A peep into the Station Master's room at Central Metro Station

Yesterday on my way to office, my 40 ride metro ticket got rejected at the electronic gate though the last day of valid tenure was another week away. So, I approached a metro official posted at the gates for help. However, after a look at my ticket, the gentleman advised me to use the side gate to go ahead (lest I get late for my office) and visit the station master on my return journey. I was just too happy to oblige. So, in the evening, I went to see the station master, rehearsing the dialogs in my mind in case he was in a bad mood (I have this notion that a majority of government officials are always in a bad mood whenever they have to do something not in their itinerary and are often far placed from the word "etiquette"). But this time, I was quite happy to be proved wrong. The station master not only gave me a patient hearing but also offered me a seat. He examined my ticket first for the balance amount and then twice at a machine kept in the room before declaring that I can continue with the ticket and that no further problem would be there). Meanwhile, I also managed to have a look at the big screen (divided into four quadrants) which was showing areas of the station being monitored by the close circuit cameras. But this peep also gave me an insight about why suicides are still common at metro stations. In fact, limited vigilance at some particular points would never be enough to stop the deaths. So, unless the government goes ahead to install railings at the sides of the platform that would open up only after a train stops, people would continue with their suicide bids on the tracks of the metro railway.

Coming back to the story, thankfully, my ticket gave me no more problems and the ride back home was eventless.

Image courtesy: Website of Metro Railway, Kolkata