It feels as if we are constantly marching towards a brighter future despite what life on the streets may look like
If smog was dangerous, the government would have issued warnings, or initiated steps to curb congestion, construction, and industrial emissions. It has done none of these things, which means everything is fine. Representation pic/Ashish Raje
It’s that time again, when we are all compelled to take stock of the months that have passed and count our many blessings. I think of it as a yearend celebration of good fortune that is now a routine activity, given the sheer number of amazing things that keep happening to everyone in this country. In fact, when I look at the clouds of doom that appear to be hanging over so many other places, it feels as if the only bright spark is our little island city where peaceful vegetarians give and receive love daily. I tell myself this must be what paradise is like.
ADVERTISEMENT
So, as I usually do at the end of each year, I decided to list just some of the things we should be happy about. The first big blessing I could think of was the economy, which has been booming for everyone on the stock market for ages now. I’ve been told that this abundance of wealth will trickle down to the poor very soon. It means an old prediction by one of our holiest gurus—of the rupee being 40 to the dollar—may finally be realised. Our collective good fortune may not be immediately obvious if you ask any young person about their employment prospects, but business barons are happy, so why ask questions?
Then there is infrastructure, another thing worthy of much praise. As anyone who commutes in Bombay these days will tell you, the only reason it takes an hour and a half to get from East to West is because of the amazing projects one passes along the way. There is so much to see. Every part of the city has been dug up, with things being built above and below ground, and the overall effect is of such progress that even ailing residents trying to reach hospitals on time are probably applauding. I realise that not many people can walk the streets anymore, which may seem like a bad thing until one realises that it’s the government’s way of pushing us to aim higher. Walking is for developing countries, not Smart Cities. Anyway, thanks to the economy, the day when every resident will own a car isn’t as far away as one would imagine.
This isn’t to say there haven’t been minor hiccups. I remember a bridge that failed to connect to another one, and pieces of a flyover that rained down on motorists along the Western Express Highway, and potholes that appeared on a new road within days, but problems like these are only to be expected in any city with a tiny budget. You can’t build infrastructure that lasts if you only have a few hundred crores to ensure quality control.
Public health was another big win, although I’m afraid I have no statistics to back this claim. I am simply going to rely on the health and well-being of family and friends to believe that everyone else is doing well. It may sound like an unscientific approach, but I am basing it on official government policy. Consider Delhi’s intention of capping the Air Quality Index at a healthy 500, and you can see why this is a sensible method. If something can’t be seen, it doesn’t exist. Speaking of air quality, I believe there is no correlation between the smog that now covers Bombay perennially, and the health of residents. If smog was dangerous, the government would have issued warnings, or initiated steps to curb congestion, construction, and industrial emissions. It has done none of these things, which means everything is fine and there is no cause for concern.
Space constraints compel me to restrict myself to just one more sign of positivity. I am happy to report that we continue to become a more humane city with each passing year. A few weeks ago, the man arrested in connection with a hoarding that collapsed in Ghatkopar was granted bail. He said it was an act of God, adding that the BMC had no jurisdiction over the land on which the hoarding was constructed. In short, no one was to blame for the tragedy.
Whether or not his bail is eventually revoked, I believe this is testament to the fact that Bombay has a bright future. A city that rehabilitates the worst of humanity and offers everyone second chances is a city that can only be a nice place to live in. It’s the kind of pleasant thought that makes me look forward to 2025.
When he isn’t ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira
Send your feedback to [email protected]
The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
