Developed India- Stuck in a Traffic Jam!?
'Appa, will India become a developed nation by 2020 as per the vision of our beloved Dr. APJ, Abdul Kalam?’ was the untimely question from my son, Aditya. The timing was wrong on two counts, firstly due to the logjam witnessed by the country and secondly we were stuck in an unusual traffic jam on a four lane highway towards city. While the answer was known I could not spell it out straight away.
'India with its past glory and diversified natural resources including the strong base of employable manpower has all the attributes of a strong nation. Still why is this great nation unable to claim its rightful place in the modern world?', I was suffocating with the flood of thoughts and the fumes generated by the running engines of the vehicles around. I managed to open the door and came out of my car to breathe properly.
I climbed over the pavement to find that the signal and a median were hardly 100m away. Almost all the vehicles were honking in high pitch, but for what none knows. Every vehicle was trying to overtake the other including those on other lanes. I could see 7-8 cars in parallel on a road meant for four vehicles. Suddenly, a two wheeler sprang from nowhere on the pavement to race past me. I narrowly escaped from the high powered bullet rode by an youngster below 18 years that too without a helmet.
On the other side of the road, the scene was totally different. The incoming traffic flow towards the village was streamlined and surprisingly I saw that all the two wheeler riders were wearing helmets too. I started moving ahead to find where is the bottleneck and to help the traffic police if need be. On reaching the median, I found that there were a few men trying to regulate the traffic. But, there action was compounding the problem rather than solving it. I just stood there for a couple of minutes to understand the real problem.
Two cars from wrong lanes were trying to make a U-turn and join the incoming traffic but were stopped by the traffic regulators who were trying to allow a Tempo Traveller to make a right turn (which was not permitted as per the sign board) to return to city. Even they could not succeed because another car was blocking the way as its driver was struggling to cool down its boiling radiator. Over and above, the two wheeler guys had plugged all the gaps between bigger vehicles, thus leaving no scope for moving ahead.
What I could assimilate was that traffic on the other side of road was normal and the road ahead was empty while there was a traffic jam only at this junction. Suddenly, I heard a siren sound of an ambulance on my side of the road. While some people exchanged customary messages, 'poor soul, he can't reach hospital! please tell the guy ahead of you to move so that we can make way for the ambulance'. Within a minute the message reached the first vehicle but nothing moved.
I wondered what is wrong with our people, why are they impatient and mindless? Why can't we follow lane discipline and other traffic rules? Why do the regulators violate the rules to favour a few and hamper the progress of others? Why can't the guys on wrong lane move ahead and take the U-turn later? What is the two wheeler doing on the wrong lane?
Before, I could think of any solution, the wailing sound of Ambulance reminded me of task at hand. I reached the junction and offered my help to the team leader. His first reaction was, 'Please mind your own business, don't try to teach me about my job'. I had to almost bulldoze my way to take charge of situation. Luckily two more commuters came to my help in regulating the traffic.
We moved the Tempo Traveller back on its own road and advised the driver to take the next right turn to join the traffic. Then we told the guys on wrong lane to move straight ahead and take the next turn to join the opposite traffic. The agreed and moved ahead. We also ensured that the vehicles moved in their respective lanes and subsequently the bikers moved to their own lane. Now we found that the officials have already resumed their job and assisted the ambulance to move ahead of all other vehicles. I thanked them and moved towards my son who waiting for an answer to his question.
I said, 'Son, we are a developed nation and the timeline is meant only for realising it and to educate others. If you want to move ahead you must stick to your own path. Those who want to join the other side of the road should stick to the right lane. All the highways have traffic on both sides which are almost equal but density and flow vary as per the timings. While those in the village move towards city for better job and amenities, those in the cities return to villages for peaceful and healthy environment. At times you find that someone tries to make U-turn, may be on realising the futility of running away from the reality or to finish certain unfinished job. There are some people who take such moves as standard and get into a panic and try to follow them as well.
The regulators must possess vision and understand the repercussions of their wrong doings. They also must refrain from violating or pending rules to do favours to the undeserving at the cost of the legitimate ones. Those with lesser skills and protection must stick to their own path to avoid being hurt besides blocking the progress of the biggies.
While the people are willing to follow rules they want some-one else to take the lead. If we want to clean up the mess we must get out of our comfort zone and reach out to the needy. Once, the job is done you can come back to your own place and need not become the regulator.'
Aditya with his eyes wide opened exclaimed 'Appa, I never thought that the key to the development of our nation lies in the basic understanding of traffic rules. I wish each one of us learn to follow simple rules in life and lead the nation in our own ways. At least, I will strictly follow the regulations both in personal and social life’. The father in me felt great to have sown the seed into the fertile mind of my prodigy. I also learnt that the leadership is not always about leading; it is about showing the way and following rules also.
The path ahead was clear now and I started moving in the right direction and right lane. I could find that the traffic behind me was moving fast but following the lane discipline. I rarely found someone trying to make U-turn but at the right place and the traffic flow was equal in both the directions of the highway.
Jai Hind!!
- MJK
