BCCI Grounds

Our political leaders are busy taking credit and expect their efforts to be lauded as they ferried a train from Mumbai to Latur, which is suffering from severe drought conditions with people searching even for drinking water. It is not an achievement on the part of the Govt. to provide water by train. I’d say it is rather the shoddy planning whether Congress or BJP that the State has to spend money for ferrying trains and it could not plan or act accordingly so that such condition may not happen.

Looking at the plight of the poor people of Maharashtra, an NGO filed a petition in Bombay HC to shift the IPL matches out from Maharashtra especially now since IPL has two teams from Maharashtra (teams have nothing to do with States but more so with their home ground).

Mukesh Ambani’s wife, Nita Ambani was traveling around Europe and witnessed how the club football created enthusiasm and united people across boundaries and she got her idea to float Indian Super League and now it has already run for three seasons. Perhaps Reliance knows and understand how to look at virgin markets and build them from ground up.

IPL Management has decided to look for an alternative venue for next season outside India. I mean there is one corporate who is trying to revive the culture of football in India. On the other hand, we are trying to deconstruct the culture of cricket in India. First time perhaps in sports that India took a giant leap and gave a new format, new version and style to play the game and more so, that the epicenter of cricket has moved from England to India.

The Court did make a vlid point. How can you (cricket associations and BCCI) waste water like this. People are more important or your IPL matches? How can you be so careless? Who wastes water like this? This is criminal wastage. You know what the condition is in Maharashtra,” a division bench headed by Justices V M Kanade and M S Karnik said, while hearing a PIL filed by the Loksatta Movement NGO. “Ideally, you should shift the IPL matches to some other state where water is in abundance,” the court observed.

BCCI submitted different plans and proposals for the Court to consider but Court wouldn't budge. BCCI gave an excellent idea to use sewerage treated water to water the grounds and the facility for the same has been established by the existing prestigious club in India to water its golf course. The Court questioned BCCI to compensate State for the water used during all the past IPL matches. Which should not be a hard thing for the BCCI to undertake given the fact that they are the richest body in India barring few temples?

The big question remains, why and how the situation has come to such a pass? Not State Government’s, we know them, they engage in damage control and quick fix last minute measures. But the BCCI could have acted at an appropriate time. State could have opted to spend all the taxes and the money received from IPL in setting up and controlling the water situation in the State of Maharashtra. Why the Court asked the BCCI to compensate State for the water and suggested the State otherwise?

Not to mention, IPL shifting out of India will be India’s loss on the cricketing arena and not to mention the fans and revenues accrued from the same and taxes paid to the Govt. to host such events. 

There are close to 50 international cricket grounds/stadiums in the country. The eight stadiums which are made the home grounds of the teams along with their names are normally hosting the cricket matches during other tournaments as well with few sundry or other matches are scheduled at few other locations. Why the process to engage other cricket stadiums has still not been included in IPL? Wherein the home ground is divided amongst two grounds in the State so that the chance to develop the game of cricket and upgradation of infrastructure is spread across the country but what is happening is instead the more money is pumped into the iconic cricket stadiums of the country. 

The High Court order of shifting all matches out of Maharashtra is a blessing in disguise for the BCCI to work on an alternate plan and agenda to spread the virus of IPL across the country. Take the Chandigarh, it helped Dharamshala stadium and the town just by shifting two - three matches in past few IPL seasons. Amritsar can be developed as another alternative ground for Chandigarh, which gives considerable boost to the economy and the culture of the city. 

Mumbai already is in severe grip of cricket fever, why not host few in matches in Nagpur or Goa. Similar should be the case that the matches are spread which will benefit the franchises in increasing the fan base and building different entertainment and lifestyle on the basis of their team’s theme.

But just in case, BCCI decides to move IPL out of India, there should be another petition in the Supreme Court with the Court to keep the tournament in India. VIVO is the chief sponsor of IPL, the forex earnings of the country is going up. Plus the expenditure that the foreign players and visitors spend in India. BCCI perhaps can host few matches outside India in every season again to increase the fan base and the loyalty but logistically implementing the same will be a challenge. 

But in the meantime, IPL should stay in India and the idea of alternate grounds to home for every team should also be developed. The Govt. should work with BCCI to provide sewerage treated water to water grounds at every ground in the country.

Striker - A new Cinema

Didn’t had anything to do last weekend. No girlfriend. Friends seem so far, thinking about the auto/taxis of Delhi. So had to give-in to my flatmate, who owns a car, Striker, I want to watch the movie without spending on it but ended up paying for him also. Siddharth, one of the reasons for watching the movie, I just fell in love with his attitude in RDB (Rang de Basanti). Couple of years, I had seen BOYS (Telegu Movie) of Siddharth, he was best with his naivety in the movie.

