Bus Day...

For once it was good fun not driving my car into the city! Thanks to Bangalore Metro Rail Corp Ltd. the entire stretch of Kanakapura road between Konankunte cross-road and Banashankari bus stand has been converted to a construction zone or a war zone to be more precise. The construction islands created by BMRCL by putting up artificial metallic barricades to carry out uninterrupted pile foundation work has taken away a good 75% of the road surface which was once available for the unending number of 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10 wheelers plying on this road. The narrow stretch left over on either side can only allow a self regulating single file of vehicular traffic much like the way ants behave while moving from point A to B. The recent incessant rains, doing a catch-up of sorts after playing truant at the beginning of the monsoon season, have only made it worse. With nowhere to flow, the stagnant puddles make the surrounding mud slushy and with each heavy vehicle passing over it, this small puddle deepens into a cavity before becoming a crater making the craters on the surface of moon pale in comparison. With rain water filling these craters, it is quite impossible for the first time users of this road to gauge the depth and they end up going either too rapidly through the pothole splashing the muddy slush on innocent pedestrians or too slow in their attempt to be cautious and end up becoming a speed-breaker to the vehicles following them. The determination to sit on the horn only intensifies; adding decibels to the general cacophony.

Interestingly, city of London did the honors by operating the world’s first underground suburban metro link in the year 1863. With multi layers of tracks criss crossing the city, it is the second largest urban metro after Shanghai Metro with 400 KM route length and serves 270 stations. While it is popularly known as ‘The Tube’, more than 55% of its route is over ground. Our very own ‘Namma Metro’ is scheduled to commence commercial run in December 2010 between Baiyappanahalli and MG Road. With just 20% of the track underground, ‘Namma Metro’ cannot be compared to ‘The Tube’ in any which way. While 42 KM of the route length will be fully operational by December 2011, it is estimated that by 2014 our city will boast a total length of 111 KM of track, still a far cry from the existing 400 KM within London. The routing is on the North-South and East-West corridor more like a diameter connecting the gigantic ring road on the periphery of this ever ballooning city. Come to think of it, we are roughly 150 years behind London Underground.

Running a slight temperature and all my joints groaning with pain, I decided to take a bus to Yediyur lake to attend to a family function on Thursday last week. Earlier during the day I had applied for a day off from the daily grind at office to relax and recoup from my brief illness. With the bus stand just a 2-minute walking distance from where I live, I found hopping onto a bus at 12:30 PM in the afternoon a cake-walk. I was even able to get a seat to park myself for the entire journey that lasted a good 45 minutes. There is a big difference between sitting behind the driving wheel and sitting on a back bench in a rickety contraption called ‘bus’ operated by BMTC – Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corp. Sitting high above the road surface, one gets a vantage view of the surroundings which is quite different from the confined tunnel vision while driving a car. I was able to observe quite a few things that would not have been otherwise visible in case I was driving and I found this a pleasant change. I was able to see quite a few workers sleeping in the islands created by BMRCL on stacked steel plates meant for construction purpose, quite oblivious of what was happening in the surroundings. It was a wonder how one could sleep amidst all the honking, the clutter and the noise from the construction drilling and pile driving machines. Well, if the erstwhile Prime Minister of India could be caught snoring in the Parliament when his fellow colleagues ran to the well of the house under the slightest pretext to shout slogans and throw missiles at each other, I guess lesser mortals like us should be excused in case we try and catch up with a power nap during our endless meetings!!

With the horrendous rattling noise inside the rickety bus as it inched along the crater ridden Kanakapura road, I found it pretty strange to see almost all the passengers sporting a cell phone; not just sporting it but also quite busy talking into the instrument. Strange, because I wonder how they could hear the other person above the din of the moving bus; leave alone the external noise that kept sailing in from all known directions. To make themselves heard they were shouting on top of their voice much to the irritation of their fellow passenger. At best they could probably hear each other talk and not make out what the person at the distant end was saying; this was my firm conclusion. It was a comical sight when the conductor came around for tickets; fellow passengers ignored him under the pretext of using their cell phone. This only helped in earning his wrath. The conductor got into an endless tirade against usage of phones in the bus, but during one of his quieter moments when all passengers had been issued their respective tickets, we too spotted him using his cell phone. One of the passengers was so engrossed in his phone conversation that he missed getting down at his scheduled stop and no amount of pleas helped make the driver make an unscheduled stop. The conductor was having his last laugh and suggested that he talk his way back from the next stop. ‘Serves him right’ he was found to be mumbling.

Not satisfied with the din and bustle inside the bus, there was one bright guy playing songs on his mobile and quite loudly at that. It was funny to note that he also had his ear phones on. I mustered some courage to ask what the logic in having the ear phones was and also play through the speakers. With a cold glare that I got for my question, I decided for myself that I must confine my questioning within the four walls of my home or at the office, lest I get clobbered for being nosy. While it was quite irritating to see my immediate neighbor blowing large bubbles with his bubble gum, I decided to keep mum and not act brave by commenting or asking him some crazy question; my mind was behaving like a streaming video. Lost in our own thoughts, a sudden brake jolted us out of our respective dreams. A quick peep and we realized that a bevy of ladies had crossed the street unmindful of the chaotic traffic and almost landing below the wheels of another onrushing vehicle from behind, hell bent on overtaking our bus. Looks like people train themselves to be focused when it comes to spotting a public transport. Much like the way Arjuna of the Panch Pandavas fame told his teacher Dronacharya when asked about what he saw, when he had positioned an arrow on his bow and was taking aim, ‘I can see the object’. No wonder our folks fail to exercise caution when they spot a bus; their focus turns to getting in at any or all cost. Seldom do they watch out for their personal safety.

Further down I spotted a fairly senior couple trying to cross the road. From their behavior it seemed obvious that they had returned from a foreign land. They would take a hesitant step thinking that it was time to step forward and then an oncoming vehicle with its horns on full blast would make them quickly retreat. The bus in which I was traveling was stationary and I was able to observe their adventure or should we say misadventure. Finally the lady, more pragmatic between the two, started giving instructions much to the irritation of the husband who was finding difficulty combining his feet movement with his thought process. At this time, our bus started moving and I will never know how the couple managed to cross! However, one thing is for sure; eventually every wife with time begins to behave more like a mother to their husbands – the continuous stream of instructions on the dos and don’ts never seem to cease. I myself kept getting calls from my wife who, of course with very noble intentions and genuine concern was checking whether I had to wait for a long time at the bus stop, did I get the right bus, what was my relative position with respect to each time she called, would I reach the venue in time, did I know the address of the venue so on and so forth. It was a wonder how one could keep such a close track and monitor progress through a series of well intentioned and logical set of questions. It struck me then; perhaps, she might make a better manager than me – with such a meticulous follow-up, virtually nothing could go wrong!!

Indeed, I reached just-in-time as the ‘Blessings’ ceremony was coming to an end and plantain leaves were being neatly arranged for the meal to be served. After a tasty and sumptuous meal my wife and I headed straight home and on the return trip we hopped on to a three wheeler – my wife was right when she said that if its two then an auto works out more cost effective…I thought only I was paranoid about being cost conscious!!

I did enjoy my adventurous outing and given a chance, I will board a BMTC once again without hesitation. It brought memories of my earlier and more energetic days, offered me small pleasures and the freedom to sit and observe which I would never get from the confines of my own car. And, I look forward to the day we can use the Metro to commute to office and back. Only time will tell whether I would have retired by then!!

Cheers!!