Train Injuries - to All Ye Injured People

Train injuries. Today I have decided to concentrate this post on train injuries while commuting to work. Around five million people commute to work on the Bombay suburban train network, out of a population of 14 million. There aren’t enough trains for so many people, who push, stomp, wriggle, stand in odd positions, and generally endure many indignities on the way to work.

I commute by train. The other day, as I was dozing, a heavy bag fell on my head from the rack above, taking me completely by surprise. The portion of my skull still aches. A colleague twisted her ankle, another almost broke her leg, a woman slipped under the train but was miraculously rescued, a boy was electrocuted while sitting on the roof (fool that he is, he touched the high-tension overhead wire), I hurt my shoulder while entraining (it still pains me), so on. Each day around ten or fifteen fall and kill themselves against the jutting steel stanchions holding the overhead wires, there are accidents and mishaps. It adds up to a lot of misery. Life is so cheap, or, has become so. Why aren't they finding a solution to the commuting problems? Hovercrafts were started, then stopped, bridges are constantly being built, obstructing existing traffic, but still solutions remain elusive.

Around one-and-half hour is the time I take to reach the office. That means I spend around three hours each day commuting, add to that nine hours of work, which means I am out of home for twelve hours a day. Eight hours go in sleeping and all I have is four hours to get ready for work, read the newspapers, watch television, talk to son and wifey, if at all. The last statement, rather ironic since work stretches, sacrifices have to be made and all I have is time to sleep, take a bath and go back to office. No wonder people get injuries on the way to work and burn out so fast.