So after a hiatus(not a deliberate one though), I'm back on blogger. Before I begin my assault on Indian footpaths(which are getting extinct with each passing day), let me tell you where this entire thing came from.
We decided to switch from the good ol' Times of India to Hindustan Times for the simple reason that HT is easy on the pocket! (and more importantly coz the crisp TOI used to find its way directly into the trash for some reason(=lack of time); so we thought, it doesn't make sense to pay through your nose and then leave the paper untouched :D) Please excuse me for such a long explanation for the switch. I have this habit of elaborating on trivial matters. Anyway, the point is HT is not that bad after all. As a matter of fact, HT came as a complete revelation to me! If you can ignore the spelling mistakes here and there and you want content that stimulates you, then let's just say you are quite ready for HT. It's just that TOI enjoys such a huge popularity that people don't even bother about the smaller players(read HT, Indian Express etc.). Having said that, I would like to add that TOI is by far the best newspaper in India.
Well now coming straight to the point, I read this article [which featured in HT that's why the whole HT story :)] on the condition of footpaths in India and for some reason I thought I could relate to it given the sorry state of footpaths here in Thane. But guess what, the article had a host of other problems that footpaths in other Indian cities continue to face.
To begin with, cities are now being planned exclusively for vehicles making it very difficult for pedestrians to move about on roads. If you think cities with footpaths are any better, haha think again! Cities which happen to have footpaths, ironically everyone but the pedestrians get to use them. Let me tell you how...In Bangalore, people park their vehicles on footpaths(which is obviously a violation of traffic rules),thus adding to pedestrians' woes. Hawkers encroaching footpaths is a common phenomenon almost everywhere. Well it doesn't stop here...given that people here are downright innovative, they put the footpaths to good use in more ways than one. The other day when I was travelling in a rick, what I saw was absolutely appalling and at the same time disgusting(with a capital D)! People use footpaths as an alternative lavatory as the ladies residing in slums get their little ones to help them answer nature's call. Ew :O
What's more our very own Municipal Corporation adds to our ever increasing problems. Just look around(strictly meant for Thaneites) and you would know....garbage finds place on footpaths which believe it or not, is not surprising anymore...I mean this is something so common that now I almost gape at the sight!
The bottomline is cities with/without footpaths are equally pathetic!
Need I say more??
We decided to switch from the good ol' Times of India to Hindustan Times for the simple reason that HT is easy on the pocket! (and more importantly coz the crisp TOI used to find its way directly into the trash for some reason(=lack of time); so we thought, it doesn't make sense to pay through your nose and then leave the paper untouched :D) Please excuse me for such a long explanation for the switch. I have this habit of elaborating on trivial matters. Anyway, the point is HT is not that bad after all. As a matter of fact, HT came as a complete revelation to me! If you can ignore the spelling mistakes here and there and you want content that stimulates you, then let's just say you are quite ready for HT. It's just that TOI enjoys such a huge popularity that people don't even bother about the smaller players(read HT, Indian Express etc.). Having said that, I would like to add that TOI is by far the best newspaper in India.
Well now coming straight to the point, I read this article [which featured in HT that's why the whole HT story :)] on the condition of footpaths in India and for some reason I thought I could relate to it given the sorry state of footpaths here in Thane. But guess what, the article had a host of other problems that footpaths in other Indian cities continue to face.
To begin with, cities are now being planned exclusively for vehicles making it very difficult for pedestrians to move about on roads. If you think cities with footpaths are any better, haha think again! Cities which happen to have footpaths, ironically everyone but the pedestrians get to use them. Let me tell you how...In Bangalore, people park their vehicles on footpaths(which is obviously a violation of traffic rules),thus adding to pedestrians' woes. Hawkers encroaching footpaths is a common phenomenon almost everywhere. Well it doesn't stop here...given that people here are downright innovative, they put the footpaths to good use in more ways than one. The other day when I was travelling in a rick, what I saw was absolutely appalling and at the same time disgusting(with a capital D)! People use footpaths as an alternative lavatory as the ladies residing in slums get their little ones to help them answer nature's call. Ew :O
What's more our very own Municipal Corporation adds to our ever increasing problems. Just look around(strictly meant for Thaneites) and you would know....garbage finds place on footpaths which believe it or not, is not surprising anymore...I mean this is something so common that now I almost gape at the sight!
The bottomline is cities with/without footpaths are equally pathetic!
Need I say more??
4 comments:
LOL :) :)
Nice to see u back :)
thank god u changed the template ;-)
Ur welcome!!
n lol @ the template..I know it was the typical barbie doll pink colour na;)
wel idont think TOI is d best..the hindu is the best if u really want 2 get some news n excellent editorials .....the quick review feature on d left side of main page is gud....though it remains quite uninteresting for those who dont "read" a newspaper 4 purely academic reasons, including me!n dis paper comes 2 days late n is xpensiv ....just try dis newspaper 4 once rucha
the hindu u mean na...ab dekhna padega but wat's the point of spending on something that's expensive?!
Tell u wat I subscribed for Hindustan Times for a measly 200 bucks a year which is seriously dirt cheap:D
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