Indian railways are one of the world’s largest railway
networks. And most of us prefer trains for long distance journey. Let it be a
holiday trip to Assam or for a business trip to Mumbai we prefer trains. Amazing
journey! Too smooth journey.
Now you take a seat and the train starts. You are enjoying
the outside scenery. After a few minutes a boy comes to you asking for alms. You
helped him happily. After another few minutes, an amputee comes to you and
again you put few coins in his hand. May be you did not want but his stubbornness
will compel you. And it continues. Either a blind or a helpless woman or a
child keeps on coming to take some coins out of your pocket.
Now, you think no more disturbances will be there but soon
you hear somebody claps at the other side of the coach. I guess you have
understood whom I am referring to. Yes, Hijras! They are referred as the
third gender and are inhabitant of India and Pakistan. And of all alms seekers
they are the most dangerous one. Well, don’t you think they harass passengers?
Yes they literally harass passengers. You’ll not agree with me if you travel in
AC coach otherwise you will.
Don’t think me as heartless who does not want to help needy.
Of course I want. But thing is that all whom we meet in trains are not really beggars
they could have done something other than begging for their livelihood. And for
hijras and the needy people I have a solution.
By statistics, around 30 million passengers travel trains
daily. If railway authorities take a donation of Rs. 5 with every ticket then
total collection will be 150 million rupees daily.
Now, there are 7000 stations in India. Let us assume per
station there are 200 beggars and hijras then total number of needy
people is 14 lacs (1.4 million). Now distribute the 150 million among them. Each
of them is getting about Rs.107/day.
Then passengers will be never harassed. And to make it possible the first step
railway authority should take is to identify the real needy people and register
their names.
I request railway ministry to look over this matter. Believe
me, railway journey has become like hell because of them.
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