Tuesday, January 29, 2008

My eye on Chennai...

A few immediate thoughts that pealed my mind, as I strolled around the city:

1. I love all the one-ways that has been newly introduced.

2. The first sight of G.N.Chetty road devoid of trees, wriggled my heart. G.N.Chetty road looks many times pathetic than I saw in Newspapers (One of my friends KK told me that over 130 trees were cut - shit!). I only hope that this appearance would turn into neat flyovers soon, paying a decent homage to all the trees. (As of now, I'm trying to avoid G.N.Chetty, one of my fav roads in Chennai and using alternate routes)

3. The AC MTC Volvo bus looks cool - the driver sporting whites and cap, comfy seats, low-floor entry, L.E.D display and pick-up equivalent to a car. More of such luxury buses are being introduced in the city. But I was told that a lot of local bus services (with cheaper fares) are being stopped, inducing inconvenience to many people who can't afford. That is totally unfair.

4. And finally, I want to nuke all the auto-rickshaws. They really drive in "cycle-gap".

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

When r u back to US?

I had a nasty experience on the AC MTC bus. I took it from velachery to Ambattur and somebody vomitted inside the bus..Whole bus was smelling so bad..

Enna dhan govt bus koduthalum namma makkal ozhunga use panna maatanga..

-Vasu

Arun Sundar said...

Vasu,

I'll be bk on Feb 12th.

Sorry for u'r horrible experience in the MTC bus. I saw the MTC AC bus, but dint get a chance to travel. Maybe I'll try once, but I gotta make sure that nobody pukes..lol!

Gayatri said...

I don't even notice the Madras traffic anymore.. Hyd cab drivers kinda make you immune to the 'cycle-gap la auto otradhu'

Guru said...

About the 'cycle gap the auto otradhu' point, the riding/driving habits of chennaites is really sick right now. At times i can sense a deterioration in the road environment each day ( yeah, sometimes it feels as if all the people on the road have become a little more vicious). No one gives a shit about traffic signals, and people now have short drag race between two consecutive traffic intersections. I could go on on and about this ( you've given me a idea for a new post, i couldn't think of anything to rant about, this is one superawesome topic for rants ).

@Vasu: That vomiting incident was just one-off, don't let that one experience influence your opinion, the MTC bus services have improved ( i guess i'm allowed to say this cos' i use the MTC bus to commute a distance of 40 kms each day ). And the AC buses are too good.

@Arun: You should take a ride on one of those AC buses this time. I'm sure it'll be worth all the hype ( at least w.r.t our standards )..

Cheers..

Anonymous said...

Cycle gap pa...during my last visit, my dad came home all of a sudden with four tickets for sivaji film at abhirami theatres....and i already had invited one of my friend home so it was only some 15 minutes left for the film to start that we really decided what to do with the tickets....

so we took an auto...told that guy we have a film waiting to be started or possibily running for us in abhirami theatre.....

so from mogappair east to the theatre with the peak hours of traffic.....that guy took us there when rajini was still praising our idlis and sambar.... that's the day i learned how one can keep on going even when all the signals are red.....somehow the tactics that he used to keep on going impressed me since he did not do signal skipping...
Also i thought that instead of going to the theatre, we will end in some hospital ward as i was expecting the auto to turn over at almost every turns!!!!

On the whole it was one of a kind of experience which i wish will also be the only one....

Otherwise I,Ela, with my whole heart second the efforts of Arun to nuke all the autos in Chennai since they were really mean and rude! (except one old guy who was very nice and asked for extra money in a very friendly way which impressed my sister and me, so we gave him! )

Anonymous said...

I don't think these fly overs will be finished soon, it will take more than 5 years to complete... It has only increased the traffic jam more in chennai.. im getting held up in kathipara junction for at least 30 mins daily , its very horrible...

Arun Sundar said...

Gayatri,

I saw quite a lot of cabbies in chennai. They are no different than auto-rickshaws. And are u "Confused" by any chance??

Guru,

I'll try to travel once in that "Kulir Paerundhu!" :) Paaka romba sokka keedhu baa!

Ela,

There are some good auto-drivers too. But the way most of them drive gets on to my nerves. And some two-wheelers should be 'nuked' too. Romba torture panraanga!

Vidhya,

I disagree with u partially. Kathipara flyover is one of the fastest ones being worked on in Chennai(Compared to many flyovers put on hold half way thru). I wish your 30-min halt daily these days would turn into saving you atleast 15 mins in your daily commute in the future(after the construction).

Anonymous said...

ha...ha...ha....we got to appreciate the auto driver's talent for driving that way...even though they take this credit at the risk of other's life......ayiram periyar vanthallum ethai ellam thirutha mudiyathu.......but I was shocked to see that u liked all new one way system...man do try driving in bike at the peek hours.....it kills u.........all t trees have gone at GN Chetty road as did its beauty......n I am pretty sure these flyovers will take years together to complete and I really doubt about its usage.....

A/C buses are quite kool ones….with GPS at last in Chennai….as u said it has drastically brought down the normal services……now days only A/c, deluxe, Super deluxe & express are available……..the yellow boards & white boards are pretty limited……all bcos of IT people like us (this was comments very often u can here from general public)

Keep blogging…..

Cya,
Sab

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm...ithu romba over....etho thollai pandra auto drivers' nuke panna permission kuduthaa list a neelamakkittae poringa?

were u always such a violent person or this holiday is just influencing u????

Arun Sundar said...

Sabari,

Ellaathukkum indha IT pasanga dhaan kaaranam ;)


Ela,

Indha Kabali eppavumey villain dhaan!

Indian Voter said...

Good observations Arun.

Anonymous said...

Pessama oru puthu sattam kondu vanthidalam.....Arun Sundar chennai-la irukkum varai yaarum road-la vandi ot kudathu-nu.....atleast MTC,Share Van ethullem okayva??????ellati chennai makkal pavam :(

Anonymous said...

dha kabali...chumma kunthikinu keda! intha overa soundu kuduthuginu kira vela ellam inga vena bha...

A wo(a)ndering mind said...

Oh no oh no!!! GN chetty road without trees.. Oh no.. That totally sucks.. :(

Arun Sundar said...

Indian voter,
Thanks.

Sabari,
I need a separate blog to thittify MTC bus and share autos. Rascals those drivers are.

Ela,
Innaa gabaal'nu ippadi local'a yerangitteenga?! Kabali gaandi 'tensan' aaanaan'na adhiri budhiri aayidum theriyum'la?

Manasi,
Yup. That sucks big time :(