Chalo Delhi !

Chalo Delhi !

‘Madam ,you will need at least 8 hours to reach Delhi’ The reception officer at the Claridges was telling Swati.

But the internet shows just five hours from Mussourie to Delhi, Swati pondered as she approached the group. What should we do? When should we start? Better start early than regret – suggested Tanvi. ‘Best is let’s ask the driver’ ‘Kuldeepji, how long will it take to reach Delhi?’

‘Arre Sahab, koi badi baat nahi hai ji. Bas che ghanton mein pahuncha doonga’quipped the driver.

Ok then let’s have breakfast and start by nine am. After all the map is showing a distance of  283 kilometers. We all were delighted and retired for our last night after having spent a wonderful holiday –Haridwar, Hrishikesh and now Mussourie. However enchanting the nature, one thing finally remains true, after all the fun & frolic , one is always so delighted to return home.

We all assembled at the breakfast table, luggage packed, ready for pick up . ‘The road is winding through the hills. Let’s not eat much’ a wise advice but the spread was so delightful and inviting that our taste buds spelt riot in our minds. Yet with an earnest control, all of us had a frugal breakfast. As we checked out, our luggage was firmly fastened on the carrier of the Innova   and no sooner had we taken our seats, the car sped through the rich vegetation of spruce and junipers bidding farewell to Mussourie.

The serpentine road with its deep bends and curves and the rising trees –the scene was picture perfect to the eyes but not so welcome to the stomach. The amla supari packet was opened – a sureshot remedy for road sickness. Each was given handful to keep munching so that the sour juice could keep vomiting at bay. The driver was continually requested to go slow but empty roads are so inviting to a seasoned driver. The car kept speeding through the beautiful hills.

And the inevitable happened. Neel was feeling sick since morning and was in deep sleep when all of a sudden he woke up only to vomit. The car had to be halted , cleaned and took off valuable 45 minutes from our schedule. On the way we also realized that although the map indicated 283 kilometers, the actual distance by road was much longer due to winding roads.  

As we sped past Dehradun and approached Sahranpur, the road was dusty and crowded.The hills had long given way to the plains.O what a difference! We also  realized that we were behind schedule. TSo to keep note , we started calculating the time spent and the kilometers covered. Sometimes the average used to come at 45,  sometimes 60. Like an ODI where we keep tab on balls left and runs needed, we were keeping a tab on our score. As we reached Muzaffarnagar, we had to go in the city to pay the road tax. Wonder why the RTO is not having a cell on the highway itself. Like toll tax, if road tax is to be collected from all non UP vehicles, why not have a booth on the bypass itself, knowing fully well that the road leads to the most visited places like Haridwar and a regular tourist path. But then customer convenience and state administration do not always work hand in hand. Another 45 minutes were lost in this entire milieu. So to make over for the lost time, we decided to skip further halts for any snacks/lunch etc and decided to make do with whatever eats we had carried with us for the journey.

The car sped forward to Meerut and by the time we reached Modinagar it was already 4 pm. The road was choc a bloc and our flight was at 6 pm. I was discussing with Swati, whether we could call up someone in Delhi so that we could request them to do some arrangement –as  I was suggesting one name after the other, suddenly I thought about calling up Air India. The call just could not get through. It was 4.45 pm and we were still at Modinagar.  We could clearly see that we were losing our own ODI.

The spirit within would not but just give up. And as I kept trying the voice on the other side said: May I help you? Eureka ! I had managed to get the line. I told the person about our flight details and to our delight , the voice on the other side said that the flight is delayed by an hour and would leave at 7 pm. ‘Madam, since you are at Modinagar, you will easily reach because the doors do not close before 45 minutes and we allow passengers who are stranded’ , assured the voice. But my inner voice did not agree.

‘Thanks please but could you tell me whether we could reschedule our flight and take a latter one?’

‘Yes Madam, you could do that but you will have to pay the differential fare and additional fee of Rs.500 per ticket. Since you are six passengers, bahut kharcha hoga Maa’m’ ‘Is there no way, you could help me? We are in a very bad traffic jam and there is no way but to sit in the car and wait for it to clear’ I wailed.

‘let me check and come back, Can you please hold?’ said the voice. ‘O sure’ –I  

‘Maa’m I have good news for you. When a flight is delayed, the passengers have two options: either they can take the rescheduled flight or they can change the flight, with no extra fee.’ ‘O wow, then in that case can you please reschedule it to 9 pm ?’ What a relief I said to myself. In no time our flight was changed and was told the procedure to be followed once I reach airport.’ As I thanked the ‘voice’ there was again a delight and a sigh of relief amongst the team. The traffic too started clearing and by and by we reached Ghaziabad.

As we reached the outskirts of Delhi through Ghaziabad , we were again welcomed by a snarling traffic jam. This is  truly becoming like the  movie ‘Chalo Delhi’ said Tanvi. One by one we were trying to overcome hurdles, and new hurdles were surfacing. By the time we reached Delhi on the way to the airport, we realized that Formula 1 race was over and the traffic to the airport would also be dense. Yet all through the journey God was on our side.  When HE had decided to reach us safely to Mumbai , who could come in our way?

Finally we reached Delhi Airport. The flight which was to take off at 9 pm, flew only at11.45 pm and we reached our Mumbai home- sweet home to snuggle in our warm beds at 3 am.

Our version of Chalo Delhi!

Anagha Hunnurkar

20^th November 2011