKAY THEN THE COOLIE TOOK THE LUGGAGE AND STARTED GOING TO PLATFORM 7 RAVI VERMA FOLLOWED HIM UNTIL THE TRAIN HE CHECKED HIS TICKET TO FIND THE BERTH ALLOTTED TO HIM WAS NUMBER 23 HE PAID THE COOLIE OF AND STARTED CHAINING HIS LUGGAGE THE SHOLAPUR STATION MANAGER HATED THESE JOBS NOW HE HAD TO EXPLAIN TO THE GOODS TRAIN DRIVER THAT NOW HE HAD TO DRIVE A DIESEL ENGINE UP TO BOMBAY AND ALSO HE HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER TO STOP THE TRAINS BEHIND OR ALLOW THEM TO OVERTAKE THIS GOODS TRAIN AND THEN SWITCH BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL TRACK AT SOME SMALL STATION THERE WAS A PASSENGER TRAIN COMING BEHIND HE COULD STOP IT AND HE WOULDN�T BE QUESTIONED BY THE AUTHORITIES BUT THERE WAS A EXPRESS TRAIN WHICH WAS ALREADY LATE BY 5 HOURS AND HE COULDN�T POSSIBLY DELAY IT MUCH LONGER SO HE DECIDED TO ALLOW THE EXPRESS TRAIN TO PASS THE PASSENGER TRAIN AND THE GOODS ONE AND SWITCH BACK TO THE TRACK NUMBER 1 TRACK NUMBER 1 WAS USED TO GO TO TO MUMBAI AND TRACK NUMBER 2 WAS USED TO LEAVE MUMBAI SO HE HAD TO STOP ALL TRAIN COMING TOWARDS SHOLAPUR FROM MUMBAI USING TRACK 2 HE CONTACTED THE WEST CABIN GUARD AND ASKED HIM TO DO THE JOB ON HAND THE WEST CABIN GUARD WAS LAZY AND A SLEEPY FELLOW BUT TONIGHT HE KNEW HE HAD TO DO THE JOB HE CHANGED THE SIGNALS AND INFORMED THE NEARBY STATION AND SIGNAL MANAGERS OF THE CHANGE IN PLAN TO LET THE EXPRESS TRAIN AND ONLY THEN ALLOW OTHER TRAINS FROM BOMBAY TO PASS CST 11 55PM RAVI VERMA LOOKED AT HIS WATCH AND HE KNEW THAT THE TRAIN WAS NOT GOING TO START AT 11 55 MOHAN REALIZED THAT THERE WAS SOME MISTAKE THE STATION MANAGER AT SHOLAPUR OTHERWISE THE THREE TRAINS WAITING TO MOVE OUT OF MUMBAI WOULD HAVE LEFT ONE BY ONE HE CHECKED WITH THE SIGNAL MEN AND THE GUARDS AND HE FOUND OUT THAT THE SIGNALS WERE RED FOR THE TRAINS GOING OUT OF BOMBAY UNTIL THE EXPRESS COMING IN TOWARDS BOMBAY REACHES A STATION WERE YOU HAVE MORE THAN TWO PLATFORMS MOHAN CHECKED THE RAILWAY MAP AND THE NEAREST RAILWAY STATION TO SHOLAPUR WAS DESPUR WHICH WAS JUST 10 MINUTES FROM MUMBAI BUT 30 MINUTES FROM SHOLAPUR SO MAYBE HE COULD CLEAR ONE TRAIN TO GO TO DESPUR AND STOP IT THERE UNTIL THE EXPRESS REACHES THE STATION BUT HE COULD CLEARLY SEE THAT THE STATION MANAGERS DECISION WAS A WRONG BECAUSE OF ONE EXPRESS TRAIN THREE TRAINS HADN�T EVEN STARTED FROM CST HE HAD TO GET APPROVAL FROM HIS SENIORS BEFORE HE COULD MAKE ANY DECISION HE WENT TO HIS SENIORS ROOM SIR

