Interview with Taxi Driver..

Heavy traffic to airport and I thought why not get to know the taxi driver better. So the coversation that we had. 

(Intially I thought I will note it down while he speaks, but then I have seen that people get scared as soon as I get out my diary, so now I have just come to aiport and typing this in before I forget. )

Where are you from?

Not from Bangalore Sir, you know Udipi, yes I am from village close to that.

How did you get in to this taxi business?

Earlier I was in ICICI prudential as agent, then since this new airport have taken the taxi. Something you have to do na to get money.

How much do you earn?

About 10 thousand sir, and I end up spending about 3-4 thousand.

Is there no employment in your village, why you coming to Bangalore?

No Sir, all good facilities in village, just come to see, see the big city 

What your future plans, do you want to continue taxi?

we have chicken farm in village, and "supari" farm, it runs good, so I go back to village after two years.

Are you married?

No Sir, 

Will you get married here in Bangalore?

Marriage elders sir, city girl, chicken farm does not adjust, girl from my community.

Are all the facilities good in your village, school, medical and so on?

Facilities all good sir, good school, earlier no teachers now lot of teachers.

Do you have water problem in your place?

No water problem sir, lot of water, near the sea , so lot of water in borewell.

Do you have any ambition in life?

Yes sir, I want to go in to politics, My father also in gram panchayat, I was leader in college. So I want to go ahead in there, but not now, after marriage after two three years.

Do you use pesticides in your farm?

(He did not understand pesticides)

Do you use some "dawa" for the "kidas" in the farm?

DDT sir, yes sir, DDT everyone use. If we dont use DDT then lot of "kidas"

Do you stay alone in Bangalore?

No sir, with four people from my village.

Are all of them taxi drivers?

No some in restaurant, some private company, like that.

Do lot of poeple come out of village and dont go back there?

No sir, after marriage, difficult to live in bangalore, minimum expense 8 thousand, not possible sir, good job stay in Bangalore, Most go back village for marriage and stay there only.

There is a pause and then he himself starts saying,

"Three of my classmates in Army sir, two in Kashmir, one in Gujarat. Army means lot of value sir, some problem is there, but lot of value."

How did they go in army?

Got seleted from colege sir, they will come to take.

You did not get selected?

I also, but parents did not allow, only son sir, so difficulty. I wanted to go then, but then I came to Bangalore

Do you learn English at school?

Yes sir, for five years, can read and understand little bit. But in village no Hindi only for three years. that is bad, because hindi you need sir, specially if you go to north India, very few in village know hindi.

By the time I am done with this many questions, airport has come. And then he asks me, 

Where are you from?

"Baroda", I say, (I thought he would not know where baroda is)

"Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, sir... that place.." 

"Yes" I say

"Cricket lot of interst sir, Dhoni very lucky captain" he says...

 

And then we depart, 

Cricket truly unites India I think.. :)

Interview with Autowallah

Probably if you have been regular reader to blog, you would think that this is a repeat post, but it is not. Last time I had put, "Interview with Traffic Policemen" and "Autowallah love story". but now it is interview time of auto guy

"Since how long have you been driving auto?"

"Eight Years, but there is no money in this, today morning I started at six but by 12 could do busiess of only 50 rupees, then I went home, now since evening 5 I have done seventy rupees"

"So what were you doing earlier to this"

"I did a job, did not like it, I tried my own business but then failed, so now I am at auto"

"How much money do you make from this?"

"Not much sir, see for each day I have to pay 150 rupees to the owner of the auto, then I have to pay for gas, and then whatever remain I will keep it to myself. I am just managing to live sir"

"Do you have children?"

"Two sir, one girl and one boy, both  going to government school. Girl is very bright sir, but son is not studying"

"Has the airport shifting affected your business?"

"A lot sir. Earlier everyday atleast one savari I used to get for airport. And airport road was evergreen road, anytime you go you will atleast get someone. But now that is not the case. Shifting of airport has had a great impact on our business"

"Do you work at night also?"

"No sir, night working is lot of problem, lot of drunk people are getting in to auto. Then lot of quarrel happens. Only yesterday I picked up this guy, and after ten minutes he slept off. I tried to wake him up but he did not. So I took the auto to police station and dropped him there. There is no other option sir. I cant leave him on streets"

I was just thinking, after this talk, when aiport was getting shifted there was so much hue and cry over the traffic and amount of time it takes to travel. I wonder if someone actually thought about all this auto guys. In all probability for this guy shifting of airport would have meant shifting his kids from private school to government school. And if i look at it from this angle, then this  impact seems to far greater as compared to all the time it takes to travel to new airport. 

Interview with Traffic policeman

How long have you been working as a traffic police man?
I joined in 1979, and have been working ever since. After 19 years got promoted from constable to head constable.

How does the hierarchy go in the department?
It goes something like this, constable, head constable, sub inspector, inspector, and so on.

What are the working hours?
Generally there are two shifts 7am to 2pm and 2pm to 10 pm. The shifts keep changing.

How are the positions assinged?
Positions keep changing weekly. It does not matter which positions we work. more traffic or less traffic is the same. We have to work nevertheless. Even when rajkumar died, we had to work. We cannot escape.

Why did you join traffic police?
Not really by choice, there was the advertisement in newspaper, and i went for the interview and joined the job.

How many holidays that you get?
Generally we have to work seven days a week. Even the ragpickers get off on sunday but we do not get off. But we get around 60 days off. But the bad thing is that you dont get off when you want to. It is really subject to approval.

Are you happy with the job?
Pay is very less, after almost 26 years of service I earn around only 11k. Even the security guy in accenture gets around 10k with all the additional benefits of PF and all. Here no benefits. Initially when I joined I used to get a 250 rupees and now I get around 500.

Regarding job satifaction?
We cannot spend lot of time with family. the workign hours keep extending. Even though we get official off at 2pm, but that is not always the case. It takes quite long to get a promotion. when i joined one thousand people joined. and each year 100 people get promoted. But I am proud of the job that I am doing public service. and I am happy that I can manage my family and parents.

What about your kids?
I have a son and daughter. Son just cleared his 10th with distinction and he got some merit seat in shesadripuram college. My son had asked me to get whatever he wants if he gets good marks, but I feel sad that I cannot afford that much.

Where are you from?
Karwar but have been in bangalore for a long time

When asked about the best and worst times of job?
Not anything, everything is the same, we have to come and stand here irrespective of anything. When ministers come and all our time is extended. We have to work more for their security. Our heads just ask us to work without checking our personal commitments.

PS1:There was lot of sparkle in eyes when he said about his kids
PS2:I have also actually made quite a nice friends with this guy (name undisclosed at his request)