Flyoevrs

Flyovers have some positive traits. They keep Contractors, Babus and Politicians happy. They keep public both happy and unhappy depending on the space, time and money continuums. During the construction time of any flyover, people are somewhat unhappy as it impedes the traffic thereby takes more time to pass through the area, space available on road for hawkers becomes limited and business (money) in surrounding areas gets effected and so on. Once the debris is cleared and flyover is inaugurated by politicians and suitably named after a current generation politician from a family of politicians, people are somewhat happy as they can commute in lesser time, at least for next few days and save a little on petrol (money) and also the space below flyovers becomes available for extra-curricular activities. Some Hyderabadis are sure to disagree; they argue that it is difficult to get away from traffic jam on the flyover. They do have a valid point there. Some motor-cyclists complain that not all flyovers are suitable for their daily acrobatics and aerobatics and they are so much unlike necklace road which gives them a long reckless driving pleasure. Set aside these minor grouses, people are generally very happy to have at least something concrete worth few lacs for a project costing thousands of crores to the exchequer. Indians have learned to be happy and content; it has not come easy or too soon, it is all hard learning and took centuries of disciplined upbringing by ancestors. We are living in an era where, as a rule, most projects worth thousands of crores do not leave any trace behind. They are cleanly executed. Some projects have the knack of getting fully completed on paper before starting. This is all the more reason for people to be happy with flyovers. Just to sum it up, it is a win-win situation to all concerned.

Believe me, these Flyovers are thinking beings. They do have thought process of their own. The fact is, from very early stages they start thinking in English! Local vernacular would have been better. Alas! It is not so. I am not joking. Their logic goes somewhat on these lines: if they are known as flyover, why shouldn’t they try to fly over? It is complicated, a bit absurd and splitting the word to a perverse end from our point of view. Aerodynamic laws do not permit them even to take off! Simply they are not good students of science.

Nevertheless they do try to fly over their surroundings. The flyovers in the making are even naughty; they try to fly before they are ready. This is what exactly causing the collapse of flyovers and bridges, both during the construction and soon after, in all metros and in the whole of the country; a poor low paid site construction engineer gets arrested by police for no fault of his.