The Ministry of Railways has decided to withdraw the ubiquitous signage and mechanism that have long instructed passengers, “To Stop Train Pull Chain”, in case of an emergency.
It has finally dawned upon the Railways that across UP and Bihar (most notoriously) ‘To Stop Train Pull Chain’ was the standard way of getting on and off trains at whim. After suffering losses of Rs 3,000 crores, thanks to random chain pulling by passengers, the ministry is finally dropping curtains on this practice.
The ‘chain’ will now be replaced by a notice stating the phone numbers of the train drivers and assistant drivers, who passengers will be required to contact in case of an emergency. Best of luck with that!
Meanwhile at The Quint, we decided to take a look at how reel life can echo real life, when it comes to trains. Because, trains and Bollywood go back a long way.
Ja Simran, Ja, Jee Le Apni Zindagi
Remember a Kajol, clad in bridal finery, running along a train, just to get pulled up by her freshly-beaten up boyfriend, Shahrukh Khan? Of course you do, we are talking about Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayengey — legendary stuff! And if you decide to play this scene out in real life — yes, you are allowed to — keep in mind to call the driver instead of looking for a chain to pull.
Shall We Dance?
Malaika Arora Khan performing a wide array of latkas and jhatkas atop a train was what made quite a few men shuffle in their seats. And women too! So if you find yourself tumbling a little while performing a similar death-defying dance recital, please call the driver to stop the train. Ouch, there are no more chains to pull!
Fightclub
There’s a girl. There’s villainous competition. What are you waiting for? Jump on top of a train, beat the s**t out of him by performing Matrix like aerial feats, dodging any incoming bullets, or a large mouthful of spit. But make sure you have the driver’s number on your speed dial, just in case you are falling to your death!
WTF??!!
What if you call the driver and he does not answer? Or his phone is unavailable? You can tread the WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, WeChat way, or Tweet about it. But then you need to petition telecom companies for uninterrupted internet access, even if you are in Timbuktu.
Have a great ride folks. And no more pulling chains!
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)