Indian Queue Logic: Why We Never Really Stand in Line
Mayank Singhal
1
š In India, queues aren't lines.
They're flows - constantly shifting based on urgency, awareness, and instinct.
You don't stand still.
You calculate.
You adjust.
You survive.
2
ā” When things feel scarce-
- Train tickets
- Temple darshan
- Sale at Big Bazaar
Patience feels dangerous.
So the elbow economy takes over.
You don't wait. You edge in.
3
š£ļø What the West calls "line-cutting"ā¦
We call:
"Bas poochhne aaya tha"
"Uncle mujhe pehle jana hai"
"Just two minutes, bhaiya!"
It's not rude.
It's tactical.
You're negotiating access in real time.
4
š„ Queues in India are governed by entitlement, not order.
Age. Authority. Locality.
Someone always knows someone.
There's no system stronger than:
"Mere bhai ka dost hai andar."
5
š This isn't chaos.
It's choreographed crowdwork.
Each person is calculating:
š§ Who's distracted?
š Can I slip through?
š£ How close is too close?
It's human Tetris and everyone's playing.
6
āļø Not all queues are vertical.
Some are horizontal surges.
Boarding a bus?
Grabbing prasad?
It's not "next", it's "nearest."
Claim your space.
Or lose your chance.
7
š» Even tech didn't fix it.
IRCTC? Mash refresh.
Passport Seva? Book at 2 AM.
WhatsApp deliveries? "Bhaiya bas ek dal dena."
Digital India still queues like Analog India,
just with faster fingers.
8
šÆ So no, we don't "stand in line."
We improvise.
We adapt.
We optimize.
Our queues don't follow rules.
They reflect realities.