Memory lane

Memory lane

I remembered one Dr Reeta Darbari when I was posted at Srinagar. Her husband Dr Varun Raina was our PTMO with Indian Airlines. Dr Reeta attended my wife's delivery in 1987. She was such a wonderful person that on my daughter's birth, I wrote an appreciation letter to the Medical Supdt, Govt Hospital that we'd like our daughter to be like Dr Reeta one day! Next year, I was transferred to Delhi IGIA and all contacts were lost. Then after 20 years when I was busy at Singapore flight midnight, one person suddenly asked me, 'Do you recognise me?' In turn, I just asked, 'How's Dr Reeta Darbari?" He then gave me their visiting card. Reaching home after my night duty, I called Dr Reeta if she remembered me and got my letter sent 20 years ago. 'Yes, I remember that!' She said. They were later shifted to South City, Gurgaon, and you might also know them. We visited two months back to Dr Purnima Kaul at BL Kapur Hospital. She too happens from Srinagar. I was delighted, to know that Dr Reeta was her classmate and Dr Varun, in senior class. When she asked me where I stayed at Srinagar for 5 years, I told her that we were at Jawahar Nagar, near one Dr Thussu's clinic.  Walking down memory lane, she said, 'I am Dr Thussu's daughter!'

Bay 86

Air india and Ethiopian planes wingtip collides at Bay 86, T3... It was shocking going through what Nina Nanda Kapoor shared with this caption and following picture. Immediately, it came to mind when we attended many A320 flights at remote bay 86 and nearby.. very less space here between two bays and perhaps not advisable for big aircrafts. Those were our days of working at T2. Some of my colleagues confirmed it as same bay even after T3 became operational. As per my little knowledge, bay is allotted by airport authority's apron control, aircrafts' movement is controlled by ATC, Airlines Engineering personnel assist (marshalling) it's parking/pushback. Again, if earlier aircraft is wrongly parked someway, airport authority (now GMR) must be knowing it. They must have got it right way first, if so, before adjacent bay is allotted to others. An experienced colleague added: Although it's GMR's duty to allot bays. They have data of each and every aircraft like length, span etc. Bays are marked by keeping some distance, minimum 10 to 12 feet clearance between wing tips of both aircrafts. Actually it happened during push back. At that time ground staff must be there at wing tip to give signal to towing tractor operator and that control is not very precise as you are being pushed from nose wheel side. I am not sure but what l came to know that Ethiopian was being pushed back and our's was parked. But if Ethiopian was parked wrongly, then we should have a person at wing tip. Once Pilot starts engine, it is responsibility of that staff. He further added: One should be at wing tip which is under push back and notice other things like other aircraft, step ladder or some other equipment is not there. I don't know that in this case someone was there or not, but hopefully no one was there, otherwise he would have told TT operator to stop. In this case there is no control of Pilot. It is the duty of ground staff to ensure safe push back. (CMD was also quoted as saying: No one was at wing tip.) Soon it was known that our aircraft was correctly parked and Ethiopian was being pushed back (with not utmost care, we believe). A learned Captain friend too added: These Parking Area not meant for Long Wing Aircrafts. Carelessness of Airport Authority. Agree with your info. Yet if u see or what I experienced in india and abroad at International airports -- to accommodate larger wing aircraft, one aircraft space is left for larger wing aircraft. But it seems because of shortage of parking space this mistake took place. All from ATC to ground handlers of Airlines to be blamed.. When I asked if such damages are covered under insurance, a colleague replied: Yes. All damages are covered under Insurance. You have to make a claim after inquiry committee, DGCA & GMR's reports. Repair cost plus loss due grounding must be covered.

As nowhere above we are at fault, people still have a tendency to curse us as why such things are happened only with us (AI). More so, I feel hurt as this time some of our own group member commented such way. Only for this, I started this post. Sincere thanks to Capt Aziz Ahmad Siddiqui and Mr. Akhil Shukla.. दिल से!

..

कभी अलविदा न कहना!

30 जनवरी को हम दो की बजाय ढाई मिनट का मौन रख लेते हैं। वैसे भी ढाई अक्षर प्रेम के कहे जाते हैं। आधा मिनट की हमारी अपनी प्रेम श्रद्धांजलि हो जाती है।। मोबाइल वगैरा तो तब थे नहीं। सुबह नौ बजे जब एक मिनट का सायरन बजता था तो हम दर्शनार्थ उधर से गुज़रते थे। ऐसे ही 30 जनवरी 1970 को उसने कागज़ की एक गोली-सी बनाकर हमें मार दी थी।  "पिताजी कहते हैं, लड़के का पंडित होना ज़रूरी है, चाहे पान की दुकान हो!" दोस्तों ने बहुत सांत्वना दी -- कोई बात नहीं.. तेरह दिन बाद सब भूल जाओगे.. अपनी हीर-रांझा की तस्वीर गंगाजी में बहा आओ!.. बहा दी कल -- 46 साल बाद!!

       Artist S. Sobha Singh's painting

एक बंगला बने न्यारा..

दादा जी के समय का कॉन्सेप्ट:
एक बंगला बने न्यारा, रहे कुनबा जिसमे सारा!
पिता जी का समय:
दो सौ गज़ का प्लॉट लेकर सब भाई अपना-अपना ऊपर बनवाते रहो!
हमारा समय:
"रोज़-रोज़ के झगड़ों से अच्छा है अलग-अलग फ्लैट्स!"
बच्चों का समय:
Cousins के नाम भी नहीं जानते। बस, दूर से ही फ्लाइंग-किस्स!..

