Traffic
Saturday, March 10, 2007 at 7:43PM Saw this cover story in the latest Businessweek. The article was jointly written by a person in the USA and one in Mumbai, about Bangalore. So, I am sure there will be debates on the post.
After my recent experience in India, I have started proof reading my posts. Just to make sure that anything that I write that has even a slight tinge of negativity is explained fully in context!
While I was in India, I had mentioned the traffic jam caused by a dead body procession during peak time (5:30 PM!). Had also promised the video clip as part of a long video of the entire India experience. Have to disappoint the readers on that mega video. I recently changed jobs and it has been a very busy month. Posting photoblogs takes only a few minutes but editing 60 or so video clips and making a mini movie is a time consuming exercise. Hope it will happen sometime next month!
So here is the video of the traffic jam by itself:
I wanted to post this because, we typically blame Politician's motorcades, public utilities digging up roads or religious gatherings for Traffic problems. This is a tricky one though! You have to get the dead body out and it has to be at a certain time (after consulting the stars etc.) and the guys have to carry it on their shoulders! That means they need a pedestrian route that does not impact traffic!!
There is a pedestrian walkway on either side of this subway, but it is not wide enough for four guys carrying a body. Guess this is one thing the city planning guys have to take into consideration as part of their overpass (flyover) building strategy!!
Normally, I would have been very pissed off with the whole proceedings, while sitting in that auto, were it not for Jr.'s questions for which I didnt have any answers!
Chennai, T. Nagar, West Mambalam, auto, autorickshaw, dead body, procession, traffic, travel, videoblog
Reader Comments (7)
ps. note: I actually didn't record the people carrying the body or the vehicles going before and after as a mark of respect to the grieving folks. That is why you see a break in the video!
Planning has to happen on a macro front, taking into account all the myiad requirements that may be there.
More importantly, we need a will to implement the plan. I guess thats whats lacking with us.
Was in Hyderabad sometime back, and i am reasonably impressed with the political will to take the city forward.
Kavi, well said. Guys I worked with in my previous job went to hyderabad to set up a design center and were impressed. But CN lost the election !!
:)
if traffic jams are a indicator of development, india is wel on its way there :D
vatsan,
I am planning a similar video of my morning commute next week.. just to show you guys how bad it is in a "developed" country where everyone is actually following rules and it is only cars!
:)
Sundar...
Bangalore is so much worse.. there is no space for two lane traffic and the pedestrians walk between traffic.. when i was there i escaped a bus by a whisker most times
Sundar,
I read it last week..and found it interesting.
BTW - Steve Hamm who wrote the piece and traves to India quite often, is a great guy..I met him at SIPA annual conference last year where I got a free copy of his nice book 'Bangalore Tiger'.
I didn't find anything that was controversial in that interesting article!