Created a Google Group..

Hello

I had toyed around with the idea of creating a Google Group to reach out to people who are genuinely interested in helping this cause, but do not get the time to visit the blog frequently.

I finally created the group; here's the information:
* Group name: Traffic in Hyderabad
* Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/trafficinhyderabad?hl=en
* Group email address trafficinhyderabad@googlegroups.com

This group is open to all who want to help make the traffic better in Hyderabad. I hope people join it and use it as a platform to discuss ideas, problems and solutions.

You can use the group to reach out to us.

How I would like to start the "Be the Change" episode!!

From the Matrix!

Neo: I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid... you're afraid of us. You're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you. A world <original lines edited from here > with rules and controls, with borders and boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.

This is essentially what we're trying to do. We're giving us a chance and where you go from here is a choice we leave to you!! And then I fly away! :)

The "Reality show on traffic" idea has been accepted by CNN IBN - woohoo!

I had a call with CNN IBN yesterday and they said that they liked the idea and are going to use it for a show called Urban Chaos starting in Jan next year. :) I hope to get involved in the planning and execution of the show.
Meanwhile, they have asked me to shoot an episode for 'Be the Change', a show about citizens who tackle problems on their own. I have requested Jayarama, Ruchira and Murali to be a part of it as they, like me, are passionate about solving the traffic problems. (If you want to join in, send me an email)
I will be given a camera and will be expected to shoot for about 3 weeks, detailing what problem we face and what we are doing to solve it.
I hope it's not a prank (would be a good one though ;) ).
Anyway, this is just the means to get more traction on our efforts to ease the flow of traffic in CT (and maybe in Hyderabad as well).

Submitted an idea for a reality show to CNN IBN

I submitted an idea to CNN-IBN about a reality show on traffic in Indian cities. Here is what I submitted:

Idea:
Why don't we have a reality show to find out which Indian city has the best traffic? This will give a chance to involve the people in the respective cities, a grassroots movement of sorts.

You can have user votes, a panel of judges, but most importantly, residents of the cities will take pride in making their city's traffic better. The end result will be that all the participating cities will have better traffic at the end of the show and everyone wins.
=======================================================

Let's see if they like the idea, because I think there will be a lot of positives coming out of such a reality show.

So what do we do next?

After the relatively successful Free The Left Lane (FTLL) initiative, we are left thinking about the obvious question: What next?
I termed FTLL as "relatively successful" because for the 6 weeks that we were actively regulating the traffic, the traffic flow around CT was actually under control, primarily because of following one simple rule - keep the left lane free.
Now this proved that if the citizens wish to improve the traffic in Hyderabad, they can.

How can we sustain the momentum built up by FTLL?
In my opinion, in addition to changing people's mindsets about traffic rules, the traffic police should become strict with traffic offenders and start fining drivers who do not follow rules.

You could get fined for rash driving, using your mobile while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt/helmet. Punishments could range from monetary fines to revoking licenses or even community service (I don't know how that would work in India)

This would raise funds for the Traffic Police and these funds could be used for procurement of better equipment. Quite honestly, I would rather prefer that the fines collected be used to increase the Traffic Policemen's salaries. It is hard, strenuous work out there; try standing on the road for 2 hours in a day, you'll realise how tough it is for the Traffic Policemen.

The show goes on!

That's right. 14th September was the last day SumTotal volunteers were 'officially' regulating traffic at CT. But NO, that wasn't the last day of the initiative itself!
Inspired by the initiative taken, encouraged by the positive change seen, some of us employees of IT companies in the area have volunteered to continue this effort. And we plan to be at this for a 'few' more days at least!
So if you thought the orange 'jackealts' are gone, the left lane's going to be blocked, it's anarchy on the roads again...you're wrong! We'll still be there to free the left lane for you. To bring some sense in the madness. To help you reach work a little less frustrated!
And you can support us in this. By doing what you can - following rules.

Why?

Today was the last day for SumTotal's volunteers to regulate the traffic at the CT junction. We started this initiative about a month ago. Now, volunteers from companies like Oracle, CSC, JDA Software and SumTotal will be taking this initiative forward. We hope to come up with a solution for the problems faced by and because of the pedestrians.

I will find out if my company can lend its buses, after they're done dropping our employees to the office, to help drop the people who wait for shared autos near CT to CG, CP, Mindspace, etc.
I don't know if this is feasible, but there's no harm in trying. If this does come true, there could be a possible backlash from the auto drivers because this might hit their earnings/business.

People's attitude towards this:

First of all (and this is important) -

I'm not blaming you;I know you have it in you to make that change!! :)


Though the response has been good, it hasn't been great. So many people have seen us helping with the traffic, but we still find it difficult to find enough volunteers. Does it mean that the rest of you, people who work in Hyderabad and are reading this blog, people who go past CT and see us regulating the traffic, don't care about Hyderabad? Have you forwarded this link to everyone you know in Hyderabad? Have you spoken about this when you meet your friends?
You can see that the state of affairs in Hyderabad is slowly worsening and you know that after a few months, the roads here will mirror Bangalore's congested roads, yet you still break those rules and you still behave as if you're not at fault. Why?

You act as if you don't have time; those projects have deadlines, the bugs need to be fixed, the patch needs to be tested, etc. Tell me, are you going to wait until the project called Hyderabad becomes critical and only then take remedial measures? Does everything have to be learnt only from the post mortem meeting? :)

If I ask you to list the problems with Hyderabad, you'd have enough data to start another blog, but if I ask you to do something, anything, about it..... would you?

When I see folks shouting at us when we're only trying to help the city (and them), I feel I should give up. Who knows, maybe I will give up someday and if later at a party in Mumbai or any other city, somebody passes a comment about Hyderabad and it's bad traffic (and the Hyderabadis' attitude), I'll just keep quiet and move on... knowing that I tried giving the citizens of Hyderabad a chance, but they didn't take it.