Thursday, November 20, 2008

‘Statutory warning: Cross at your risk’ India’s aggressive development model vis-à-vis India’s aggressive roads


I waited to see if I would be cared for
Whether someone would stop and let me be
The wait continued in a forced anonymity
Till everyone else called ‘break’ in magnanimity



How many of us have felt paralysed in the course of trying to cross a road in a city (towns also these days)? My recent experience in Bangalore was indeed an eye opener.

It’s not just the fact that there is a dramatic increase in traffic or more cars in proportion to two wheelers, or narrower roads handling huge volumes, but the psyche that rests behind the steering wheel and the handle bar and the traffic rules. Both systemic apathy and individual ‘I care a hoot’ feelings come together to crush the aspirations of the foot bearer.

Does this signify anything? Does it mean that India is on the move and vehicles are bound to increase? Does it suggest that we are in a competitive jungle and ‘survival of the fittest’ is the norm? Does it bring about the age of the ‘fast and furious’?

My concerns go in the direction of the aggression we experience in the new India, the crazily developing India. It’s not just a question of increasing deadlines, swelling pay cheques (which is now zigzagging like the share market) and changing life styles. It is also about being impatient, impolite, selfish, and doing whatever it takes to achieve one’s goals.

This aggressive push however totally forgets India’s underprivileged. The poor, the discriminated, the old aged, the have-nots, and even the silent environment (including the trees and the natural flora and fauna) are out of the picture. It’s not about crossing the road in a city but it’s about being left out of India’s so-called push for progress and development. Those who want to be a part of this are only given the option to follow the industrial-information-labour-share-automobile dispensation while others can wait for the time when the dispensation rests, the time we are served out mercy from the plates of the haves. If we flaunt existing un-written rules and venture to cross…’Cross at your own risk’…

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Congrats on 50 up! This journey of "creative out burst" would have been an exciting one, I suppose!

This scary Bangalore traffic and the mind set that drives such a system was what I discussed with one of my colleagues just half an hour back!!

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Thanks Rohan. It's amazing how friends think of the same topics and eerie how they think of it at almost the same time. :)

It's a nice feeling to be 50 up. But one (me) should also know that the fight is not over. I have to hold my end up. But I have valued and cherished the journey thus far and it has also been due to the support of many. Thanks again.

vinny said...

Fr, what is this i hear?? u r 50 up? CONGRATULATIONS !!
WAY TO GO, MAN (sorry at that:):))

traffic or not, its sure the way to go..god knows when i'll reach there!!

if bangalore traffic makes u feel like this, u should see traffic here in mumbai !!!

vinny said...

hey, just noticed ur blog has a brand new template ...all blue n cool:)

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Hope you know that 50 is not the age but number of blog posts. :)

vinny said...

hahahhahahaaa...when i saw Rohan's comment, i immediately checked the total number of posts...given that ur pic reflects a recent u, hence definitely not a man reaching his 50th year!!!

i am at 15 in 5 (months):(:( plain lazy i guess..or consistent like Rahul Dravid...my trend shows a progressive increase..BUT not enough, as compared to u, (a comparison is easy since we both started in july!), u r our master blaster!!

Bless me Father, such that i beat u at this:):)

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Whenever we reach a mile stone, the best way to respect the mile stone is to hope that someone else will achieve it and go further. So, definitely all good wishes.:)

vinny said...

Thank you, Father..i'll reach there soon:)