YES NOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM DON�T TELL ME IT IS ABOUT MAIL AGAIN WELL NO SIR SAID MOHAN HE EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO HIM WELL LEAVE IT THAT WAY WHO IS GOING TO BOTHER JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE ENGINES ARE SWITCHED AT SHOLAPUR DON�T BOTHER LET TRAINS RUN LATE EVEN THE PASSENGER ARE NOT BOTHERED WHY SHOULD WE BOTHER MOHAN LEFT THE ROOM BUT HE DECIDED TO SEND ONE OF THE THREE TRAINS AHEAD UPTIL DESPUR HE CALLED THE DESPUR STATION AND INFORMED THEM OF THE DECISION TO CLEAR ONE TRAIN ASKED THEM TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS NOW HE HAD TO DECIDE WHICH TRAIN HE HAD CLEAR THERE WERE THREE TRAINS ONE TO MADRAS ONE TO HYDERABAD AND OTHER COCHIN ALL WERE EQUALLY IMPORTANT ONES BUT THE HYDERABAD EXPRESS WAS THE MOST DELAYED AS IT WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE AT 10 30 BUT HE DECIDED AGAINST CLEARING HYDERABAD EXPRESS AND INSTEAD CLEARED MADRAS MAIL AS THE ENGINE HAD TO BE SWITCHED AT SHOLAPUR RAVI VERMA WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE FRUSTRATED THE TRAIN DIDN�T START AND THE COACH GUARD INFORMED HIM THAT THEY COULD ON THE AIR-CONDITIONING ONLY IF THE TRAIN STARTS (SINCE NOW THE TRAIN IS A DIESEL ONE NOT AN ELECTRIC ONE ) HE WAS FED UP WITH THE INDIAN RAILWAYS HE VOWED NEVER TO AGAIN TRAVEL BY RAIL ROAD WAS BETTER HE DECIDED TO CALL HOME AND TALK SUDDENLY THERE WAS SHAKE AND HE LOOKED OUTSIDE TO FIND THE TRAIN MOVING HE FELT A SENSE OF RELIEF AND DECIDED AGAINST CALLING HOME AND SLOWLY DOZED OFF DESPUR RAILWAY STATION 12 00 AM THE DESPUR RAILWAY OFFICIALS WERE FRUSTRATED NOW THEY HAD TO SEE THAT THE MADRAS MAIL STOPS AT DESPUR AND IF IT GOT DELAYED THEY MAY HAVE TO STOP THE EXPRESS TRAIN COMING TOWARDS BOMBAY ALTHOUGH THE DISTANCE FROM MUMBAI WAS FAR LESS THAN DISTANCE FROM SHOLAPUR BUT U NEVER KNOW THE MAIL WAS PULLED BY AN OLD DIESEL ENGINE WHICH HAD BEEN LYING QUIETLY FOR SOME TIME SO IF ANYTHING HAPPENS THEN THEY HAVE THEIR JOB CUT OUT CST 12 05 AM MOHAN KNEW HE HAD TO WORK HARD FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS TO ENSURE THAT TIMETABLE IS FOLLOWED THERE WAS A BREAK BETWEEN 12 00 AND 3 30 WHEN THERE WERE NO PASSENGER TRAINS FROM OR TO BOMBAY SO HE HAD TO SORT THIS MESS BY 3 30 OR ELSE THE NEXT DAY SCHEDULE WOULD BE DISTURBED AND THAT WOULD BE QUITE HORRIBLE SO ALL THE TRAINS MUST BE OUT OF THE WESTERN RAILWAY ZONE BY 3 30 AM BUT THE CHANCES WERE LOOKING QUITE SLIM THE WAY THINGS WERE GOING NOW ANOTHER DECISION HE HAD TO MAKE IS WHETHER TO ALLOW THE HYDERABAD OR THE COCHIN BOUND TRAINS TO OVERTAKE THE MADRAS MAIL WHEN THE SWITCH IS BEING DONE AND OF COURSE THERE MAY BE SOME MORE GOODS TRAINS COMING INTO BOMBAY BUT THEY COULD BE DELAYED SHOLAPUR RAILWAY STATION 12 17 AM WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE TRY TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SEND AN ELECTRIC TRAIN TO MADRAS NOT ANY DIESEL ONE BUT WHY MINE ASKED THE DRIVER OF THE GOODS TRAIN NO 2313 WHICH HAD BEEN JUST STOPPED AT SHOLAPUR AND THE ENGINE WAS BEING DISMANTLED FROM THE TRAIN

