HOW TO GET IN THE MISSED TRAIN ?
I had gone to Khammam to attend the Circle Conference of A.P. Circle. Under the militant leadership of Coms. J.Sampath Rao, Circle Secretary and P.Asoka Babu, Asst. General Secretary, the union functioned effectively and the Circle Conference was a big success in participation and deliberation. As the General Secretary of the Union, I attended fultime in the Conference.
An important event in the Conference was the donation of the Circle Union collected from its members to purchase a car for the All India Union. This was greatly appreciated by all.
After the Conference I had to return that night itself to New Delhi, since next day there was an important meeting with the Secretary, Department of Telecom. Ticket has already been booked for the sleeper I THE G.T.Express. The train was to reach at Khammam at about midnight.
After the Conference and dinner,I was sitting in the IQ and discussing some issues with Sampath Rao, Asoka Babu, Samba Siva Rao, Thirumalacharulu and a few other comrades. At about half – an hour before the arrival time of the GT, I told Sampath Rao that we can proceed to the Railway Station. I was always careful to reach the station well in time. He told me that the station is only 2 – 3 minutes from the IQ and there is no hurry. Hence some 10 minutes before midnight we started for the railway station in the car with my luggage. Since it was December or so and it was severe cold in Delhi, I had taken warm clothes and including dress, books, records etc. there were three bags with me.
We reached the platform just before midnight. We could see the train standing in the first platform, while we were in the second platform. All the three of us took one bag each and rushed crossing the three railway tracks in between and climbing to the first platform.
The train was just starting. The S-13 sleeper compartment was just in front of us in which my ticket was reserved. The bags were placed in the compartment, I got in and the train started. All of us were happy that I could catch train. I waved my hands to them.
When I started to search for my berth, I found out that most of the berths were unoccupied. The passengers in the occupied berths were already sleeping. I got a doubt, whether this is GT , because, GT used to be always full. That is the position even now. A young boy was sitting in a side berth and I asked him whether the train is not GT? He said no and added that it is a train to Secundarabad. The train has only moved a little distance and I pulled the Chain for stopping the same. But the chain was not working despite my many attempts. It seemed as if it was permanently fixed. By the time, the train has gained speed.
I realised that GT had not gone ahead. It will be coming behind. I can get down in the next station and catch the same, I thought. I checked up with the Railway Time Table, which I always take with me while travelling and found that GT will pass over this train, before reaching the next stop. That means, this train will stop somewhere to allow the GT to pass it.
By this time, the train has slowed and stopped. It was completely dark out side, but on the other side of the railway tracks I could see a small building and light. Yes, it was a very small station.
I realized that this is my opportunity. With the three bags in my hands and shoulders, I managed to get down in the platform, which was completely dark. Grass has grown up to knee level and I walked through carefully and reached the back end of the train and met the Guard on duty. I told him that I had to go to Delhi by GT, got in this train by mistake and requested him to help me by stopping the GT there so that I can get in to the GT. He laughed and said GT will not stop here and nothing could be done. When I repeatedly requested, he told me to cross the tracks, get on to the platform on the other side and meet the Station Master, who will be inside the room. He also told me that this is a Naxal dominated area and cautioned me to be very careful. I crossed the tracks, managed to climb to the platform, where not even a single person could be seen. I went to the station master’s cabin and spoke to him about my problem and the necessity of getting in to the GT to reach Delhi to meet the DOT Secretary. The young man was very sympathetic and called the control room and requested for stopping the train there, informimg the reason. He was shouted at by the person at the Control Room for making such a request and said it will not stop.
Now, the station master told me that he could not do anything more, but the Train Guard, being a senior official, will be able to do something and called him. The Guard came to the platform from the other side and I told my urgency to reach Delhi. He also became sympathetic and called the Station Master of Khammam over Railway Phone who told that the GT has already left the station.
Guard now called the GT Train Driver. Guard told us that the Driver is a friend of his and he has requested to stop the train here. Guard asked me my compartment number and I told him S- 13.I could hear him telling S-3 to the driver, but I did not interrupt as any compartment was ok with me. By the time, we could see the train coming from the distance.
Guard, Station Master and I got down to the tracks and waited there while the Train was coming through the middle track. It started slowing and almost stopped. I could see S – 3 compartment. Quickly I climbed the steps to the compartment, with the Guard and the Station Master handing over my bags as I reached the compartment. The train has already started. It might not have stopped even for half a minute; may be it might not have even stopped at all, but was moving very very slowly. I could not even get time to thank the Station Master and the Guard.
Now I had to reach the S-13 compartment which was behind. I walked with all the three bags and by the time I reached my compartment, I was sweating despite the cold season.
I found that a woman was sleeping in my berth. When I told her that it is my berth she did not agree. But a boy in the nearby berth told her ‘Amma, that is his berth’ and the lady vacated the berth for me.
I was hell tired and slept heavily. I could not tell our A.P. comrades what all happened as the mobile services have not yet started. After reaching Delhi in the morning, telephoned Sampath Rao and told my ordeal. I also told him that I will write a letter to the Railway Minister appreciating the help of the Guard and the Station Master.
He told that as soon as the train had left, they had realised that it was not GT in which I have boarded, but could not do any thing and expressed happiness that I have reached Delhi in time. But he advised me that it will be inadvisabe to write to the Minister and instead he will go to the Station Master and thank him and also request him to convey thanks to the Guard. He did as promised and was also happy to find that the Station Master was related one of the telecom comrades there.
V A N Namboodiri 01.06.2026
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