Besides, he takes up one project at a time or for record, one movie in a year. Not a perfectionist though (thank God), for the better only, but definitely tries to put his head in every aspect of his movie. The reviews of Striker suggested, the movie has a lot more meat than the posters or the trailors reveal.

Striker, breaks away from the whole concept of movies, as it is perceived in India. We have cinema, Yashraj, KJo types; parallel cinema; art movies; offbeat (though can be called as parallel) movies, same or different concepts for same or different people. Then there are people like Anurag Kashyap, Abhay Deol, Dibakar Banerjee, who are trying to redefine the definition of cinema, art, entertainment or perhaps may come up with a new term. Striker is a different experience from all these.

A story should have a purpose and a meaning. Striker has none. Like many Hollywood movies, it just narrates about an era in one of the many slums of Mumbai. The movie is set in 80’s with bhaigiri without cellphones against the backdrop of carom. Our common time-pass indoor game. The protagonist does not wish to achieve or change the world or came to put in order the whole lot of mess created by the director on celluloid, he was offered an opportunity and lucky to grab and achieved the desired results without getting head to head with the goons contrary to what happens in Bollywood movie.

Siddharth looks impeccable with his Bombaiya (oops Mumbaiya) dialect and the whole dressing style. We know all the characters of the movie, we have seen them, felt them or visualized them through the n number of flicks made on Mumbai crime, underworld, slums. But this one is different from the times as it introduces the carom board and the whole game of hide and seek ends with the real life dreaded incident of 1992 riots in Mumbai.

CHANGE

Packed my bags from Mumbai and shifted to Delhi. Everything has changed in the past couple of days, city, job, profile, friends, atmosphere, weather and culture. Every little thing has undergone a sea change. I know, why Mumbai, even I am missing the claustrophobic Mumbai. No matter how dingy and dirty the Mumbai gets, it will truly be the best and most happening city of India. SEA, the dirty Arabian Sea, I miss it badly.

Although there have been debates, discussions, PKSE (Pyaar ke Side Effects), cover stories on Delhi v/s Mumbai, why Delhiites hate Mumbai and vice versa. I was happy to be greeted by the cold weather, which makes your organs shrink and the white layer of fog stretched across the city. After three long years, I was experiencing the cold weather of the Northern region. Remember my school days, when my parents would force to wear gloves, layers of clothing, but young in the blood, brave at the idiocities, no gloves, no sweater. Holding shoulder to shoulder of your friend and riding bicycle while one or two of them driving scooter would pull the whole chain of friends’ riding bicycle.

Delhi ki sardi is truly a joy to cherish. The cold weather brings the real flavour of the whisky. The two/three long swigs of whisky breaks the whole idea of a winter, which even comes at a discounted rates compared to Mumbai. In Mumbai, after gulping n pitchers of beer, you still felt hot inside and outside.

Yes I am truly adjusting to the bull shit transport service in Delhi. Though fares are cheaper in Delhi and exactly half the rate in Mumbai. But the hassle of catching an auto and begging him to take you at the fare he demands.

Meter se chalo, saab meter kharaab hai.

To theek karvayo, Meter se kaun chalta hai.

Acche kitne, 60 rupaiye.

Bhaiya 50 chalenge, saab dal 100 rupaiye se upar ho gayi hai, chinni 50 paar kar gayi hai.

Mujhe kyon bata rahe hon, Manmohan Singh ke pass time kaha hai yeh sab sunene ke liye.

Finally he says with all his pride and valour intact, bolo saab chalna hai. Still you are requesting, No man, please don’t leave me alone in this deserted place, I feel scary (yes I do feel the same at 8:30 in CP, the CBD of Delhi). In Delhi, even men are also not safe after sun sets.

He made me realize that the prices of basic commodities has really skyrocketed. Its been more than six months since I last visited grocery store. And promised, if I contribute towards reneging Manmohan Singh out of office, he will charge me 40. In Mumbai, an autorickshaw driver is hardly bothered to understand the economic parameters. In Mumbai, you meet and greet a lot of people, who are talking about stock markets and gulping and churning market information, is their one and only motive for existence. While in Delhi, people are always talking about Soniaji, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh and all the special human beings sitting above, below or around them.

At the same time, we can definitely talk about the Metro and the Mumbai local. Both have different meanings and importance in the lives of the people of two cities respectively. You do miss the madness of the Mumbai local? It is a phenomena on its own.

