The W(hole) Truth!

        About a month back I experienced a  "soft tissue injury" ,as diagonized by my orthopedic, in my right foot , which left me immobile and in serious pain. Now had I earned this injury in an attempt to being famous through the various reality dance shows on  TV nowadays, or in an attempt to getting photographed while running the Mumbai marathon , all the pain would have been worth the while. But no such luck for me. This happened when I was doing the basic act of walking which, I think, we humans get the hang of in the first or second year of life. I still remember what a lovely evening it was when I stepped out for dinner with a friend and although I do drive, the numbers on my weighing scale gave me a reality check. So I ditched the car and decided to walk around a little. Walking on the roads in Mumbai however, needs a special kind of skill in multitasking: Watching out for the traffic; the random guy on the bicycle,who by the way, is the most environmentally friendly; various decorations left on the road by dogs, people etc and of course the mother of them all...potholes. I also discovered that an affinity for trekking,with suitable shoes,gear and all, is an added advantage. It was obvious I lacked one or both of the skills and that is how I ended up limping my way into the orthopedic clinic.I took the childhood parental advice of walking with my head held high a little too literally and........no guesses for what happened next.
     A lot has been said and written about the state of roads in Mumbai and till a month back I was under the impression that it was only the drivers on the road who are at the receiving end of the potholes mania that has gripped the city.  Its as if the civic officials actually humour themselves for a living, by making roads perfectly conducive for potholes and ditches. Technological innovation in road making has come  a long way but the potholes have not been left behind....only a change in type. Back in the day it was the tar roads that did the trick of offering a bumpy ride and predictable potholes after just one rain during the monsoons.  Now the smooth cemented roads with centrally located manholes surrounded by cobble stones, offer up a whole new breed of potholes...geometrical: squares, rectangles and polygons! A local newspaper reported  about a car zooming on a stretch of road,which seemed to be a dream to drive on, only to end in a nightmare when it went over one of these geometrical monstrosities and it was like falling off a cliff.The rupture in the fuel tank led to flames and smoke and the driver, who survived miraculously, was taken to the hospital which, as luck might have it, was right off the accident site. Pat on the back to the MC for providing potholes right in front of a hospital! Good thinking,Thank you very much!
     Now I am no civil engineer but I don't understand how the goal of making things better is actually doing the exact opposite.Why are cobble stones laid down on streets  in such a way which makes removing them as easy as plucking out flowers in a garden. Poverty has led to people stealing theses stones to build their humble living spaces... but then that is a whole different problem to tackle like many others and it is evident that everything is a link in a chain of issues. The answer to every question is always the same...."It is the system". The blame game goes on from one end to the other and stuck in the middle of it all, are people injured in car accidents and well meaning citizens trying to enjoy an evening stroll which often ends up like a balancing act on a tight rope. At the end of the day we all know its not the lack of innovation or expertise or workforce or superior quality of material or funding.So what is it? Why is making smooth roads such a bumpy ride? Why do the taxpayers have to deal with the ups and downs during the everyday commute? Why is Mumbai not Shanghai as yet? Why? Why? Why? "The nation wants to know"..Ok I know, I have got to cut down on watching Arnab Goswami's live debates! The guy is an influencer!
       As much I don't want to use the C word however I find the only explanation to all this seems to be just that - Corruption and it brings to my mind the popular tune :"The w(hole) truth is that, bhaiyaa sabse bada rupaiya!" I know, frustrating ...but true.