SHUT FOR GOD SAKE ORDERS ARE ORDERS U AND I CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THEM SHOUTED THE STATION MASTER THE DRIVER WENT AWAY GRUMBLING FOR A CUP OF TEA THE STATION MASTER NOW HAD TO GREEN SIGNAL THE EXPRESS TRAIN NO 7534 WHICH HE DIDN�T REMEMBER FROM WHERE IT WAS COMING AND DIDN�T BOTHER TO CHECK THE TRAIN NO 7534 WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN LATE FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS WAS NOW PICKING UP GOOD SPEED THE DRIVER WONDERED WHETHER HE HAD TO STOP BEFORE BOMBAY BUT THANKED HIS GOOD FORTUNE AS HE SAW THE GREEN SIGNAL BEFORE THE RAILWAY STATION 40 MORE MINUTES HE WOULD REACH HOME SIR THERE IS A FREIGHT TRAIN STARTING NOW FROM PUNE THEY ARE ASKING WHETHER THE COAST IS CLEAR TELL THEM TO GO TO HELL SAID THE INFURIATED SHOLAPUR STATION MANAGER SIR I BELIEVE IT�S A BIT URGENT ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE ANOTHER TRAIN ON THESE TRACKS RIGHT NOW TELL THEM RIGHT NOW IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THE MADRAS MAIL 12 11 THE TRAIN STOPPED THE TRAIN NOW THEIR JOB WAS RAVI VERMA GOT UP CONDITIONING MUST HE LOOKED OUTSIDE

AS EXPECTED AT DESPUR

AND THE OFFICIALS WERE RELIEVED TO SEE

SIMPLE SIMPLY GREEN FLAG THE EXPRESS AGAIN SUDDENLY FEELING SWEATY AND HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRBE OFF TO SEE THE LONELY DARK PLATFORM NO 2 OF DESPUR RAILWAY STATION

HE WAS TOTALLY FED UP AND HE NEEDED TO RELEASE HIS ANGER ON SOMEONE HE DECIDED TO GET DOWN ASK SOME ONE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS HE SAW THE COACH MAN AND STOPPED HIM SIR THERE HAS BEEN SOME PROBLEM WITH THE TRACKS THE TRAIN WILL START IN 5 MINUTES CONVEYED THE COACH GUARD BEFORE RAVI COULD OPEN HIS MOUTH RAVI KNEW 5 MINUTES IN INDIAN RAILWAYS �S CLOCK COULD BE ANYTHING BUT FIVE MINUTES HE DECIDED TO GET DOWN AND LIGHT A CIGARETTE HE GOT DOWN ONTO A DARK SOLITARY PLATFORM HE QUITE LIKED THESE SORT OF PLACES AND ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ALONE HERE AND THINKING TO HIMSELF BUT HE NEVER GOT TIME OR TO BE PRECISE HE DIDN�T HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF HIS BUSY SCHEDULE HE SAW ANOTHER MAN GET DOWN FROM THE OTHER END OF THE BOGIE AND WALK TOWARDS HIM SIR DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THE COACH MAN SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE TRACK NOT BEING ALRIGHT ITS RUBBISH ANYWAY I AM SANTOSH FROM MADRAS RAVI VERMA, MUMBAI THESE RAILWAYS ARE ALWAYS LIKE THAT SIR PEOPLE LIKE U SHOULD TRAVEL BY FLIGHT SAID SANTOSH I USUALLY DO THE SAME BUT COULDN�T GET TICKETS SIR DO YOU MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED THAT AN DIESEL ENGINE IS PULLING OUR TRAIN WHAT? YES SIR MAYBE THATS THE PROBLEM MAYBE WE CAN WALK UPTO THE ENGINE TO CHECK OUT THE TRAIN DOESN�T SEEM TO MOVE NOW OKAY THEN

