Saturday was a real slow day for me! The day was special since a Pharmaceutical major was coming to our college for a campus interview! I was dressed in a crisp white shirt and a black denim trouser and rushed to college by my usual train (06:58 EMU from Belapur). I spotted the Deccan Express towards Pune rushing out of Kurla with WCG2 #20157 just as my train enter the platform. My EMU arrived on time. I spotted the Latur-Mumbai express at Ghatkopar. The loco in-charge was WDM2 from Kalyan.
I reached Thane at around 0758, and the Madgaon bound Mandovi Express was ready to depart with WDP4 #20022. The train got her starter just as I neared the loco, and the dippy cried off as she moved forward with the 21-coach load. The train cleared the platform in no time, and I was out at the MSRTC bus station. i jumped into a bus and continued my journey towards college.
The day was dotted with almost continuous lectures by teachers, and by the end of the day I was damn tired! The interviewer came in at around 1530, and he started interviewing candidates by around 1630. The interview went on till around 1830. After the interview, I along my friends rushed towards Thane station. The station was heavily crowded and platforms looked more like an ocean of humans! Trains were barely visible.... I rushed over to Platform 6 where a Dadar bound Fast EMU was expected. The EMU came in, and the journey was normal ahead! The First class coach in which I travelled was more or less empty!
I heard an announcement about some disruption on the Harbour line at Ghatkopar. I was tensed for the rest of the journey! The train pulled into Kurla, and the indicator showed that a Belapur bound EMU was expected shortly on Platform 7. I rushed to the platform. At around 1935, the Mumbai CST bound Udyan express rolled through with WDP4 #20031 in charge. The train was ON-TIME!!! Just around then, the PA system came alive, and an announcement was made that the Belapur EMU is being terminated at Kurla, and the EMU would return to Mumbai CST!
I seemed that there was some problem on the route, and trains were being terminated at Kurla instead of proceeding towards Vashi! I rushed out of the station towards the nearby BEST Bus station. There is ONE bus service from there to Navi Mumbai (Airoli via Vashi). I had to wait for about 15 minutes to get a bus. The Bus was a new Ashok Leyland make CNG bus. I was at the rear most seat, and the bus was crowded heavily. There was no chance of taking in more passengers, and the bus went through without stopping at most places!
I reached Vashi at around 2100. Just behind this bus was an NMMT bus towards Belapur! What else would I want! The bus was to take a long circuitous route to Belapur - but that really was not a problem! The bus took about an hour to reach Belapur from Vashi, and the route was one that I was travelling after a long 4 years! The bus (MH 04-G-2402) was poorly maintained, and the noise from the rear axle was un-bearable. I seemed that the brakes were not releasing properly, and the bus had quite high rolling resistance! The bus made all sorts of noise when coming to a halt. The driver had a problem shifting the bus from 2nd to 3rd gear! Every time he attempted changing the gear, the bus would jerk too much! Inspite of all these, I enjoyed the journey very much, and the weather outside was cool and this added to the romance of travelling!
I finally got down at Belapur Station (at around 2145) and took my car from the parking lot. Reached home around 2200 -- A long 3-and-a-half hours to reach my home from College!
I reached Thane at around 0758, and the Madgaon bound Mandovi Express was ready to depart with WDP4 #20022. The train got her starter just as I neared the loco, and the dippy cried off as she moved forward with the 21-coach load. The train cleared the platform in no time, and I was out at the MSRTC bus station. i jumped into a bus and continued my journey towards college.
The day was dotted with almost continuous lectures by teachers, and by the end of the day I was damn tired! The interviewer came in at around 1530, and he started interviewing candidates by around 1630. The interview went on till around 1830. After the interview, I along my friends rushed towards Thane station. The station was heavily crowded and platforms looked more like an ocean of humans! Trains were barely visible.... I rushed over to Platform 6 where a Dadar bound Fast EMU was expected. The EMU came in, and the journey was normal ahead! The First class coach in which I travelled was more or less empty!
I heard an announcement about some disruption on the Harbour line at Ghatkopar. I was tensed for the rest of the journey! The train pulled into Kurla, and the indicator showed that a Belapur bound EMU was expected shortly on Platform 7. I rushed to the platform. At around 1935, the Mumbai CST bound Udyan express rolled through with WDP4 #20031 in charge. The train was ON-TIME!!! Just around then, the PA system came alive, and an announcement was made that the Belapur EMU is being terminated at Kurla, and the EMU would return to Mumbai CST!
I seemed that there was some problem on the route, and trains were being terminated at Kurla instead of proceeding towards Vashi! I rushed out of the station towards the nearby BEST Bus station. There is ONE bus service from there to Navi Mumbai (Airoli via Vashi). I had to wait for about 15 minutes to get a bus. The Bus was a new Ashok Leyland make CNG bus. I was at the rear most seat, and the bus was crowded heavily. There was no chance of taking in more passengers, and the bus went through without stopping at most places!
I reached Vashi at around 2100. Just behind this bus was an NMMT bus towards Belapur! What else would I want! The bus was to take a long circuitous route to Belapur - but that really was not a problem! The bus took about an hour to reach Belapur from Vashi, and the route was one that I was travelling after a long 4 years! The bus (MH 04-G-2402) was poorly maintained, and the noise from the rear axle was un-bearable. I seemed that the brakes were not releasing properly, and the bus had quite high rolling resistance! The bus made all sorts of noise when coming to a halt. The driver had a problem shifting the bus from 2nd to 3rd gear! Every time he attempted changing the gear, the bus would jerk too much! Inspite of all these, I enjoyed the journey very much, and the weather outside was cool and this added to the romance of travelling!
I finally got down at Belapur Station (at around 2145) and took my car from the parking lot. Reached home around 2200 -- A long 3-and-a-half hours to reach my home from College!
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