(सामने वालों की बिटिया डोली से उतर कर वापस घर कुछ लेने भागी तो लोगों ने कहा: "क्या रह गया? ऐसे अशुभ होता है!" --"आपको शुभ-अशुभ की पड़ी है --मेरा पतली पिन वाला चार्जर नहीं मिल रहा!!")

R1, R2 और दामाद जी!

बहुत लाड़, प्यार और प्रयास से हमने दामाद जी का नाम अपने पैसेज रिकॉर्ड में जुड़वाया था। बेटी-दामाद यू.एस. से बैंगलोर आए तो सोचा बैंगलोर से दिल्ली आने-जाने का उनका R1 टिकट हम बनवा कर रख लेते हैं। नातिन का इन्फेंट टिकट जब वह बैंगलोर एअरपोर्ट से ले रहे थे तो बेटी ने हमें फोन किया कि क्या हमारा इन्फेंट टिकट दस हज़ार का है? हमने कहा कि नहीं, सात-आठ सौ का होगा। जल्दी ही एक मैसेज आ गया कि अब वे जेट से आ रहे हैं। मिलने पर पता चला कि दामाद जी हमारी टिकटों पर यात्रा करते घबरा रहे थे कि 40 दिन के बच्चे के साथ अगर उन्हें एक ही फ्लाइट में सीटें न मिलीं या साथ-साथ न मिलीं तो मुश्किल हो जाएगी। इसलिए उन्होंने चुपचाप ऐसा कर लिया कि बताने पर हम हल्ला मचाते। वैसे भी वह हमारी 'adventurous stories' से बहुत डर गए थे कि हम कब-कहां-कैसे ऑफ-लोड हुए!.. यहाँ अनावश्यक होते हुए भी विशेष तौर पर बता दें कि हमें दामाद/बहू आदि शब्द बिल्कुल अच्छे नहीं लगते और हम इन्हें बेटा-बेटी कहना ही पसंद करते हैं। "कन्यादान" शब्द के पीछे तो हम हाथ धो कर पड़े हुए हैं - एक पत्रिका में हमने ऐलान भी किया था कि इसकी जगह वर्तमान परिप्रेक्ष्य में कोई अन्य उपयुक्त शब्द बताओ और पुरस्कार में हमारी एक माह की पेंशन पाओ! अभी कुछ लोग गंभीरतापूर्वक विचार कर ही रहे थे कि तभी किसी ने कह दिया: अरे! यह 1100 रूपए की पेंशन वाले हैं!

Unforgettable!

The Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge railway is known for its panoramic view of the hills and surrounding towns. Built in 1898, it passes through 107 tunnels and 864 bridges along the 96.5 km route. It was opened for traffic on 9 Nov 1903. On 8 July 2008, UNESCO added it to the mountain railways of India World Heritage Site.

Since my childhood, I have been very fond of travelling on this train, lovingly known as toy train. Till few days back, I was presuming it as a single train with old steam engine plying between Kalka-Shimla-Kalka, and was unaware if one can book his seat for a short distance of travel in between. While in process of making booking for Delhi-Kalka, I sent a message to Chairman Railway Board, Mr. Ashwani Lohani seeking clarification on above point. Soon he replied that someone would call me. I was delighted when after sometime it was clarified that the whole track is known as world heritage, not just any single train with steam engine and one could travel up to any station.

Travelling Delhi-Kalka by morning Shatabdi, we reached Barog Heights by road. Next day, someone again called if we had any problems. When we showed our interest to travel on the toy train just from the nearest station to the next and back, we were informed about the trains schedule. Soon, a cherished wish came true when we travelled on the dream train from Solan to Barog to return within an hour. However, the return train from Barog was delayed for an hour that gave us some more time to spend at Barog which is one of the loveliest railway stations. The longest Barog Tunnel of 1143.6 meters on this route just opens near the platform. As a board outside the tunnel depicts the story, it was named after Railway Engineer Barog, former incharge of this tunnel. Unfortunately, his calculations didn't work well and both ends of the tunnel couldn't connect. He was then penalised for Rupee One by the British Government. Feeling humiliated, he committed suicide.

We have also seen a Christmas tree planted by Shri Lohani sometime back nearby. "Barog is my dream holiday station. Want to spend a weekend there," he says cheerfully. His love to Railways is well known. For making it more beautiful, his message to all workers is: They should handle passengers with politeness and go the extra mile in providing good services to them.

Think it over!

Beyond doubt, we all are very good debaters; excellent in writing; genius in analysis; quick in raising fingers; loaded with multiple free advices. Alas! something we could have done in practical! Whether anyone has ever thought of contributing even a single penny towards the cure of our ailing Maharaja! When some falls sick in the familly, what we do -- arrange money from any possible source -- we divert all our energies in the direction of getting some relief to the ailing.. but here, it appears, we have done nothing for the ailing Maharaja! Few of our Groups, like Air Indians, may have a total of about twenty thousand or more members. Can't we start a campaign or even donate individually to lessen the burden Maharaja is carrying. Can't we, then ask the authorities to do something with this handful share of ours to bring back our Maharaja! (As indicated in my last post, we may donate some part of our share against the Master Policy with LIC against which we are getting nominal so-called pension if same is discontinued and balance  returned. Perhaps none is happy with that.)

          Do feel if he is our ailing father!