Uncaring, unplanned construction kills a city
What has been done to Lucknow will pale all the construction activity that has long threaded Delhi, first in preparation for the Commonwealth Games and, now, to tie up all the loose ends that the so-called infrastructural development of the Capital has entailed.
But, first about Lucknow. Besides it having become a traffic nightmare, which again puts Delhi to shame, the laidback city of Lucknow is heading for a concrete disaster. All roads in major colonies are dug up, apparently for the sewer lines to be widened, In Gomti Nagar, which has become the residential and commercial hub of the State Capital, there is not a single road in Asia’s biggest colony which has tar coal on it. All of them have become kuchchi sadaks with mounds of dust lying all over the place. The digging is continuing unabated and anytime any road can be closed down for further digging without a notice. Often, the residents are unable to even drive out of their respective localities as no road is accessible!
Hazratganj, the Connaught Place of Lucknow, is no better. The digging here has not only created a perennial traffic jam but it has also allowed unscrupulous parking wallahs to jack up the prices, charging up to Rs 30 — a figure unheard of in that city till now. Talk to the parkingwallah and he tells you he has spent a lot of money getting that space for cars and he needs to earn all that back!
In any case, parking woe is just an aside. All the digging has given rise to another major problem — the dust that clouds the horizon is so thick that it makes safe driving next to impossible. In that context, one could thank the perennial traffic jam as that must be saving a lot of accidents that are sure to happen due to the zero visibility.
It is shocking how construction activity in urban centres is launched without any thought whatsoever for the hapless citizenry. Delhi suffered for close to two years with more than half the average life of its populace being spent on roads, navigating unending traffic jams due to the all the building activity. However, when compared to what is happening in Lucknow, Delhi did it in a much better manner. For one, roads in Delhi were bifurcated, not blocked. Again, as compared to Lucknow, the jams here are much more orderly and till you visit Lucknow and are in the middle of one, you will say this is a gross exaggeration.
Apparently, the UP Chief Minister is incensed at what has happened to her favourite city. She is learnt to have instructed the officials to patch up the city before Diwali. Of course, Diwali has come and gone but the extent of damage the roads have been put to, it is next to impossible to get them mended even in a year, let alone a few days. Even if the main market place of the State Capital gets mended, the insides of the colonies like Gomti Nagar will hurtle into the neverland zone of repair.
After being in the midst of infrastructural mayhem in Delhi for so long, one really wishes that good old cities like Lucknow are not put through the same frenetic and uncaring development. It not just takes away from the spirit of the town, it also introduces big city stress among its citizens and unable to deal with that what comes out is a ruptured society in need of a balm that no one is adept at providing.
Already, due to largescale monument building, Lucknow is reeling under a concrete onslaught with no or minimal trees lining its otherwise shaded avenues. To dig it up completely and without any planning has potential to kill the last vestiges of what the city of nawabs is so famous for — its cool, cool public temper, its laidback charm and its “muskuraiye ki aap Lucknow mein hain” welcoming spirit.
Source: Sunday Pioneer, November 7, 2010
But, first about Lucknow. Besides it having become a traffic nightmare, which again puts Delhi to shame, the laidback city of Lucknow is heading for a concrete disaster. All roads in major colonies are dug up, apparently for the sewer lines to be widened, In Gomti Nagar, which has become the residential and commercial hub of the State Capital, there is not a single road in Asia’s biggest colony which has tar coal on it. All of them have become kuchchi sadaks with mounds of dust lying all over the place. The digging is continuing unabated and anytime any road can be closed down for further digging without a notice. Often, the residents are unable to even drive out of their respective localities as no road is accessible!
Hazratganj, the Connaught Place of Lucknow, is no better. The digging here has not only created a perennial traffic jam but it has also allowed unscrupulous parking wallahs to jack up the prices, charging up to Rs 30 — a figure unheard of in that city till now. Talk to the parkingwallah and he tells you he has spent a lot of money getting that space for cars and he needs to earn all that back!
In any case, parking woe is just an aside. All the digging has given rise to another major problem — the dust that clouds the horizon is so thick that it makes safe driving next to impossible. In that context, one could thank the perennial traffic jam as that must be saving a lot of accidents that are sure to happen due to the zero visibility.
It is shocking how construction activity in urban centres is launched without any thought whatsoever for the hapless citizenry. Delhi suffered for close to two years with more than half the average life of its populace being spent on roads, navigating unending traffic jams due to the all the building activity. However, when compared to what is happening in Lucknow, Delhi did it in a much better manner. For one, roads in Delhi were bifurcated, not blocked. Again, as compared to Lucknow, the jams here are much more orderly and till you visit Lucknow and are in the middle of one, you will say this is a gross exaggeration.
Apparently, the UP Chief Minister is incensed at what has happened to her favourite city. She is learnt to have instructed the officials to patch up the city before Diwali. Of course, Diwali has come and gone but the extent of damage the roads have been put to, it is next to impossible to get them mended even in a year, let alone a few days. Even if the main market place of the State Capital gets mended, the insides of the colonies like Gomti Nagar will hurtle into the neverland zone of repair.
After being in the midst of infrastructural mayhem in Delhi for so long, one really wishes that good old cities like Lucknow are not put through the same frenetic and uncaring development. It not just takes away from the spirit of the town, it also introduces big city stress among its citizens and unable to deal with that what comes out is a ruptured society in need of a balm that no one is adept at providing.
Already, due to largescale monument building, Lucknow is reeling under a concrete onslaught with no or minimal trees lining its otherwise shaded avenues. To dig it up completely and without any planning has potential to kill the last vestiges of what the city of nawabs is so famous for — its cool, cool public temper, its laidback charm and its “muskuraiye ki aap Lucknow mein hain” welcoming spirit.
Source: Sunday Pioneer, November 7, 2010
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