In Mumbai, I would search for my friends, who owns a car or who is able to lend a car to me. But in Delhi, all of my friends fly on four wheels except me, who has started to feel crippled without a car in Delhi.

In Mumbai, we always shop at malls, but in Delhi, even for the most upmarket and chic stuff, you visit markets, where you can roam on a street and window shop and loudspeakers are on, please take care of belongings and take care of your car, somebody may be trying to steal things by diverting your attention. Cars are parked in open. In Mumbai, most of the cars suffered from exhaustion by sitting and waiting for too long in cramped underground parking spaces.

Aur SirJi kaise hon. Everybody greets you with humbleness and respect, though most of them don’t feel the same, most of the time. The babugiri has seeped into the veins of every Delhiite, be it a peon. Nobody takes time to look at the watch. Everybody is running an hour or two late, which is like standard time.

I miss the professional and corporate culture of Mumbai, where you only talk about the work and not about bhabhiji, bache and kakaji, even if it is for the first time or nth time. In Delhi, besides work, people have time for all the schmuck burdening the earth.

Girls of Delhi and Mumbai. Mumbai girls are smarter than Delhi girls. Delhi girls are more beautiful and fair than Mumbai girls. Delhi girls like to get-up (no not dress up or make up), something is loud or bold on their body. Either a body curve, excessive lipstick, jhumke (earrings), dupatta, something is always over the board, as if they forgot to remove something after attending yesterday night’s party.

I am a foodie, so will definitely talk about food. Its difficult for a Punjabi to live on rice. In Mumbai, rice is the only reasonable (in terms of cost, time, hygiene and genuinity). But in Delhi, food just tastes awesome and the smell of it gives butterflies in your stomach. The sumptuous chicken tikka, kebab rolls, parantha and chhole and the thick daal. Every second day, somebody orders the delicious samosa in office. While in Mumbai, I was bored and saddened to eat the idlis, dosas, vada-pav, pav-bhaji and rice pulav, it’s difficult to survive on such such of food. BalaSaheb your Marathi brigade really deserves the accolade and the respect for eating and living on such food.

The list can be endless about n number of things, thoughts and perceptions. But to sum up, I have found average Mumbaikar lives as he has been send to spend some time on earth while Delhiite lives to eat and a comfortable life, without caring about money.

Legalization

Legalise prostitution if you can't curb it, SC tells Govt.

The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Centre whether it can legalise prostitution if it is not possible to curb it with punitive measures.

"When you say it is the world's oldest profession and when you are not able to curb it by laws, why don't you legalise it? You can then monitor the trade, rehabilitate and provide of medical aid to those involved in the trade," a bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice A K Patnaik told Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam.

Prostitution is the oldest profession of this world, even SC has reiterated it. Why is it called a profession? One of my friends had said, “If Ved Vatsyayna is referred to as Ved then prostitution can be called as a profession”. It’s difficult to parallel the two. Traditionally it maybe a profession, but within the confines of the law and the society, it is an illegal business. Slavery was first criticized and then abolished as they said you cannot trade human beings. Prostitution is illegal and punishable under IPC (Indian Penal Code) for the one who pays and the one who receives money.

It is not that the Law is not capable to curb this activity. Exploitation of human being is one of the gravest crimes on earth and that too, because of their SEX, demands our urgent attention to the issue. The Law Enforcers are not willing to curb this activity. There is no woman on this Earth who would like to enter this profession by choice. Perhaps there may be few who have no option or may be a convenient way for survival. Add to that the extreme poverty conditions of India. In certain tribal/rural areas, parents are forced to sell one of their daughters to ensure the other children do not die due to hunger. Of course, we cannot justify/argue destroying a person’s life, it is simply unacceptable. Govt. needs to attack the hunger of the poor or maybe the parents. The list of poverty and its consequences are dire in this country.

(A prostitute lifts her skirt)

But then it is an equally popular trade in developed nations, where Govt. even takes the responsibility of the unemployed. Various developed countries have tried to curb this activity by different means, wherein they have worked on the premise that women are victims and we need to show compassion towards their plight. In one of the European country, the legislation says anybody found paying for receiving any favours in sexual activity shall be held punishable, on the same hand it does not talks about wrong doing in the hands of the receiver. It is one of the positive aspects of this Law. But then does this help us in finding the solution? Not really, it may have exacerbated the problems of the sex workers in some other manner.

