The DTC Chronicles

अंकल एक 10 की देना...

A few months ago I wrote about That Elusive (Bus) Seat highlighting how difficult it is to get into a bus in New Delhi and get a seat inside it, while talking about time tested strategies that I use to (hopefully) get one. Well, since then I have traveled a lot more and experienced a lot of other things about Delhi Transport Corporation.

Bus Pass

Till now I have been travelling in highly subsidized student bus pass. ROI time period was just 4 days and hence the rest of the month it felt like I was travelling for free! Of course, student bus pass don't work in the new AC buses. And I felt like whenever I needed a bus I could always find the Red one but not the Green one.

So, as soon as the student bus pass period ended, I started buying the daily citizen AC passes. Now, as usually it happens, only the green ones are available in the nick of time.

Over (the top) Crowding

Try travelling in a crowded Delhi bus. It really is an adventure to get mobbed! And that is why I travel backwards to get a seat. And when you get a seat it is really interesting to see how scores after scores of 'junta' would get inside the bus (interestingly seldom does anyone board out!). Just when you think that even a single person can't enter now, the conductor with his excellent crowd management would make way for 10 more! And this is where I learnt about the excellent flexibility of human body and nature :)

Smart travelers

A common DTC traveler has really become smart. He won't get up from his seat to buy the ticket/pass but just pass the money to others. One time, I waited 5 mins for somebody to go to conductor to buy his/her ticket. When no one got up, I had to do the job. To my surprise immediately at least 3 more people gave me the money to buy the ticket! And thanks to overcrowding, I spent literally half of my (50 mins) travelling time buying tickets/passes for others.

I also noticed something interesting. When you travel at night, people would come up to you and offer their passes to you, so that you can travel for free! I know it is illegal but good to see that Delhi people want to help each other.

AC-DC

You would think that AC buses would be empty or at least less crowded due to their higher fare slab. But the scorching Delhi heat and non existent standard buses have made sure that Red buses are as crowded as the green ones (thus negating any advantage you get by paying extra price).

"But at least you get to travel in AC?", you may say. Well try travelling in one during a summer afternoon. At least 2 times I have sweated inside those buses! You won't realise them to be AC until you are sitting just below the machine openings. I have wondered if they work on alternative sources like solar energy or DC-battery operated.

DTC conductors

When I wrote about Bluelines, I gave a special mention to their conductors. Well, DTC ones are no better. Many of them would enter the buses only when the bus is about to leave from it's starting point. What that means is that the everybody would surround him and haggle for ticket for the next half an hour. One time I noticed a conductor giving tickets/passes non-stop for 37 minutes without pausing for even a few seconds!

Recently I noticed a few lady conductors inside DTC buses. Now, I don't know if they really required the job or just wanted to prove to that they are not behind men in any field, or it's a new scheme of Delhi Govt. giving reservation to women in DTC. Anyways, it was good to see that 'junta' behaves properly with them.

And this is not it, there are a number of other instances where you are left wondering if it would be better to have your own vehicle (for the record, I am a fierce advocate of public transport). One thing is certain that buses running on Delhi roads are not enough. And while Delhi govt. is trying to improve the situation (recently it started its first private cluster in Central Delhi) but I still think I was right when I said that Blueline buses shouldn't have exited prematurely.

That Elusive (Bus) Seat

I am a daily user of public transport (which is a classier way of saying that I travel by buses daily). And usually it involves long journeys (>=40 mins). This of course demands a seat to sit, otherwise one ends up draining all the energy in travelling only. Now I am not the only daily long traveler, there are many others like me, which means everybody wants seat. But like all good things in life, they are limited. And from here starts the competition to grab that elusive seat...

Reservation
One of my long standing dreams is to get reservation somewhere, anywhere. Unfortunately even inside buses, I am out of luck. I don't qualify for ladies seats (unless I go for sex change... no thanks), conductor seat (I am eligible, but I think my career aspirations are a bit higher), senior citizen (not getting that for next 35 years or so), physically handicapped (I am more of artistically handicapped). So, almost the one row of seats (the left side) is not meant for me. Now, damn the skewed sex ratio that there are usually a lot of contenders for the other row of the seats.

