Stroll through Bipin Bihari Ganguly Street and you are face to face with a range of optical stores and tour operators. Surpassing any length of imagination are the optical companies that have their base here and functioning on days when there are no holidays and no festive turnaround. Post Pujos, they are thick in action and the amount of options before a customer or those trying for glasses are phenomenal. Some of them are Optical Stores, Optical Trendz, Bentex Optical, Eagle Opticals, New Vision, Ghosh Dastidar Optical Co, T C Dass & Co ( Reliable Optics), Optical Palace, Mondal Mansion, dealing with optics, Eternity Vision, Marshal Optical Co, Aditya Optical Co, View Point Opticals , Chittaranjan Optical Co, Idea Optics, New Optics World, Maharaja Optical Co and Metro Optical Co among others.
As for tour operators and the destinations they bring on table are Puri, Digha, Darjeeling, Ghatsila, Pelling and Gangtok. There are others, having made quantum leap in tourism and offering new destinations, given the desire of the exploring class to explore and strut around. But the overwhelming presence of optical stores do give a hard time to Tour operators to widen their ambit coupled with some functioning from inner courtyards and some having steps to be negotiated before reaching them.
Amazed at the OPtical Turnaround the B B Ganguly Street has had over the years, it illustrates the desire of the optical companies to stay put no matter the quantum of challenge they face from their big, bigger and emerging counterparts. Exceptional to this turnaround has been the presence of food joints and beverage counters who have the latitude to slug it out despite the not that noticeable positioning some of them are in.
On a Sunday when the entire city was on a festive cruise, with fewer shops open, this street had a forlorn look. Not to be found were fleet of buses, shadowed by trams and personal transport, and no shops of any rectitude were open for aam janata. Some were tempted to engage in cricket cruise, not methodical by any yardstick but symmetrical to the way cricket is played in the streets. Up and down stroll showed no commotion of any nature. One desiring to show the lap of luxury one could be in by having a hoarding of immaculate nature looked to be equally deserted. Beginning with roof top parties, kitty parties, entertainment parties descending to engagement ones to be followed by parting ones were the strengths of this restaurant. But with no numbers to talk about.
As usual this street was the epicentre of idol procession route and that day as well, most shops down with shutters and the crowd comprising of people hailing from other places to catch a glimpse of the Goddess.
The morning stroll beginning at half past five in the post festive period showed the enduring nature of festive fervour with few willing to stray or indulge in morning cuppa exacerbated gossip. Search for the paper in the vicinity of this Optical Street was a trying one given the identified spots from where hawkers function. Fewer vehicles and fewer men, the street's fascination for energy thrust was illustrated once trams began to run past 6. With trams in circulation, the circulation in legs and wheels was the next act to follow.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Idol Immersion in the City of Heart
Idol Immersion in the City of Heart
The idol immersion was the last piece of action before the 10-day festivity came to an end. Having been to College Square and Raj Krishna Rama Krishna Kali Temple Pujos, the next halt happened to be Kalighat Temple. The metros having a running spell from 4pm to 4am, the public transport bus was the choice i was left with. Undoubtedly, with exceptions of few, they are amenable to our expectations- and do fairly well in ferrying passengers.
Got down much before the Kalighat stop came and the walk from Netaji Bhawan to Kalighat was a bit taxing as the strong humidity and body writhing in pain were sapping whatever little energy i was left with. Once in the precincts of Kalighat, the sight of the developing crowd coupled with the one that went right inside the temple, saw me engage in another battle of not giving into the demands of surroundings, the huge rush and huge levels of humidity.
Joined the Queue that gets an opportunity to view the Goddess from a fair distance, the starting point was a good 100 metres from the temple. The wait lasted for over an hour with thoughts on the searing rush making me believe there would be upheaval of sorts. Nothing of that sort happened except someone misbehaved with the lady, part of a family, ahead of me. As for this family, a very disciplined lot with the head of the family in late 30s and raising two small kids. The head of the family appeared to be a man of principles saying little to some range of protests coming from his wife who looked aghast at a parallel line going through. This head of the family had already answered two calls from his boss, who knowing it that one of his junior associates was in the spiritual quest and yet putting queries to him time and again through cell. The head of the family just dismissed the persistent queries as nothing more than an urgency to establish that the boss was in the thick of work and the junior was out on another assignment. Besides this family i could not recall any other association that left an imprint.
