I have been to Mumbai quite often in past 2 years and there is a word that I constantly hear from the day I landed till today. This word is on the lips of every Mumbaikar and has become a synonymous of Mumbai – “GARDI” (Congested). I believe that there is always a Saturation level to whatever we face or do in life Mumbai in the same manner has not only reached its saturation but is overflowing that even 100 km of Mumbai has become congested and people pour-in each morning from these areas to work in Mumbai and depart in the evening. Virar, Vaisai, Karjat, Panvel, Kasara, Dahanu Road etc have become the home of many incomers who find cheap and affordable accommodations at these far locations.
The other day I was chatting with a person in local train, he told me that there was a time in his life when he could only see his children on Sundays because he used to leave his place 4 in the morning for job and could only reach back by 11 at night. Now when he has retired he has got ample of time to see his kids but now they have started the same routine. He feels somewhere in his heart that this city might have given him some money but has taken everything from him.
I was drinking at a restraunt in Boriwilli near Bhagwati Hospital, the opposite side of the Road was completely jam packed when I saw an ambulance trying to rush into the hospital but was just stuck at a red light almost 500m away and could not manage to cover that even after 25 minutes. I hope that the person inside was alive as this traffic has almost planned to kill him. I fail to understand where the Human Rights in these situations are? There are Human Rights of Terrorist, Criminals, Naxal but the people for whom these all Law, Constitution and Police have been made cannot enjoy them in a city like Mumbai.
In my earlier blog I have mentioned about a stranger to whom I became friend (Title: Strange friendship with a stranger), we both used to chat about politics and generally in Mumbai that word starts with Thakereys. I sometimes feel what wrong they said if they want to block people getting in Mumbai who are of “no use” but are unnecessarily crowding the place and eating up the resources. Being a North Indian I do not refute them completely for what they say but no doubt what they do can never solve this problem which is quite genuine and needs a proper attention. It is not a political battlefield but a genuine concern that needs an intelligent solution urgently. Some of the people call Mumbai as more organized than any other City in India but they completely ignore the fact that the queue for Auto, Train, Bus and Bills are their Necessity and not the Manners. I have myself seen that even if a single man fails to do so, it almost creates a stampede like situation where people completely ignore that their mistake can claim some lives. In a local we travel, it is generally seen people having a blow at each other on pity issues while others enjoying it like a matinee show but no one realizes the reason of such frustrations. Few might like to escape calling it “The Thrill and Adventure of the life” as been said by my stranger friend while compromising with the situation they are in.
In a journal I was reading that even the Sewage Pipes are also flowing with over capacity and they have no alternative arrangements due to lack of place. Currently they are facing acute water and electricity shortage. If I remember correctly, there was a time when the same place was almost washed away by floods and now Mumbai will finish-off their most reservoirs by this June end, if the rain fails to knock the doors and not to forget that Mumbai loses 700 million gallon of water every day in leaks and thefts. People are ready to beat each other for water as being reported many a times.
I feel that Mumbai is actually sitting on a bomb-“A Human Bomb” where a single catastrophe will take millions of more life in comparison to any other place in India which is crowded but not excessively crowded. If the Population of Mumbai is let to expand at this rate I think Mumbai can soon be declared a separate country of its own kind. I don’t know how this Big Mumbai problem can be solved as a single comment made by some Articulate Politicians leads to a controversy of Anti- Dalit, Anti – North Indian, Anti- Caste and anti – Minority where the main problem is superseded by accusations and abuses. There should be a proper vigil and a set procedure to “CHECK”, “REGULATE” AND “MANIPULATE” the people who are constantly pumping in Mumbai or else the life of Human in Mumbai will be of no value.
----
Mukul Gupta
Posts
