OFF-TRACK
Amitabh Shukla
Ever watched the 1957 classic ‘Naya Daur’ starring Dilip Kumar, Vyjayantimala and others. It was a battle between the machine and t
he horse cart driven by the spirit of the man. The machine lost while the man and his spirit won.
Not this time. Fifty-one years later, the machine has become bigger and modernized and is set to vanquish a smaller machine in Delhi. The Phat Phat Sewa, a maroon coloured public transport which runs from Shahdara to Seemapuri in east Delhi, would become a casualty by the first week of June when the Delhi Metro starts operating on this route. Though the Phat Phat Sewa owners and drivers know of the impending “capital punishment” they are not in a position to challenge the Metro for a “race” as Dilip Kumar successfully did in the film to save the livelihood of horse cart owners.
Not this time. Fifty-one years later, the machine has become bigger and modernized and is set to vanquish a smaller machine in Delhi. The Phat Phat Sewa, a maroon coloured public transport which runs from Shahdara to Seemapuri in east Delhi, would become a casualty by the first week of June when the Delhi Metro starts operating on this route. Though the Phat Phat Sewa owners and drivers know of the impending “capital punishment” they are not in a position to challenge the Metro for a “race” as Dilip Kumar successfully did in the film to save the livelihood of horse cart owners.
This would be the second “death sentence” for the Phat Phat sewa owners in 10 years. A few years ago, they used to operate the Second World War vintage Harley Davidson Motorcycles, converted into 8-seater public transport through the Indian technology of “jugad”. They were banned from operating by the courts saying they spread too much of pollution. The government chipped in, helped them purchase Mahindra utility vehicles, renamed it Phat Phat sewa and permitted them to ferry people and earn livelihood. All this is set to end and this time, the government too hasn’t got anything to offer to these people.
“We would ply till we lose all our passengers to the Metro,” said a pensive looking Joginder, a Phat Phat sewa driver, who has to support a family of five. Then what? “We will sell the vehicles and look for livelihood,” said the 51-year old who has driven both the Harley Davidson and its new avtar. Fellow drive Iqbal is resigned to fate. “We do not have any cause this time nor do we expect anyone to do anything for us”.
Has any of the drivers seen the film Naya Daur, I asked them at their designated parking place below the flyover at Shahdara from where they pick the passengers from the last station of the Metro. “Yes, but reality and films are different ball game all together,” said Ramesh, who drives the vehicle on daily wages. “The film showed that the tonga driver won the race against the lorry driver. We do not live in a fool’s paradise and do not entertain any such thoughts,” quipped Joginder, listening to the conversation.
Fifty vehicles, Mahindra vehicles and Maruti Omni operate as Phat Phat sewa on this route and provides employment to their owners, drivers and attendants who shout for passengers. A few of them have now decided to become “feeder service” to the Metro upto Dilshad Garden Metro Station from nearby areas.
As the march of technology and modernization gobbles its lesser brethren, I thought about Dilip Kumar’s Naya Daur which I must have watched half a dozen times on TV. Is the B.R. Chopra film still relevant in its new avtar in all color? At least, not for the drivers of Phat Phat sewa.
(May 14, 2008)
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