Recently on my train journey back to home a lady joined us with three time the luggage I was carrying. On top of it she did not have a confirmed ticket and kept repeating the following sentences every 5 minutes( or whenever any fellow passenger looked at her ( obviously she too had to look at him/her then !) ):
" I booked my ticket 3 months ago, it was wait-list no. 135 then, its 135 even now"
" I booked in 1st AC, in 2nd AC, in 3rd AC, in first class, but couldn't get a confirmed ticket"
" Railways are so bad, all are crooks".
I thought for a moment to interrupt her and point to her that there was no 1st AC in our train, but I refrained for the fear of listening to her all over once again. But it again made me think for the umpteenth time, in the last few months, about the "Tatkal" scheme.
Before I proceed further, I must say I genuinely admire the ingeniousness of the person who came up with the concept of "Tatkal" in Indian Railways sometime earlier in this decade.
I admit that it has been, and still is beneficial for many passengers in many ways.
It has also helped Railways improve their earnings.
But somehow I still feel there is a lot fishy about Tatkal.
