When a smooth drive turned into an adventure!

When we decided to pack our bags and leave for some tempting place, for Christmas holidays, adventure was the last thing on our minds. What we had been planning was a quiet and peaceful holiday. However, as they say: Man proposes, God disposes, our journey was meant to be something else than what we had planned.

Since 302 km Lucknow-Agra expressway had been inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and on his orders it was also to be opened for public on 23 December, our logic told us that it would be ready a day in advance, except finishing touches.

Aiming to avoid the traffic of driving enthusiasts, who, we thought, would be hitting the road when it is opened for public, we decided to leave a day in advance, on 22 December.

Soon, we realised that we were tad too optimistic, or we took the Uttar Pradesh government a bit too seriously. Whereas, when the government says open it for public, it doesn't really mean it.

So, the early morning we were set for our brief Christmas holiday sojourn. Our nearly 12-year-old humble but fiercely loyal Hyundai Santro was all decked up with new head lights, fog lamps and brand spanking tyres. Excited, we headed towards Lucknow-Agra Expressway. Getting out of Lucknow never felt like this ever before.

Our happiness knew no boundary when we spotted the first sign: "Welcome to India's longest Lucknow-Agra Expressway". The sign displayed a poked-faced Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The road was smooth with practically zero traffic. We were so proud of our decision to leave a day early (on 22 December) and thought the drive would be a memorable one.

But, it was too early to feel at the top of the world. Looking back, I feel we were optimistic fools!

Our's was the only car on the black tarmac road. There were no more signs, after the Chief Minister welcoming us - not even for diversions. There were workers, machines and lorries all along the way.

Yet, it didn't make us suspicious. The argument was if the road was to be opened for public a day later, it has to be complete a day before even with diversions.

The workers were either fixing the fence on the divider or erecting the railing on the sides of the road. At places, there were big machines and vehicle busy in digging and carrying construction material. We kept enquiring the workers about the condition of the road further, but got no hint of any road block.

However, our positive attitude could not take us far. The reality was soon staring us in the face. As we crossed Kannauj, there was a big machine blocking both sides of the road - a bridge was under construction. We were taken aback - especially because no worker on the highway confronted that the road was incomplete, or in a state where it would take at least 3 months for it to be useable.

Disappointed, we took a U turn, hoping to find some slip road to come off the expressway. Luckily, we spotted a lorry on a temporary road made for lorries to carry the construction material. Thanks to Hyundai technology, we dared to take our humble vehicle on that freshly-poured mud road. Driving carefully for about 200 metres, we finally touched an old and narrow but tarmac road.

Driving on this road for over 80 KM we found ourselves on the same old National Highway 2, which we usually take to drive to Delhi. There was no way that could have connected us to Expressway again.

Anyway, we were still happy that at least we have been able to avoid the traffic jam in Kanpur.

What else! we had to justify our decision and our faith in the government.

The lesson we got was "not to take government announcements on face value."

Our advice: All those who are planning to drive on Yamuna Expressway via Lucknow-Agra Expressway - Beware, the road will not be ready in at least 3 months. So, take the old tried and tested National Highway 2 to reach the Yamuna Expressway.

P.S. This was just the beginning of our journey. Watch this place for more adventures and fun which we had until reaching home safely after a fortnight.

The Real Policing

The police are supposed to be used for maintaining law and order.
Not in the state of Uttar Pradesh!
Here police constables can be seen carrying vegetable basket behind the wife of a police officer, or escorting the officers' children to school or even helping the saheb's family in their general shopping .

I spotted this young constable (photos) pushing the shopping trolley walking a step behind the family of some bureaucrat.
At Spencer Mall in Gomti Nagar.

He was attentive and running from shelf to shelf picking up stuff for the family, which included an old lady, a young woman and a middle-aged man.
All of them appeared healthy enough to walk (escalators were not working at that time) to the first floor.

However, the feudal mentality compelled them to carry a slave with them. Who would have been better than the poor constable - maybe his first posting!

The family is not the only one, its the pattern in the state where bureaucrats misuse the security they get or the official vehicle they get to perform their duties.

I hope the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav takes notice of this trend. I hope he does something to check the misuse of government property.

After all, it is the money of the common man that goes into the maintenance of government vehicles as well as into the salaries of government employees!

Cycle Track, So Off Track!

