I had a ‘weird’ experience today with Indian Railways. I don’t understand what exactly is wrong with our guys (or with me for not being able to understand this) Here is the scene.

1. I’m in a hurry
2. I need to buy ticket for traveling from Tirupati to Madras
3. Ticket Fare is 46/-
4. They don’t accept credit/debit cards
5. Not all will have exact 6 rupees change with them, some times not even a rupee coin

I stood in the counter and gave him 100/- and asked for ticket. He politely asked me to give a rupee coin and take my ticket. Well, I don’t have it (Not having is my mistake. I accept) I asked him to keep to change (remaining 4/-) and give me the ticket and fifty rupees note. Now, that guy thinks that he is ***** (insert whatever he thinks about himself) and he cannot accept extra 4 rupees. And he gave my 100/- back and asked me to get 46/- exact fare.

• Well, come on – I’m not giving any TIP to him. In fact, I think he might be earning more than me (he is a frigging central government employee) I’m not an arrogant bugger to tip rich folks.
• I just asked him to add the 4 rupees to the counter money as I don’t have any change. I’m willing to lose my 4 rupees as not having change is my mistake.
• That guy with all his ego knowing one fact that I cannot travel without buying a ticket rejected to sell me the ticket unless I give him 46/- exact fare.
• In simple words – he is willing to cause inconvenience to a passenger but won’t add profit to the Railways because of his ego.
• I still cannot understand what was his problem in taking 4 rupees extra and add to the counter money. – Yes, he can adjust it to other guys who end up there with few rupees less. If he cannot take 4 rupees extra, how about giving me ticket for 1 rupee less fare ? (I don’t have any ego issues about taking a rupee from Lord Counter Guy)  No, he wont do it. I’ve seen so many times in the same counter where they send away people as they have few rupees less than the fare money. I even gave 3/- to an old traveler once when these guys rejected to give her ticket as she had ₨. 3/- less than the fare.

BTW, few of you folks might be thinking that Queues are long in India, so they want exact fare otherwise it is troublesome, well, there were only 3 guys standing in the queue ( may be because of today’s solar eclipse, not many travelers were there) Seriously, our guys should grow up and stop troubling a person just because they can trouble. I had to run to a shop and buy chewing gum for that 1 rupee change. Railways should consider accepting credit cards in the counter. There is atleast 10% of passenger population who should be willing to swipe their cards rather than running and getting coins for the ‘lords’ sitting in the counter. I don’t want to trouble another guy for today’s guy’s mistake. Otherwise, next time I would be buying my ticket with 46 one rupee coins or 92 fifty paisa coins or a combination of both – just to give him exact change.