MUMBAI DOMESTIC AIRPORT 12 12AM AIRPORT MANAGER DAULAT PANDEY WAS IN A SPOT OF BOTHER ACTUALLY IN MORE TROUBLE THAN A SPOT OF TROUBLE THE MONSOONS STRUCK AGAIN AND THE RUNWAY 2A WAS FLOODED AGAIN LAST AFTER THE SAME DISASTER HAD HAPPENED HE HAD WRITTEN TO THE AIRPORT AUTHORITIES TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE FACILITIES ON RUNWAY 2A BUT THEY HAD REFERRED IT TO THE BMC SAYING THAT DRAINAGE WERE NOT THEIR CUP OF TEA AND WELL WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE BMC THEY HAVE A SENSATIONAL RECORD OF NOT SOLVING ANY PROBLEMS OF BOMBAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE QUESTION OF THE MONSOONS MUMBAI HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS SORT OF RAIN FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS DAULAT REMEMBERED SEEING THE FILM �THE INCONVENIENT� TRUTH WHERE THE PROTAGONIST AL GORE USED BOMBAY AS AN EXAMPLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING DAULAT WAS NOW SURE THAT GLOBAL WARMING WAS A REALITY COZ THE SAME RAIN IF RAINED IN OTHER PARTS OF MAHARASHTRA THE NUMBER OF FARMER SUICIDES WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS MR PANDEY YES WE HAVE GOT AN EMERGENCY FLIGHT 2341 HAS ALMOST RUN OUT OF FUEL THEN MAKE IT LAND THAT IS THE PROBLEM MR PANDEY WE DON�T HAVE ANY RUNWAYS FREE AT THE MOMENT SIR SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO CONSTRUCT ANOTHER ONE NO SIR ACTUALLY I WAS SENT BY MR IJAZ KHAN HE WANTS TO MEET YOU SAYING THIS THAT MAN LEFT PANDEY �S ROOM IJAZ KHAN WAS THE CHIEF MANAGER OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER BOX PANDEY KNEW NOW THEY NEEDED A MIRACLE TO CLEAR THIS MESS IJAZ KHAN WAS WORRIED RUNWAYS 1 2 AND 3A WERE FULL AS THREE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS WERE TAKING OFF AND POSSIBLY FLIGHT 2341 DIDINT HAVE THAT MUCH TIME RUNWAY 3 WAS ALREADY ALLOTED TO A FLIGHT FROM NEW YORK AND RUNWAY 4 AND 5 COULD NOT BE USED AS THEY WERE NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOEING 767 FLIGHT NO 2341 TO LAND SO EITHER HE HAD TO MAKE THEM WAIT UNTIL ONE RUNWAY CLEARS OR OR HE HAD NO OPTION HE HAD TO MAKE THEM THIS IS KLM AIRLINES NO 2341 WE ALREADY INTO OUR RESERVE THE PLANE I DON�T THINK LAST MORE THAN 3 MINUTES I REPEAT OKAY WE GOT YOU MUMBAI JUST THEN DAULAT ENTERED THE ROOM THANK GOOD YOU HAVE COME SAID KHAN KHAN EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM ON HAND WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH 2A SIR IT IS FLOODED AND WATER IS TOO MUCH FOR THE PLANE TO LAND IT SLIP REPLIED KHAN IN HIS OWN WAY OF SPEAKING ENGLISH WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE ASK TTHE FLIGHT TO LAND ON 2A WITH AS LOW AS SPEED POSSIBLE AND TILL THE LAST MOMENT ENSURE THAT THE RUNWAY IS BEING SUCKED OF ITS WATER AND GET SOME GRAVEL AND SAND AND PUT IT AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND PRAY TO GOD QUICK WE HAVE TO DO ALL OF THIS A MINUTE \DAULAT LEFT THE ROOM HE KNEW THAT THE PLANE HAD REMOTE POSSIBILTIES OF LANDING SAFELY BUT MANY OF THE PASSENGERS COULD BE SAVED IF THE PLANE DIDN�T SKID OFF OR OVERTURN HE HIMSELF EXAMINED THE RUNWAY 2A AND IT WAS A RIVER HE REALIZED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS CORRECTLY BUILT

