Give them their Blissful Vacation!

Give them their Blissful Vacation!

Devang Chaturvedi

French student Regis Alexandre has had the most harrowing times coping with the public transportation system in New Delhi. Although he prefers the new DTC Low floor AC/ non AC city buses and the Delhi Metro, any talk about the auto rickshaws, the velo- rickshaws and the Bluelines is what he dreads the most.

For someone who uses the public transportation every day in the national capital, developing an affinity for the new DTC buses and the Delhi Metro is routine. The reason: much respite from the sweltering heat outside, fixed fares, less time and apt destinations.

Regis’s example is just like any scores of examples you’d find across the length and breadth of the city. The city, no doubt stands equipped with all means of public transportation but that stands limited for the Indian masses. If you are a foreigner and if you have taken to use the Auto rickshaws and the Bluelines, be prepared for some awe inspiring melodrama coming your way.

The auto rickshaw driver would haggle, certainly never go the distance by the electronic meter attached and once you’ve reached might just have the audacity to ask you for a slightly hiked fare. He would be so theatrical that for an instance you might just think of casting him in your next movie considering his levels of conviction.

In spite of the Delhi Government’s announcement of increase in auto base fare in June last year by 35 pc from the earlier, Rs. 10 to the revised Rs. 19, there just seems a moderated response from the auto rickshaw drivers.  For any short distance commute, majority of them still insist that the meter should not be put to use. The explanation, “it costs exactly the same. We aren’t charging you more.”

The authorities too seem lackadaisical and superficial with the implementation.  On an average a hundred auto rickshaws may be penalized out of the existing 55,000 for running without the meter functioning. The rest have all the whims and fancies to sneak out. Even the ones who aren’t able to sneak out, bribe the traffic authorities if not in public certainly in hushed manner.

The foreigners are an aggravated lot.  Howsoever they may persist for the meter be used, the auto drivers mostly remain a resolute lot. Frustration sets in and perhaps they give in to the unyielding auto drivers as even most of the Indian nationals do. Nobody usually is left with a choice as there is a paucity of time and an urgency to reach.

‘Bluelines’, a mention of this damning word and as a grad student my own memories of Delhi’s most dreaded means of public transportation return. Swarming with people, these buses are some sight to watch. The sight itself might amuse some, might get the look of extreme dilemma back on to some faces and might also get back the twitches on the face, grunts and snorts and an animal out of

Savage and ruthless, they still ply! And ply in Delhi’s up-market, high ended South district. These buses have done Delhi more harm than any good. The animal like reactions that you meet with is because people have lost and have been dealt with an even tersely worded reaction from the cops when you visit them to file a report. 

Such is the level of apathy, that somebody else’s sweat and grime becomes your own, that you are sure to have your wallet, wrist watch and mobile phones stolen, and that you may become a victim of molestation too with continued persistence. The cops react to such situations in the most curt and incredulous manner, making you doubt your own credentials.

Reactions like, “Delhi Metro is the safest means of transport. We already have a sizeable Delhi population to look after and over and above this imposed responsibility of these foreigners? We recommend they travel only by the Delhi Metro to avoid getting harassed”.  Also, “These foreigners are too exhibitory. To avoid getting harassed they should try and become normal people like any other Indian”.

As if the accumulating problems aren’t enough, the foreigners not used to inhumane stares also find ways to protect their guise when they move out. Lecherous eyes sizing the body of a girl remain intact. Howsoever it may be impertinency is definitely not appreciated by anyone. Somehow we fail to realize the intricacies of intruding upon the privacy of any being even if that might only be travelling alone in a dual side open auto rickshaw. The sex starved population of this country would just never let an opportunity to go and freely size up the expanse of the hips of any ‘firangi’ they see.

The worried few are left with no other options than to subtly give them travel advisories and what are they left with? They follow them. Not following has implications too dastardly and who wants problems for themselves in an alien country?

The problems are many but the solutions are none. The auto drivers would continue plying without the meters being used; Bluelines mercifully have been marginally reduced; Delhi Metro is too crowded during the rush hour they complain, molestation cases are though registered by the Delhi Police but their reluctance is definitely there.

Issuing travel advisories can never be the solution to these problems which just hound them in every manner possible.  Filing police complaints seems redundant anyway.

What would help them is how the perception about the foreigners can be changed in the minds of the local people. How can we best sensitize people, even if that may require some stricter repercussions coming their way? Penalize for every act of molestation with a foreigner; make them understand how badly the image of the nation is tarnished for each of these mindless acts. 

Foreigners who come in droves to India bring so much of business for the Department of Tourism in particular. The ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ campaign has been creatively put together but more needs to be done. The Aamir Khan commercial of Atithi Devo Bhava was a subtle gesture to implicate upon the masses the dreadfulnesses of the mindless ways of seeking fun by harassing the foreigners are out moded.

Finally we need to comprehend the fact that most of the tourist come here to witness the greatness of this nation. That most of them come here to witness the cultural heritage in abundance which they yearn for in their parent country.  And that we need to deem it important that this remains a blissful vacation for them.