Today morning I left home around 7.10 am and at 7.40 am I was signing the duty sheet of the driver at the Bangalore airport. A distance of 37 kms done in 30 mins. If the road between Richards Park and the Mekhri circle had been a road and not a series of potholes, we would have cut out another 10 minutes. Just awesome !
My biggest grouse with Bangalore has been the way traffic moves or rather the way it doesn’t move. The roads are narrow and it clearly is a case of town planners and the government caught napping because they didn’t see the population explosion and prepare for the eventual increase in traffic. We were in Bangalore when the new airport had been inaugurated, and then again, when that amazing stretch of well laid, many laned road was blocked off in pockets to help build the flyovers – what a criminal waste of the tax payers money as politicians and town planners have no forethought. Today there are experts who can predict how traffic will increase and corresponding infrastructure needs, but no, the focus seems to be on ensuring everyone’s pockets are lined and the suffering public can suffer some more.
Today’s 30 minutes ride to the airport springs some hope in my heart… But I know the flyovers were probably timed to open just before the elections. God knows what will be done next to make that ride last an hour and a half once elections are done. The next government needs to fill its coffers too, right ??
“Namma Metro” is another case of zero forethought. Am sure the entire stretch will become functional just before elections, but for eight years, the people of Bangalore have suffered – M G Road had just one and half lane left on both sides for a long time and then the monstrosity built across not even serving the intended purpose of relieving traffic. But who cares ? Who cares that the iconic M G Road now has an eye sore in the name of a little used Metro.
There is hope… We need to hold onto that thought and vote better people into power. The fastest ride to the airport should become a norm and not the exception. Am praying too along with hoping :):)