Continuing my efforts to inform the media about the road condition, I had emailed Times of India, The Hindu, Times Now and CNN-IBN, yesterday. And to my pleasant surprise, Times of India actually published my report in their 'My Times, My Voice' column. It's actually not much of a report but rather a few lines of it.
I only hope the concerned authorities take notice and do something to resolve this issue.
Here's a snapshot of the report:
In my first update to this post, I had mentioned how I wish I had a photo of a BMTC bus crossing over the median. Guess my luck, here's what I found yesterday evening, on my way back home.
# 1 - Aah... here's a good spot to make a U-turn
#2 - On your mark... get set...ready...
#3 - GO!!!
#4 - Get out of my way!!!
#5 - Almost there...
#6 - Phew... finally made it! Wonder where I can make my next U-turn
I think this would make a good photograph in all the major newspapers...
If you've read today's Times of India, Bangalore edition, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Sex education will not be adopted in state schools. Here's what primary and secondary education Minister Basavaraj Horatti had to say:
“School-going children are too young to contract the disease.”Read the entire article here.
India is one of the largest and most populated countries in the world, with over one billion inhabitants. Of this number, at least five million are currently living with HIV. According to some estimates, India has a greater number of people living with HIV than any other nation in the world. 1
Here you go, a few pictures of the pathetic condition of the road median on the outer ring road, Bangalore.
# 1 - Once a upon a time, there was median... 
#2 - In case you couldn't see the above one clearly, here's a close-up.
#3 - Shattered glass near the median. Notice the tyre marks.
#4 - No comments. The picture says it all. 
#5 - "I don't think anyone taking our photographs". Busted!!!
#6 - A regular sight... offending cab drivers.
Next steps: Write to the media. Will keep you all updated.
Nisho, the fastest photographer in South Bangalore, has finally manged to take a few snaps of vehicles crossing over the road median. That's right!
Today morning, I was determined that I should expedite the whole process of informing the media about this. I packed my camera and I was out on my mission (I was actually on my way to the office). I stopped at a few places where the median was actually at a lower level than the road itself and clicked a few pictures of its sad status. I did manage to get a few good snaps but unfortunately there weren't any vehicles crossing over the median on that particular spot. "No problem", I thought to myself. I had another 10 kms to go before the median actually stands up to its name.
2 kms further, I stopped at another low lying median area where there were actually shattered glasses on the road, obviously from a vehicle's windshield. This vehicle probably was a victim of the median crossing. Anyway, I stopped my bike again and clicked a few more snaps of the crime scene. Still no pictures of vehicles in the act.
Another 2 kms passed, and I stopped near the Innovative Multiplex at Marathahalli. Here, I finally managed to get a few good pictures of bikes and a car blatantly jumping the median. There were a lot of bystanders nearby wondering what the hell I was doing taking pictures of the road. They must have thought I was a tourist ;-) That works fine for me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't slightly scared of the public or of the offenders of whom I clicked the pictures. But I survived. No one cared if I was taking their pictures. They probably would have posed for it if they had a choice.
I intend to take more pictures tomorrow, if I can. I'd like to get a truck or a BMTC bus in the act. Lets see if my luck permits that tomorrow.
Sadly I forgot to take along the data cable for my camera and I would not be able to post any of the pictures today. But I promise you'll all get to see it tomorrow.
I will also be writing in to all the major newspapers and also to Times Now tv. They have a program called Action City where they encourage viewers to send in reports like this about their city.
I'll be an extremely happy resident of Bangalore, if something good comes out of all this.
Please feel free to write in you comments and suggestions.
I've been hunting for a new topic to write on. I know the photos of the road median is still pending. I still have to shoot some, photos I mean, not the violators (even though I wish I could shoot a few of them).
I'll try and post a few pics before the end of the week and also write to Times and Hindu about it. Interestingly, there was small note from a TOI reader in todays newspaper about the road divider being on the same level as the road.
This is what the reader, Sivaram, wrote:
Asphalted woes: The Outer Ring Road stretch has been tarred twice in the past six months. As a result, the road is now of the same level as the dividers. Vehicles now cut across the dividers to avoid making a proper U-turn. This increases the risk of accidents on this road.
