"We are prepared" said Mr. Jairaj Pathak, when questioned about the BMC's monsoon preparedness; just last week. Little did we know that it meant the preparedness to channelize flood water when it did not rain, or when it is low tide.
Now, how can you blame the municipal corporation if the rain gods decided to pour without any formal warning? Ain't you supposed to know that first rains always block drains. In fact, shouldn't you be applauding the BMC on working 'smart' and saving on costs and waiting for the first rains to bring up all the garbage and muck to the surface and then deploying it's personnel to clear it? Open manholes? Didn't you know that it is the result of a deliberate and well thought-of disaster management 'programme' to ensure the flow of flood water is not restricted
Ok, pun apart, it's just the first week of the much awaited rains and 226 registered vehicle insurance claims (includes only registered ones and last updated on Monday, June 09, 2008), 43 uprooted trees (took the figure from an NGO; could be many more unrecorded ones),multiple cases of broken roads, flooded nallahs, crumbling walls and broken bones. The sad story of a pregnant lady denied medical help, the sad irony of the civic head office-flooding, suburban trains on the central side thrown out of gear (the western railway also experienced delays though they may not agree),and lakhs of rupees worth of (the now overtly precious & expensive) fuel burnt stuck in incessant traffic jams 'Mumbaikars' may probably be waking up to the stark reality of a jungle raj- "Eachone Fend for Yourself".
But thank God, Mumbai's different and so are mumbaikars. We can atleast be sure of a few things, even as you stay stuck in some God damn traffic somewhere on your way back from office; there'll be a kind soul offering you a packet of biscuit and some water for your parched throats. But for how long???? For how long should the Mumbaikar take it on themselves to be his brother's savior? If it's a bomb blast....everyone's quick to turn away from the administration's security flaw and applaud him on his/her bravery and thank him for his unified sense of security to head to work the very next day..hello..! We do it 'coz that's the only manner we can survive here...!
And if 26/7 was three years ago; what has really changed ever since? Well, not too many things except that it's Jairaj pathak instead of Johnny Joseph (the media's favorite whipping boy then!)on the helm of affairs. The BMC has managed to colour all it's dumpers in a nice army shade of olive green (blame my colour blindness if I've got the colour wrong), the media blitzkrieg on the "CLEAN UP" campaign, a bundle of expensive imported road cleaning machines (which insiders already claim are not suited for the dust and muck filled roads of Mumbai with multiple uneven surfaces) the lack of a political will in cleaning up the Mithi river yet. And when you the civic administration itself walks the 'pot hole' ridden path; can we blame the MMRDA, and the other agencies for not keeping up to their side of the promises and chipping- in to help you in making our lives slightly worse than hell?
Roads dug-up a month before monsoon - After 7 years of planning it's the month of May and towards June that the Metro rail project too found it's work catching pace. A part of the Eastern Express Highway caved-in on Saturday. How bad could it get than this? The latest tarring mechanism that promised to make driving as smooth as that on any European roads. Who are they kidding? Have you driven on the Eastern Express highway ever? It is the most effortless road to drive on past the chembur turn simply by virtue of the limited vehicles on it when compared to it's counterpart on the western suburb. Leave that; and the multiple bumps and unevenness could give the strongest spine an ache when you reach a destination as far as Mulund or Thane (Mulund is where I EXIT). And now, come the first showers and viola..! 80 vehicle crashes on a single day...and each one of these - Reported ones. Try driving on this stretch. Thanks to the latest smoothening, try applying your vehicle brakes and you'd manage to swirl your car a few times and finally stop if you are lucky enough; without hitting another passing vehicle.
Can they at some point stop mimicking something they learn from the west or applying a process that some contractor thrusts on them for their own good? True, it's fast, it's quick to apply and lasts long. But what after that? I'm only talking about four wheelers here. It's even worse if you are riding a 'two-wheeler.'
Not fair to be saying this as a journalist but can't resist what my taxi driver told me, "Saab sabb chor hain; abhi kaam chalu karenge, saste material use karke, sabb baarishe mein beh jaayega or phir dubara chaluu karenge or government khaate se auur paise lenge" (Each one of them is a thief. They start work now with cheaper material knowing really well that the rains will wash them all away and then will re-start work all over again post monsoons and claim for both the expenses from the Government coffers). The Taxi driver, poor chap, didn't even know I was a journalist (thank God, 'coz just after that he hit us 'the media' too below the belt, thanks to our own antics)and so kept blabbering on. You think, otherwise he'd have said all this? But who then will BELL the CAT? You really think anyone would take the media (who thinks Amitabh bacchan getting a cold is BREAKING NEWS) seriously..? Or the political class? Or the suddenly sprung up hoards of RTI activists who I fear are all slowly missing out on their real purpose and surfing for the closest 'boom mic'?
Ok, this part of the road was done by another department. That flyover falls under the MMRDA, that nullah needs to be cleaned by the T-ward office, that road digging's done for Mahanagar Gas, or those paver blocks were disturbed 'coz the 'surface' had to be 're-surfaced'..!! CAN WE FINALLY HAVE ENOUGH???
Dear Sirs, we do not care about who needs to do what or what equipment you apply to accomplish these tasks. We care less about your officers planning to travel abroad to learn more about 'bench styles' to be laid around our city and also, have no qualms of the innumerable number of 'Scorpios' (cars) you bought for the disaster management programme that ferry each one of you in air conditioned comfort each day to and fro and around work. But what I do care for is my city. And as much as you keep bombarding me with messages on my responsibility to keep it clean and not litter the place and not spit around the place and throw garbage here and there and plant more and more trees. I think, it's only fair on me to ask you to please look at your own responsibilities in a more 'RESPONSIBLE' manner for a change. I know, it's a race to fill your pockets before the next elections or appointment . No one knows who'll hold what responsibility next year, But please sirs, when you look at that mirror to comb your hair each morning. Please, please and mighty please....Take a good look at yourself and ask yourself this," Am I being FAIR to myself? Will I do this if it was for my child? Am I doing my Best?"
