Ramlal drives a three wheeler in Lutyen’s Delhi for a living. This blogger was without personal means of transportation for a few weeks and was relying on three wheelers ( aka autorickshaws or eshcooters in Delhi lingo) for transportation. The difficulties of getting around in Delhi on Autorickshaws are that (a) you need to find an auto which is in need of a passenger (b) you need to convince the driver to take you to your destination and (c) you need to agree to the rate demanded by him. It helps not to be turned out in suits, but in sweaters. A well dressed passenger always gets a higher tab. I found Ramlal looking for a passenger around South Block- he reluctantly agreed to take me to South Delhi and wanted Rs 80 for the piffling deed. I can’t count in Hindi after 25, and I recognized the figure that he mentioned as something below 100. I agreed quickly and got into the auto. At every traffic light some car or bike would sidle up to him and ask for directions. Ramlal would give detailed directions.
I started chatting with him. He said that these guys presume that an auto rickshaw driver knows his way around- clearly a supposition that is not backed by evidence. Secondly some of them ask for directions as if they are owed an explanation by humble auto drivers. Ramlal regularly diverts such arrogant direction seekers in the wrong path. These Saab log (big guys) think they own you and hence they deserve to spend a few hours locating their destination. The auto is owned by Ramlal- no, it is not a hired one. Although CNG (fuel used in public transport in Delhi) is cheap, the autorickshaw with permit costs almost 3-4 lakh rupees. He has to earn at least Rs 500 a day to pay the interest on bank loans and for his sustenance. So don’t be surprised that he doesn’t charge by meter and occasionally has to overcharge passengers for short trips. He lives with his wife and two sons in Palam Gaon. No, he doesn’t cheat. He asks upfront for a high charge and usually gets it without a murmur. People seem to have plenty of money these days…..
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Sukhwinder Singh runs an auto in the Andrews Ganj area. He is an elderly Sikh, with a big wart on his nose. I could smell liquor as soon as I got in. He drives very fast. I clutched my heart and hoped to reach my destination. Usually he is seen cleaning his auto in the market along with a few other younger Sikh drivers. They invariably refuse to come wherever you want to go. Sukhwinder agreed to take me to South Block at an astronomical rate. (I’d rather not mention it here. I was desperate to reach a meeting and had to agree) As soon as I got in, I asked him why do you guys stand there polishing the autos without taking any passengers? I have tried several times to take an auto from Andrews Ganj. He said these youngsters are all badmashes (Rogues) who have no inclination for hard work. They have some prefixed rides to take school children and Memsahibs here and there and they earn enough to decline every other offer. No, he doesn’t own this auto. He pays Rs 150 per day as rent to the owner who lives in Badarpur. Hence he has to take every ride to earn enough and maintain his family. He has a grown up daughter who has to be married off. So he can’t charge passengers as per meter and they have to pay what he demands….
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Chathu and I were standing in front of the opticians shop in Lajpat Nagar. The Missus had gone to buy some winter wear. We were gazing at the crowd of shoppers on the street. A pretty young girl was crossing the road. Suddenly I could hear the loud squeal of brakes and a big car driven by two elderly Sikh gentlemen hit her. She screams and lies on the road. People come and lift her up. While she was being attended to, the car leaves nonchalantly. Chathu was so distraught. Couldn’t these monster-drivers at least have attended to her? He demanded to knowhere his mother was; worried that she might also be knocked down while crossing the street. The girl was finally helped into a cycle rickshaw by passers by to go to a hospital…Nobody went with her.
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I have a car now and I don’t travel in autorickshaws anymore. Preet Singh is a business man’s son. A young twenty something with fire in his veins- In these tough recessionary times he makes do with a Mercedes C Class Kompressor- Porsches are, alas, out of his league. He has an attractive girlfriend in GK 1 and spends Friday & Saturday nights out at a disco. He had a drink too many that night and with his girl friend by his side drove over five labourers sleeping on the pavement at 2 AM in the morning. Newspapers went wild next day. Channels kept harking back to the infamous BMW case where the son of an arms dealer rode over sleeping pavement dwellers. The media frenzy has died down in two days. How many such stories can they run? How can they sustain viewer/ reader interest in the peccadilloes of these poor sons of rich businessmen? Are there any lessons to be drawn from this incident? Yes- but no, it has nothing to do with safety, drinking and driving. Work hard in Delhi, wallow in the dust of the construction sites, let your children roam free in the concrete jungle, earn your pittance, drink hooch, go to sleep and live happily… but never, ever , ever, sleep on the pavements…Wild ones are on the rampage…
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