No sooner did my trip to Mumbai was finalised for some official work, the idea to share time with truck drivers at one of the loading yards in the commercial capital cropped up.
The only hitch was which location to spend time. Given the fact that I would be criss-crossing the city and Bombay Port Trust including the dock yards which would be choc-a-bloc with truck drivers, options were many.
Ultimately, the choice fell on the loading yard at Kandivli from where Mahindra tractors are pushed out. The location is nothing new to me. Way back in 2011, I had spent an entire night in the company of Zubair Khan of Rinku Commercial Carriers who had a load of 7 Mahindra tractors for Dharwad stock yard. It was during that trip, my gold chain got snatched en route (Chapter At Razor’s Edge, 10,000 KM On Indian Highways (Second Edition), PP. 10-15). (www.10000kmonindianhighways.com)
Mahindra Logistics Vice President Selvan Dasaraj, based out of Delhi, and Nasarwanji Huafeed in Mumbai lost no time in linking me with concerned executives at Kandivli, though it was a weekend holiday.
Once this was finalised, then began the game of procurement. What to give the drivers: orange or banana or what? Though we had distributed oranges over a week long trip in Jharkhand in the company of Dasaraj in mid April, Mumbai markets were flooded with mangoes and not a single citrus fruit was in sight – at least in Vile Parle where I was staying.
The Sundaresans – family friend with whom I was staying – and spouse Kala stepped out on a hot Mumbai afternoon in search of fruits. Though mango was the choice, which variety became the next critical issue to be decided. Hapus? Devgarh? .... A few tasting sessions later, the choice fell on Devgarh. Since our requirement was large – 150 at least – hard bargaining transpired under the tutelage of Lalita Sundaresan. She was such a tough negotiator, the final price fell from Rs.450/dozen to Rs.280/dozen over two hour haggling and buying session.
After seeing off my better half at Andheri station, who was on her way to Delhi via August Kranti Express, I dashed across to Kandivli in a three wheeler with several polythene bags filled mangoes, guided by Samir Rane, a senior executive, from his home since it was a weekend.
“Go to Gate No.2. Someone will meet you,” I was told.
That is where I ran into Sujit Renose, a Mahindra Logistics
executive, who came out of the factory gate to assist me.
Our immediate destination was the loading yard, hardly 2 km
away.
Being a weekend and factory closed, the yard was bereft
of activity.
But truck drivers were hanging around in the yard.
Somewhere playing cards under the truck. Some cooking
in the opening space. Some were cooking inside the driver cabin!
A few sat on the parapet, engaged in animated conversation.
Even the two uniformed security guards had nothing to do
seated inside their cabin. They came out to collect their 'quota' of mangoes!
Once Sujit understood the purpose of my visit and the raison
d'etre of mangoes in our custody, he moved into top gear.
Single-handedly he got into the distribution mode (don’t
forget that he is a logistician!).
The format was very simple and straight forward.
His right hand would dig into the polythene bag and come out
with a solitary mango. Hand it to the driver or assistant whomsoever he sees.
Of course, there will be questioning look on the recipient’s
face.
“Take it. It’s aam (mango) only,” he would say. Pointing to
me standing a few feet away, the French-bearded, bachelor Sujit would say
something about my ‘interest’ in truck drivers.
Invariably, holding the mango in one hand, they would climb
down and get into conversations.
Most of them are from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan
and incidentally, I had 100% crossed these states, districts or even their villages at
some point of time.
Their concerns are the same .... RTO challenges, no toilet
and sleeping/resting facility en route..
Marriage and away from family and the consequent absence of physical needs formed part
of our conversation.
Safe sex with condoms en route (when they are away from
family for longer periods) did crop up.
The practice of leaving loaded vehicles on the highways for
a day/night near their village unattended and going ‘home’ is not correct, they
were told.
A few observations:
a)
Saw them going with ‘Pepsi/Coke’ bottle into the
bushes for ablutions. No toilet at the loading yard!
b)
Saw them cooking in open space or inside the
driver cabin. Some covered kitchen facility possible.
c)
No resting place for them (except inside their
respective trucks or under it).
After the yard visit and distribution, we had chance
to give away mangoes to children and elderly women in the neighbourhood jhopadpatti (slum).
Then from yard to Gate 3, we found some more drivers
on the roadside waiting near their trucks and gave away some more succulent mangoes.
At Gate 3, Sujit called out to some young drivers who
drive tractors from the plant to loading yard and distributed the balance
mangoes.
Thanks, Sujit!
Thanks, Selvan!
Thanks, Nasarwanji!
Thanks, Samir!
What NEXT?
Destination: somewhere in Rajasthan
Item to be distributed: Balloons for kids .... &
Notebooks, Pen/Pencils for school going children of drivers
How can you help?
Contribute Rs.100 for balloons/notebooks/pen/pencils
A coffee @ Cafe Coffee Day/Barista costs that much.
Those who are LARGE HEARTED, write to me for banking details.
Cheers
Ramesh
