Metro.

The great Indian Metro trundles on- now after Delhi, Bombay and Bangalore, we come to Madras. Of course, as a concept, no one can doubt that an integrated MRT system can only be a blessing for Indian cities -and hopefully draw people away from their cars and scooters. Indian cities, most of which were built a century or three ago, were not made for the automobile. The broad roads thrown around them and the flyovers vaulting across their skylines, do not solve any traffic problem. It’s like moving water from one flooded room to another and finding no other place to pour it in. Anyone who has been to Bombay 10 years ago and now will, without doubt, agree that the infrastructure has gotten worse and the roads are unweildy. Which begs the question- where is the electricity going to come from? It is an open secret that India is facing a power generation crisis. Whose electricity has to be taken away for the Metro in each city to be provided the power it needs? Once the generation capacity does improve, will the Metro be using green power or engender the use of more fossil fuels? 

 

The work done on the Delhi Metro and the controversies surrounding the routes have amply demonstrated that planning leaves much to be desired- often, in the dash to complete a politically symbolic project, urban aesthetics and the importance of history, culture and community are overlooked. It is unfortunate, but it does appear that much of this kind of planning is still a throwback to the socialist era when dams were India’s temples. We have come  a long way since but the battle which had to be fought to avoid the Metro going in front of the Qutab speaks volumes for how little has been learnt. In any case, with the extension to Gurgaon, this was probably a futile gesture anyway. The Meharauli Gurgaon road could have evolved into a quality drive. That is history. It can only be hoped that the Metro projects coming up now get the interchange concept right. It is pointless giving a worldclass product to people and then asking them to step out and board crowded buses that are hell bent on mowing down passers by. Worse, it is impossible for a modern MRT system to flourish without the precautions of accounting for the local socio-economic situation. Urban India is not the safest place to be in after 9 pm. The increase in crimes against women needs no telling.

The infrastructure overhaul of urban India will require major re-engineering at many levels. It’s nice to have your very own MRT but the litmus test for that is-would your family ride it?