Suburban Times - From the heart of father to all....Suburban Trains....aka Mumbai "Locals"...!!

There aren't many who take positives for the mumbai suburban trains but yet it's termed as the father to every mumbaikar....who carry the world's largest crowd on its shoulders, teaches a lot, and never closes its eyes....!!!

The Mumbai Suburban Railway system, the public transport system in Mumbai, is a state run Indian Railways running in two parts - Western Line and Central Line. Apart from this it also extends to the new lines built at Navi Mumbai, Asia's biggest planned city, called Harbour Line.

Being the world's crowdest railway system, it carries more than 7 million commuters on a daily basis which is more than half of the daily passenger capacity of the Indian Railways. The heart of the mumbai has the highest density than any other urban railway system in the world.



Welcome to Mumbai Suburban Railways..!!!  Here - this Father is called - "Local"

The Mumbai Suburban railway was first built by the British in India in 1853. It's also the oldest railway system in Asia. Even outsiders, not familiar with the Local, know that the first train ran between Mumbai and Thane with a distance of 34 kms. Today the same runs in more than 150 kms only on the western line.

The Suburban Railway system operates on 1500 V DC / 25000 V AC (Virar-Borivali) power supply hanging overhead with a deadly touch. You'll observe the pony of the train at its head slowly moving up to get the feel of electricity from the wires and then moving down once it's gulped enough to run. The trains are electronically called EMU (Electric Multiple Units) cars.There are more than 170 trains running in a 9-car and 12-car combination, a 15-car EMU just introduced in late 2009, with over 2400 kms of up and down daily.

How far can you imagine to stuff a train more than its capacity? The Locals carry more than 5000 passengers in its normal 9-car EMU during Rush hours, sorry, Peak hours (since Rush hours here are 24*7), as against a rated capacity of 1700 passengers. Trust me, you wouldn't even stuff your travel bag with so much times its capacity to clothes. The load is known as "Super-Dense Crush Load", the only one title carried by mumbai local than any other train in the world.

Mumbai suburban trains, locals, are the only trains in the world which run a seperate Ladies train specially for women during the peak hours. It runs from Virar to Churchgate, up in the morning and down in the evening everyday. And as a male gender, if you don't know where you're boarding, never-ever try to make the mistake of boarding the ladies train. And if you do, then they'll make sure you don't committ that mistake again or ever in your life.
Knowing that they're the world's most crowded railway system existing today, a newbie would face his life's worst horrors while traveling during peak hours. Nobody can travel the suburban trains without proper guidance and directions. And trust me, if you're making a visit to mumbai, make sure your travel is not during rush hours, sorry, peak hours. Although, in mumbai rush hours means 24*7, but peak hours would fall between 08:00 hrs to 11:00 hrs in the morning and 18:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs in the evening.

So, If you ask me that, as a mumbaikar what's the one best thing you like about mumbai?...... "The 1st Class compartments of the locals during weekends"....no less than heavenly feeling standing beside the door and getting the fantastic cool breeze while the train rushes past the stations at full speed and what you feel is like a winner!!!...esp. when you know the empty compartment you're traveling in is the same but looks so different than the normal crowded one.

Mumbai is among those unusual cities which would scare you like hell by seeing the crowd.....but some time spent and it makes you feel like your own. Mumbai is among those few cities in the world, where no doubt how much one keeps craping and complaining about it, but when it comes to trains....the feeling of being a proud local train traveller is what you'll find in the heart.

The suburban trains are the lifelines here and no doubt it's just not said, but believed in true sense. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the financial industry of india runs on the schedule of mumbai suburban trains. The corporate world at this place moves at the pace of the trains. Trains late.....offices late.....offices late....work late.... and there're only 2 scenarios where one will find the Locals are halted.....1. The offical closure hours of somewhere between 02:00 hrs to 04:00 hrs and 2.during the rainy season but only for few hours....and that too rarely, only if the tracks are really filled with water unable to move the trains.

