Having left Jamshedpur at last, where did we go? What did we do?

1. On the road with
Dar’Sel’Jamshedpur to Delhi
1-8 June, 2015
PART NINE
RAMESH KUMAR
Chairperson,
KRK Foundation +
Co-Founder,
Transport Mitra Services

2. Goodbye, Jamshedpur! After two days of hectic interactions in the Steel City, two
vehicles carted us out. 1400 KMs to be covered from Jamshedpur to Delhi over the
next 5 days with multiple halts at highway dhabas, visit to villages where Darcl pilots’
parivar lives in Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Besides abrupt halts on highways
to catch up with Darcl pilots moving in either direction.
Hardly after 100 km, we run into this Darcl pilot moving to Faridabad with Tata Steel
load.

3. Pilots, once on the highways with load, are left to
fend for themselves. A pilot with lime from Alwar,
Rajasthan, for Patna, skids off the road and left
stranded with no help. Remember this is a naxalite-
infested area and he was forced to spend 2 nights
alone before any help reached him.

4. Next halt is Jhumritalaya in Koderma. But the visit is
to a village called, Udalu. A long ride from town into
the countryside. It is so hot and the airconditioner in
our vehicle failed unfortunately. So I jump and ride as
pillion with a Darcl driver whose village we are
visiting.
Early in the day, loads of Malda mango, balancia
(santra) etc were bought from the wholesale fruit
bazaar.

5. It’s a typical rural setting. Cattle.
Women. Children. Elders. Leisurely folk.

6. The site chosen for interaction is under a big tree.
Chairs quickly emerge and women move into a cow
shelter and cattle later moved out. Children and
men on one side. A pool of water creates a bit of
distance. Selvan prefers a log of wood as his seat.

7. Educational facilities or lack of it in this village of 100 homes is raised. Education
quality and teacher capability discussed with students. Lack of toilets in girls high
school raised. Girls and boys, studying in three different private and government
schools desire two things: computer education and English.

8. Women talk about lack of healthcare facilities for them. They respond positively to
create a Self Help Group and do something that would fetch some additional income
to their kitty. Emergencies mean a 40 km ride on a motor cycle into Barhi, the nearest
town with tolerable healthcare institutions. Mobility is through a share phat-phat that
comes twice daily to this village from Koderma: once in the morning and once in
evening.

9. Khushboo Yadav is the name of this
six year child, suffering from some
rare skin disease with no remedy so
far in the state of Jharkhand. Her skin
keeps falling. Darcl promised to give
medical help to this child.

10. Its fun time: balloon bursting
competition. Boys and girls
separately compete to fill them
with air and burst as quickly as
possible. They freak out. Good
pastime.
A nice group photo before we
move into the next most awaited
item of gifting Darcl driver parivar.
Not under the tree, but inside
homes.

11. Fun time continues…
Children, though heard about PM
Narendra Modi’s selfie diplomacy,
never tried till now. We enable them
to go for a “selfie”.
Some villagers prefer an ‘exclusive’
photo op, while many chase for
limited supply of balloons.

12. Gifting ceremony in full bloom followed by Nishant Tanay
briefing them about Darcl’s scholarship initiative for Pilots’
children. Score well to avail of Darcl goodwill & assistance.

13. Another village. Smart
children of Darcl pilots.
Sky opens up to reduce
the unbearable June
heat. A big relief.

14. One final halt for Day 4. The
unbearable heat forces us to halt
for several ice apples (taal,
trinaaraaj, nungu, munjalu etc in
various Indian languages) on the
roadside. No Coke, Pepsi can do the
actual job of quenching one’s thirst
as good as these natural Indian
stuff.

15. Concluding halt for Day 4. Gifting done, we bid
goodbye to these Darcl pilot parivar. Great day!