RUNWAY 2A WAS BUILT JUST TWO YEARS AGO BETWEEN RUNWAY 3 AND 2 TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH FLOWING OF TRAFFIC WHICH HAD GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS RUNWAY 2A WAS ALREADY THERE BUT WAS FOR MEANT TO BE USED FOR SMALL PRIVATE PLANES AND NOW WHEN THE NEED WAS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW BIG AIRPORT THE AUTHORITIES SIMPLY SANCTIONED THE EXPANSION OF RUNWAY 2A AND NOW THE AIRPORT OFFICIALS HAD TO SUFFER DUE TO THIS HE WENT TO HIS OFFICE AND DIALED 100 I WANT THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE NO OF AMBULANCES DOCTORS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY SIR IT MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME AS THE ROAD LEADING TO THE AIRPORT IS FLOODED SHIT DAULAT KNEW THE STATE OF THE ROADS IN MUMBAI WHEN IT RAINS NOW HE SIMPLY HAD TO WAIT SIR SOME PASSENGERS ARE PROTESTING AT THE CANCELLATION OF SOME FLIGHTS SIR APPARENTLY THE REASON FOR CANCELLATION HAS BEEN GIVEN AS BAD WEATHER BULL SHIT HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I TELL YOU THAT PLEASE DON�T CANCEL FLIGHTS JUST DELAY THEM SIR IT WAS RAO SIR WHO TOOK THE DECISION SO WHY COME HERE? WELL RAO SIR IS NOT FEELING WELL AND THE SITUATION IS GETTING OUT OF HAND AND WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED SOME OF HIGHER AUTHORITY ON OUR SIDE SO I AM NOT COMING I HAVE ENOUGH ON MY HAND S ALREADY SIR PLEASE THE SITUATION IS GETTING OUT OF HAND SOME OF THEM ARE BEHAVING REALLY VIOLENTLY SIR PLEASE OKAY I WILL COME IN FIVE MINUTES WELL FIRST HE HAD TO SEE TO THE FLIGHT LANDING ON RUNWAY 2A THEN HE COULD VISIT THE DOMESTIC TERMINAL WELL THE PASSENGERS WHO WERE MAKING THE TROUBLE WERE ACTUALLY ONLY THREE PEOPLE WHO HAD TICKETS TO MADRAS ON A FLIGHT TO SINGAPORE AIR INDIA FLIGHT NO IC 972 FLEW TO SINGAPORE VIA CHENNAI AND AS THE PLANE WAS HALF EMPTY UPTIL CHENNAI THEY HAD ISSUED TICKETS TO DOMESTIC PASSENGERS TO CHENNAI RAHUL SAXENA WAS ONE OF THE THREE MAKING TROUBLE FOR HIM THIS FLIGHT WAS IMPORTANT VERY IMPORTANT ACTUALLY THIS WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT FLIGHT IN HIS LIFE SO FAR AND HE WAS DETERMINED TO SEE TO THAT THE OFFICIALS DO NOT CANCEL IT EVEN FOR A.RANGARAJAN IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE TOO WAS FIGHTING FOR THE FLIGHT AS IT WAS HIS LIFE AND THE THIRD PASSENGER WHO WAS CREATING TROUBLE WAS AN MLA NAMED ARUMURUGAN FROM TAMILNADU THE OTHER PASSENGERS WERE JUST ON LOOKING THE FIGHT AND WERE SITTING THERE AMONG THEM THERE WAS A SHOMIT CHATERJEE WHO WAS VERY NERVOUS AND HE APPEARED VERY FRIGHTENED THE FACT THAT SHOMIT WAS BEHAVING UNUSUALLY WAS NOTICED BY EIGHTY ONE