For every woman engaged/forced into profession, she is supporting more than two human beings on her earnings. Two (human beings) is a conservative figure, it may be her family or the pimp who represents her or police officer who demand bribes from them. Scan through the classifieds of any Mumbai local newspaper, one will know how easy it is to run this business. It is this casualness, which is harming the society. My cab driver took me through the Kamatipura area, the red-light district conditions of Mumbai. Not to mention, the whole area of Grant Road running till Kamatipura is such poverty stricken and it runs a chill in your spine, when you contrast it to Colaba, Nariman Point which are just stone throw away (by Bombay standards) from this area. A child walks upto my window in a moving cab albeit at snail pace and asks, “saab maal chahiye”. I wanted to tell him, you are talking about a human being. Show some respect to your existence, if not them. Within seconds, he markets all types of girls, by their origin, colour, age. I was shouting to my cabdriver, move fast and we are stuck in traffic. Politely I tell him NO, coz there was no point preaching. I was clutching fast to the window handle and rotating it with both hands to push the glass up. Imagine what that child will become when he grows up? I don’t know, if he was pushing for his mother or on behalf of his father (who may be a pimp) or born like that, that even his mother had absolutely no idea what his father might look like.

Supreme Court gave their comments on the PIL filed by an NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan and the intervention application moved by Childline complaining about large scale child trafficking in the country. We need to save these children and give them their childhood back. SC questions, Why don’t you legalize it?

One of our law faculty had said, “Society exists because of Law”.
Legalizing prostitution will help the society. It is difficult to say, when we should be trying to help the sex workers and flee away from this menace and try to make our society a better place to live, where everybody is respected and not sleeps for few pieces of green paper. Legalizing means we have presumed and submitted that prostitution cannot be eradicated from our society.

But then legalization does have its benefits for the sex workers. They can call themselves as sex workers and not always abused at. It will stop the exploitation. They will be given few rights in their hands which they are now deprived of.

(A street of Kamathipura)

Perhaps the present legal structure needs to be restructured to give them equal rights of a human being or as a citizen of India. The structure at the same time, should probably throw an idea or a path to help the victims who have been forced into this activity to leave this profession and lead a life where sex is not an object or means to earn livelihood. It remains just as an expression of love.

26/11

Today is the 26/11 and the year is 2009, exactly one year since one of the deadliest terror attacks on India, where the coup lasted for 60 hours. 11 has become one of the most significant digits in the number system of this universe and a synonym for terror. There are very few numbers which represent a term. Ever since 9/11, which took place in America on September 11th, 2001, all the terror attacks are named after their date and every possible and impossible attempt is made to bring the number 11 in the date. In 9/11, the MM-DD pattern is followed, in 26/11, DD-MM pattern is followed, same was the case with blasts in Indonesia or Spain. Americans define the standards in terms of terrorists even.

I was lucky to reach my office at Nariman Point uninterruptedly today. There was huge mela of the mediapersons all through the Marine Drive. They were talking to people, telling people where the attacks took place, how, what, when and how do feel type questions. In the background, they are playing all the patriotic songs. It’s really a nice thing to commemorate the victims and remember the martyrs.

Media has made a hullaballoo of the whole issue. You give them only raw rice and they’ll serve you “biryani”. No terror attack has been handled by media in such detailed and provocative manner. Bomb blasts in 1993, the train blasts in 2006, Parliament attack, no terror incident has been reported like 26/11. Does India need to have its own 9/11 to boast about? Now we have one. The World fancies all the things American. Our media must have missed a commemoration monument like Ground Zero. So the army marched with the launch of new special task force named “FORCE ONE” from Hotel Oberoi to Chaupati, popularly known as Marine Drive. Mallya may claim his ownership rights and title on the name, FORCE ONE. I really don’t understand, why you need to build a memorial for a terror attack. Cover that space up, build bigger and better towers than Trade Centre. Allow people to leave and live past their wounds. It’s not a healthy sign to live with our wounds. Only person who will remember 26/11 forever is Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh. He lost his CM status because of his stupidity after attacks.

Coming back on the importance of 26/11 over other terror attacks. All others were bomb blasts, but this was a hostage situation and ill-equipped security forces took a day to gather and develop a strategy, that’s why it was stretched to 60 hours. Sorry to say, it was not 60 hours of terror. My office is situated on the back of Hotel Oberoi and some of my colleagues were working in office when terrorists struck and were working the next day even which was Saturday. The tension existed at the spots, but the whole country was not held hostage to terrorists but to media panic.