And terrorists?? Well no amount of terroism can the stop this city. The fight to survive, the fight to rise higher, the fight to run a happy family and the fight to enjoy the very right to live runs in the blood of every mumbaikar. And trust me, no matter what's the amount of crowd, the trains are the most easiest way of commuting. From CEOs to Punes, everyone travels here with only one motto...."Get up and move"

We, the people of mumbai, have an unwritten pledge running in our veins, that no one can be kept down and out unless one doesn't give up himself/herself. These trains stand to our thoughts and beliefs, no matter whatever hurdles come in our way, we must overcome them to keep running. That's our life and that's what we live for. I would wish to write more of this stuff and would love to hear to your comments. Post it, if you feel its worth. I would like to thank the world wide web for providing me this useful data esp. wikipedia. I think we make an amazing world only when we believe we can. I think that's what mumbai locals teach you, no matter how much crowd, you gotta move that extra mile..!!!

Go Ahead...!!

Walking among hundreds of people, talking on the phone and being constantly busy in your thoughts.........this is the daily life of a Mumbaikar.......
I was being a mumbaikar as always.....but just happened to watch this small boy dancing on the abandoned railway tracks.....he was "Happy".....just the thing we run for everyday.....but we forget that it's within us at every moment of life we spend......this made me just write this......

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
make the music,
beat the band.

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
bring a smile,
move the magic wand.

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
be the one,
help the needy hand.

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
structure on love,
not bricks and sand.

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
beat the ememy,
make a friend.

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
live the days,
enjoy the weekend.

Go Ahead,
take your stand,
live life king size,
it's yours,
make it Grand!!

It's an article written by someone - I don't know him fully.

DT: 9th Oct, 2005.

“The fear of failure is the only thing standing between most people and their dreams”