As the devotees waded through different challenges to reach the final doors of the temple, there were some entities who came from nowhere to intrude and endure. Post Goddess sighting the urgency was to get out as early as possible. That did not take much time as customary rounds had been given a miss and coming out a priority. Outside and like others i too was sweating like anything. The Pujo (pandal) in the vicinity of Temple with a hoarding of Greetings and Good Wishes from National INsurance Co. was the most endearing one. There were others like one adjacent to Golden Scissor shop and one on Mahim Halder Road. Equally powerful and enticing. Just fail to understand why papers like Telegraph and TOI don't cover such Pujos just because they are not in the apartments and no so-called celebs visit them. These and other papers, which have a exhaustive coverage on city issues like Metro failing on one Sunday two years ago (September) and the lead and the second one on the front page in Telegraph was on Metro failings. The Pujos in College Square and Mohammad Ali Park have been enthralling in equal measure.
As i came out and halted next to Netaji Bhawan metro station, the lassi and the large quantity i could lay my hands on was my priority. Done with that i moved to Esplanade to try other liquid options as sweating had taken a toll - and lasting for a while.
The idol immersion was the last piece of action before the 10-day festivity came to an end. Having been to College Square and Raj Krishna Rama Krishna Kali Temple Pujos, the next halt happened to be Kalighat Temple. The metros having a running spell from 4pm to 4am, the public transport bus was the choice i was left with. Undoubtedly, with exceptions of few, they are amenable to our expectations- and do fairly well in ferrying passengers.
Got down much before the Kalighat stop came and the walk from Netaji Bhawan to Kalighat was a bit taxing as the strong humidity and body writhing in pain were sapping whatever little energy i was left with. Once in the precincts of Kalighat, the sight of the developing crowd coupled with the one that went right inside the temple, saw me engage in another battle of not giving into the demands of surroundings, the huge rush and huge levels of humidity.
Joined the Queue that gets an opportunity to view the Goddess from a fair distance, the starting point was a good 100 metres from the temple. The wait lasted for over an hour with thoughts on the searing rush making me believe there would be upheaval of sorts. Nothing of that sort happened except someone misbehaved with the lady, part of a family, ahead of me. As for this family, a very disciplined lot with the head of the family in late 30s and raising two small kids. The head of the family appeared to be a man of principles saying little to some range of protests coming from his wife who looked aghast at a parallel line going through. This head of the family had already answered two calls from his boss, who knowing it that one of his junior associates was in the spiritual quest and yet putting queries to him time and again through cell. The head of the family just dismissed the persistent queries as nothing more than an urgency to establish that the boss was in the thick of work and the junior was out on another assignment. Besides this family i could not recall any other association that left an imprint.
As the devotees waded through different challenges to reach the final doors of the temple, there were some entities who came from nowhere to intrude and endure. Post Goddess sighting the urgency was to get out as early as possible. That did not take much time as customary rounds had been given a miss and coming out a priority. Outside and like others i too was sweating like anything. The Pujo (pandal) in the vicinity of Temple with a hoarding of Greetings and Good Wishes from National INsurance Co. was the most endearing one. There were others like one adjacent to Golden Scissor shop and one on Mahim Halder Road. Equally powerful and enticing. Just fail to understand why papers like Telegraph and TOI don't cover such Pujos just because they are not in the apartments and no so-called celebs visit them. These and other papers, which have a exhaustive coverage on city issues like Metro failing on one Sunday two years ago (September) and the lead and the second one on the front page in Telegraph was on Metro failings. The Pujos in College Square and Mohammad Ali Park have been enthralling in equal measure.
