‘Traffic made travelling by road a horror’
The local train has been Kalbadevi resident Nirmal Jain’s trusted mode of transportation since he started his garment wholesale business. His business takes him to Santacruz and Thane frequently besides other parts of the city, visiting shopkeepers and increasingly, online sellers.
But when the lockdown was announced in end-march 2020, thousands of businessmen like Jain were affected. The 62-year-old began to use his Hero Honda motorcycle to make his rounds once restrictions on movement were eased.
From spending two hours in the local, his commute went up to four hours a day on road. “I could not travel everyday because of the cost of fuel, which increased significantly.” said Jain. “I was forced to spend four to five hours commuting. Traffic in the western suburbs and on the Eastern Freeway made travelling a horror,” he said.
Now that the trains are back on track, albeit with staggered timings, Jain is happy. The lone breadwinner of his family— he lives with wife, Manju, children Swagat and Prashansa and daughter-in-law, Sohi—jain is happy that he’s back to saving money on travelling.
On average, Jain said that he spent up to ₹1,000 every day on fuel, travelling from his south Mumbai home to the western suburbs and Thane.
“The fuel cost was double of what a railway pass costs. Initially I had to dip into my savings for this additional cost,” Jain said.
The local train timings work well for Jain as he begins his work day only after lunch and returns late. “I finish my meal and then take a local train from Marine Lines railway station. I visit multiple shops and online store owners throughout the day and return home at night,” Jain said.
Jain said that a majority of his fellow passengers stick to the protocols, but crowding is a difficult issue to manage. “A few passengers do not wear masks inside the compartment but they are immediately told off and asked to mask up by the others around them. People are knowledgeable about the virus but there are incidents of crowding inside compartments. All passengers want to board at once,” Jain said.
Nevertheless, he is happy the trains have resumed. “Even with restricted timings the local trains are a boon. Like me there are other businessmen who are saving time and cutting down on travelling costs. The city will come back to normalcy as the markets slowly open,” he said.