Mobilenews24x7 Bureau
From what happens on the ground it appears that the official advisories are nothing more than the lines drawn by water.
Just a few days back, there was a notification from the departments concerned, helmed by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the irregularities committed by the road side vendors and others.
The issue in focus, of course, was the encroachments by such people causing serious inconvenience to commuters. The BMC had perhaps meant that, no such violations would be tolerated.
They were indeed like lines drawn by water. About ten days after the advisory, the scene is same.
Majority areas on the footpaths remain effortlessly encroached by vendors, make-shift eateries and the amount of filth created by all of them are so menacingly visible except to the authorities either at the BMC or the Public health wings.
Then, long stretches on the footpath remain encroached by vehicle parking. Two and four wheelers; can it be condoned that, footpaths are used as car parking and that too with ruthless ease forcing the pedestrians to take to the main roads full with the potential threats of getting hit by running vehicles.
On the roadside drains there are so many yawning gaps due to broken lids are always a cause for fatal falls which can be life risk. Some such ditches remain unattended even after months, never repaired.
Not a single soul from the above official wings can be seen overseeing such areas. Let alone the BMC top echelons. It is mostly the ‘ chalta hai..attitude that reigns over their psyche perhaps.
A Word for the cops
The most irritating violation by bikers and motorists is the use of mobile phones while driving. The violations have become endemic.
Among every five bikers, three can be seen talking on their cell phones, jabbed between the cheek and the shoulder, with their necks leaning to one side. A very common sight even at traffic junctions which could be easily detected by the CCTV or even by the naked eyes.
After seeing these every day, it is hard to be humble in our language in a city which claims itself to be a smart one. But, the violators are smarter and the authorities appear clever by absolving themselves with an advisory only.
One wished the top ones chose to come out of their conditioned enclosures and feel what people on the ground feel.
