By Pangam
New Delhi: Promoted from being a school-bus driver to be a chauffeur in one of the 1,600 Tata Indigo-LX luxury cars, Sunil Kumar feels that ‘gods have smiled upon him’. Reaching the fag end of the Games, he is sorry that his ‘air-conditioned life’ will last only for another couple of days or so.
Travelling along with him in a Metro train, I asked how he managed to get the job. He recalled that it was a coincidence that he glanced at a newspaper ad inviting applications for CWG-2010 cab drivers. He promptly applied and was selected on the basis of experience and went through a 15 days’ training. During that period he was paid an allowance of Rs 300 per day. All the recruited drivers were given a uniform kit consisting of a T-shirt, track suit trousers, a pair of shoes and a cap. They were also given a mobile handset of Reliance and an Airtel Sim card with a talk time of Rs 80. So he was ready for a job requiring 12 hours work a day from October 1 to 17 making him richer by Rs 500 per day.
New Delhi: Promoted from being a school-bus driver to be a chauffeur in one of the 1,600 Tata Indigo-LX luxury cars, Sunil Kumar feels that ‘gods have smiled upon him’. Reaching the fag end of the Games, he is sorry that his ‘air-conditioned life’ will last only for another couple of days or so.
Travelling along with him in a Metro train, I asked how he managed to get the job. He recalled that it was a coincidence that he glanced at a newspaper ad inviting applications for CWG-2010 cab drivers. He promptly applied and was selected on the basis of experience and went through a 15 days’ training. During that period he was paid an allowance of Rs 300 per day. All the recruited drivers were given a uniform kit consisting of a T-shirt, track suit trousers, a pair of shoes and a cap. They were also given a mobile handset of Reliance and an Airtel Sim card with a talk time of Rs 80. So he was ready for a job requiring 12 hours work a day from October 1 to 17 making him richer by Rs 500 per day.
“I have heard so many reports which show Common Wealth Games in poor light. I too am not very happy about some things. But I want to do this job honestly and show to all those who travel in my cab, that India is a beautiful nation indeed”, he said proudly. When insisted upon, as to what things he was not so happy about, he replied: “We were told that we would be given TA to reach the Games venues, but the promise is not fulfilled. Secondly, though the food is supplied free, yet it is not consumable and also 12 hours duty is too tiring.”
However, Sunil Kumar is a proud man, having received in his cab Pramod Khanna, the brother of his childhood idol Vinod Khanna of Bollywood. He also claims lucky to receive tips from Gava, a Nigerian delegate whom he dropped at the Games village.
What happens to the mobile handsets and the 1810 brand new but now used cars once the Games are over? He informed that the handsets could be bought by them for Rs 500 and ‘the TATA Motors plans to sell them at a lower price’. We will have to wait and see whether we could be the proud owners of those prestigious cabs.
He was sad about a media report which said that 300 cab drivers left the job midway due to over-work and other grievances. He staunchly countered the report saying, “They left the job not because of any other reason but they were new to Delhi and its routes”.
What about after October 17? “Life will go on and I will look for the lady luck to smile upon me”, said Sunil Kumar nonchalantly.
pangngam wangnaw,,,we will be remain every indian....don't be behind....we r at best eve....im proud of wancho &...we can too.... so...the matters i learnt is that..." small opportunitie r often the begining of great enterprises,,,"....
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