He booked a railway ticket to Delhi 27 yrs ago

He booked a railway ticket to Delhi 27 yrs ago
SHAAN CHAVAN

PUNE, JANUARY 17: Two decades ago, Fakhruddin Huseinbhai Takulla had a hunch he would travel into the millennium with a bang, and purchased a railway ticket 27 years in advance of his journey.

The ticket lay tucked away in his bank locker, and has qualified him for a world record.

Huseinbhai was 34 years old in 1973, and worked as a Civil Defence warden in Mumbai. ``I saw an advertisement by the Railway Ministry, which said, `There will be no limit for advance reservation.' So I thought, why not travel into the 21st century. At that time, I was young and healthy, so I had a fair idea I would live that long,'' says Huseinbhai, who has travelled to the city to attend a family function. He appears agile, if you excuse the walking stick he supports his frame on.

He purchased the ticket on July 7, 1973 for travelling in the year 2000 -- on the Rajdhani Express from Bombay to Delhi on January 19 -- for a princely sum of Rs 120.

``The booking clerk at the counter at the Mumbai railway station was astounded.He said, ``For the year 2000? But I don't have a calendar for the year 2000. I don't know if the Rajdhani will be running that day,'' says Huseinbhai. ``But then, I always scored 100 marks in Maths. I did a simple calculation and found that January 19 would be a Wednesday, when the Rajdhani runs. Those days the train plied only three times a week, the train goes everyday now. And my chair-car (Seat 25 and Coach Number AS4) ticket has been converted into a sleeper berth.''

``At that time, I had no idea of the Y2K and the Millennium Bug,'' he says. So last year, he approached the Western Railway PRO, informing them of his intention to travel on the ticket. ``I sent a formal letter to them in July to which a reply came in September, saying I would not be levied reservation charges and since I had purchased a one-way ticket they have given me a free return ticket.''

Huseinbhai describes it as an act of patriotism. He always wanted to see the Republic Day parade and decided that the Golden Jubilee Republic Dayin 2000 would be a celebration worth taking a trip for. There's more proof of his patriotism. He has donated blood 18 times and has also distributed food packets to hospitals.

Besides notching up the record for advance railway booking, his name has been entered in the Limca Book of World Records. And Huseinbhai is all packed to keep his tryst with destiny, eagerly looking forward to the parade 2000.