A letter to the CM
Dear Chief Minister:
I MUST COMPLIMENT you, albeit belatedly, at your coming to power with a massive mandate. For you, this is both an opportunity and a danger. It’s an opportunity, because you can now do a groundswell of good. It’s a danger, because it can make a government complacent.
In my view there are TWO things that you need to address.
The city’s public transport system is in an extraordinary mess. You took the second step by hiking bus fares. I am referring to the first step, namely people’s travel experience. Like the pilot, the airhostesses and the stewards in an airline, the driver and the conductor are the face of a MTC bus. Unfortunately, in Chennai and in Tamil Nadu, these men are a law unto themselves.
They lack manners. You need to step into a bus incognito to know how rude they are. True, they work under stress; but in today’s world who doesn’t? What matches their arrogance inside the bus is the arrogance that the driver displays on the road. He honks noisily at traffic signals; parks intimidatingly close to your vehicle; overtakes on the wrong side; is never known to follow traffic lanes and jumps signals with alacrity. Should he scratch a vehicle when he zigzags, no one can file a case against him.
Of course, their language is uncouth. True, I am generalising but rarely have I come across drivers and conductors who are courteous.
If I were you, Madam Chief Minister, I would make it mandatory for every driver and every conductor to go through, once in two years, a one-week finishing school programme where they are taught what courtesy is. Today, a TTE on a train is courteous to the passengers, smiles at them and says a polite thank you after checking the ticket. Why can’t these MTC staff do the same?
Also, have a system of reward and punishment based on public feedback. Challan the drivers if they violate traffic rules; challan conductors if they are disrespectful to passengers. Three violations; suspend them. Three suspensions in a year; dismiss them. Ensure that bus tickets are through smart cards and that there can be no overloading. The conductor then becomes a guide or host of sorts. Madam, have these done; and you will earn the abiding loyalty of the people of state.
Next in line are the wonderful autorickshaw drivers. Next to the busmen, if there is a breed that is abusive, it is these. Ask anyone who lives in Chennai and they will vouch for it. These drivers never run by the meter; their rates are outlandish; a distance of 4 km at 5.30 a.m. is priced atleast at Rs. 100; no one comes for the short haul. Equally important, on the road these are killer vehicles. Rash driving, overspeeding, overloading; they violate every rule in the Act. Should there be an accident they get away scot-free. The loud whisper as to why they are treated with kid gloves is that their ownership lies elsewhere.
Madam, provide them with easy access to money. Let there be a sort of co-operative society so that the compulsions of ownership makes the auto drivers better behaved. Ensure that they are well attired, well disciplined and well mannered. Link the eligibility to drive autos to getting a certificate from a government recognised finishing school.
When I went to Singapore a few years ago I was stumped when the taxidriver, making casual conversation, spoke to me about the history and culture of Singapore.
In cities like Singapore, Dubai, Muscat, etc. following traffic rules is second nature. When the signal turns red, even if there is just one car and it is 2 a.m., the vehicle halts and leaves only when the light turns green. Everyone follows lane discipline. There is the fear of law because it is implemented ruthlessly and fearlessly. When an accident takes place nobody yells; each comes out to check if the other has been injured. There is no reason why it can’t be done here.
Madam Chief Minister, you will earn the unending loyalty of this state if you can bring about reforms in these areas.
Very few have the chance, the mandate and stature to bring about change. You have them all; do not let it pass. History remembers people for what they did as also for what they could have done but did not. It would be great to belong to the first.
V. Pattabhi Ram
Extremes in etiquette
It is with great interest that I read the article ‘Extremes in Etiquette’ (MM, January 1st).
Indeed, the communication between the singer on the stage and the audience is a unique feature of our Carnatic concerts.
Reading the article took me back 45 years when I was present at a concert by the late Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer at the Krishna Gana Sabha in what was then called Griffith Road, in T' Nagar.
The Sangeetha Pitha Mahaa Semmangudi was in full swing and was deep in Cheta Sri Balakrishnam in the raagam Dwijawanthi.
Normally, in those days due to transport and other problems, people used to leave the concerts in ones and twos from 8 pm onwards. That particular evening, however, not a soul stirred even after 8.30 and there was pindrop silence in the packed hall – Semmangudi was singing vatapatra sayana and the whole hall was immersed in the devout way the kriti was unfolding – when Semmangudi suddenly stopped and asked the audience: Yaarukkum pasikkalaya? (Is no one hungry?).
He then smiled, folded his hands to the audience, and continued to unfold his magic. What a magnificent performance it was that evening!
I am sure other rasikas will have similar memories to treasure the glories of great artistes of our Carnatic paarampariyam.
Rajaram
62/1, Tamarai Flats, MES Road
East Tambaram, Chennai 600 059
Tamil transliteration
Will Dr. A. Raman examine, in the first place, the feasibility of writing Tamil with just about 30 letters, instead of 247 or 248 (MM, January 1st)? Is it not enough that we have 12 vowels and 18 consonants, as against consonant-vowels 12x18 now, by suffixing the needed vowel after the consonant: e.g. KAA can be Ka followed by AA, the second vowel?
Printing, word processing, etc. will become easier.
N. Dharmeshwaran
Plot 456, II Link Road
Sadashiva Nagar
Chennai 600 091
|
