- Over the years, I and so do you have read innumerable articles, reports, coverages, messages, and of course, verbal exchanges about how roads are laid out and maintained in some of the foreign countries. There is any number of people, having lived in the most advanced nations, who never let go of an opportunity in describing the fabulous infrastructure set up for public usage overseas. While attentively listening to them describing in great detail about the flawless roads winding along would transform one into a wishful world of imagination, it is not lost on anyone here who are forced to commute on our very own country’s intra-city and inter-city roads if there is one.
PC: Tania Tarafdar
- Agreed, there may be several stretches of international standard roads laid out in some of the poshest urban areas dotting the city landscape. We have a nice moniker describing the same as the central business district. However, the density of the traffic on these urban jungles will greatly deprive the pleasure of riding smoothly as bumper-to-bumper traffic will make commuting excruciating. Even then, traversing into deeper wombs within those big metropolitan cities will spectacularly reveal the divide between having and have-nots where lesser mortals reside. By-lanes, narrow roads, thickly populated areas, and restricted road space in the periphery and extensions are bound to make commuting in megacities more painful. Ask the commuters.
- God forbid when it is monsoon times! Whatever little semblance of roads was earlier visible will vanish into thin air with just a couple of heavy to moderate rains leaving us extremely vulnerable to sustain injuries whilst negotiating treacherous lanes. This is such a common phenomenon witnessed in the Indian context that it will not leave any of us neither surprised nor exasperated. We have become immune to these daily hardships, and nothing disturbs us, you see. All these emotions are merely repeated come monsoon season every year. Indeed, most of us would become philosophical while reflecting the worthiness of living in so-called urban clusters while commuting on pothole-filled roads to attend to our chores.
PC: Dhinesh Kallungal
- Less said the better about the government agencies entrusted with the responsibilities of ensuring provisioning of basic amenities like smooth roads, clean air, and safe drinking water. The standard refrain being played out year after year is promises to fill the potholes by making deadlines rather than ensure all the humongous money is pumped in to ensure the basic amenities endure longer durations in the first place. One would be wondering as to why the accountability, responsibility, and answerability factors are conveniently forgotten when taxpayers’ money literally goes down the drain.
- The obvious question on the citizens’ minds is why such lackadaisical attitude, complacency, and irresponsibility skips attention of the government authorities who are answerable to the people for electing them. Why shoddy workmanship, which often passes muster from the government agencies without batting an eyelid, is thrust upon people who fear losing limbs and sometimes lives too whilst commuting on potholed roads. Honestly, can ordinary citizens hope to safely commute without fearing for their limbs and lives in the coming days and years? Your guess is as good or as bad as mine.