As i came out and halted next to Netaji Bhawan metro station, the lassi and the large quantity i could lay my hands on was my priority. Done with that i moved to Esplanade to try other liquid options as sweating had taken a toll - and lasting for a while.
The ticket from reservation counter
The ticket from reservation counter
Working from a cyber cafe where the room to make the mouse and the keys entirely functional is remote, one does not have much chance than to settle for the little. Here the deliberations are on online forays one has to make while going for real estate deals or deals of other nature. Perhaps underscoring that tickets of all scales have to be of online imprint. This brings me to the thrust i placed on securing the railway ticket from a railway counter for my onward journey.
Post Pujo and i was confident to get the ticket from the counter. Having secured the details from net on seat availability, i thronged the Dharmatolla reservation centre with no success. Howrah reservation counter was the next option to try for and there were queues and showing in effect the travelling blues. Been in the queue for almost half an hour and the queries i put to the personnel did not elicit the desired response and the riddle remained unplugged even after the enquiry foray.
It was a day when nothing seemed to work and online ticket requisition was all i could think of. A day later armed with same details i approached the Dharmatolla reservation centre and secured the twin tickets with not much of a hassle. The question of paramount importance is whether the status of tickets would give the TTI the leverage to show his prowess or i would be fortunate to carry my journey with fewer hassles.
Working from a cyber cafe where the room to make the mouse and the keys entirely functional is remote, one does not have much chance than to settle for the little. Here the deliberations are on online forays one has to make while going for real estate deals or deals of other nature. Perhaps underscoring that tickets of all scales have to be of online imprint. This brings me to the thrust i placed on securing the railway ticket from a railway counter for my onward journey.
Post Pujo and i was confident to get the ticket from the counter. Having secured the details from net on seat availability, i thronged the Dharmatolla reservation centre with no success. Howrah reservation counter was the next option to try for and there were queues and showing in effect the travelling blues. Been in the queue for almost half an hour and the queries i put to the personnel did not elicit the desired response and the riddle remained unplugged even after the enquiry foray.
It was a day when nothing seemed to work and online ticket requisition was all i could think of. A day later armed with same details i approached the Dharmatolla reservation centre and secured the twin tickets with not much of a hassle. The question of paramount importance is whether the status of tickets would give the TTI the leverage to show his prowess or i would be fortunate to carry my journey with fewer hassles.
Bus Number 235 going to Behala
Bus Number 235 going to Behala
Having read about Behala and having been there more than 7 years ago, the next destination was this one. Learning that metro does not go anywhere near that, i waited at the stop for the bus going in that direction.
The bus number 235 took me to Behala from Esplanade. From the moment i boarded the bus, the vacant seat was all that i was looking for. Moved to the rear side in the hope of getting one. But one after another seat became vacant in the front side. And once having moved to the front, the rear sections showing up as vacant ones. This form of a riddle i found it difficult to wriggle out. Here there were different set of commuters who seemed quite upbeat on getting to their destination. The two boys who boarded much before Diamond Harbour Road came were seen exchanging notes on the AC accommodation the different centres comply with. Here one was prodding the other to go for a movie in Ajanta Cinema but other seem to be least interested in. Mind you the DH Road is equally taxing but the air is not thick with pollutants.
It was a journey that lasted over 40 minutes and it was at the fag end that i secured a seat. Once in Behala, the search for Pujo for which a newspaper had carried a report on a previous day. Since the actual Pujo name i could not recall, the efforts to locate it proved futile. In came the information on Nutan Da Pujo. Quite breathtaking and mesmerising. Splendid view of Goddess was enough to cheer me up. And i made an observation about the same at comment counter. This outing was followed by two cups of tea at a shop opposite the chemist counter which has Saridon (one is enough tag ) gave me the requisite energy to carry on with my onward journey. The tea was as strong as the tea vendor could prepare and his spiel that this one is stronger than the beer showed he was speaking from his heart.
Before writing about the return journey, it is better to elaborate on the structured crowd in all pujos including College square , Mohammad Ali Park, Behala, Central Avenue and in and around Kalighat. Inside Kalighat Temple it is a different matter altogether given the rush round the year.
