I read this news today morning and was totally shocked with the recommendations of the govt. The public transportation system in one of the best places - Mumbai & Navi Mumbai is so horrible -and its no brainer to imagine plight of other parts of the country. This is an experience I got yesterday afternoon when I tried to use it( Public transports) almost after 4-5 years as I had to travel to Thane from Navi Mumbai to take delivery of my new car and last month I had taken a trip to Bihar and found a lot of things common.
Yesterday my daughter and myself had a deal that we will travel by bus to the dealer to pick up our new car. As excited from home started with my 10 y.o. daughter at 2:30 PM - to ST bus stand - 2 kms - walked as no autorickshaw/ bus available.Reached ST stand- around 3 PM. Waited at ST ( state transport) stop for almost 20 minutes and no bus. It was around 3:20PM. Then a call centre cabbie hailed us - reached Chhedanagar Mankhurd - it was close to 3:50 PM. till almost 4:30 kept waiting for a bus to Thane - all buses only till borivli, andheri , kanjur marg or mulund- but none to Thane and finally, the patience got over. Surprisingly, very few taxis were seen- only autorickshaws. I wanted to take a bus coz its definitely cheaper and faster than autos. Anyway, standing at the bus stop in open, where pipeline work in progress and enough smell and dust- itself was an experience and on top of that everytime a bus would come - it would raise a storm of dust. Finally, we decided perhaps God doesnt want me to sit in a bus- we hailed a taxi - the driver said - he could go only till Airoli bridge. It was better than standing at the bus stop. From Airoli junction took and auto- who said they are not permitted to go beyond mulund check naka so another rick from there to Cadbury junction. It was 5:15 pm. total time almost 2hrs 45 minutes.
It may be an isolated case, it may not actually be so bad always, may be the timings - off peak hours had something to do with this etc. - could be some of the justifications in favour of encouraging public transport system but nothing beats the convenience and certainty of taking my own vehicle unless I have plenty of time to kill and no work to do and no deadlines to meet.
And yes last month I had been to Bihar and travelled in a bus there and yesterday's Mumbai experience was equally humbling. Anyway, we still picked up our new car, came home back - happily- in 50 minutes flat. Will happily take public transport - if it can offer a bit less convenience even at the same cost ( Fuel cost for the car ) but ensuring that I get a seat and can at least hope to reach in time.
Most of us commute to our offices from homes - people from Mumbai ( Dadar- Colaba) travel to offices in BKC, MIDC, Andheri, Vashi , JNPT, Uran etc. and criss cross. I dont think anyone enjoys commuting and driving unless on a pleasure trip. If anyone feels so environment conscious or philanthropic or has any doubts - specially those politicians moving around with Z security in their fleets of bullet proof vehicles, , or those bureaucrats in their suitably badged cars with beacon lights, - tell them to try commuting between Kurla and dadar in a local train in the rush hours( live on harbor line and commute to work on western line or vice versa) and still if they feel that they should discourage private vehicle- I guess its time to remember our solidarity after 26/11 tell those big mouths to shut up.
No one minds saving money by there being no need to pay 100% import duty, exhorbitant road tax, VAT , toll , skyhigh fuel and maintenance cost but yes , if the plight of public transportation remains as it is, the pain of paying money ( if I can afford) is far less than the ordeal that I have to go through daily in a public transport- if I cant afford. |