JOURNEYS & JOURNEYS – 35

Journey in Riksha and Cycle Riksha

It was in 1993. We were attending  the Central Working Committee  meeting of  AITEU. Class III Union at Yuba Kendra, Moulali, Kolkata. I had to go to a hospital about two kilo meters away to see a patient.

Immediately after the morning section, without waiting to take meals,I hurried out of the building and got in to a  Cycle  riksha and gave the address. I was thinking about the issues to be discussed in the CWC. After a few minutes I realised that the riksha was moving very slowly. All of a sudden I understood.It was not a Cycle Riksha , but a riksha being pulled by an old man. I asked him to stop. I got down and paid him the charge of Rs. 10 which he had said at the start and said to him that I will get a taxi, as I had to go quickly and return.

He was a very old man and was pulling the rikssha with great difficulty.I thought of giving some extra money. But,  as I thought that probably it will be a disrespect and humiliation for him, I did not pay anything extra.

I got a taxi and went to the hospital, met the patient and returned in time.

Despite the introduction of cycle riksha and auto rikaha , Man Pulling Rikshas are still in Kolkata and some other Northern Cities. This system has to be abolished at the earliest by giving them alternate jobs, like providing cycle rikshas.  

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