A Delhi man had arguably the most difficult 45 minutes of his life while attempting to catch a train, but a series of kind acts got him through.
In a post on X, the man, Mr Shubh, explained he had to board a train from Delhi Cantonment railway station because it was his "dad's birthday" and he had "promised him I'd be there."
He took an auto who quoted Rs 150 "but I bargained it down to Rs 130, and we set off."
"I've taken countless autos in Delhi, but this one led to chaos I never saw coming," he wrote.
Mr Shubh described the auto driver in his post as "a middle-aged man with a moustache, long hair, and a thick Haryanvi accent," and they "struck up a conversation about trains."
However, "something felt off" when "the auto pulled up at a station." Mr Shubh soon realised it was not Delhi Cantt but New Delhi Railway Station.
Mr Shubh wrote, "It was 6:10 AM-exactly when my train was departing from New Delhi."
"At Delhi Cantt, it was scheduled for 6:38 AM. I pulled out my phone. Google Maps showed 30 minutes to reach there. I had no chance," he said.
Panic-stricken, he pleaded with the auto driver to drop him at Delhi Cantt. The driver said it was 15 km away and he didn't have fuel in his vehicle. Soon, "an act of kindness changed everything," he said.
The driver stopped another auto and "requested the driver to take me." A woman in her 60s who had reserved the auto via an app was already in the vehicle.
The woman initially hesitated but gave in after Mr Shubh explained his situation, "desperation evident in my voice."
As they rode, the woman kept reassuring him, saying, "Chinta mat karo, time se pahunch jaoge (Don't worry, we will reach on time)."
He said that the woman's warmth and words somehow made him feel at ease. "The auto finally screeched to a stop outside the station at 6:39 AM," he said.
The second auto driver refused to take Rs 500 when Mr Shubh revealed that he had no change when the fare was Rs 200.
He added that the train started moving as his "foot landed on the train's step." He felt "relieved and grateful for all the kindness I had just experienced."
Concluding his post, Mr Shubh said he has always made an effort to show kindness, even to those who didn't deserve it. "When you are kind to the world, the world finds a way to be kind to you," he said.
“Kahan jaana hai bhaiya?” the auto driver asked.
— Shubh (@kadaipaneeeer) March 2, 2025
“Delhi Cant,” I replied.
Without hesitation, he said, “Chalo.”
I asked about the fare. He quoted ₹150, but I bargained it down to ₹130, and we set off.
I've taken countless autos in Delhi, but this one led to chaos I never…
"Very hard to believe such act of kindness in Delhi," said a person reacting to the story.
Very hard to believe such act of kindness in Delhi.
— Sunderdeep - Volklub (@volklub) March 2, 2025
Another wrote, "Happened to me once."
Happened to me once. I kept it to myself and felt grateful ,as there was no @X during that time.
— Dr.Sourgasm ???? (@Churanetor) March 2, 2025
"Cctvs of universe are always on, you be on the right side, universe always help the right people," another remarked.
Cctvs of universe are always on,you be on the right side, universe always help the right people
— Kalpesh Dharod (@KalpeshDharod) March 2, 2025
Last year, another Delhi man shared a similar story of kindness - when a stranger returned his mother's lost phone. At V3S Mall in Nirman Vihar, the man's his sister accidentally dropped their mother's phone in the parking lot. They realised it was missing after settling inside the theatre.
Worried, they called the phone. To their relief, a stranger answered, promising to return it. The man and his cousin rushed to Crossriver Mall in Karkardooma, where the stranger worked.
Though unsure if they could trust him, they were relieved when the man - a jhoolewala (swing vendor) - handed over the phone and refused any reward, accepting only a small token of appreciation.
