Life Around a Metro!!

The Metro Rail successfully completed its test run in Bangalore, from Bayappanahalli to CMH Road. The only route that'll open in the year 2011.

For me it's sort of mixed emotions... As I mentioned in one of my posts, the Metro project has eaten away almost all the greenery, leaving the people longing for a fresh breath of air.

On the other hand, exists a hope that this will reduce the traffic woes. During the peak hours in the city, the roads are blocked, with vehicles standing neck to neck, horns blaring, people abusing others coming in their way. A normal 40-45 mins journey taking 2 hours and more. Considering this, I hope the Metro Rail brings whatever relief possible to the choking city.

I guess its a similar feeling for many Bangaloreans. I read that the same shopkeepers who opposed the project from being implemented on the CMH Road, as it would spoil their business, stood there cheering and clapping during the trial run. :D

One of the things I was excited about when coming to Chennai, was the chance to travel in local trains. It's a largely used, cheap and fast mode of transport here. Convenient for people travelling long distances. Reduces the road traffic to a large extent. Imagine the amount by which the traffic on the roads will increase, even if half the number of people travelling by trains, take out their cars!! :O

I hope that the Metro Rail will bring an equally good and refreshing relief to the people of Bangalore in the coming years.. :)

Green or Gray??

All I had heard before coming here is that rains in Chennai are scarce. Lasts for a week or so and occurs in October... But it has been raining here intermittently since November . Infact the cyclonic effect resulted in rains for three continuous days with places getting filled with knee deep water and we getting an off from work :D

A pleasant surprise was the chilly weather we experienced for a few days... I know the deadly summer's gonna be back soon, but why not enjoy the days as long as they last.

When I talk of rains I miss Bangalore so much. One amongst the many things I love about b'lore is that it rains unexpectedly. Just when the heat is getting intolerable, the rain gods shower their mercy on the city for a day or so. The trees and plants start looking beautifully green with all the dust getting washed off them. :)

Its such a pity that the city is now getting robbed of its beauty in the name of improving the city's infrastructure, the new roads and the Metro rail. Lovely roads which were lined with trees nearly a century old, now stand bare and dusty. All you can find now is the cement, dust and heat :(

Not long back, I had read an article in the newspaper in which Arundhati Nag had told that the late Shankar Nag had prepared a full fletched plan along with the sketch of how the underground Metro project could be executed in Bangalore, without affecting the greenery of the city. That project never got the required support from the government and never saw the light of the day. What if it had?? Probably things would have been different...

I have an interest in plants and gardening myself, which has taken a backseat. I remember the days when we lived in the quarters of the IIMB campus. Our garden had a variety of fruit bearing trees including mango, jackfruit, lemon, pomegranate, coconut, chickoo, guava etc. Also roses of all colours and a variety of hibiscus flowers could be found. All of it now seems like a scence out of a novel :). My dad used to take regular and really good care of it. On moving to a different house all we were left with were a few potted plants... :(

Some day.. I wish to have and maintain a small garden of my own. Maybe in an attempt to try and preserve the beauty of the city in my own little way... :)

Winter to Spring

One of the things I've always wished for is to stay away from home atleast for sometime, either for studies or for work. I feel its a learning experience all by itself. Had never got a chance until now. Also when its happening now, I am going through a sort of mixed emotion. I guess its natural too..

I shall be moving to Chennai (hopefully only for a few months)  in less than 10 days, for a new job. It was totally unexpected and one of the rarest occurrences where I've been lucky. :) I was born and brought up in Bangalore and I simply LOVE the city. I agree it has its flaws, but nothing till now has been able to change my love for the city. My friends tell me its probably because I haven't seen many places. But I don't agree. I think its because I am too attached to this place. Having been here for 20+ years, nothing but Bangalore can be home to me. The thought of having to live away from here and live in a city to which I am a stranger is a scary and saddening.. :(

The sadness of having to stay away from parents at the time that they actually need their children around cannot be expressed in words. The only thing that I tell them and myself in consolation is that they'll be grandparents few months down the line and that they'll have so much fun with their granddaughter/grandson that they'll not even remember me.. :P Seeing my mom's sad and dad's tired face brings tears to me. But I can only hope that staying away for sometime may make, me love them and they love me more... :D

Accompanied with it is a feeling of loss, to be leaving the current workplace, which is probably the best and safest to be in, both in terms of learning and the people. The kind of friendly and lovable people I've met here are probably hard to find in the corporate world. I hadn't felt much when having to leave college, quite unlike others. The sadness I am feeling, for having to leave this workplace is almost the same as what I had felt when leaving school... :(

There's some excitement and happiness too.. :) Happiness, that an unexpected wish came true.. Excitement of having to go and live, work and cope with everything myself. A sense of independence and responsibility which feels great. :)

Also is the fear of whether I'll be accepted in the new place, whether I'll be good at the new work, whether I'll find true friends as good as the old ones... All these feeling leave me drained. I hope things go through smoothly and I do my best. I know its just a few hours journey to home. It'll be a thing to look forward to. :)

You must be wondering what's the relation between the title of the post and the post itself. Its just that I'm feeling like it is the transition from winter to spring, where the tree sheds all its leaves and slowly in some days the new ones start to spring out. I probably need to shed or leave behind the old things and start afresh and blossom in a new place... :)