Every other person who came on TV, newspaper, last year and this year, got their two minutes of fame because of 26/11. Media people, they keep on pondering on the same boring questions, how do you feel, what do you have to say, right now and after one year and so on and so forth. The only problem or situation arrived due to 26/11 is they have created fortresses of Business Hotels. People in Mumbai do not have so much time to lament for weeks, months or a year. They move on, that’s why this city has been still building inspite of all the horrific attacks for the last two decades. But the big man who took all the limelight was Ajmal Kasab. Kasab has become a living legend, for those who may dream or are forced to take up terrorism as the profession. I just hope the cost of keeping a terrorist alive, pays. At times, I believe, he was too small a mole in this whole piece to divulge any details and should have been drugged and killed and his body handed over to his parents in Pakistan. On the other hand, we are just waiting to hear and know that he gives some strong points and atrocious version of the Pakistani approach against India. Our PM lately made very applauding points during his visit to USA.

A terror attack will not be one, if it is not able to spread terror. LeT, Lashkar and all their brotherhood should be rest assured that their one act will be played thousand times over several years by Indian media to keep the feelings and fear alive in the minds of Indian public. I empathize with our media, in our job, we are looking for thrill and out of box/context ideas to scale the ladder and enliven our lives. It’s not everyday, they get to cover a live attack. It was THE MOMENT of the media industry. But still they need to show a little amount of responsibility and the same reason why they are not welcomed at most of the places.

On the first completion of a no-terror attack on India from fundamentalists across the country, we should come together and pray for the lost souls of 26/11.

Spare Sachin, Save Balasaheb

Sachin didn’t hit a Six on completing twenty years of his Career in International Cricket but clean bowled from a dead ball by Mr. Bal Thackeray. 20 years is a long time? I am already bored after two years in my job. Completing 20 years in International cricket is the biggest feat even above his scoring records. There have been fewer than few gentlemen in cricket to complete 20 years in International cricket. A sportsperson has a short span of career. That too at the age of 37 with flying colours with records which few complete cricket teams cannot even boast. Everybody, no matter how big or small that person is in International Cricket has oodles to write about Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar offers enough to everybody to read and write and that too, sans controversy in a country where Cricket is RELIGION and Sachin is GOD. Clearly do Indians think that their GOD said something which hurt their feelings? I don’t think so, anybody will say that, even my Marathi friends will agree with him.

Everybody agreed and bowed to their GOD except Bal Thackeray. Bal Thackeray is acting like a YAMRAJ, he may be for few Marathi’s. A cartoonist, who used to make others tickle with his black lines cannot allow himself to be mocked at. Sachin clearly, did tread the path which leapt straight into the path of Mr. Thackeray. Udhav Thackeray (son of Bal Thackeray) said, Mumbai meri baap ke hai (Mumbai belongs to my father). I don’t have anything bad to mouth about Sachin Tendulkar (even if I do as if it matters). Rather I admire him the most in the world; I would like to be Sachin Tendulkar of whichever field I dedicate myself too. He gave a perfect answer, Mumbai belongs to the Indians, a geographically, politically, historically, mentally and emotionally correct answer.

But then on the flipside, we should not cold shoulder Mr. Bal Thackeray, he has built his self-ego, the false issues to further deteriorate the lives of his Marathi manoos as he calls them, over a period of thirty years or probably equivalent to Sachin Tendulkar’s age. Balasaheb has to do few things before his nephew raised by Balasaheb, will take up all the dead issues of Shiv Sena under the new banner of MANSE (popularized version of MNS) with the fresh appeal. Back in my neighbourland, manoos might be read as ma-noos, which means manhoos (one who brings unfortunate to others) in Hindi. Nobody can allow a messiah of Marathi pride, to be over-ruled by GOD of cricket, who himself is Marathi. My appeal to media is, it does not matter whatever you write about Balasaheb or Sach, it is not going to undo what they have said and done in their career.

I don’t understand why, politicians are most sensitive and insecure people on this Earth. They, themselves, don’t believe in themselves or their ideologies. They want people to have faith in them. It cannot be true. Sachin didn’t bad mouth anybody, he expressed his thoughts. Balasaheb debunked the deeds of 20 years of one of the finest gentleman in India in 20 seconds. Media in India, probably needs to unlearn and then learn the process of feeding and processing news or to build a story. They should try to look at positive perspective of things. India as a developing nation with 1.05 billion population requires that positivity. If they find it difficult, probably Sachin can give them a piece.

Shunted by LANDLORDS

Sorry, girlfriends and dogs not allowed

This one is the story based in Bangalore featured on www.msn.com. The landlords (owner of the flats) have put a strange rule to their tenants for not allowing girlfriends in. Or even if they do, than 6 PM is the time limit. No meeting of the friends/lovers can lost more than 30 minutes. Must be sounding weird and a laughing stock.