— Sivaram, Bangalore
...Indians!!!
That's right, we Indians have the smallest bladder in the world. Otherwise, why else do you see everyone peeing on the roadside? I'm guessing our bladder cannot hold that stuff for more than 10 minutes.
It's not just the uneducated or the daily wage workers who suffer from this problem, I've seen well-dressed (Obviously working professionals), stop their cars and heal their bladder problem, right on the roadside.
Hmmm... it's really hard to understand why God would make us this way because if we were indeed normal, I'm sure we could've waited a lil' while longer until we reach our workplaces or homes before doing something as disgusting as peeing on the roadside. But then again, like I said earlier, we have the smallest bladder in the world.
Oh, what a song! It was featured as a bonus track for the movie A Walk On The Moon.
This song was originally sung by Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young) in 1969. 30 year later, Taxiride (my current favorite band by the way) created an amazing rendition. I'm listening to it right now and man, what a song!
Wikipedia defines a median as "the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic". But this is not the case on the Bangalore outer ring road.
Here's the problem:
I've been living on the outer ring road for the last one year, and I've seen the entire stretch of road leading from K.R Puram flyover to Sarjapur Junction, being tarred 3 times in the last 12 months! I'm not saying this is a bad thing but nevertheless, they could at least take that extra tar and use it on other roads that have not even seen tar in the last 12 years!
But this again is not my problem. My problem is that the authorities have tarred the above mentioned road so much and so many times that the road median and the road are at the same level. The median doesn't even serve its purpose anymore, i.e, to separate opposing lanes of traffic. I see cars, bikes and even BMTC buses crossing OVER the median on to next side, every single day. This is VERY dangerous to the oncoming vehicles. In fact I've gotten into couple of arguments with drivers (who've narrowly missed me in the process), who have done this.
I've seen 2 major accidents, one involving death, due to vehicles crossing over the median. I would blame the road development authorities more than the vehicle drivers. If they plan to tar the road 3 times in a year, they should also ensure that the median is also raised proportionately. I will post a few pictures of the road soon and show the world how bad the situation really is.
My next step is to send pictures of the situation to Times of India, hoping that they would publish it and that the concerned authorities will take notice. If any of you know better ways to tackle this problem or if I should approach the concerned authorities directly, please let me know.
I'll be out with my camera, waiting to take pictures of vehicles crossing over the median, and if YOU are one of those guys doing that, God save you!!!
I just got an update from Sapient regarding the rash driving I had reported earlier. The guilty driver has been suspended from service for 7 days. He also has been sternly warned that anymore rash driving complaints against him will cost him his job.
The driver deserved the punishment. Maybe from now onwards, he will be more considerate on the roads.
Well, I'm happy and satisfied that I could do my part in making this city a little more safer. This fight ain't over, and I will continue doing my part. Will you?
Owing credit to a couple of blogs like The Everyday Bloggy and Bangalore and Bangaloreans, I've taken up a cause of my own: To make Bangalore a better, safer place.
Anyway, I've a small story to share. Here's what happened:
Just 2 days back, on the outer ring road, I saw a Tempo Traveler being driven like an ambulance, narrowly missing me and other motorists on the road.
Initially I thought it WAS an ambulance but then I saw the vehicle picking up random passengers on the road. On closer inspection, I saw the 'Sapient' logo stuck to the rear window of the vehicle. Other than ambulances, I've never seen a vehicle being driven that way on such busy nights on roads like the Outer Ring Road.
Anyway, I memorized the registration number of the vehicle and today, I called up Sapient and made a complaint against this particular driver. The transport guys at Sapient were very receptive and promised me they'll take it up with their transport vendor. He even promised to call me back tomorrow and update me on the progress.
This is first complaint of this kind that I've made ever. And I wouldn't have taken this so seriously if I didn't think this driver was endangering the lives of other motorists, including me.
I'm glad I did this and I will encourage this kind of action among my friends too.
I will continue this fight till the end..
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