Break Rule - Lose Licence.

My latest letter to Editor.

Sir,
Apropos today's news item Break Rule - Lose Licence.
It is most unfortunate that it has taken more than 12000 deaths, 20000 plus injuries and almost 39000 accidents to wake up the authorities to from their 'Kumbhkarniya' slumber.
It is as if these authorities while using the road for their daily commute in the city had their eyes closed and never noticed blatant traffic violations.
If traffic police and other law enforcement authorities could not catch all these violators up till now how are they  going to catch them to suspend their licences.
I feel suspending licence will not be of much use. In fact,  it will add one additional violation, that of driving without licence :-).
I feel remedy is to impose and strictly implement system of deterrent fines. Say a minimum of ₹2000. Rules should also be amended so that certain percentage of fines collected are officially credited in the monthly pay packet of the Policeman collecting the fines. This incentive, I am sure will work like magic in bringing down traffic violations.
PM velankar 

Metro News.

there has been no metro news on my blog or Facebook page for more then a month.
On my return to Nagpur, I have resumed my walk. I find that civil work on Metro in my stretch is complete. Now the work is going on at track level where I have no access.

During last year and half since the time work started, foot path along northern wall of DGCA grounds on Hingna Road Started getting damaged. Incidentally with continuous uninterrupted length of almost 1 KM ( 997.7 mtrs) this must be the longest continuous uninterrupted footpath in Nagpur.

With increasing damage to the footpath due to on going work, eventually it's full length was damaged, destroyed. The very existence of 1 KM long footpath simply vanished. At one time things were so bad that walking became unsafe and I had to change my route. Later even though footpath remained non existentant but walking was possible. 
Now the good news is that with completion of civil work Metro people have started reconstruction of the foot path. From the looks of it about 40 odd meters of it has been done. They have done beautiful job. Lot of thought seems to have gone in the design of new footpath. There are niches near metro station where autos and cars can stop to drop off or pick up passengers. Idea being when the venicles stop on niche, road remains clear and smooth flow of traffic is not affected.
Here are the photos of newly constructed footpath and portion still to be done.

New footpath. Niche for car.

New footpath. Niche for auto parking.  

Footpath still to be done-up.

Pigeon Man of Singapore.

Continued with my morning walk in Singapore as well. Route followed by me was use Mayer Road underpass to reach East Coast Park. Follow the path up to Park Land Green . Use the underpass to go to Marine Parade follow road east then on to Mountbatten Road to crescent street to Makina. Almost the same distance as my normal walk about 4.5 KM.
Walk along the East Coast Park was refreshing and fantastically rejuvenating. Beautiful scenery and beautiful sunrises if Horizon was clear.

Sunrise. East Coast Park.

It was amazing to see the number of people of all ages from age group of 60/ 70 plus,middle ages to teens, jogging, walking, doing aerobic exercises and work outs generally seen by me in Kung Fu / Karate movies. Even kids 7/8 years are Merrily cycling, along with their parents.
Almost every day lots and lots of pigeons foraging around the beach near Area B of East coast Park.

One day I saw an old man walking along the beach. Pigeons foraging all over the beach started flying around that old man and following him. The way pigeons were following him, reminded me of the story of Pied Piper of Hamelin. He want slightly beyond the jetty and sat on haunches. Opened the plastic bag he was carrying and started scattering some thing around.  

Old man and the pigeons

           

The pigeons were all over him and the whatever feed he had strewn. Once in a while he was caressing pigeons close to him. The pigeons did not seem to mind him.

One day I approached him. On my approach the pigeons fluttered but did not flyaway but settled down close by. May be they understood that I meant no harm. Spoke to him.  

I saw that what he was feeding was not birdseed of any kind but bread slices. In answers to my enquiry He informed me he wanted to come every day but could only manage it when he had free mornings. Still tried to come as frequently as possible. Had been feeding them for quite some time. Initially the number of pigeons were quite less and only two loafs were sufficient. Gradually the number increased and now even five loaves were barely sufficient. 

Asked his name . He told me. Could no get it so asked him again, he told me . Could not get it and said please say again, he told me yet again. This happened couple of more times. Then I felt too ashamed to ask the same question for the fifth time. Never got his name so I shall simply call him "Pigeon Man of Singapore."

         

Pigeon Man of Singapore.

NMC and Demolition Drives.

My letter to Editor The Hitavada.
NMC and the demolition drives.
Once in a while when the authorities wake up from there slumber demolition of one odd unauthorised structure , out of existing thousands, is undertaken.
There has been spurt in demolition drive in recent past. This, thanks to Honourable High Court repeatedly giving stern warnings to authorities to demolish unauthorised places of worship . Not only because they are / were unauthorised but such structure encroached on public land. Quite often they intruded on the footpath / road and generally obstructed smooth flow of traffic and nuisance to public.
In all demolitions modus operandiis is same.
Authorities approach the structure with powerful machines and bulldozerss. Using brute force the bulldozers bulldoze their way in the structure. Without any apparent system bring down and reduce the structure to a terribly shoddy mess and heaps of rubble. The resulting mess of this rubble spill over dimensions of the the original structure itself and become even bigger obstacle then earlier structure. See attached photos.
A little application of mind would dictate that after the structure is demolished , The eye sore and rubble left after demolition is removed, Site is restored to its original neat and tidy state. Apparently the authorities either do not have mind or if they have, they do not apply it to their jobs.
I would very sincerely and humbly request the Honourable Courts that the order for demolition also to include a codicil
" After the demolition authorities WILL REMOVE all the rubble and RESTORE the site to a NEAT & TIDy state"

PM velankar

Going berserk with my letters to editors.

Two welcome news items in two days.

Sir,

Yesterday, 31 Aug18, : Police booked 740 students for traffic violations.

Today, 01Sept18 : NMC to follow Indore Model.

Both good beginnings.

Majority will agree that with more police personnel many tines 740 traffic violators would have been brought to book.

This does not belittle police achievement. It is a good begining

However to make a noticeable difference, drive against traffic defaulters must cover wider areas, must be sustained and followed vigorously.

If not done there is little hope of improvement.

Visible presence of traffic police will also have salutary effect.They, the traffic police are conspicuous by their absence at most of the crossing.

PM Velankar.

Incouraged by fantastic support by Editorial staff of City Line suppliment, who published all three out of three letters. Sent a suggestion to whom it may concern
Sir,
It was heartening to read in City Line dated 01Sept18 that NMC is going to follow Indore model for cleanliness. 
Just having 500 vehicles three shifts spread over 24 hours and 7000 sanitation workers, a sincere and diligent contractor,(if such a creature exists), may not be of much help.
Human nature being what it is and as the saying goes "old habits die hard", majority of incorrigible Nagpurians will make sure things do not improve.
In addition to infrastructure, what Indore administrators ensured was a very strict regime of imposing and collecting hefty fines from defaulters. In rare cases collective fines to a locality were resorted to when blame for garbage could nor be apportioned and no one owned up for the mess.
Once the lesson was learnt the heard way, all the infrastructure did achieve wonders.
Concerned authorities should have also learnt about this while visiting Indore.
PM Velankar