New Delhi – In the Middle of Nowhere

Hotel Bajrang, 100 Rs

Another stories of how ridiculous taking a public bus in New Delhi could be. Today I was invited by someone to have a tea somewhere out of the town, and I took public bus considering that autorickshaw could be amazingly expensive. The bus was departing from Connaught Place, and was really crowded (comparable to those of Beijing). I have told the conductor to tell me when it arrives, as the area is completely greek to me. But, oho, as expected, he didnt call me at all. The bus was overcrowded at that time, I had to struggle to get my way down, and I have passed some stations. So I had to go back, taking the same bus of opposite direction. The bus I took was empty, so I told the conductor, please, please tell me when it arrives. And as, again, expected, he didnt call me at all, and I missed one station. I decided to go back by walking….

When I wanted to return back to Connaught Place after the meeting, I took the same bus, paid the full fare (10 Rs), but after an hour, there were only two passengers in the bus. And the bus suddenly stopped in the middle of nowhere. Apparently the driver just tired to drive, and it seems that it is his right to stop in the middle of the way, turn off the machine, and go home. The other passenger was very angry, but the driver was just gently ignored him…., really gently.

So, I had to walk another one kilometre, to find another bus taking me to the Connaught Place. And luckily, there was another passenger from another bus, with the same fate as I have, and going to the same direction (New Delhi station), so I went together with him. The bus we took bypassed Connaught Place, and going to the other side of New Delhi station. That very passenger insisted me to go thru the station to cross to Paharganj, and I was expected to pay for platform ticket (3 Rs). It was a long walk from where we took off the bus until back again to Paharganj, and nobody checked the platform ticket.

Shorter words, I had to pay 10 Rs for the bus fare plus 2 Rs for the other bus plus 3 Rs for platform ticket, just because the driver wanted to stop in his favorite place. And the other passengers told me it’s not uncommon for Indian drivers to be arrogant like that.

But a good news today, my friend told me that my article has been already published in Chinese National geographic traveler magazine. I havent seen the print version yet, but I am happy to hear this.