I can understand some of the things in the process. I have been living in Mumbai since last three years. The conditions these landlords come up with that makes them a laughing stock. Yes in Mumbai, can anybody believe it. The City which is an exception to the exception and to the whole of philosophy and existence of India, in every sense of the word. Still in Mumbai, they flat-owners’ come up with such crazy rules that one can only pity them.

One of the friends told his story; his landlord came to his house and said you can bring any girl you wish too. Provided you keep the door open when any female visits you. He wanted to punch his flat-owner right there on face. He wanted to answer. You guys can live like that, I belong to a small place and we still possess the decency to respect a female’s value in the society. If my female friends come to visit me, it does not mean I am banging that female after closing the door. I know in Mumbai, lots of people keep their front door open as it is the only source of Oxygen in shit holed places known as flats. But shelter is the biggest challenge in Mumbai than food, clothing, mobile, girlfriend, LOVE or SEX. He kept to himself and started look for another decent flat and flat-owner.

In one of my instances, I and my previous flat-mate had a meeting with the flat-owner in Parel area. The owner came and sat on the sofa opposite to our’s and was scanning our faces and body language for any untoward movements. Had we felt we belonged to a Jihadi Group or a mafia? I don’t know what we could/would said/done. After asking about our background, he jumps to the topic of girl-friend. Fortunately or unfortunately, none of us had a girl-friend at that time. My room-mate was planning to hook himself in the near distant time as he was talking to some girl on phone based in Delhi or some other place. The owner was happy to hear this. But then came the ultimate from him. Achha hai, mangta bhi nahi hai. My room-mate had his big frog like eyes bulging out and asked matlab. He explained, till you stay in my house, you will not be entering into any relationship. I was about to get up and tell him with a thumping fist, “bastard even my father cannot tell me such a thing”. But then my father taught me to show complacency and respects to other people’s (esp. if the other person is elder to you) ideas.

The irony is such rules are framed in the name of destroying the culture of the housing society. Can these Mumbaikars tell me what culture do they possess or what they are trying to preserve/protect?


Below is the piece of news, which intrigued me to share my experiences while looking for a rental place in cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai.

No entry for girlfriends in Bangalore apartment
Bangalore is India's IT capital and often makes it to the headlines for its achievements, uniqueness, the weather and politics. The city is often referred to as the Garden City and the Pub Capital of India. But occasionally, Bangalore also hits the headlines for the wrong reasons. No, we are not speaking of the A(H1N1) virus that is come to stay due to the salubrious climate.

The story is of an apartment. Yes, you read it right. An apartment is in the eye of a storm because it has brought in a strange rule by not allowing girlfriends in. But that is after 6 pm. During the day, girlfriends can meet their friends staying in the flats for a maximum period of 30 minutes.

The Majestic Residency in the upmarket area of Koramangala and near Forum Mall - a place where the young brigade of Bangalore hang out - has put up boards stating that girls are not welcome after 6 pm.

If girls have to visit their friends in the flats in the morning hours, they have to deposit their ID Cards, enter all details, including their cell number and sign a register. Thirty minutes later the security will ring them up and ask them to vacate the place. If they do not obey, the security will come up for a dirty knock on door or probably not remove his finger from the door bell to make the call really long and annoying.

The Majestic Residency is very near the famous Christ College and many boys have taken flats on rent in the complex. The association that has put up boards all over has justified their stand saying that in the name of `joint studies', the girls stay for long hours with boys and other flat owners have started objecting to this as it sends `wrong signals' to their children.

The association had first put restrictions on the entry of dogs. And the new restriction has not gone well with many. Girls are not amused by such restrictions.

What is this association? The Taliban, wonder the girls.

Bandra Worli SeaLink

A month after the opening of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link(BWSL), one of my colleagues got a chance to travel on BWSL, knowing the fact that he stays and works in South Mumbai and not of those adventurous types. He had a proud feeling in his smile and one could notice the chuckle in his eyes as he said, ‘Yesterday I travelled on Bandra Worli SeaLink’. What is so exceptional about the BWSL, I wonder.

Main Link cost: Rs 750 crore Total cost: Rs 1,634 crore Initial cost for main link: Rs 434 crore Costs rose because fishermen complained their livelihood was being disturbed. Normally costs escalations in India range between 10-15%. But this one was exceptional project hence 30-40%.

