What achivement???
Worli-Bandra sea-link. Worli-Bandra sea-link. This was the only thing I was hearing around two weeks back from people around me, in newspapers, news channels (oh they always badly need a big issue), radio and where not. People made it a reason for celebration as if India achieved another independence. However, there was only one question in my mind – Is this really a reason to rejoice?
Without caring a bit about the traffic and pollution people kept buying cars and other vehicles. People kept pouring in Mumbai without bothering about the capacity of the city. Because of this, it became impossible to travel by road and still reach on time. And now we spend Rs 1 thousand 400 crore (approximately) on this sea-link.
Isn’t it a pity that we had to spend such an abnormal amount when a large number of people are still lying under the poverty line? It’s our majboori that we had to take this step. What’s worse is that we are calling it as an achievement!
Well, this can only be an achievement for the so-called elite classes for whom, spending Rs 50 twice a day, for their cars to pass through this link, is just peanuts. However, considering the fact the BEST busses are not allowed on this link, what about the common man who doesn’t own a vehicle? He will have to toil the same way while commuting. So, can this be called as an achievement for the common Mumbaikar?