The Delhi Metro

In my last post, I alluded to Delhi Metro as a possible success story that has combined convenience and affordability. I wanted to build on this today, but the unfortunate incident of the pillar collapse will influence my objectivity. In any case, here's my take on the Metro.

I have used the metro and it is both affordable and convenient. In my limited view, Delhi is fast realigning along the metro the way Bombay has along its local lines. One must not forget, however, that Delhi had and continues to have a much better network of city roads that are broader and well-maintained. Partly, this is the function of how the city is laid out; Delhi is naturally conducive to ring roads and arterial roads where as the most one can get in Mumbai is a North-South expressway. Consequently, the approach roads to Metro stations are in much better condition. Of course, it is early days and one has to review the situation after the Metro is in operation for 5 years at least. Further, one must not ignore the weather factor. Mumbai monsoons are a key part of the equation. And unless the sewage system is first fixed, it is impossible to fix Mumbai's transport woes.

I have used the metro and it is both affordable and convenient. In my limited view, Delhi is fast realigning along the metro the way Bombay has along its local lines. One must not forget, however, that Delhi had and continues to have a much better network of city roads that are broader and well-maintained. Partly, this is the function of how the city is laid out; Delhi is naturally conducive to ring roads and arterial roads where as the most one can get in Mumbai is a North-South expressway. Consequently, the approach roads to Metro stations are in much better condition. Of course, it is early days and one has to review the situation after the Metro is in operation for 5 years at least. Further, one must not ignore the weather factor. Mumbai monsoons are a key part of the equation. And unless the sewage system is first fixed, it is impossible to fix Mumbai's transport woes.

Further, the traffic pattern in Delhi is much more distributed than in Mumbai. Therefore, the routes dont get anywhere as crowded. I think, in a way, this has created the ideal traffic level - high enough to be profitable but not too high to choke the system into stagnation. A measly 4-car metro rake in Mumbai would be a disaster. I can bet the train would never leave the station and some adventurists might actually climb atop and between the rakes. Delhi Metro-type solution might work in Mumbai, but only if its on steroids.

I would actually think the Mumbai traffic pattern is easy if you are a planner. Just build two high-capacity north-south metro links and you are done. Only if we had the political will...

Solving the Traffic Puzzle

The other day, I condemned the hyping up of the Bandra Worli sealink as if it were a national achievement. Specifically, I was outraged at the delays and cost overruns. In principle, however, I am quite agreeable to the idea of building a freeway. However, there are some so called experts that are claiming that roads are no longer a solution to traffic snarls as other metros of the world have proven. Rather, mass transit is the way to go. This is the typical hammer syndrome that haunts experts world over; for a child with a hammer in hand, everything looks like a nail.

There are two aspects of conveyance: affordability and convenience. Convenience includes things such as frequency, safety, ease of access, ease of travel, punctuality, speed etc. As commuters, we strive to strike a balance between the two. For example, a modern day knowledge worker finds public transport ridiculously affordable but extremely inconvenient. Naturally, he will go for a motorbike that improves the convenience factor yet remains affordable. Someone with a better pay will get a car so the convenience factor is improved further. Freeways and expressways will definitely improve the convenience, while the toll charges will make a slight dent on affordability. It is only right that those who seek convenience and are able to afford it make use of such amenities. And with the toll system, we have a way to directly make users pay. So there is no need to bring up issues such as taxpayers money being used for the privileged few.

For the mass transit model to work in India – and by that I mean, for all the car users to switch over – it has to be convenient and affordable to this segment of commuters. Affordability is granted; it cannot be more expensive than owning a car. But what about convenience? Can we really run air-conditioned buses and trains that cover the length and breadth of our cities? Can we have good approach roads to railway stations and parking space to leave cars there?

Such infrastructure doesn’t come cheap. Consequently, such a transport system will put it out of the common man’s reach. Are we then saying we will have two transit systems targeting different types of commuters? Will that be sustainable? It is tempting to look at the Delhi Metro for answers, but I don’t think the comparison is apt. More on this in my next post…

Outsourced!

Watched this movie on TV last night, finally. I have had it on my laptop for quite a while and never got around to watching the entire movie. Some friends had highly recommended the movie and since I didnt have much to do last night, I set myself up to watch it start to finish.

