Grab your seats!

Picture taken at Thane S.T. (State Transport) Bus Stand, Thane, India

Found this picture while clearing the old files in my system. Had clicked this picture way back in the year 2007 while on my way to College. 

There is always a huge queue of people to catch the 'Thane- Bhiwandi' Bus in the morning. These people are however trying to break the queue and getting in from the emergency exit door to grab a seat. Smart!! The monkeyness in humans is still present.

Al though, it may seem funny, but its the depiction of a common man in India. A Common man in India spends his entire life trying to cross the limits just to grab a seat in a bus or struggles to find a fourth seat in the second class compartment of a crowded Mumbai local train (my fellow Mumbaikars will definitely understand what 'fourth seat' means). I seriously think, a common man deserves more than that!

The present infrastructure in India needs to be revived. This may be the deterrent for GDP growth in India. The current infrastructure isn't sufficient or satisfactory for the 1.2 bn + population in India.

Mind your feet!

I had been to South Mumbai last weekend. While waiting for my train, I just thought of clicking this picture. Had been thinking about it since so many years.

Figure: Picture taken at Santacruz Railway station in Mumbai, India

Just take a close look at the platform gap. It is around 12 inches in this case. I have even observed a platform gap of around 15 inches in some suburban railway stations in Mumbai.

For a young and energetic person like me, it quite cool to jump of the train when it stops or board the train very easily but, what about our elders and senior citizens? Can they jump like youngsters? The answer is definitely NO! I honestly think, something should be done. Consider the plight of the senior citizens when they have to board or get off the train during peak hours. It must be so very bad. There have been so many accidents in past years and even few months back when people just slip off while boarding and end up even loosing their feet.

I have stayed in Singapore for more than a year and travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well. I just observed how careful these countries are towards their senior citizens. These countries have the basic infrastructure which I feel, not only senior citizens need but we youngsters need as well. They have Air Conditioned stations and Escalators and even travelators to save the travelling time and make the journey less tiring. It is good because, the amount of energy we spend in climbing the stairs and sweating out in the heat can be put to proper use in school or at work. Also, the platform gap is just negligible in these countries but still they keep on announcing in the MRT's and LRT's over there to mind the platform gap. We need to have such announcements over here as well. Maybe, someone's feet could be saved!

If not the Air conditioned stations or the Escalators, I think there should be some initiative to at least amend the platform gaps at different stations in Mumbai and also the responsibility lies with people to protect the public infrastructure from getting damaged. We need to think about our parents, elders and senior citizens right now! There is no point in duplicating the world class cities in other countries to build our infrastructure if the basic necessities of our elders aren't safeguarded!

I am sure, if these small issues are rectified which I don't think is impossible, together we can move towards a sustainable city and a nation!

Lets all look up towards the shining India.

Officially M.B.A.!

Happy for being officially conferred the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree from the Chancellor of James Cook University- Australia, Lieutenant General John Grey AC (ret'd)

Now, looking ahead to begin the next exciting phase of my life!

Cheers!