In the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, its Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is promoting cycling for the sake of health and environment. Now this is another story that cycle is also the symbol of his party, Samajwadi Party (SP).

Yadav sent a delegation to Netherland also to study how cycle tracks work there. On his insistence, the officials, under the direction of some experts from Netherland, got constructed two cycle tracks in Lucknow, the capital of the state.

Yadav believes that these tracks will help the people of Lucknow in improving their health as they will use these tracks for cycling. Besides, it will help the environment as more people will use cycles instead of cars or motorbikes. He has also urged people to use cycles for commuting.

However, the interesting aspect of these cycle tracks is that both of them are built on the VVIP (Very Very Important Person) roads - Kalidas Marg (having the official residence of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) and Vikramaditya Marg (the personal residence of the current Chief Minister as well as his party's office).

One road Kalidas Marg is out of reach of anyone - forget about the commoners. There are barriers with a full force at the start of the road and no ordinary mortal (read Lucknow resident) can enter that road. The other road also has all VIP residences intimidating the commoners to go there for cycling.

This is not all!

There are two quite impertinent questions:

1. How many people in the city own cycles and ride them as a mean of transport?
2. How are people supposed to manage cycling from their homes to Kalidas Marg and Vikramaditya Marg?

People who own cycles and also use them as a means of transport are either school going children or the class four employees in government and non-government offices. They are using cycle even today albeit at their own risk.

The roads of Lucknow are not at all cycle friendly for either. The courtesy for cyclists by the driver of a four-wheeler is a thing that is unheard of in the city.

Now, for a minute if we suppose that these new cycle tracks is only a beginning; people can start using them for leisure to gradually convert this into habit, it does not seem viable. The question is: How are people supposed to cycle from their homes to these tracks without being hit by a zooming SUV?

After much deliberation in my brain, I realised that the tracks will end up being limited to catering to the children of VVIPs living at these privileged addresses. On the other hand, genuine cyclists (students and class four employees) will still have to face the wrath of junglee (unruly) traffic of Lucknow city.




  

SP Govt's traffic drive - A complete farce

The Samajwadi Party-run government in Uttar Pradesh is running a traffic drive these days. Working on the orders of the State Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, police are checking vehicles for black filming, use of seat belts and helmets, speed etc.

However, like any other scheme or announcement by this government, the traffic drive too is a simple eye wash for poor public. In the name of traffic rules it is only the law abiding citizens who are being harassed whereas the high and mighty are having the last laugh.

I have a personal incident or rather frustration to share -

It was Sunday evening (21 December) and the area was the front of VVIP (very very important person) Guest House which happens to fall within the limits of a sensitive zone as it houses the Chief Minister's official and personal residences within a kilometer.

A Maruti Alto car rams into my car from the back as I had stopped at the traffic light. I got out of the car, talked to the driver meanwhile two ladies sitting at the back said sorry and accepting their apology, I came to my car.

As I started moving getting the green signal, the same car rammed into my car again. This time I lost my cool and stopped the car and called the dozens of cops standing at the corner watching the whole incident, while sipping tea.

I demanded action. Suddenly a politician looking guy appeared from somewhere and started intervening, taking the side of the Alto driver. He introduced himself as the former president of Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha (SP Youth Wing).

The cops asked me to pull over to the side and while, like a law abiding citizen, I pulled over, the cops and the politician helped the Alto drive run away from the accident site.

This is the ugly face of the Samajwadi Party government - lawlessness or jungle raj!!!

A citizen cannot expect safety from either the government or from the police which, it seems, is on the payrolls of politicians. One of the cops said, "we are here for the Chief Minister's security".

His statement explained the situation to a certain extent - in a state where the Chief Minister does not find himself safe, how can anyone be safe!

Anyway, I did as much as I could - I took away the driving licence of the Alto driver, according to which his details are:

Name: Ashish Shukla
S/O: Susheel Shukla.
Driving Licence No: UP32 20130011513    
Address: 570/S-150 Sainik Colony, Azad Nagar, Alambagh, Lucknow

I know that he will easily acquire a fresh licence as getting a driving licence in this state is not a big deal, especially if you are friends with politicians and cops!

Yet, I am trying to share this incident hoping there will be at least one honest and law abiding politician or police officer, who will react to it and will make sure that this Alto driver gets some kind of punishment and his licence is not renewed, because obviously he doesn't properly know how to drive!

Amen!!!