A few years ago, a friend wrote a social media post on her daily commute on the Volvo bus, Kadugodi-MG Road. It was trending immediately.
- Fellow Bangaloreans understand the pain of daily commuting
- Those who don’t commute would empathise
- People who travel to Bangalore for work can understand the emotions.
- For some others, yet another post on working & living in Bangalore!
- Some commented on the humor
- For others, it was just a metaphor.
We respond to situations based on who we are (not on situations!)
For the author, it was a mix of all of the above emotions and more!
Why am I invoking a post from the pre-covid era?
Today I took my second trip inNamma Metro (Wfield stretch)! Hence remember the old post from the journalist-friend. She has since then moved away from journalism and embraced corporate life, with all its (lesser?) imperfections!
I was going to meet a client in the “city.” I am still not sure if I am part of Bangalore or not. Either way, I am part of #BangaloreD!
I still don’t understand why it took so many years to get the metro to Whitefield, which boasts of the original tech city, ITPL. That too, is a half-cooked service, KRPuram-Kadugodi! The 2 km stretch to connect to the rest of the metro is now on trial runs, expected to serve the commuters ‘very soon’! Wonder if the PM would return to dedicate that to the humble commuter!
This ‘incomplete’ service prevented me from embracing the service wholeheartedly. I felt cheated that the Govt not prioritising this stretch when the metro was conceived for the garden city.
Now even with full connectivity a few weeks away, I am more prepared to execute the threat to my friends in the city, “I am going to be spending more time in the city now, thanks to the metro!”
I had to reach Cubbon Park by 10 am. I started from home at 830 AM! I first tried my usual auto guy. He did not pick up, maybe too early.
Auto drivers in Bengaluru are not known to submit themselves to MMBs (Monday morning blues).
The first uber auto was 11 mts away. While I debated whether to wait or not, after two minutes, the driver himself pulled the plug. Looked for other options. None were available! As Uber kept trying to find another driver, I made up my mind reluctantly to walk to the metro station.
Just then, uber found me an auto, that too just a minute away! 🔥 Universe is conspiring! He turned out to be a gentleman, even if I was positively biased with gratitude for getting a drop, saving energy for the rest of the day, and being on time 🕰️ for my meeting.
Kadugodi metro looked clean. I picked up a metro card for myself, thus committing to increased use of this public transport! As I went up to the platform, a train just entered!
Hardly any crowd, still one passenger got it! It must be one of those Mumbai’s local-train commuters who would go to Borivli in the opposite direction so that he can get a seat till Churchgate! Habits! The otherwise not-so-busy security guard was quick to spring into action and shooed him away, taking extra effort to show his contempt for the passenger! He didn’t care what prompted the passenger to show that sense of urgency to travel to his workplace. That is obviously not one of his KRAs after all.
845 started from Kadugodi
912 Reached KR Puram. The Volvo bus connectivity was good. The traffic was not so good!
There should be priority lane for all buses in namma Bengaluru. Not dedicated corridors, as there is no apace. But priority passage like ambulance!
929 reached the Bypanahalli metro
939 Left Bypannahalli to the city!
1010 reached the client's office 10 minutes late :)
The return trip, like all return journeys, was less eventful. While going got a Volvo bus. But while returning a non-AC bus, but at half the ticket price (₹10/- only). I got off one bus stand earlier and took an auto to the KRPuram metro station from the KR Puram bus stand (from where the award-winning hanging bridge starts!)
PS: I captured this entire reflection on my phone. 99% of commuters were on the phone in some way or the other. Many were talking (loudly), some were listening, one playing chess, and some were listening to music on speaker 😡 ! One elderly lady was doing nothing, and looked ill and weak!
