Driving me crazy
I live in what the politicians call, in a fit of hyperbole, the 'Millennium City', Gurgaon. Well, they didn't define what millennium they are talking about, so if they meant the last one, they are right on the money, because it certainly is not the present millennium, going by living conditions here. First of all, there is no public transport, apart from an appallingly maintained and run bus service that one can't count on. And of course, Gurgaon is full of yuppies like me who want to look at least presentable while going in to office so the buses are out anyway. Leaving us with no option but to own our own car - one for each individual in the house, unless they are recluses or kids in which case they don't get out much. (Actually, maybe the Gurgaon government should be given an award by the Yuppies Association of India - imagine having a legit excuse to splurge all that money on a separate car all for yourself. Maybe the Gurgaon government is sponsored by the Automobile Manufacturers Association of India? Maybe I should get back to the blog before my conspiracy theories run away with me!)
Following the lack of public transport, there is the lack of roads on which to drive our expensive cars. There are very few paved roads in Gurgaon, even in highly inhabited and high-traffic areas. There is a stretch of road where my office is located that would have you mistake the locale for Manhattan or Seattle or something, so full is it of glass and steel modern monoliths, aggressively bristling with logos from the world's leading multinationals. But the minute you set one wheel of your car on the road that drives up to these swanky palaces, you know you're in good ol' Gud gawa(n) as one nasal KBC contestant pronounced it. The road is pitted with holes - or should I say the holes are punctuated by miniature strips of tar. You can churn butter from cream just driving through this 2 km stretch! The poor car certainly gets a run for its money trying to remain upright and undamaged in this territory.
And then of course, we have the traffic jams from poorly planned office complexes, which start from the In gate of the building and stretch all the way to the road and beyond. I live 5 minutes from the office and would walk if there were such a thing as a sidewalk ( Oh, but I forgot, this is Millennium City, walking is so last Millennium!) or better weather. It takes me 45 minutes to get the car from below the office building to the out gate, and another 5 minutes to reach home.
One of these days, I'm just going to have to start flapping my wings and hoping to fly!
Following the lack of public transport, there is the lack of roads on which to drive our expensive cars. There are very few paved roads in Gurgaon, even in highly inhabited and high-traffic areas. There is a stretch of road where my office is located that would have you mistake the locale for Manhattan or Seattle or something, so full is it of glass and steel modern monoliths, aggressively bristling with logos from the world's leading multinationals. But the minute you set one wheel of your car on the road that drives up to these swanky palaces, you know you're in good ol' Gud gawa(n) as one nasal KBC contestant pronounced it. The road is pitted with holes - or should I say the holes are punctuated by miniature strips of tar. You can churn butter from cream just driving through this 2 km stretch! The poor car certainly gets a run for its money trying to remain upright and undamaged in this territory.
And then of course, we have the traffic jams from poorly planned office complexes, which start from the In gate of the building and stretch all the way to the road and beyond. I live 5 minutes from the office and would walk if there were such a thing as a sidewalk ( Oh, but I forgot, this is Millennium City, walking is so last Millennium!) or better weather. It takes me 45 minutes to get the car from below the office building to the out gate, and another 5 minutes to reach home.
One of these days, I'm just going to have to start flapping my wings and hoping to fly!
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