Twenty five years in YELLOW BUILDING:
A colour coding system of the buildings and houses is available in different countries. This will help the people to distinguish between buildings. In some countries; Red for shops, Yellow for hospital and blue for Factories etc. In India this colour coding is not widely available. But Railway Quarters were normally painted Yellow from beginning. Recent construction multiple colours are being used.
Yeswanthpur Railway Quarters:
Yeswanthpur Railway quarters are constructed adjacent to Railway Station. Yeswanthpur was a Meter gauge railway junction. During 1990’s MG trains were run from YPR to Salem, YPR to Mysuru, and YPR to Arsikere. Later Sri Jaffer Sherief, the Railway Minister implemented uni-gauge system. And all lines become BG, now electrification is going on.
Yeswanthpur Railway quarters, lay out at that time was like this. One side one single bungalow adjacent to water Tank occupied by Sri KM Chandrasekhar Rao (Foreman Diesel shortly known as FOD Yeswanthpur. He was in charge of YPR diesel shed and Crew Booking Depot).
Next line is Type 4 quarters( back side of Railway Health unit) few quarters only was available all two houses in one building type. Then Type 3 quarters, two story buildings with 4 houses, 3 bed rooms( some has two bed rooms also) with hall, Store room, Kitchen, Toilet, Bath room and a sit out/ balcony. Next is type 2 quarters which has two bed rooms with hall, Store room, Kitchen, Toilet, Bath room and a sit out/ balcony. In one building 12 houses are available. Next is type 1 quarter. It has one bedroom, one small kitchen and toilet, bathroom. A common verandah is available for all quarters. In one building 16 houses are available. Those who are staying in downstairs modified their house by changing the front verandah as one additional room, top corner house occupants also utilised the front verandah as a room. Water will be supplied once in two days. Every house will have big cement water tanks inside bathroom and outside toilets. From the taps we use to connect the tanks by flexible pipes. Waterman played an important role that time. Almost all watermen will be in “water” (alcohol) during duty. Suppose we missed to pickup water during supply time we can sponsor his drinks by paying Rs. 10 only.
The Electrical wiring of the quarters was worst (there is no word than worst). Everywhere joints and almost every week some electrical trouble will come. Quarters were constructed in 1960’s and very dilapidated condition. Roof will be falling and walls will be wet due to water leakage during rainy season. Getting IOW (inspector of Works) staff for repairs is a herculean task. Around 300 railway quarters were available. Now many old buildings are being demolished and constructed new multistoried quarters.
My life in Railway Quarters:
In general we can divide the life span in to 4 Quarters as per age. Up to 25, 25-50, 50- 75, 75 and above.
Ist quarter of my life I spent at my native 1969 to 1984 as student. 1984 -1986 in Air Force as Airmen, 1986-1988, Milk Society as Secretary, 1988- 1990 in South Malabar Gramin Bank as clerk, finally in 1990 landed in the great Indian Railway as Diesel Assistant.
In my second quarter I spent my life in Yellow Building; Railway Quarters. From 1992 to 2017 I stayed in different Railway Quarters at Yeswanthpur.
After my appointment in 1990 I was staying with my friends at Pipeline road, Near Ayyappan Temple, Jalahalli Bengaluru. One of my relative Sri Ratheesh Kumar P and one of my close friend Sri A Abdullakoya were staying there with a few friends. All of them were the products of Model Industrial Training Institute(MITI) , Beypore. This advanced Training institute is established in 1981 by Directorate General of Training Ministry of Skill Development and entrepreneurship of the Govt of India. The MITI trainees has high demand in Bengaluru as unlike other ITI or Polytechnic trainees these students were having good workmanship and updated technical knowledge. That time when Island express( only one direct train from Kerala) arriving Bengaluru owners of Industries at Peenya were waiting and catching them.