The initial deadline was planned for December 2004 (later revised to December 2007 & December 2008) while Bridge completed April 21, 2009. All allied work completed on May 31, 2009 Delays caused by fisherfolk protests and payment disputes. Still only half of it is in operation. The other half is scheduled in 1st Quarter 2010. Going by their track record, it seems a little difficult to complete the structure on time.

It takes 35 to 38 minutes to go the 7.7-km distance between Mahim flyover and Love Grove Junction, Worli. The builders claim that travelling the 4.7-km main link will take just 6 minutes. On first day of its opening, the time took via Bandra Worli Sea-Link was an hour.

The famous Golden Gateway Bridge of San Francisco was stretched over two pillars in 1937 with length of three kilometers. It stands tall serving the purpose with its original design and colour after seventy years.

I wonder what pride we are trying to project and what we are trying to prove. That we are lethargic, we are incapable to perform our duties and activities diligently in the stipulated time. Any infrastructure project, it is blamed on the local revolt of the public, which most of the times is aroused by the local politicians. They are not ready for the change. Nobody is, we have to equip and train our mind to accept changes. These changes are happening for our betterment.

Some of you may be wondering, Why was this Bridge built et al. Especially after you read the Mumbai Mirror regularly. There was a big jam on BWSL on its opening day on 1st July 2009. One reason it was all brouhaha without substance. It failed to serve the purpose for which it is truly built. Then there are confusions and misconceptions and illiterate Indians (illiterate as most of us lack the civic sense).

As expected after completion, media and architect fraternity were lambasting the builders over the planning of the bridge. The way the bridge ends on the Worli side. The vehicle flow had to be routed through a long side to reach the main road instead of hitting it straight at the completion. The calm and serene atmosphere of Worli was destroyed as claimed by its residents due to Sea-Link. The security issues enveloped Sea-Link. The authority and the security issue was divided between State and Centre, Police and Navy. The toll collection system is not fool proof. It robs people of the time and adds to their frustration. The lovers schmoozing on the Bandra Reclamation are fumed for rummaging their place of romance as there is little space in this city to make love even.

All the leading news and societal columnists have lambasted their tryst with the Sea-Link. Every second day, the State authorities are implementing new and newer rules to ensure the effectiveness of this mammoth structure. They made it three lane for morning traffic from Bandra to Worli and vice-versa for the evening traffic. They couldn’t plan it in advance. The purpose of the Bridge was not to create another feature in the Mumbai Darshan List but to ease the traffic movement and the vehicular flow and to connect the Northern part to Southern part of Mumbai. Generally infrastructure projects should go and this one must have gone through intense detailing but still has gone horribly wrong.

Take a look at the above picture. It defines the brilliance of the work. It was constructed based on the assumption and study that, “During peak hours, around 7,000 to 8,000 cars are expected to use the sea link per hour”. One can imagine the things I have said above. We have built a marvelous Bridge and expect one car to exit every second. You have created space and utility on air and sea but it is of little help looking at the space available on mainland. There is not enough space on mainland to adjust one car exiting every second from BWSL. Therefore it keeps on building and develops a clog and stretches till the other side of BWSL.

My problem is why cant we plan a little too much?
They could have circled the Bridge around Worli to allow it to assimilate with the road and created two or three exits by building another flyover on the Worli end instead of opening the bridge perpendicular to the Worli front. Is that a rocket science or a stellar of an idea idea? Certainly not, pure common sense.

In Bandra the bridge assimilates with the road smoothly as if Reclamation was part of BWSL. But then the problem does not end there. Residents of Bandra are miffed at the way the approach to Lilavati area has been closed. The toll plaza has been created on that side. Toll is one of the most important sources of income for an infrastructure project especially in the developed economies. Wherein the developer recovers the cost from the toll collection.

The concept of toll started somewhere in 7th BC. But I feel creating toll within the cities is not a healthy idea. On highways such kind of concept is really revolutionary especially for Indians. But in clogged cities of India, the toll will only add to the woes of the commuters. In cities like Mumbai globally, the road tax, vehicle tax, parking tax, everything related to your mobility is taxed that too phenomenally high rates than the rest of the country. So the funds for the infrastructure should come out of those proceeds and not from the toll. On BWSL, it takes 30 seconds for manual payment, 20 seconds for swipe card (for monthly passes) and 10 to 12 seconds for on-board-unit electronic payment.

Critics may argue why punish all the public who may not use the Bandra Worli SeaLink. Well then those must have some other bridge/flyover built for their use in some other part of the city. We have to pay for enjoying the metropolitan life that we have chosen too.