The return journey from a bus stop adjacent to Behala Dristhi Silpa Niketan was not the one to remember. Not for the fault of the driver or conductor. There were few commuters standing next to my seat. Most of them were not sure of their orientation. One of them kept falling on me repeatedly. Despite reminding him he kept doing that . Later another person replaced and he too appeared to be failing in his steps. I deboarded the bus much before and saved myself from these troublemakers who are a nuisance and an aberration.
Aberration or a string of that i have encountered little. What i have come across faces with big heart.
My best wishes to Saronjeet Haldar for giving me the seat in metro; best wishes to Kashinath Auddy, staying in College Street, and having stayed since childhood in the city. Eighty plus he got down from a tram and bared all about the city and its vibrancy. Best wishes to A Das at the teller counter of HDFC bank in Girish Chandra Avenue who was clinical in his verification drive before clearing the cheque. Best wishes to the the Net Cafe guy with whom i got argumentative the other day. Hope he swells and has a smooth sail. Best wishes to all those who see its simplicity and vibrancy in equal measure.
Having read about Behala and having been there more than 7 years ago, the next destination was this one. Learning that metro does not go anywhere near that, i waited at the stop for the bus going in that direction.
The bus number 235 took me to Behala from Esplanade. From the moment i boarded the bus, the vacant seat was all that i was looking for. Moved to the rear side in the hope of getting one. But one after another seat became vacant in the front side. And once having moved to the front, the rear sections showing up as vacant ones. This form of a riddle i found it difficult to wriggle out. Here there were different set of commuters who seemed quite upbeat on getting to their destination. The two boys who boarded much before Diamond Harbour Road came were seen exchanging notes on the AC accommodation the different centres comply with. Here one was prodding the other to go for a movie in Ajanta Cinema but other seem to be least interested in. Mind you the DH Road is equally taxing but the air is not thick with pollutants.
It was a journey that lasted over 40 minutes and it was at the fag end that i secured a seat. Once in Behala, the search for Pujo for which a newspaper had carried a report on a previous day. Since the actual Pujo name i could not recall, the efforts to locate it proved futile. In came the information on Nutan Da Pujo. Quite breathtaking and mesmerising. Splendid view of Goddess was enough to cheer me up. And i made an observation about the same at comment counter. This outing was followed by two cups of tea at a shop opposite the chemist counter which has Saridon (one is enough tag ) gave me the requisite energy to carry on with my onward journey. The tea was as strong as the tea vendor could prepare and his spiel that this one is stronger than the beer showed he was speaking from his heart.
Before writing about the return journey, it is better to elaborate on the structured crowd in all pujos including College square , Mohammad Ali Park, Behala, Central Avenue and in and around Kalighat. Inside Kalighat Temple it is a different matter altogether given the rush round the year.
The return journey from a bus stop adjacent to Behala Dristhi Silpa Niketan was not the one to remember. Not for the fault of the driver or conductor. There were few commuters standing next to my seat. Most of them were not sure of their orientation. One of them kept falling on me repeatedly. Despite reminding him he kept doing that . Later another person replaced and he too appeared to be failing in his steps. I deboarded the bus much before and saved myself from these troublemakers who are a nuisance and an aberration.
Aberration or a string of that i have encountered little. What i have come across faces with big heart.
My best wishes to Saronjeet Haldar for giving me the seat in metro; best wishes to Kashinath Auddy, staying in College Street, and having stayed since childhood in the city. Eighty plus he got down from a tram and bared all about the city and its vibrancy. Best wishes to A Das at the teller counter of HDFC bank in Girish Chandra Avenue who was clinical in his verification drive before clearing the cheque. Best wishes to the the Net Cafe guy with whom i got argumentative the other day. Hope he swells and has a smooth sail. Best wishes to all those who see its simplicity and vibrancy in equal measure.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
What is first come first served basis?
What is first come first served basis?