YEAR OLD M�S APARNA BHUPATHY BUT SHE DIDN�T THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH AS SHE HOPED THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD NOT BE CANCELED AND SHE COULD REACH MADRAS TO SEE HER GRANDDAUGHTER RAHUL SAXENA WAS BORN IN MUMBAI AND HE LOVED THE CITY AS MUCH AS HE LOVED HIS LIFE RAHUL SAXENA WAS A SOFTWARE PROFESSIONAL WORKING IN A MNC FOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY FOR 25000 PER MONTH WELL PEOPLE THINK THAT IT PROFESSIONALS ARE LUCKY AND THEY GET A VERY GOOD SALARY BUT 25000 WAS NOTHING IN MUMBAI YOU COULDN�T EVEN GET A HOUSE IN BOMBAY FOR THAT

MONEY YOU NEED TO LIVE IN THE SUBURBS AND MUMBAI WAS A CITY WERE THERE ARE NEIGHBORS ONE OF THEM WHO IS A BIGSHOT AND SPENDS LAKHS OR EVEN CRORES PER MONTH AND OTHERS WHO HAVE NOTHING TO EAT AND JUST MANAGE TO SURVIVE BUT NOW RAHUL SAXENA WAS ON THE RUN FROM THE MUMBAI POLICE A WEEK AGO IN A HIT AND RUN CASE RAHUL HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF THREE DEATHS OF PAVEMENT DWELLERS A CRIME HE HAD NEVER COMMITTED A CRIME HE NEVER KNEW HAD BEEN COMMITTED HE HAD BEEN DRINKING AND WAS CAUGHT BY A POLICEMAN AND HE HAD TO SURRENDER HIS VEHICLE TO THE STATION AND PICKED IT UP NEXT MORNING THEN IN HIS OFFICE HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM SOMEONE ASKING HIM TO COME OUT OF HIS OFFICE AS SOON AS HE CAME OUT HE WAS DRAGGED INTO A BOLERO AND WHISKED AWAY HELLO RAHUL WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT ASKED RAHUL WHO WAS TIED TO A CHAIR BY IRON CHAINS AS HE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT THE SPEAKER WHO WAS SEATED IN FRONT OF HIM BUT WAS IN COMPLETE DARKNESS COFFEE OR TEA? ASKED THE VOICE WHAT DO YOU WANT OK COMING TO THE POINT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WE THINK YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SOLVE IT \ WHAT IS IT ? REMEMBER YESTERDAY RAHUL? HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME ? I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU RAHUL YOUR SALARY YOUR JOB YOUR FAMILY AS A MATTER OF FACT EVEN THE GIRL YOU LOVE BULLSHIT? WHAT THE HELL KEEP HIM QUIET A STURDY MAN CAME UP AND PLASTERED HIS MOUTH THE SPEAKER WAS SUBHASH GHANDEKAR A PRIVATE DETECTIVE WITH DETECTIVE FIRM SHARMA DETECTIVES THEY HAD RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE LOCAL MLA THE PREVIOUS NIGHT SHARMA DETECTIVES SIR HOW CAN I HELP YOU? I WANT TO MEET YOUR BOSS I AM VILAS GUNDE SO SUBASH GHANDEKAR WENT TO MR GUNDES HOME I HAVE A PROBLEM MR SUBASH I KNOW YOUR PROBLEM SIR AND WE BELIVE WE CAN SOLVE IT QUITE EASILY OH YOU GUYS APPEAR QUITE SMART WE HAVE HAD MANY CASES LIKE THIS AND WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESFULL IN ALMOST ALL OF THEM \ WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS I CANT GIVE YOU NAMES BUT THEY ARE ALL ON YOUR SIDE OF THE STREET