Tuesday, April 29, 2008

What will happen to India?

I'm worried.
I'm worried for you.
I'm worried that 5 years from now, an ambulance on our roads will be useless.
I'm worried that you can drive like a gentleman on America's roads, but forget the rules when driving on Indian roads.
I'm worried that we only talk and talking accomplishes nothing.
I
'm worried that YOU are not worried.

We talk about initiatives, we talk about 'making a difference'.
Why not do something as simple as buying energy efficient cars?
If you stay within 5 kilometers of your office, why not cycle to work? Why such aversion towards using public transportation?
Why do we need more than a 100 tube lights within a 8000 sft office space and why do you need another 50 smaller light bulbs to augment the tube lights' lighting during the day?
Why are our trees being cut without a thought for the environment?
Why are the insurance companies not thinking about the potential (and definite) increase in medical claims that will start 10 years from now (or are they already thinking about this)?

YOU are only interested in making money and buying newer and better things now, but will you be able to drive your fancy car on "wide open roads" 5 years from now?
YOU will rejoice at the birth of your child, but have you thought about the air he will breathe while she is growing up?

You want India to be the next superpower, but drive on India's roads as if it is a jungle
You want the government to give you the best infrastructure, but cross the road in the middle of traffic even when there is a foot over bridge 5 meters away.
You want roads to be widened and the traffic lights to work properly, but will still jump signals because "everybody else is also doing it".
You drive as if you're behind schedule and your time is precious, but pray when was the last time YOU were on time for anything.
You shout at the cabbie who is driving in a one way in the wrong direction, all this while you're driving and telling your wife on the phone what to make for dinner.


This is not rhyme, this is not prose,
The fire is spreading and I have just one hose

5 comments:

Crusader said...

Fantastic buddy..you said everything I wanted to say through your prose..I am in Pune and things aren't much different than Hyderabad...am looking to do something..dunno what..but probably i too will start a blog..

Sameer said...

Thanks, Jugulkar. I do hope that 5 years from now, I am proved wrong.

Regarding Pune, lets see what we can come up with. You can join the Hyderabad traffic google group and send an email. I'll be glad to help out in anyway that I can.

Mona said...

Since the 7 years that I have been in Hyderabad, traffic is just going to the dogs. Ameerpet signal after 10:00 pm is a classic example. The signal lights go off and its a free for all crazy experience.

Where do we respect or stop at zebra crossings? Even ambulances dont stop at zebra crossings. Infact, in this city, they stop even ambulances when the CM is passing thru. Havent seen a more heartless or rather thoughtless police force than this one. I like Hyderabad. Coming from mumbai, i still feel this city has a lot to offer and is well planned. If only the people of this land realise that they have been blessed with good roads and respect the roads they travel on.

Mohit said...

Guru
You wrote the same lines which I was thinking to pen down. Just got to see your blog. Well I've seen many people TALKING about this problem, but is there anybody or any group REALLY working on solving this problem of manner less traffic? Would like to know if you have any information.

Once again, great thought. You solved half of my problem by writing this blog. Now I just need to join a group / authority / person who is working on the problem.

Unknown said...

I happened to go through some discussion in telugupeople.com on this. In fact, this blog was referred to there.

1) The problem is more attitudinal.
2) For the size of Hyderabad, we should have had fast train service long ago. Most of the people never cared for it. In fact, the MMTs introduced by Dattatreya was not patronised promptly by our great hydearabad-dwellers and initially there were no takers for it!
2) Staggering of office timings in a ruthless manner could be another solution. Office timings should be staggered by units of 15 minutes. This I found in Bombay city 35 years ago!
3) Surprisingly, most of the factories too work to the timings of 10 am to 6 pm. This is one more contributing factor. Mind you,these timings are typical of Hyderabad fellows.
4) People should know that they should welcome alternatives and they should encourage lateral thinking. When the Ajmeeri gate entrance was introduced at New Delhi Railway Stn., it took only 2 years for those people to adapt to it. See our people! 7 years ago, the then GM of SC Railway (Mr. Ramakrishna) declared that they were deliberately receiving trains on Boiguda side platforms. APSRTC introduced some buses to take people from that side
also, but the response was very poor and they withdrew those services (16A was one such route).
5) we should encourage 'working from home to the extent possible' attitude.matter further.
6) Good number of loafers too travel around office hours. This should be curbed somehow.
I shall be too glad to discuss
this matter with like-minded people.

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