I had the occasion to visit the capital city of India, New Delhi, a few times and my experience of those visits left me with a kind of mixed feelings of respect for the hoary past and a sense of disdain towards its dubious present.
Being the political capital of India, Delhi had an edge over other major cities like Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, and the new pretenders Bangalore and Hyderabad in terms of attracting prestigious development projects, finance, and international exposure. But, somewhere along the line, Delhi Administration lost sight of its priorities and missed out on a glorious opportunity to make this historical city a wonderful city to live in.
Lack of proper planning by various governmental agencies proved to be the root cause of the slow demise of Delhi. Only its political importance preventedthe city from slipping into a state of oblivion.
I remember the Aussie cricket team refusing to play a test match in Delhi which would have entailed a stay of close to 8 days in the city. The reason cited for their reluctance (justifiably) was the extreme pollution in the city which the Aussie team feared would harm their player?s health. The same team had no qualms in playing in any other city in India. The other stigma Delhi undeservingly got tagged with was the infamous ?Delhi belly,? though this is a common feature in most Indian cities.
Added to this, the city slowly started acquiring a notorious reputation for mafia style gangsterism, political vendetta, bandhs, morchas, robberies, rape, and scandals of all types and hues. Certainly, not the kind a capital city would like to have, or ignore. But the authorities? concerned side-stepped their responsibilities with an air of nonchalance, and acquired finesse.
One strong reason for Delhi being made the capital city was in its, geographically, central location which is reflected in the old saying ?Dilli Hindustan ka dil hai (Delhi is the heart of India).? I am tempted to query ?Kya yehi hindustan ka dil hai, ya phir dard-e-dil (is it really the heart of India, or only the pain that comes from the heart)??
It is interesting to note that the number of vehicles operating on the congested roads of New Delhi is more than double the vehicles in Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai, put together. That?s frightening, to say the least. Either something is wrong with the city?s transportation, or the denizen?s psyche. The figure is expected to grow to a mind boggling 60 lakhs by 2010. It is important to note, here, that Delhi had the same number of vehicles as Mumbai in 1975 but now has three times more and the number is growing by the day.
Delhi?s climate which is semi arid in nature is not conducive to dispersing pollution quickly, and so the pollution hangs over the city like a dark suffocating blanket. The Yamuna river that cuts through the city has, since long, lost its ability to naturally cleanse itself. Lacking a continuous flow of water (which is necessary for self cleansing) in the dry months of the year, the river has become stagnant and a recipient of many effluents and industrial toxic waste flowing into it.
BETTER THINGS TO COME:
As is normal in such things, the city of Delhi needed some kind of a catalytic event to redeem itself in the eyes of not only its citizens but also in the eyes of every sensible Indian who expects his/her country?s capital city to be jewel on the world map. With the Commonwealth Games due in Delhi in 2010 and in the hope of bagging 2016Olympic Games, the city administration has drawn out an ambitious plan to make Delhi a Super City before the commencement of the Games, especially the Olympics. The Delhi administration is determined to place Delhi among the great metropolises of the world.
Loadshedding will be a thing of the past and unknown to the new generation. All the flyovers, under construction and planned, will be completed well before time. A novel high capacity bus service will be introduced which will ensure that buses stay in their own lane, segregated from the rest of the road.
The Metro will run silently underground connecting all parts of the city with quiet efficiency and invisible to the public on the streets.
?A suggestion has already been made to build a 225-km-long ''super ring road'' around the city's periphery for trucks and buses that enter the city at night. A number of plans are simultaneously underway to give the city's transport culture a complete makeover before the Commonwealth Games.?
Ten thousand buses are expected to be replaced by 2009. These will have pneumatic doors, low floorboards to ensure easy boarding and alighting, and automatic vehicle tracking system.
A number of aesthetically designed foot bridges will come up which will be safe for people to use. ?Walk? lights will come up at all intersections to guide pedestrians.
To prevent bus congestion, mini-ISBTs (inter-state bus terminals) will be opened at various strategic locations in the city.
The local administration is also toying with the idea of implementing an elevated road project in the city.
?The Rs 2,400 crore (Rs 24 billion) Integrated Rail Bus Transit System project, which received approval from the NCR Planning Board in October, will run from Inderlok to Gurgaon and from Shahdara to Anand Vihar via Sahibabad, connecting the capital with its suburbs.?
A thorough overhaul of all major roads is underway. '' Twenty-two of the 42 flyovers planned have been completed and the rest are being constructed at a furious pace to meet deadlines.
Connaught Place which was once the centre of Delhi both literally and symbolically, has become somewhat down-market in recent decades with the city's southward expansion. But this trend may reverse with it being so well connected by the Metro in all directions. ''Parking space will be reduced, the middle circle made completely vehicle-free and the market will ideally become a cultural centre, Delhi's equivalent of Leicester Square.''
One important thing I wish to add is that a city doesn?t become great because of its concrete structures and high rise buildings. A major part is dependant on the way a city?s populace adjusts to the new developments that take place. For instance, I have heard that most of the elite don?t use the Metro; they still prefer to travel in their glitzy four-wheelers choking the Delhi streets. The London tube is highly successful because most commuters travel on it and like to use their cars for emergencies or important occasions. The space occupied by a single person driving a car, on a busy street, is ostentatious.
On my next visit to Delhi, I hope to see it a much better place in terms of facilities offered. At the same time, I hope to see reduced pollution levels, crime rate in check, safety and security for women, and a haven for tourists from all parts of the world. Only then, I believe the stock of Delhi will rise, and it will gain recognition as one of the truly great cities of the world.
Till then?
© M B Farookh. Jan, 2005