Tactics to get seat

1. Early bird: I make it a point to travel in the opposite direction for some distance to get the bus from the point of origin in order to maximise my chances (if not confirm) of getting a seat. This can also cause a loss of some vital minutes and may result in not getting a seat in class room, but who cares until I have an exam that day.

2. Odd timing: It also helps to travel at odd timings, like very early in the morning or during afternoon, but then it depends on my schedule too.

3. Use alternative bus services: In short use, Bluelines instead of DTC. Since the DTC service has started to become regular and frequent people prefer it over Bluelines. So if you choose to travel in Blueline you almost double your chances of getting a seat. Alas, Bluelines will be a thing of past in near future, so this strategy is bound to become dormant. (Read more about Bluelines, in my previous post Bluelines. Please don't go. Please.. )

And when all above tactics fail, then comes the survival instincts:

4. Use Stats (Or common sense): People don't prefer to travel at the back of the bus, so there will be less competition in that area. Also travelling at the back of the bus has the advantage that you don't get into stampede in the middle of the bus (when other passengers try to reach the front or back gate). But I have also observed that people at the back seat generally are long distance travellers so you will have to 'ride on your luck' if you choose to be a back bencher :) How do I choose? Well it depends on the situation, but generally I go in the middle or front of Bluelines/old DTC buses and backside of new DTC buses.

5. Other strategies: I am not really a fan of these methods but I have learnt these tricks of trade over the years from fellow bus travellers (thank you all 'pushy' uncles and aunties, out there in the buses). Remember there is no room for a person in the buses, so don't expect room for courtesy. 

a) One effective method is to use the handles of consecutive seats as support. This almost negates the chances of anyone else getting an opportunity for the seat.

b) Also keep an eye on the amount fellow travellers are giving for the ticket. This helps in deciding which seat I am contesting for. 

c) Lastly decide which of the 2 seats on a single bench you want. If I want a window seat, I stand at the first half of the side; if I am hopeful of getting a passenger side seat, I stand to occupy the second half.

d) Regarding grabbing seats also, I make it a point to be clear in mind; if I am really going for the seat or not. Because once the sitting-passenger gets up, we have a fraction of a second to claim the seat otherwise it is gone. If I think I have less than half a chance, then I don't even try. Otherwise, bag always come in handy in claiming the seat! But sometimes, "for a change" I just let the seat go to a fellow passenger even when I have a chance.

And I have also made some ground rules:

1. If I don't have a seat:

        Never compete for a seat with an aged person, a female, a kid, a physically unfit person, or someone who looks to be in more need of the seat.

2. If I have a seat, I give my seat promptly if:

       2.1. a lady comes and stands beside me, but not to a girl (they are equals plus they have got reservation, so NO please). Except:

                2.1.1 If I like her, I may ask if she wants the seat :)

        2.2. a person is travelling with a baby.

        2.3. anyone reminds me of somebody I know/knew.

      2.4. anyone takes the courage to ask for the seat. In this case the age, sex, physique of the requester doesn't matter.

All above scenarios are of course valid under the assumption that I don't need the seat more than them.

So, that is it. You know travelling in Delhi buses is nothing less than a fight for survival. So, one must be fully prepared to tackle the wave. Wish Delhi Govt. could do more to easy the apathy of the bus travelers.

I believe I am good at heart, so I try to behave humbly but I also don't want to be taken for granted. I am not saint either.

Bluelines. Please don't go. Please...

As part of 'beautification' and 'modernization' drive for undergoing now-over CWG in Delhi, Delhi Govt. has been purchasing swanky new low floor AC and Non AC buses and adding them to DTC fleet of 'khataaraa' dirty yellow-green buses. And while doing this, they have also been removing an equal number of blueline buses. (Update: now the Govt. has decided to get rid of all the buses once and for all, by the end of January 2011). And that is bad news for me. I strongly oppose this decision.