My residence is around 4 kms from my workplace. Frequency of buses was comparatively less. In one day I joined late for duty. FOD given attend office. He asked the reason. I told that due to shortage of bus service I could not join in time. Then he asked why you are not staying near to Yeswanthpur. I told huge advance and rent.(our pay scale was 950-1500 and entire family maintenance was in my shoulder, newly married also) He told then you stay in Railway quarters. I told I have not applied for it. He immediately called Mohammed Jaffer, Clerk and ask him to give a paper to apply for quarters in front of him. And told Jaffer to enter my name in a previous date and allot me a vacant quarter. 77/O , type one quarters of Yeswanthpur was allotted in my name same day.
Sri Gopinathan, that time working as a callboy in YPR depot (Later he joined as ALP and retired as Loco Pilot Mail). He helped me for everything. During that period shortage of money is a big problem. Initially some mechanics from YPR shed stayed with me for few months. Later I got a type 2 quarters 74 J a two bedroom building. Opposite my house Sujatha madom and Syed were staying. That time senior mail drivers like Sri AK Zama, MF Ansari, MD Nayeemulla, Abdul Wajid, Kanniyappan, S Srinivasa, M Ignatius, Gajapathy, B Singh, PSK Mohammed, AT Fernandes ,K Rahmathulla, KS Sabjan, NR Basavaraj, Sivakumar( thengin kay) Bhaskar Rao( CPRC) and Sri EV Eldo, ( Present SSE KJM shed), Eric Rodriguez, Jayakrishnan,RPF, Raghurajan RPF( staying with Eldo) Sri PM Shibu( Mail Guard), Sri Prekash Kumar( that time he was Traffic apprentice and presently AOM. He was sharing with PM Shibu). Sri Sharma KJM shed, Sri Balan, KJM Shed, Sri Krishnananad( TXR), Sri Boban Mathew( TXR) Smt Ruby Mathew( Staff Nurse ) P Vijayan( he joined as ALP and died a few years back), Mohammed Ibrahim (he was a TXR staff, but he do carpenter works and many of our friends utilised his service for many things.).That time many self financing coaching centers were available in YPR and SBC railway quarters for the benefit of bachelors.
Sri Sivakumar ( welfare inspector and retired as DPO now practicing as Advocate), Sri Ramanathan Karoth( JEE and retired as Sr DSTE) Sri Anbukkarasu( now DME Hubli), Xaviour(SMR YPR), Sri Raveendran (retired AC Mechanic) Sri AR Muralidharan(no more),Sri Bestha Gopal SWRMU leader, Sri R Selvakumar Guard, Sri Balu, PA to Sr DCM ( who used to help me for sanctioning my application for Emergency Quota), are among the names remembered now who were in YPR quarters.
Later many friends from our batch occupied the quarters. Sri KVVK Kumar, he was AILRSA leader and his house were an important meeting place for us.( during allotment of his quarters one Mazdoor union leader tried to occupy that and we strongly resisted and took the possession) V Ramakrishna, SL Ali, R Thulsi, GS Vasu, H Vijaykumar, SKK Moideen, Geomy George, Vijay Kumar P Rao ( Sasi Tharoor),GM Anil Kumar, P Sunil Kumar, EK Rajeev, V Mohan Kumar and later after some period our junior batch members PK Sajeev, P Sajeevan, Rejimon, Shajahan, K Abhed, P Easwaran, KK Onan,Selvakumar, V Mariyappan, PK Krishnan etc
Also many of batch mates were staying at Yeswanthpur in rented houses irrespective of their depots ( Baiyyappanahalli, Bengaluru and YPR). AILRSA trade union activities are centered at YPR. Com MV Vinod ( known as Tiger), Com R Surendran, Com FD Antony along with Muthu( Surendran’s friend) were staying near mathikere. Com Seemon Joseph, K Radhakrishna menon( KRK Menon- he transferred to TVC division, later died due to lever problems. A result of un controlled drinking)were staying in Mini Complex near YPR Railway station.
That time Bengaluru climate was not as presently available. Always cold climate only. So for bathing hot water is required. The mechanics from shed sponsored two carbon brushes connected it to electric supply and water will be heated up. They use to bypass meter to avoid extra electric bill.
Note : I wrote a few lines from my memory. I fear many important points and names may be left over and my system is old and hard disc is full. I am sorry if it hurts anybodies feelings
Will be continued……
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