70-year-old Mohammed Khaja has been driving auto for the past 40 years. For 25 years he has been found waiting for the passengers on the auto stand at Nampally station. His service in this field is so long that he has become famous with the name ‘Station ke nana’ (grandfather of station). His birth place is Dhanasri village of Zaheerabad. After he shifted to Hyderabad he began his livelihood by working as a porter. Later he pulled rickshaw to earn a living and then worked in a hotel. However 4 decades ago he started driving auto which continues till date.
He had 10 children of which 5 died. 2 died during childhood while a daughter died of heart attack at the age of 35 years. Now he has also taken up the responsibility of his grand children too. One son died of jaundice at the age of 17 while another died at the age of 37 in a road accident.
He told that he had decided to commit suicide after his son’s death but after counseled by the family members and neighbours he changed his mind.
He is fighting with his old age. He can’t work hard because of his rising age. He can’t even see clearly in the night. After spending the money on filling gas and giving daily rent, he takes back home Rs. 200 per day. However when a traffic police hands out him a challan, he has to return home empty handed. ‘Then I feel like weeping.’ He said. When asked “how long will you drive auto?” He replied ‘If I do not earn, how can we survive?’ he sighed and went away to drop a passenger to his destination.
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