Better roads are around the corner

So what if the roads are dug up, commuting is an inhuman experience, and breathing isn’t easy? Should we just give up and assume things won’t change just because there are no signs that it will? Representation pic/Atul Kamble

I have been surprised by the anger directed towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in recent months; an unending outpouring of rage by people who claim that Bombay is no longer a liveable city. They cite multiple issues while making this ridiculous statement, but one of the biggest appears to be how every street has been dug up by people who have no idea of what they are doing. I don't take the latter half of that complaint seriously because it is a moot point. No one who has lived in Bombay for more than three months will ever assume that the BMC knows what it's doing, so how is that relevant?

As for the roads dug up everywhere without any semblance of a plan, that is also untrue because the latest budget explicitly states that a plan exists. I am aware that it doesn't mean much because creating or announcing plans has always been the only Key Result Area by which BMC employees are evaluated, but at least we know this plan exists even if execution does not. Shouldn't its presence count for something?

Here's something to keep in mind, based on the same budget. Apparently, a ‘Universal Footpath policy' is to be implemented this year, with R5100 crore allocated towards it. Yes, that's a lot of money, which means we can look forward to at least a couple of walkable footpaths before December comes around. If that sounds unduly pessimistic, I base my assumption on the pace at which things traditionally move here. After all, two years have passed since orders for concretising roads were issued, and civic authorities admit to completing just 26 per cent of the work so far. Common sense would make three years a more realistic target.

You may also have questions about why just 26 per cent when it feels as if all paved surfaces across the city have been demolished for what feels like years. To address this, two official reasons have been cited. The first is that road work was delayed by the monsoons, which makes sense because the department responsible for overseeing concretisation must have forgotten that it sometimes rains in the city. If most residents can't get to work during those difficult months on account of potholes, delayed trains, or flooding caused by poor civic planning, how are BMC employees supposed to?

The second reason was that contractors who were awarded the work were new to the city and took time to acquire permission. This either means there were no existing contractors who knew what concretisation meant, or that existing contractors didn't meet the world-class standards that the BMC usually insists upon. It also means that the BMC may hire you to do something for them, but that doesn't necessarily mean you automatically have the permission to do it. Either way, it's also why I believe these ‘universal footpaths' may take some time to arrive.

There's probably a third unspoken reason why roads continue to be in this state of disrepair. The state-appointed administrator tasked with monitoring the project let slip that the BMC has not received any formal complaint. In other words, until someone specifically says that this is a problem, it simply doesn't exist. Your eyes may tell you something, but that is not necessarily enough.

Maybe we're just looking at this the wrong way. So what if the roads are dug up, commuting is an inhuman experience, and breathing isn't easy? Should we just give up and assume things won't change just because there are no signs that it will? My suggestion is to stop complaining on social media and start thinking of how we will soon enjoy our universal footpaths. Imagine the happiness on all our faces when we will be able to do things most people on earth take for granted, like walking to a market, leaving for work without having to factor in two extra hours for traffic, or meeting friends across the city more than once a year.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that walking, commuting, and breathing are overrated when one looks at the larger picture, which is the astonishing city being built for future generations right before our eyes. Shouldn't we embrace our pain in the spirit of nationalism and endure these minor inconveniences if it means our children can run where we struggle to walk? Suffering makes us stronger human beings, and the BMC should be applauded for how they enable us to become better versions of ourselves.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira

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