Re: Positive aspects of Indian Roads Wow! What a thread!!
Thank you! Thank you!!
I find that many people have repeatedly presented the same points over and over again. AND STILL - the points are mainly right. I would not like to repeat the points, but.... please forgive me for my 2 cents:
A couple of anecdotes:
My late grandfather had been transferred from his British Govt job in Pune to Ahmednagar for some time. Then he was transferred back. I ashed my late father how long it took them to travel from Ahmednagar to Pune in the British era? He was not sure - but he felt it took them 2.5 days by bullock cart! This when we had just come back from our visit to the Tank Museum. We had done the 125 km to and fro in 2.5 hrs each side!
I have done Pune Mumbai in my erstwhile Maruti OmniE in 1999 during a truck strike in 2.5 hrs. While in Mumbai the strike got called off. I did Mumbai Pune in 6 hours!
Once when I was taking 2 US friends to Aurangabad, Ajanta-Ellora, etc, the taxi drive was not sure of the 'exact' road. So, we stopped and asked. We stopped near a Masjid. There was a free newspaper stand there. A handful of people came to help us. They actually had a 'conference' and unanimously told us to take the straight route and turn left 1 km later. I was extremely curious about the 'conference' and asked them. I was told that we could go left at this crossing only, but the route was through a congested village and would take time. Similarly, we could take the right and take two left turns. This was actually the 'best' route and normally fastest. However, just a few days ago some PWD work had commenced and they felt it would take us longer! WOW! After thanking them profusely, we went ahead. Now, the Americans were extremely curious about the lengthy discussion. I had to explain everything. They were SHOCKED! They were confident that their own city folk would have preferred to say 'don't know'.
On a similar trip but with different friends, I could show my friends cows, buffaloes, dogs, cats, camels, elephants, etc on the highway. The camel guys were willing to give a 'paid ride'. My friends got scared!!
I use some 'judgement' and selectively give lift to strangers. I could write a 250 page book on the experiences. I can say that I never got into trouble (Thank GOD!). But one or two are worth mentioning here.
Once I gave a lift to a police constable who was just back from a Naxalite area posting. He was well educated, cultured and extremely mature. I wish I had asked him for his contact details!
Once on the Mumbai Pune Expressway, near Sinhagad Institute, during Daserra, I saw a group of people asking for a lift. The leader seemed to be a lady in a posh festival sari. I stopped. They were all teachers at the Institute and their bus has broken down. I took them in. During conversation, it came out that her brother was a best friend of my second cousin! It's a small world after all!!
I guess I better stop before my 2 cents run out!!
Regards,
Girish Mahajan |