It was a tiresome day, I had already traveled 300 odd kms in TN public transport system. The bus was good and so was the road with a either a newly laid or properly maintained black top. Yet, the tiredness of sitting on a moving loco never seemed ending. Coupled with hunger, the mood was so bad and to my short lived happiness, the driver felt the same and had our bus parked in front of a road side motel, typically characterized by high decibel sound systems and filthy food. But you always have an option of choosing packed foods over the cooked-in-wherever food. So did I. That is where I completely lost my already fading smile.
All I wanted to buy was a biscuit packet and a bottle of some refreshing drink. My bill based on MRP was INR 27. But I was billed INR 40. When I thought the keeper had done his math wrong and asked him to recheck. Prompt came the reply "this is the price here"
I went red, this is a 48% price hike, atrocious!
Sadly I had no other option being famished. Besides all these I was noticing a co-passenger trying to buy something but he didn't have the correct change and he was simply denied of what he wanted, even though he was ready to pay the extra 50% on the MRP.
I bought what I wished and entered the bus and the only thing my mind was processing was how could these roadside shops sell things for such elevated prices and how could these things be tolerated? Is there no one to regulate? There are thousands of people forced to buy from these shops by the bus drivers every single trip they make.
One co-passenger revolted against the driver and the reply was more atrocious "if you don't want to buy for such a price, shut up and sit inside the bus" there was no one to support that poor fellow, not even me.
Once the bus was on its normal pace, my mind relaxed and I could think of what just happened in an analytic mode. Questions that I have no answer for are,
Is there no value for human emotions?
Why do these shops pump out people's money?
By selling at such high price, they do not sell much products but if the prices are nominal, they will sell many yet they could have made the same profit. It would have been symbiotic! A more civilized way!
Is there a a tie up between the drivers and the shop keepers?
Well, May be, but I don't have a proof!
To be continued...
