This is the fifth installment of an eight-part special feature, where we look back at some of the major stories of 2013 through the eyes of those who covered them.
The story: Metro Bus: Overcrowding, ill-discipline mar first full day of service.
The story behind the story
We live in a country where money is valued more than time. So when the Punjab government announced free rides for the inauguration of the Metro buses, they attracted more crowds than any adrenaline-pumping, stomach-churning roller-coaster could.
Yet, for many, riding the bus was more than just availing a freebie – for them, it was akin to being part of a historic moment.
And I was lucky enough to be part of history in the making.
Honestly speaking, reporting about the opening days of the Metro bus service were quite memorable, to say the least. The sights I saw seemed to be straight out of a Hollywood slapstick movie. People had their faces pressed against glass windows and every time the automatic doors opened passengers would literally fall out of the vehicle.
Despite witnessing the ordeal of the passengers, I decided to board the bus. My first attempt to get on from Kalma Chowk was a fail. I was pushed back with such force that I lost my balance and landed on the ground outside. I was baffled by what had happened, but refused to give up. The second time around, I joined a group of seven unruly boys who, too, were determined to get on the bus. Over the next 30 minutes, five to six buses passed by the station but none stopped as they were all loaded with passengers.
After some time, a bus finally stopped at the station and even before the doors opened completely, I jumped inside and grabbed a handle. Though I wasn’t completely inside, I was happy enough to know the door couldn’t close with me standing in between. Finally, someone decided to show some mercy and pulled me in.
The bus was packed with so many passengers that I couldn’t even move my hands. I felt like I was suffocating. At every subsequent stop, at least a dozen more people boarded the bus while the existing passengers inside refused to get off.
Inside, I met a person from Gujranwala who was proud to be among the first passengers, and he was not the only one who felt this sense of accomplishment. It was his second trip on the 27km long route and his account of getting on the bus was no less audacious than mine.
This is the first time I have revealed in public just how miserable my first journey in the Metro bus was. I hope you’ll keep it to yourself.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2014.