MLAS MPS INDUSTRIALIST S ANYONE WHO HAS MONEY HAVE YOU WORKED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE NOT YET WE EMPLOY ABOUT A THIRD OF THE POLICE FORCE IN MUMBAI AND ABOUT A QUARTER LAWYERS WORKING IN THE HIGH COURT ARE OURS INFORMATION S POWER AND WE KNOW EVERYTHING WHICH HAPPENS IN MUMBAI WE KNOW EVERY JUDGE EVERY LAWYER EVERY POLITICIAN WHO IS IN TROUBLE WHO ARE THE TROUBLE MAKERS WHO ARE NOT EVERYTHING WE KNEW ABOUT YOUR SON BEFORE YOU DID AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT SOLUTION LETS HEAR IT ? THIS COULD HAVE A VERY EASY CASE IF YOUR SON HAD NT MADE IT WORSE BY SHOUTING AND SCREAMING TO THE MEDIA

BECAUSE THE PROSECUTOR IS ON OUR SIDE AND WE COULD HAVE EASILY WON THIS CASE \BUT NOW THE MEDIA HAS CAUGHT YOUR SON AT THE SCENE OF CRIME SO YOUR SON IS THE PRIME SUSPECT AND HALF OF THE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT HE HAS COMMITTED THE CRIME SO WHAT�S THE SOLUTION? AS I SAID INFORMATION IS POWER YESTERDAY AROUND THE SAME TIME A FELLOW NAMED RAHUL WAS CAUGHT BY THE POLICE FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING SO WE COULD EASILY PIN THE BLAME ON HIM AND YOUR SON WOULD BE FREE THIS SOUNDS A BIT FAR FETCHED IT IS EASY ANYWAY I BELIEVE YOU THANKS WHAT�S THE FEES 12CRORES 4 ADVANCE AND THE REMAINING AFTER WE WIN THE CASE 12 CRORES ? ITS TOO MUCH NOT MORE THAN YOU HAVE OKAY COLLECT THE MONEY AND SUBASH WAS DOING HIS JOB NOW RAHUL YESTERDAY YOU WERE CAUGHT FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING WHO ARE YOU? ANSWER ME WERE YOU CAUGHT FOR DUI? YES IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME ACCIDENT WHILE YOU WERE DRIVING AFTER DRINKING A COUPLE OF BOTTLES COUPLE OF BOTTLES I ONLY HAD ONE THAT�S NOT IMPORTANT MY BOY WE WANT YOU TO CLEARLY REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT ACCIDENT YES DON�T YOU REMEMBER YOU KILLED THREE PAVEMENT DWELLERS ARE YOU MAD WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SHUT UP WHO ARE YOU .YOU ARE NOT POLICE SHUT UP BUT RAHUL CONTINUED TO SCREAM ABUSE BAD MOUTH AT THE TOP OF HIS MOUTH SUBASH MOTIONED TO A MAN NEARBY HE PUT THE PLASTER BACK ON RAHULS FACE SO RAHUL CANT YOU REMEMBER THE ACCIDENT RAHUL REALIZED THAT THIS WAS SOME TRAP SO THAT THE ACTUAL CRIMINAL COULD ESCAPE HE TRIED TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CHAINS BUT HIS EFFORTS WERE IN VAIN SO YOU STILL CANT REMEMBER RAHUL OKAY THEN YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY SAYING THAT SUBASH LEFT THE ROOM AND RAHUL WAS LEFT ALONE IN THE ROOM SO THIS WAS THE STORY OF RAHUL NEXT DAY HE WAS ARRESTED BY THE POLICE MORE THAN THE ARREST ITSELF THE SHAME IT BROUGHT TO RAHUL WAS MORE HUMILIATING \THERE WAS NONE WHO WOULD BELIEVE HIS STORY EVEN HIS PARENTS HIS PARENTS TILL THAT DAY DIDN�T KNOW ABOUT HIS DRINKING PROBLEM ONCE THEY HEARD ABOUT HIS ARREST AND ALSO THE TICKET RAHUL GOT THAT NIGHT FOR DRINKING UNDER INFLUENCE THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT RAHUL WHEN DRUNK HAD COMMITTED THE CRIME THEY WERE VERY ASHAMED OF HIM AND IMMEDIATELY MOVED OUT OF MUMBAI AND WENT BACK TO THEIR VILLAGE RAHUL WAS LANGUISHING IN THE ACRET JAIL AND SUFFERING