Honorable SC of India has already said that Delhi needs at least 10,000 buses for the current population in order to get a respectable public transport structure. Removing buses like this isn't going to help in anyway, since we only have just over half the required capacity. Well, Delhi Govt. is trying to get the private sector also into public transport, but it may take a lot of time.

Even if we get the required number of buses to travel, I have got my own reasons for not letting them go:

1. They got the music: A no. of blue line bus drivers keep their jukebox (the FM radio or an audio cassette player). And they do care for passengers, so many of them have fitted speakers at the front and rear side of the bus. How many DTC buses do that? Now, since I still don't have a PMP of my own (update: I have got a new #walkman :), I don't mind listening to some 'thadkte bhadakte' tracks on the way (Never mind its my exams and travelling time is critical for successful revision). It may happen that the driver/conductor like old sad songs, which doesn't suit your genre of rock/rap/sufi. So, travelling can become pain in the ears also. But hey you get to hear some new genre, right?

2. They got the speed: Thanks to media, bluelines have got the #killer tag. So, govt had to force them to install 'speed limiter'. But blueline operators are very good automobile engineers. A no. of them modified the limiter, so they aren't limited to 40 kmph speed. And as a result, travelling in DTC sometimes gives me a feeling that I am riding an F1 car. Start, first gear, second, third, forth , fifth, slow down, take sharp turn, back to forth gear, bend the bus, full throttle, maneuver traffic, overtake the cycle (no no, don't crush him.. shit). Ohh... what a rush. But well DTC people don't even need to do it. They don't stop at the stops, so they always win the race, anyway.

3. They got the attitude: Blueline staff is considered to be rude (As if our PM gave behavioral training to DTC staff), but then the commuters are no good either (Blueline: only place where students are considered school/college staff). And if you don't have the Haryanvi accent, you are no good Goddamn blueline conductor. "Aagene/peechne hole bhai, thare liye aage/peeche sofe biche hain" "Puri khali padi hai ustaad". Travelling in blueline requires huge amount of stamina, endurance, and flexibility. If you lack any of these, you are as good as a mashed potato (route no. 721 in morning).

4. They got the inferiorstructure infrastructure: I have travelled in all kinds of buses.. seatless, paneless, topless.. But they still try and give you the best infrastructure possible. No seats? You can sit on the bonnet if you want, or spare tyres. No window pane? Don't whine, you couldn't have asked for a better air-conditioner (hey I am not joking, its completely natural and free, you aren't making any carbon footprints, alright). Some seats are so mangled modified that you get the feeling you are inventing a new Yoga asana, sitting on them. And just beware of those nails coming out from the sides and seats; one miss and you may get an unwanted body piercing. Quite an adventure really.

5. They got the bus: You thought you paid the fare and the bus is yours for the taking? Its still their bus, they will start, stop, drive, stop, rest, stop, talk, stop, pee, stop, fight, stop whenever they want. "Late aap hain, hum nahin". You got a problem, go take another bus (amazingly your bus fare is always refundable). After travelling in a blueline, don't be surprised if you get jet-lag! May be thats why they make you jump off the bus, that way you can at least feel your leg. Talk about second hand suicide.

And well if blueline really go away, who will blow that encoded whistle, use that coin as an instant messenger, flirt with the 'ladies savaari'?

Has govt. ever thought that may be the name 'blueline' itself has some problem, rather than blueline buses. You see, whatever you call blueline becomes a nightmare. I mostly hear about blueline of metro developing problems rather than any other line. And who can forget the 'bluelane' that gave commuters headache during CWG.

But well seriously... may be its really time for good old blueline to go. The life of common man is more special than any argument I give for saving the bluelines. If we can save even one life this way, I would say job well done.

I have my earliest childhood memories of travelling in route no. 770 blueline everyday with my bua, to go to school. I am gonna miss bluelines..