I want to tell you something before you read this. ‘Bravery is the most promising source of reward’. If you are told to chase your dreams then do it. People may forget you but time will always remember and you’ll be definitely be paid for your good deeds someday somewhere and you’ll be the happiest of all. This may be a part of several people’s life and this may be a little hurting since it’s the truth of many lives but have faith in Time and God since they are there to take care of all, its their job.
Yes, the fear of failure is the most common disease in this world. It is not transferred by any virus nor does it come through any poisonous bite. It is just created within yourself by you.
I fear to follow my dreams, just because the fear of failure makes me look at all the difficulties I’ll face if I fail. But actually I don’t fear failure in exams but fear that how will people look at me if I fail to attain a certificate. They will say that I have wasted all the money gathered by my parents (Yes, money is the factor they look into very much). If you don’t earn good money then you are nothing. If you can earn money then why to go after dreams and take risks. But they are right too because it is the money that ultimately matters to earn you bread and not your dreams. But aren’t your dreams your life too? Is it only bread that you live for? The question is that, are your dreams really worth risking the safe side of ‘do job and earn money’? Is the money more important than the knowledge and experience of your dreams? What to choose? Either, hell with your dreams and start doing what you didn’t like to earn money i.e., compromise dreams for the safe side? Or run after your dreams and see what happens, whether you fail or pass? It is these fears that make you take the path other than your dreams. This is because nowadays people are judged better by their certificates. The person is interviewed only if he has got diplomas and degrees. The diplomas, degrees and certificates are the eligibility criteria and not the abilities. Of course they argue that a person’s ability is shown in the diplomas and certificates. But isn’t this injustice to those persons who wish to gain more knowledge and wisdom but doesn’t have any support, whether financial or any thing. I know this is a very debatable topic. We talk about the fear of failures and this is what the people most fear. What if they fail and don’t have the certificates? They fear that they won’t get any jobs, and they will have to run here and there in search of at least something to fill their stomach. The future is what people are afraid of.
But I don’t fear failure. I don’t care what the world says. Yet I fear to chase my dreams. Why? This is something I’m not able to explain very clearly. But it is linked to the fear of failure. I know that chasing my dreams will give me a lot of knowledge I crave; and more even the precious experience of success within myself. I know these are priceless. But somehow your dreams not only include your life but some of others around you too. You can sit without a degree with the knowledge and experience but can your near ones who are related to you? Nobody knows how hard it is to face your destiny because few have chosen to face it. People haven’t failed because they haven’t chased their dreams at all. Majority have chosen to be on the safe side and take no risks. But does it mean that you pass if you don’t chase your dreams? The problem is that I don’t want to be among those ‘compromising adults’ who always say that “we had to since we have little, there is no other road”, the truth is you do have roads but they are not visible to your negative eyes. Sometimes I feel that the positive eyes are more held by the blind people. But I also fear to chase my dreams. And I tell you that nobody can solve this question but yourself. And it is difficult. You just don’t want to accept what safe side has offered you because you crave for something else. But you also just can’t go after your dreams without considering the risks. If you fail, you may be proud of yourself, but people will measure your success only in terms of certificates or the handsome money you will have. There are very few who measure you on the basis of what you are and not in certificates or diplomas. But those are few and we are many. Those few can’t take care of all the efficient.
Your parents might encourage you to follow your dreams but you have to understand and think about them first before yourself. Since dreams are not the only part of your life. And mind you, those are the greatest parents in the whole world who encourage you to go ahead without thinking of them and my Hats Off to those rare and precious, even more precious than diamonds. But this is you fear you know. How can you let them down? If I fail, it will not matter to me, since I will have the knowledge and the experience, but I just can’t waste time and money to gain the failure experience. It’s true that failure is essential to life for expansion and self-realization of your purpose in this world, but isn’t just the thought of failure enough. How can you risk what your parents have gathered all their life? I know they have gathered just for you to grow more successful. But this is the risk you know. The carrying of hopes on your shoulders is heavier than an elephant on your back. And I feel you are not only risking your life but the life of others around you too.
But let’s say if don’t think negative. Thinking positive always helps. If I fail, a lot of things will happen but wouldn’t my parents be happy. At least they will be the ones who know that my child is not afraid but brave and bold enough to face the challenges. It means he has respected the value of life. Whether he has the certificates or not but he has surely overcome the fear, ‘the fear of failure’. Life continues whether pass or fail, it only ends when you stop, and you stop only when you die my friend. And looking at the positive side there is no failure at all, following your dreams is the first step of success itself and when I Pass and achieve my destiny then wouldn’t I be an icon for my generation! After all, as I said, it’s not only my life. It’s my future life too. If I be a success then it will become a lot easier to face further problems then to face them with failure. In any case, either success of failure, I will have to face the problems of my future. And being brave to take up your dreams will help you in future, regardless of your failure, to solve your problems more easily. And if I succeed then also I can solve my problems easily. Failure is not the end of the world but the start to improve your world further. Because once you pass, you stop. That is why those who pass are given further challenges so that they get moving on & on. You can never avoid problems; they just keep coming after you. You cannot have a life of easiness & comfort, but you can make one. By simply solving your problems you will lead a successful life. Yes, this is where the success lies. Not in your certificates or degrees but in your ‘solutions’ for the problems. Taking up your dreams is not an easy task, but it’s not even the impossible. Success and Happiness are not destinations, but they are a journey. They are paths towards achieving your goal, your aim. We all know there is only one destiny after all, Death. How much you have lived doesn’t matter but How have you lived is what matters. Life is lived big, not long my friend.

Hey don’t get serious man! This is life you know. I said it in the start. ‘Bravery is the most promising source of reward’. You know you have done well in life and that is what matters. Also your loved ones are there to see you smile on your success within. The biggest gift you can give to them is the satisfaction that ‘he has worked honestly and hard whether he has those certificates or not’. They will definitely say that you stand out among those other zillions. Good luck and my best wishes to all of those who follow their dreams and to even those who don’t since they have reasons. And remember luck starts after you give your 100%, and may you go on giving 100% all your life.