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Vol. XXV No. 8, August 1-15, 2015

Showcasing trains and stations not enough

By Vincent D'Souza

So, why are we going ga-ga over the Metro?

As if we poor little creatures have now been gifted a plush service. As if the best transport line is now ours. As if we can now boast to the world of a new big possession.

Poor little creatures, take this – we are told.

I was not enthused to be among the hundreds who went on the Metro’s first-day, first ride. The hundreds who shot selfies and pictures and let the world know what we now have.

My friend D.H. Rao did not let age stop him from creating a special postal cover on the Metro, taking the Koyambedu-to-Alandur trip and getting the cover stamped at the Alandur Post Office to make yet another memento. Rao is a collector, one who grabs any opportunity.

I would not have joined Rao had he invited me.

What is the big deal about the Metro?

The other day, on my way to Adambakkam, we swung past the Alandur Metro station. Brightly lit, with smart signage, swank floors and bright billboards, the station stood like a flashy thumb.

For, around it were mounds of construction waste and mud, wild vegetation and dark alleys.

Was this the new showpiece of our city?

Take a good look at the Metro.

The stations are yet to be serviced by connected transport – bus, share-auto, whatever. So the ‘last mile’ coverage is not in place.

The station neighbourhood is dirty and dark. So many people will be wary of using it after dusk.

So why do we launch public services which are smart at the core but unfinished all around?

Look at the white elephant MRTS. A failed public transport system. A system which we need and which needs to be further expanded.

Its stations are spooky, gargantuan, hollow monsters. Its entrance and exit points are encroached on. Its neighbourhoods are stinking and dark. And they are not served by MTC.

So what is the guarantee that the Metro will get to quickly improving its neighbourhood services to make commuting easy and cool for all of us?

In some ways, people must goad, coax, push and pull such providers.

Yes, enjoy the picnic ride, take selfies and gush over the new facility.

But you must also tell the Metro bosses that showcasing just the train and stations is not enough. That alone cannot serve us well.

We can and must create an impact on these companies with positive ideas and criticism. With off and online campaigns.

Imagine the appreciable impact we can generate if we show the same interest in asking for the facilities to be improved as we have in going ga-ga over the Metro. (Courtesy: Mylapore Times)

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