Must say I am not disappointed. Infact, it was a quite a treat. Anyone that has worked in the IT/ITES industry and also traveled to the US will see the humor. In fact, desis that have lived in the US for a few years and returned to India will relate to the movie most. Some of the aspects a little over the top. Such as the choice of location for the call center as well as its construction. Plenty of cliches and predictable scenes, but even they are not as rich. I mean, I could think of a 100 different things that can lead to funny situations. Anyway, the screenplay crisp enough to keep things moving.

Dont think its worth renting a DVD. If its on TV and you have nothing else to do, definitely watch it.

Watched this movie on TV last night, finally. I have had it on my laptop for quite a while and never got around to watching the entire movie. Some friends had highly recommended the movie and since I didnt have much to do last night, I set myself up to watch it start to finish.

Must say I am not disappointed. Infact, it was a quite a treat. Anyone that has worked in the IT/ITES industry and also traveled to the US will see the humor. In fact, desis that have lived in the US for a few years and returned to India will relate to the movie most. Some of the aspects a little over the top. Such as the choice of location for the call center as well as its construction. Plenty of cliches and predictable scenes, but even they are not as rich. I mean, I could think of a 100 different things that can lead to funny situations. Anyway, the screenplay crisp enough to keep things moving.

Dont think its worth renting a DVD. If its on TV and you have nothing else to do, definitely watch it.

Its a stinking bridge!

The hype and buzz created for the opening of the Bandra Worli sealink was positively nauseating. It was everywhere. On the news channels, in the papers, on the radio stations! I fail to understand why it was blown so much out of proportion. It is simply a 4km bridge that happens to be on the open sea. Rather than being shameful of the delays and cost overruns associated with the project, we have conveniently ignored the fact that the world has moved on to "chunnels" and are celebrating the achievement. And to what end? Well if the intent was to get Mumbaikars to use the sealink, it succeeded. Succeeded too well, infact, thanks largely to the government's magnanimity of declaring it free for the first 5 days. It was a mega disaster as far as reducing commute time went.

And the traffic arrangements at the Worli exit are ludicrous. Traffic coming at 50kmph is supposed to make a 90 degree turn!! How did that get through the planners? I am sure if someone digs deep enough, we will learn that the contractors responsible for the sea link and the approach roads were different and didnt care to communicate.

Let my cynicism not get in the way of acknowledging that the sea link will possibly help reduce Mumbai's traffic snarls, albeit marginally. Personally, the Mahim route is what I will continue to take on a daily basis although I might decide to try out the link one of these days. And if the sealink does what it was meant to - reduce congestion on the Mahim causeway -  you wont hear any more complaints from me!!

Roddick wins Wimbledon

If you watched the men’s Wimbledon final last night, you really don’t have to read this. This is more to vent out my feelings. Sport is cruel and every game has a winner, but what is the point of winning games such as these? I have nothing against Federer. He definitely has earned his place in history books, but yesterday, he was not the best player on court. Well, you can say he played good enough to hang in there and held his nerve when it mattered – in the second set tie-break and the final game – but is that all there is? Andy Roddick was nowhere in the reckoning to make it to the final. Not after he had to face Hewitt in the quarters and Murray in the semis. Yet, he believed and showed us why we should too.

Watching Roddick play against Murray, I thought Federer was going to have a difficult time in the final. But I remembered the Australian Open final where Roddick was utterly destroyed in a 3-setter. So although I had decided to stay home and watch the match, I thought that the first set would hold the key; if Federer wins it comfortably, I am better off watching a movie. That Roddick would take his game to such heights was beyond my wildest imagination.

I was worried for Roddick when the game ended. How can you deal with a result like that? And then, within minutes you are expected to comment on the match, congratulate the opponent, and courteously accept the second prize. Man! He didn’t have to go through that! Not after the way he played last night.

If anything, my respect for Federer fell a bit yesterday. He didn’t even acknowledge that Roddick was the better player on court. Maybe we give Federer too much credit for his personality. Maybe he wanted the record badly. I was hoping that Federer, at some point, would say that Roddick was the real winner last night. But that’s me getting too filmy, I guess.