Benefit of traffic confusion

Driving in Pune is an art, and you have to learn it the hard way. RuIes are made and broken on the road daily by the people behind the wheels. It is free for all. One can take a left, right, U-turns at will on any part of the stretch. The traffic police department is trying to put some sense and semblance on the streets by converting two-way to one-way and vice versa, but the object of its beneficiaries is to rule the road by flouting rules. One can see two-wheeler riders multitasking on the road — driving with one hand, talking on a cellphone with the other. And if you, the ideal follower of traffic rules and wearing a helmet, dare to look at the ‘offenders’, be prepared to receive a glare, as they are the masters of the road. Even if both their hands are holding the handle, then also they will not hear you blowing the horn, as they must be in their own world with earphones plugged. But the chaos on the roads has its benefits also. My friend’s wife told me she is happy with the traffic confusion on the city roads as her helmet-wearing hubby is forced to concentrate on the road and not get ‘distracted’ by the ‘pretty things’ walking on the footpaths.

Living in a vicious circle of poor governance

The independent corporator of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Maruti Bhapkar, is crying hoarse over the populist announcements made by the civic body. He is against gifting monetary benefits to employees in the form of bonus and other remunerations during the festive season when the civic body is reeling under heavy debt. Bhapkar should realise that proposals approved by the others of his ilk have led to such poor financial status of PCMC.

Similarly, civic staff’s faces will not split into a wide smile while celebrating the festival of lights when they realise that they have to pay later for these financial benefits in the form of higher taxes. The general body and standing committee approve many plans and announces decisions that give momentary relief to citizens. But later, in order the minimise the deficit, these same panels take ‘tough’ measures forcing citizens to pay through their nose as an act of penance for the steps taken by their elected leaders, and this vicious circle continues every year.

Lessons learnt the hard way

With the Pune commissioner Mahesh Zagade finding his own backyard flooded during the Pune deluge that hit the city on the night of September 29 and October 4 and claimed lives, the message must have finally reached the corridors of power that something should be done to ensure that streets are not flooded.

Blocked nalas and encroachments on them result in flooding of roads and housing societies during monsoon. It is worth noting here how nature’s bounty in the form of good rainfall can cause deaths because of man-made obstructions.

Even though Zagade has been working hard to be given the powers to act against builders who have changed, reduced the width and encroached nalas, corporators have not given him the teeth to do so. On his part, Zagade has been using his powers to pull up officers who have failed to fulfil the responsibilities delegated to them regarding nala obstruction.

A socially awakened and progressive city, with its active NGOs and proactive citizens, has saved Pune from being consumed by the selfish greed of politicians. Now it is worth watching whether the responsible people in power are able to withstand the storm of corporators and builder lobby’s power to ensure that nalas are widened and encroachments are removed, or wait for another deluge to hit the city in future.