An Evening in Mumbai

On a lovely weekday evening, you have been driving for more than two hours in Mumbai city.  You have almost reached your destination, after a long tiring day at work. You are 800 meters away from your home.

For some unknown reason, you start to think that the traffic is just not moving. You check google maps on your phone ….darrrrk red line for another 200 meters. You put the phone down, gently. This was the 8^th time you have checked google maps in the last 10 minutes.

To kill time you change the radio channel. You hear the radio jockey reporting in a single breath about the jams in Mumbai city. That’s when you get a call. “Hello, I’ll be there in 10 mins” that’s all you say without emotions. And suddenly, you hear a loud knock on the window, which intensifies every microsecond emphasising the emergency situation. There he is, selling peanuts…. Singhdana. Politely you shoo him, he immediately disappears.

As he disappears you notice the rickshaw meter reading Rs. 110 for 1.2 kilometers. Because you are a vigilant citizen (also you do not have much to do), the hidden detective in you awakes. You check another nearby rickshaw meter. It’s almost the same. The detective in you concludes, the reason behind this crime is Traffic. Case solved, this makes you feel better.

In the meantime, you move two meters ahead, yes! Mumbai traffic is moving you are getting closer to your destination. That’s when the writer in you takes the lead. Your thoughts wander, you describe yourself as ‘locked in the cage of comfort’. Privacy, A/c, music, all in a box on wheels. A loud honk distracts you and the writer vanishes.

You notice an A/c bus. You find the Passengers relaxed, some fast asleep, few watching movies, rest on social media. Social media! The power of a common man comes into action. You grab your phone, open your twitter account & join the #MumbaiTraffic bandwagon. You tweet, screaming for help, with as many hashtags as possible. As you read other tweets posted on Mumbai traffic, the traffic ahead of you clears miraculously. You think, your tweet has made the difference. Bravo!

You get a call, “reaching in 2 mins” this time you respond enthusiastically. You take the next left turn, and … check google maps for the 8^th time in the last 5 mins, 50 meters away from the destination. The radio jockey is updating the traffic situation, another knock on the window, some observations and the story continues……Until you reach the destination.

Mumbai traffic plays a major role in a Mumbaikar’s life. It is advisable to utilise the traffic time, make an investment. Invest in reading. This blog has short articles which can be read during short jams,

Topics

• Touch
• Distorted Shadow
• On a day like today
• Ignorance is bliss …
• When I lost you
• Change is difficult, gradual

And many more….

I regularly tweet on Mumbaitraffic. This article is an experience. About you, me and many more…..