Public transport, finally!
Sunday was a big day in Qatar. The country set foot in the world of public transport - a much awaited move, which is being referred to as nothing less than heaven for commuters who don't own cars.
Ever been in a "new" country? It's just amazing. Everything is new, you know what i mean? I mean imagine, a country where public transport is being launched at almost the end of 2005! God. It was strange, the first bus ride. It was just awesome at the same time.
Pedestrians were stopping and staring at the bus as if it were an alien or something. The people inside were like grinning no ends. Uncontrollably. Everytime the automatic doors, controlled by the driver, would open and close these guys would be like absolutely enamoured.
It was hillarious.
They've obviously spent too many years in Qatar. They think what Qatar's produced for them is rocket science. Automatic doors and stuff ooooo.
Lol... This one guy, Umesh Kumar, from Uttar pradesh, been here for 8 years, was like totally psyched because the doors were opening and closing on their own. Everytime the doors opened or closed, he'd get scared and move back thinking it would take its invisible hands out, catch hold of him and absolve him in the door and then he would have to spend his entire life beign a door of the bus!
Funny.
The buses are exactly like the London buses, only green in colour. As you get on the bus, you buy the ticket from the driver and move to your seat.
But these guys, most of them, hailing from the sub-continent and working in Qatar for long, would walk straight in saying, "No no, the conductor will come to us," while the filipino driver would scream... "NO, NO conductor. Buy from me. Here, this is machine... ticket machine."
It was just so strange. At least for me. Seeing these happy faces... why? Because of an air-conditioned bus, which charges just 2 riyals for a ride - it's a like God sent for these guys.
There are taxis here, but people earning 600, 700 riyals a month can in no way afford the cabs. They can't afford to spend 5 or 10 bucks travelling every day. For god's sake they're here to work and send money back home for the families to survive. They save every single penny. And plus, taxis are really hard to come by here.
I've said before, it's easier to spot a dinasaur than an empty taxi in Qatar. I saw one - a dinasaur, it was playing basketball. Asked me to play, but it was too hot... so i refused.
Anyway... only two routes have been launched till now - one from Al Fardan Centre - which is basically the centre point of the Doha city - to Salwa Industrial Area, where majority of the labourers either stay or work... and From Al fardan Centre to City Centre, Mid East's biggest shopping Mall, via Corniche (a sea side area - curving road, people jogging, sitting around... doing whatever - similar to that of Mumbai's Marine Drive, only a whole whole whole lot cleaner).
More routes will be launched "soon".
As of now 10 buses are plying on these two routes, with a bus arriving at stops after almost every 20 minutes.
I've done the story on this... I was dying to post it to describe what the scene was like on the first day of the buses on the roads... but it would be wrong to post it before its published in the papers. So you guys will hafta wait till Wednesday.
Enjoyed doing that story. I just love these innocent people, and writing about their 'weird' reactions.
Yaaayyy to public transport in Qatar.
posted by Once the Conman at 2:51 PM
8 Comments:
NO public transport till now?? So what did the workers use? Or did they walk to work?
Oh my, it must be some experience to be in swanky country which only launches its public transport system now :)
When I came here first, I thought Taxis were only for the lucky, I simply hate waiting for them esp. when the summer sun melts your brain.
The very few times that I've seen the new bus on road, it seemed almost empty? Aren't there much takers or am I seeing a school bus?!? (which looks the same)
I still just cannot believe there can exist a country without public transport! I'd read your earlier posts about it, and it was just too weird to be possible.
casa, cowlick, forget public transport. you can drive the circumfrence of the country in under 7 hours. its just small. they still wouldnt start public transport if it wasnt for the asian games. but i do like the buses idea. waitin for the route to start from my home to work. ill get more PSP time.
Casablanca: The workers have a company van to pick them up and drop them. They're really like prisoners here. In the true sense of the word. They're allowed to go out and see the city on Fridays. So a company van, again, picks them up from the labour camps, drop them to Al Fardan Centre, the centre of Doha near Shara Kharaba, where these guys just sit around in the park and chat about until the van comes to pick them up to take em back.
Dreamvendor: You're either seeing a school bus, yes, or you're seeing the Bus route no.76 which goes from Al Fardan to City Centre via the Corniche - its running empty coz most of the people going to these areas own cars.
But I'm guessing you're just seeing school buses.
Cowlick: You know... its not as weird as it seems from away from Qatar.
When I came here first, that was really my first question... How the hell do I commute?
In two days I got used to it really. It can be quite a wait to get a taxi... but it DOES come around sooner or later.
And yeah... like I said... its a very new country with too much money and lesser planning. Things will come around... again... sooner or later.
Clint: More bus routes will start
after my article tomorrow... I am quite sure.
whatever it is, I do write for the country's most read newspaper... it DOES make a difference if its positive...
The story's pretty good. Touching.
hooray for the workers man, kinda warms your heart don't it. reminds me of the time we showed my grandmother who's as old as the hills how to play commuter games. Wow.. priceless
LMAO I've got a new bus stop just around the corner here, with a proper sign but with no actual STOP! Now the buses stop and we have to get off road to get around them! Woo hoo!
:O)
wow..hooray for buses in Qatar..
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