Last year on this day, 7 blasts ripped through passenger trains in Mumbai causing the gruesome deaths of 187 individuals and injuring countless. It was a shocking incident for every Mumbaikar and revived the memories of the serial blasts of March 1992. No city in the world has been a frequent target of terrorist attacks then Mumbai and yet on the streets, life goes on as usual and people move on with the scars left behind.
On that evening of 7/11, I was homeward bound on the 6:14 Borivli fast local which got stranded between Lower Parel and Elphinstone Road railway stations for unknown reasons. Just then I received a cell call from my colleague in office, informing me about the serial blasts which I could barely believe. The only option left was to get home somehow, so I walked up to Elphinstone Road station on the tracks and then onto the road when it started raining heavily. There were no buses or other conveyance which could afford to take me to my destination and then I found 2 guys in a cab who lended a helping hand on that fateful night. We then picked up 2 more persons on our way; one of them an elderly woman and started off to our landing-place. It was only after 6 gruelling hours that I reached home — I was the last person to get off the cab after paying him a handsome fare. Unfortunately my entire account for that day was wiped out in the database crash that occured last year. I would like to thank Sameer and his friend, who helped me out with the taxi service on 7/11 last year.
I see little practical changes on the ground in terms of securing our city from another attack. Somehow one gets a feeling that internal security is not on the priority list of this government. The action items after the blast — A few CCTVs hang above our heads, a few constables relaxing on stations and most foolishly; luggage racks being removed from train compartments for some reason, causing utter discomfort to the waiting passengers. There are families of the departed who are still grieving the loss. It feels sad to see the sorry state of affairs in our city but Mumbai lives on with us, scarred and scared.
