A Nation in a hurry...........to ?

You are at a traffic signal waiting for the signal to turn green...next to you bikes and autos and cars squeeze into every possible and available cm of space...slowly inching forward till they are almost across the road...

You are waiting in a queue at a multiplex and are being constantly pushed, jabbed from behind and then a someone slowly slides upto the ticket window and puts his hand in and wants to buy tickets without waiting in the queue...

You are waiting for a lift to visit someone and when the lift arrives everyone rushes in - pushing the people alighting from the lift back in or pulling them roughly outside...

You surely must have noticed the fear in the eyes of those travelers who have to get down at last station of a suburban journey - the fear of being smashed into and thrown back into the train as people simply jump in without any consideration for the alighting passengers...

You buy coupons at a self service restaurant or outlet and go and wait to pick up your stuff, only to notice that people simply barge in and literally shove the receipts into the face of the person on the other side of the counter...

You also must have noticed people run across busy roads in spite of safer avenues like FOB's that are available to cross these busy roads...

You must have noticed people cross railway tracks playing with danger instead of using FOB's.... 

When traffic just stops for a few seconds, bikers simply go the wrong side of the road and drive against the oncoming traffic or they drive on the pavements...

Simply put - Sabko Jaldi hai. We are in a hurry, is the standard response I have got whenever I have tried questioning people.

In a hurry to where ? To grab the PM's seat ?  

We look like we are a Nation in a hurry........to where ?????

I Object - Mr Naseem Khan

I read these article - http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/State-mulls-elevated-road-on-Sion-Mulund-LBS-Road/Article1-766636.aspx and this was reported in the TOI too here - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-09/mumbai/30377141_1_religious-structures-metro-project-mumbai-metro

Mr Naseem Khan, the guardian minister for Mumbai has made this outrageous and most stupid demand of building an elevated road over the LBS road from Sion to Mulund.

I would like to ask the minister whether he has really been to LBS road to study / watch the hurdles and then decided that an elevated road is the best solution ?

I OBJECT !

I agree that the road is congested and there is hardly place for people to move alongwith the various vehicles plying on the road from morning to night.

A few simple steps will solve a lot of big problems on that road -

1) Get rid of the hawkers on the pavements.

2) Build smooth pavements for people to walk on (no hawkers , no potholes)

3) Fence in the pavement so that people do not spill onto the road.

4) Make FOB's / zebra crossings for people to cross. If they do not use it - and prefer crossing the roads while jay walking, make it clear to them that in case of an accident, the vehicle owner is not responsible.

5) For old people, give them the facility of elevators / lifts on the FOB's.

6) Remove all the auto rickshaw and taxi stands from the LBS road. Shift them to by-lanes.

7) Remove and destroy the illegal extensions of shops that spill over to the footpath / roads.

8) Get the BEST bus drivers to stop at the designated bus stop and not in the middle of the lane.

9) People should also behave like humans and not animals when boarding and alighting the buses. Haven't they heard of a queue system ?

10 ) All the auto rickshaw and taxi stands near the railway stations should have dedicated stands. Any taxi or rickshaw operating out of that should be fined or the vehicle confiscated.

11) Ensure that the traffic cops work to improve the traffic flow and not the money flow to their pockets.

12) If possible, try and synchronise signals to ease traffic pile-up.

13) Ensure that only the authorised / valid auto rickshaw and taxis are allowed to ply.

14) Instill some pride in your work force (BMC, Traffic police, BEST, auto rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers) to work for the betterment of the community - after all it will be beneficial for them too.

These small changes will give you big benefits with a very small amount of people taxes used for these.

Do you have the inclination to do this, Mr Minister ?
Are you ready to let go of the kick backs that you will receive from the elevated road project ?
Are you ready to take the action against the auto rickshaw and taxi drivers who consist of the majority vote bank of your area, Chandivali ?
Are you ready to give in writing under oath that you will ensure the completion of the project in the stipulated time ?
Will you make sure that motorists and people traveling on LBS road during the elevated road construction will not at all be troubled by the construction ?

If you are serious about taking care of this city, I suggest you start with your area.

1) A 50 meter stretch of Nahar Amrit Shakti road is left for concretising for the last 2 years ? can you explain the delay ?? Every morning, there are jams and frustrated people going to work from that junction - what are doing about that ?

2) The ROB to be built over the tracks at Kanjur Marg (on JVLR) is lying incomplete for the last 7 years - why don't you ensure that it is completed in record time - saving a lot of frustration for people traveling on that road morning and evening ?

3) The Auto rickshaw drivers in Chandivali are rude and refuse to ferry passengers for short distances even with tampered meters - what are you doing about this ?