Calcutta is going through the desperation-era mentality. Any
hope of a unified and progressive state is doubling down to a
characteristically thumb-impressed anagram of crisis, confusion and collapse.
Calcutta today, is the punching bag and warhead that may soon nuke itself. Pray
it never happens.
Let me explain in a few dark (unfortunate) images: 1) Shops
are being rented at the cost of capturing the pavements and streets. “Dukaan
Bhara, raasta Hamara” (shop rented, the street is mine). More and more shops
are illegally taking over the sidewalks for displaying their wares.
2) Having a bike has become a fad like having a mobile.
There is no voice strong enough to control bikers speeding on their way to
hell. Three or four individuals on a single bike race down streets, lanes and
flyovers; many with a death- wish, getting killed. What a waste.
3) Music played by auto-rickshaws and private car owners has
risen above the happiness of listening to good music. What is heard is the
unbearable sound, breaking all decibel laws, simply thumping and thumping and
thumping noise which will surely upset, if not kill heart-patients, blood-
pressure and the old. Buildings having stood the time and passage of the years
are today crumbling because of the massive vibrations.
4) When you want to buy a flat, go ahead: see it and buy it.
Do not pay money and wait for it to be built with one-brick walls, cheap cement
and on weak foundations – single strong tremor and …..
5) Wow! Now hawkers have been given license to sell their
wares anywhere and wherever.
