SATURDAY T(RAIN) IN MUMBAI, 7/6/08

PART-II

I reached Kharghar railway station at around 4:30 in the evening. Generally, there is a train for CST (VT) every 20 minutes but today it seemed like something was wrong. The station, unlike other days, was almost empty, with passengers countable on fingers. A good sign though, as far as availability of seats is concerned but it also posed question on the availability of the train considering the heavy downpour of the morning. About 15 minutes later, the station echoed with the announcement-"due to heavy rains in the morning, the tracks between some stations have gone under water, resulting in cancellation of some of the scheduled trips. Some trains are re-scheduled, whereas the transportation is being restored". Now that was pretty confusing since no specific train was named and so the fate of my train was uncertain. While I was stuck between waiting on and getting back to flat, a train apparently coming from CST came trundling on Platform-I. This reinforced my hope of getting a train. So, I decided to wait on. 20 min. later 2 more trains had trundled past platform-I on the downside towards Panwel, while my platform i.e. Platfarm-I was yet to see its first train.

In a state of boredom I looked-up at the electric supply wire that passes from above the train when out of nowhere a strange thought crossed my mind. The wire, despite constant rubbing with that equipment which sticks out from the head of the train never breaks. Why, it is metal after all, it should also wear down. But I chided myself for allowing the stupid thought- "The entire mechanism is designed by experts who would have considered such a silly thing and a million more, a thousand times. So practically its impossible."But what would happen if it broke off? The train was on the platform within the next 5 mins. I boarded the train and forgot the whole idea.

About an hour later...

The train halted abruptly a little ahead of Vadala. What's so peculiar about it? Trains generally do stop in the the middle of nowhere owing to congestion or other technical problems, thanks to the mismanagement of Indian Railways. But there was something peculiar about this halt. Not only the train had stopped, but the engine had died down completely which generally does not happen. People started getting down, whereas I decided to wait and watch until only a few were left inside. Eventually, I got-up and asked someone- "what happened?''. "The electric cable that runs above the train has snapped", the man replied.