Mumbai - Pedestrians

Last weekend, I was crossing the road after consuming a sumptuous lunch headed to my home near Jacob Circle (popularly known as Saat Rasta). I was crossing the road at the end of bridge which leads to Mahalaxmi Station. Generally as a pedestrian, I play by the rules and always try to cross the road at the earliest maneuvering through the traffic without waiting for the signal.

I am just moving across and the traffic comes to a grinding halt. In all the hullaboo and the jammed traffic around the huge circle, the traffic stops. I can bet anybody there is no city like Mumbai. You will not notice such kind of Civil sense. The signal shows Red Light for vehicles and Green Light for pedestrians. I know when we crazy Punjabi’s drive our cars in Punjab. Its not all the Sardar jokes that we skip every red light. But we would have shown little or no sense for stopping our vehicle for pedestrians to pass.

Luckily I don’t own a motor in Mumbai. I have all the regards for the motor(vehicle) owners in Mumbai, who show such high level of respect/chivalry to their fellow citizen on foot.

Cheers Guys to the City of Love, Fame & Money………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mumbai

RAINS - MUMBAI

Well my friends, the rainy season started, at least for Mumbaiites. I like to mention Mumbaiites as I am not a mumbaikar. Mumbaiite also covers immigrants like me who are hopping places. I know monsoons have arrived pretty late this time. As usual, our Met Dept. studies are more vague than the readings of Mr. Bejan Daruwala. Always expect the opposite from what they predict. Barely two weeks back, the monsoon was normal and now they say you can expect below than normal monsoon. Don’t these guys feel ashamed of themselves? Try and at least justify your job, man.

Bollywood has always fancied with rains. Some of our actresses have given their best (read finest) performances in rains. Nargis, Dimple, Ravina, Kareena, you name them from your grandmother’s time till date. Remember the famous poster of Nargis and Raj Kapoor with umbrella in their hands. It is iconic. For Mumbaiites, rains become a special charm not only because of the respite that we get from the sticky weather. But also Mumbai is dry like a desert for nine months in a year and for three months, you cannot even roam in your house without umbrella.

But I always wonder what is so special about rains in Mumbai? Nothing really, people living in western region of the country, experience the same. As they said, it’s the attitude that makes the difference. That is what Mumbaiites possess and that too, loads and loads of it. No matter how much it rains, Mumbai is always functioning as normal. In Rajasthan, people would stop working because of rains. As is they normally work hard………lolz!

Rains brings special kind of joy, mixed feelings and feelings of joy and happiness in a tropical nation like India. Tip-tip barsa paani, chham chham barse ye barsaat re…….. so many Bollywood memorable videos have been shot in rains. Videos because rains can force a person to behave out of his bounds and they bring the lighter, lively, lovely and raunchy side of you in open. Farmers enjoy and dance in rain as they’ll be able to feed the Mother Earth and in turn feed themselves. Sea faces are jam-packed. The chill and the thrill that you get is just out of the world experience.

In Mumbai, quite the opposite happens, trust me guys. Inspite of the fact that all sea-fronts are jam-packed. For lovers, in this cramped and running city, few moments of togetherness with privacy is most important. I really wonder how all the lovers hound the Bandra Reclamation, it is stinking like hell. In this rains, it is worst place to roam around. Even more horrifying thing to think is, where will all these love birds go, when this creek is taken over by some rich building goliaths. The water stops flowing in this part of the sea because of the garbage dumped in the sea. It’s only in monsoon that there is little activity in water movement in the creek and the whole place starts stinking like hell.

Back home in Punjab, when it used to rain, especially first few showers would bring the lovely fragrance of mud in the air. It would be simply electrifying more than Raveena’s hip shaking in tip-tip. It was because of this amazing smell that I realized that indeed Earth is Mother of all of us. However, later realized that it’s because it gives place to our bodies after we die.

In Mumbai, it stinks like hell after few showers of rain in the beginning when the monsoon arrives. It seems as if the whole of Mumbai pees in open. You can smell the stinking smell of urine all over Mumbai, be it stinky and dirty areas of slums or so called posh areas like SoBo.

It’s again raining now and I can smell the pureness of water as it trips from clouds in the sky. After all it’s a scarce resource and but then as it touches the Mother Earth to cleanse it but then the smell of urine just simply is there to take everything from you.

BTW, Do not stop expecting from the Met Dept. that the late arrivals of monsoons was not an issue because the quantum of rainfall was sufficient to fathom the stomach of Mother Earth.

On that note I sign off guys, a small piece of advice.

Try to avoid everything, "enjoy the monsoons".