HIS LAWYER HAD JUST MET HIM ADVISED HIM TO PLEAD GUILTY IT HAD COMPLETELY SHOCKED HIM THE LAWYER SAID THAT THE EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM WAS OVERWHELMING AND HE WOULD SURELY BE CONVICTED F THE CRIME AND IF PLEADS GUILTY MAYBE HE WOULD BE GIVEN A LESSER SENTENCE THEN HE HAD ANOTHER VISITOR IT WAS SUBASH AGAIN HELLO RAHUL RAHUL WAS SILENT WE BOTH KNOW THAT YOU ARE INNOCENT BUT THERE IS NO POINT IN TALKING ABOUT THAT AS THERE IS NO WAY YOU ARE GOING TO PROVEN INNOCENT SO I GIVE YOU AN OPTION I GIVE YOU FREEDOM I WILL GIVE YOU AN AMERICAN PASSPORT FLIGHT TICKETS TO NEW YORK AND 5000 DOLLARS SO THAT YOU CAN START YOUR LIFE AFRESH YOU MUST SEND A LETTER TO SOME TV STATION THAT YOU HAVE COMMITTED THE CRIME AND ARE VERY SORRY FOR THAT BUT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SURRENDER SO I GIVE YOU 2 HOURS ITS YOUR CHOICE RAHUL AFTER A LOT OF THOUGHT TOOK THE DEAL BUT HE HAD OTHER PLANS FOR A MIDDLE CLASS BOY LIKE BEING ACCUSED OF SUCH A CRIME WAS QUITE HUMILIATING IN COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA WERE THE MOST OF THE POPULATION IS MIDDLE CLASS THE MIDDLE CLASS HAS ASPIRATION AND HOPES BUT AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS RUINS EVERYTHING IT BETTER TO BE BORN POOR THAN MIDDLE CLASS BECAUSE IF YOUR POOR YOU DON�T HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES HOPES ASPIRATIONS ON YOUR SHOULDERS YOU CAN LEAD YOUR LIFE AS YOU PLEASE YOU CAN BEG AT ANY PLACE YOU WISH YOU CAN ROB SMOKE DRINK BUT NO ONE LOOKS DOWN UPON YOU BUT THE SAME THINGS ID A MIDDLE CLASS PERSON DOES NOT ONLY HIM BUT HIS WHOLE FAMILIES NAME BECOMES DISGRACED SO RAHUL HAD OTHER IDEAS HE SAW THE TICKETS AND FOUND OUT THAT THE FLIGHT WAS MUMBAI CHENNAI NEW YORK ONE HE NEVER WANTED TO GO TO NEW YORK ONCE HE WENT THERE EVEN IF HE RETURNS TO INDIA HE WONT BE RAHUL SAXENA HE WOULD BE GOLLAPUDI KALYAN AS THE PASSPORT SHOWS HE WANTED TO BE RAHUL SAXENA TILL HE DIED SO HE ASKED HIS FRIEND SHIMIT MINTO TO HELP HIM OUT AND HE CAME OUT WITH A BRILLIANT IDEA HE RAHUL AND SHIMIT BOTH WOULD GET ON THE FLIGHT SHIMIT WOULD BE WITH THE GREEN BOARDING PASS MEANT FOR CHENNAI AND RAHUL WITH THE RED BOARDING PASS FOR NEW YORK ONCE ON THE FLIGHT THEY WOULD EXCHANGE THE PASSES AND THEN RAHUL COULD GET DOWN AT CHENNAI AND SHIMIT CAN GO TO NEW YORK WHERE HE WOULD BE DPORTED BACK TO INDIA BUT ALL HIS PLANS WERE A BIG WASTE AS NOW THE BIG DIGITAL BOARD AT THE MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SHOWS THAT THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN CANCELLED