Question of the year
Gurgaon may be one of the most happening corporate hotspots of India. However SEB member Sumon Mukherjee identifies public transport and security as major challenges facing the city
Transport has been a major issue of concern in Gurgaon ever since the city underwent a massive development spree. Whether you’re a resident of the city or a visitor, personal mode of conveyances are becoming indispensable essentials in this part of the country. People find it better to rely on their own vehicles, be it a car or a two wheeler, just because public transport is hardly available! These are either crammed buses or the super-crammed and super-noisy three wheeler tempos which never leave any space for a person to even move on his own seat.
Even the above two do not serve one’s purpose while travelling little after dusk. Under such circumstances, this creates a major problem if you don’t have your own car and have to go home late in the night after working extra hours in the office. Imagine one’s horror at being stranded in the middle of nowhere for the lack of autos or even rickshaw pullers. People get restricted in venturing out of their homes due to poor transport facility due to which even simple trips to the malls or nearby grocery stores need to be pre planned.
Another related aspect of transport issue is traffic jams. Most roads in Gurgaon get choked due to slow traffic movement, making it increasingly painful for commuters. There is no describing the frustration of those people who have to go through this misery everyday, travelling from Delhi to Gurgaon for work. One such commuter who works in a BPO in Gurgaon once proclaimed with a sad face, "It takes us a good 1 hour and 45 minutes everyday to travel to Gurgaon as most of the roads here are overloaded with traffic." This is perhaps also due to the fact that there is no well defined parking area besides the office buildings which adds to the traffic problem. One can easily spot the call centre cabs and other cars lined up beside the main road taking up a chunk of the road space meant for running vehicles.
Coming to security, we are witnessing more and more cases of armed robbery in the residential areas .This is despite the fact that most of the residential societies in Gurgaon have ample security staff. Such situations further point at the loopholes within and the fact that more needs to be done to ensure the safety of residents.
Close circuit television cameras and random stop-and-search procedures should be implemented at society gates to check incidents of robbery and plant a sense of fear among trespassers. It goes without saying that residents need to take strict measures in enforcing their own safety and be more alert so as to avoid any mishap. Here’s hoping for a safe and hassle free Gurgaon in the coming year!
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