Gaurav Dadhich

BEST buses are undoubtedly a lifeline of Mumbai,since they navigate through every hidden corner of the city.

I have been traveling by BEST buses regularly for about a year now.My commute from office to home,a good 35 kms,happens by BEST buses,post 10 pm.

At these hours, when the Mumbai roads are emptier and the buses are  not overflowing with passengers, some BEST drivers transform magically into Sebastian Vettel and the likes. Suddenly,pot holes become invisible,speed limits vanish and the passengers -goods.

They will drive so rash,they miss killing a dozen bikers every night,by a whisker. Panicking passengers will complain to a conductor who will be either abusive or simply turn deaf.

Try talking to the driver,he will abuse you.May be even promise an assault. Dial 100. Police will either promise a patrol van at a  forthcoming stop or will ask you to be calm and not panic. Give them the bus details,and they will cut the phone.Bus depots are deserted at that hour,so you won’t be able to lodge a complaint once you get down.

Try meeting a police man post getting down. They will firstly argue if a bus with such a route number even runs on that route. Then they will tell you to do x,y and z. All useless steps. But they won’t help you one bit.

You approach the bus depot with the bus details the following morning and the bureaucracy takes the better of you. There is no online  procedure to complain.

Such is the condition of our BEST buses.They promise you a joyride at late nights.Don’t travel with elderly,pregnant women or kids at such hours with them by BEST. CAUTION!

कभी टेढ़े मेधे रास्तों पर ,
जब सूख सी जाती थी  एड़ियां .
माथे पर आ जाती,
जब  लकीरें  मायूसी की .

बालों को सहलाता एक हाथ ,
और हंसा दे  ,कुछ ऐसी बात .
दो आँखें जो कह देती ,
“क्या है ग़म जब मैं हूँ साथ “.

आज सिर्फ एक आवाज़ है गूंजती ,
जो कहती तोह कुछ वैसा ही है .
उम्मीद नहीं है अब उस हाथ की ,
और ना ही ज़रूरत है .
हमेशा तोह सांसें भी साथ  नहीं  देती .

Laal Bus k adde par,
Laal rang ki kitaab pakde,
Laal ankhon se padh raha tha.
Aur kar raha tha intezaar,
Laal gulaab ka.

Kuch maza tha kamaal ka,
Uss intezaar karne mein.
Woh kehti thi hamesha,
Kyun mujhe itna chahte ho?
Kyun mera intezaar karte ho?
Kyun apna waqt yahaan stand par bitaate ho?

Par jab thaki haari,
Bojhil hote jab kandhay bhari,
Aati jab college se bahar,
Aur dekhti mujhe intezaar karte…
Hass padti.
Aur kehti…

Tumhein Intezaar karana na pasand hai.
Par tumhein yahan dekhna khushnaseebi.

Aur phir mere kameez ki jeb mein,
Aur kabhi mere thailay mein,
Mere pyaar ka izhaar dhoondti.
Dairy Milk.

Par agle din phir kasam deti,
Aaj bahar khade intezaar na karna.
Thoda khud ke liye jee lo jao.
Mera intezaar na karna.

Ab beet gaye kayi saal.
Ab bhi usay pasand nahi mera intezaar karna.
Par dil kehta hai,
Ab bhi intezaar karte dekh usay achcha hi lagega.

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