A matter of sitting space

THESE days, whenever I commute to Mumbai city from suburban Bandra, I cast a longing look at the crowded first class coaches before pushing my way into the absolutely packed second class coaches of the suburban trains. Since the time I quit a regular job in 1990, I have not travelled by first class in these trains.

For nearly 13 years prior to 1990, I was a regular commuter on the suburban trains and noted some essential factors. The seats in the first class coaches accommodated three passengers, whereas the number was four in the second class. Mind you, the seats were of the same size but the first class passengers enjoyed the privilege of being three-on-a-seat facility. The seats were also cushioned.

I don't think the Railways had laid down any rules on this issue. A second class commuter, whenever he eyed three passengers on a seat, would move in and claim the fourth place as his right. A regular first class passenger would hesitate to do that. Occasionally, some new comer would push his way and become the fourth passenger on the seat. He would not be thrown out but the other three passengers would look up, sigh, nod to each other and shrug their shoulders. The message was clear, "O how do we tackle these boors who violate the unwritten convention of first class travel?"

Let me admit, the average seat could accommodate four passengers. Particularly if they were thin. The problem arose if one passenger was fat and then all the four had to suffer. And if two passengers were above the average weight, you had it! If you were seated in a corner, you would find yourself slowly pushed out and you can't do anything, except try pushing back. This would not work if you weighed 60 kilograms and the passenger seated next to you, a cool 90 kilos. The battle was lost even before it began!

A couple of months back, while returning from Pune, I and my wife, travelled by the legendary Deccan Queen second class chair car. I had travelled on this train several years before and remembered the journey to be very pleasant and comfortable. But things had changed over the years. The second class coaches were provided with seats which were meant to accommodate two people, but had to put up with three. My wife and I had seats facing each other. The two passengers on our seats were comfortably stout and this created problems for us. Soon I found myself slowly being pushed out as my co-passengers made themselves comfortable. My wife, being small- built had fewer problems, but I found I had space enough only for one buttock. It was with great difficulty that I finished the four hour journey without being pushed to the floor of the train. Once we got down, I was bothered by a sore backside for three days and resolved not to travel second class by the Deccan Queen any more.

This made me think about a vital issue: how much sitting space does a person need while travelling? Since modes of transport, including airlines, are solely concerned with carrying more and more people, passenger comfort is the last on their priority list. Some years back, the famous American humourist Art Buchwald wrote a very funny piece on how airlines in the U.S. reduced sitting space, leg and elbow room to the size of the toilets so that more passengers could be accommodated. It was as though passengers were strapped to their seats as in a space vehicle.

But I wish the Mumbai suburban railway authorities pay some attention to this vital question, three commuters or four per seat! I don't mind being among the four squeezed on a seat provided the other three were thin. We could just manage and not suffer too much. Perhaps, the railways could divide the commuters into "Normal" and "Heavy" categories and the seats could accommodate three "heavies" and four "normals". The "heavy" categories could be decided by their weight and backside measurements.

I had always found the heavies less sensitive towards their fellow commuters. They want to be seated somehow or the other and would not hesitate to barge in and claim a seat in the company of three other heavies. Now, four heavies on a seat is , well, a sight to behold! You expect at least one or two of them to tumble out of their seats and come crashing down. But so far this has not happened in my commuting career.

However, I do not expect any reforms from the Indian Railways to help the suburban commuters in the days to come. Our dear Mamtadidi is more concerned with running more trains through her beloved state of West Bengal. The Mumbai commuters mean nothing to her. So we have to carry on, squeezed in between the heavies and suffering sore backsides!

V.GANGADHAR

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