Lalu Railways...

(Genre: Just Like That)

...is so much better than Indian Railways. Someone has definitely read books on Service Marketing and learnt the phrase 'Customer Satisfaction'

My last visit to a reservation counter 2-3 years back was something like this...

Lady on the Counter: NEXT
Me: (Silently handed over the form)
Lady on the Counter: ONLY WAITLIST IS AVAILABLE
Me: Can you please check for 2 AC?
Lady on the Counter: WHY DONT YOU PEOPLE ASK THESE QUESTIONS AT ENQUIRY? SUCH A BIG QUEUE. THEN YOU SAY RAILWAY PEOPLE ARE INEFFICIENT....BLAH BLAH BLAH (But to be fair to her she did check and impolitely told me that 2AC was also waitlist)

But the following is the scene in Lalu Railways (happened to me 2 days back)

Gentleman on the Counter: Good Morning..
Me: (Pleasantly surprised...handed over the form) Good Morning!!!
Gentleman on the Counter: Tomorrow's ticket...its waitlist 10. I dont think it will get confirmed. Should I check 2 AC?
Me: Yes please.
Gentleman on the Counter: Even this is WL. If it is important to travel tomorrow, I can check tatkal for you.
Me: Tatkal would be fine
Gentleman on the Counter: But be aware that the ticket cannot be cancelled and is even dearer than 2AC
Me: No Problem
Gentleman on the Counter: Its available. That will be Rs 717 please. Please write tatkal on top of the form... Thank You... You will get an automatic upgrade to a higher class if the berth is available.

So half an hour in the queue did not go waste. I had a confirmed ticket in hand and smile on my face.

There is something about Lalu Railways that was missing before. No doubt someone from IIM A wants to make a case study out of it.

But wait a minute!!! Isn't Lalu the same rustic bihari leader we all love to hate? The guy who rears cattle in his bunglow in the heart of New Delhi. Supposedly the corrupt leader who made poor Bihar poorer. The guy who stayed in power for so long by using below the belt antics.

Following are the finer points of Lalu Rilways:

1. Courteous staff. Even the TC says please
2. Effective use of technology - Connectivity by net, phone. eTicketing etc.
3. Clean compartments
4. Train on schedule (maybe this was just luck. But it happened.)

Who says elephants can't dance ? They can if Lalu is the ring master.

Horse Divorce

(Genre: I suck at poetry)

Thought will try my hand at poetry...but by the time I was finished with it, I was sure that I will never again try poetry again....


Once upon a time a mare and a horse,
went to the court for divorce

Presiding the case was Honorable Judge Rhino,
the respected lawyers were Monkey and Dino

Monkey rose first to present his case,
Mare felt shy and covered her face

Dino stood up, tripped and fall
A loud thud preceded the laughter in the hall

He got up tied his shoe lace
The bloody thing that caused his fall from grace

He said mutual agreement on seperation
Paperwork is ready and so are the preparations

The judge inquired how long b4 marriage the 2 met,
Mare replied "Not married, but the date is set"

Puzzled he asked " No marriage!! why divorce??"
In dictionary divorce comes first said the horse