It all boils down to who had the first mover advantage. The first mover advantage that politicos and officers could boast of in the past to the civil society reps making the most of this by pitching the tent in the first capital of independent India. Nowadays the public reps who claimed to have the support of sizeable first come first served constituents in the past would be wary enough to do the same; repeating it would be suicidal. THe civil society would like to enthrall the aam janata with a confidence that they and they alone have a reservoir of first come first served support in a bid to checkmate the political class. And herein any provocation from political class would handle the civil reps the first mover advantage on a platter.
It is all about perception and that is what the political class is paying for, not realising when members after members showed the accretion in the wealth over a perod of time. Continuing unchecked in this theme, this led to the private class to show its aptitude and class; the best reflection being the way the IPL matches are conducted and prior to that the astronomical bids they placed for IPL teams. IPL was not solo but one of the events that showcased the money infiltration with no checks and balances. That spawned the all-weather friendly debate on corruption and subsequent events of telecom scam and CWG adding to the legitimacy of having a corruption watchdog.
Had care been taken during IPL itself with equal degree of responsibility shown during CWG (non-hosting would not have landed the political class in dire straits that it finds itself in now), the template of allegations and barbs would have not grown manifold. The civil reps need to bear this mind that in the pursuit of noble goals, things should not go out of control. After all a strong nation state is the best leverage to work with, with the equal desire to stem the desire of greed and goad with a firm hand.
It all boils down to who had the first mover advantage. The first mover advantage that politicos and officers could boast of in the past to the civil society reps making the most of this by pitching the tent in the first capital of independent India. Nowadays the public reps who claimed to have the support of sizeable first come first served constituents in the past would be wary enough to do the same; repeating it would be suicidal. THe civil society would like to enthrall the aam janata with a confidence that they and they alone have a reservoir of first come first served support in a bid to checkmate the political class. And herein any provocation from political class would handle the civil reps the first mover advantage on a platter.
It is all about perception and that is what the political class is paying for, not realising when members after members showed the accretion in the wealth over a perod of time. Continuing unchecked in this theme, this led to the private class to show its aptitude and class; the best reflection being the way the IPL matches are conducted and prior to that the astronomical bids they placed for IPL teams. IPL was not solo but one of the events that showcased the money infiltration with no checks and balances. That spawned the all-weather friendly debate on corruption and subsequent events of telecom scam and CWG adding to the legitimacy of having a corruption watchdog.
Had care been taken during IPL itself with equal degree of responsibility shown during CWG (non-hosting would not have landed the political class in dire straits that it finds itself in now), the template of allegations and barbs would have not grown manifold. The civil reps need to bear this mind that in the pursuit of noble goals, things should not go out of control. After all a strong nation state is the best leverage to work with, with the equal desire to stem the desire of greed and goad with a firm hand.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The National Capital vis-a-vis Citadel of East
National Capital vis- a-vis Citadel of East
The National Capital vis-a-vis the Citadel of the East
It is the National Capital with national outpouring of efforts that gives the capital the national mileage which it would be in all fairness desisting in some cases. Perhaps had it not been the compatibility with the National tag, the different architects of modern day India would have never pitched their tents here and claimed the support of sections across section.
From 70s to right up to the first decade of the new century, the political class has employed the National Capital thunder to dethrone their rivals or bring in their level of supremacy. It was in 2011, post CWG and 2G that the civil groups realised the import and devised National Capital Roadmap that would accrue them benefits of a scale that no city in India can endow them. Perhaps the first attempt to showcase how vulnerable the political class is and how loathing they have been in their efforts to streamline the inclusive agenda- bringing the development to sections that deserve. It is the political class that is to be blamed entirely for the situation we are in, faced with a prospect where we could be on the brink of a civil upsurge. It is this National Capital where members of political class having lost polls get nominated to the other House to enable them to retain the Govt. Accommodation. This Very National Capital is witness to Govt. Accommodation turning to Memorials.
This National Capital may draw its strength from the institutions it houses and the role they are mandated to play. But this very National Capital has had its share of notoriety, like the redlines and bluelines running past us and mocking at the system when they get away with after knocking one here and one there. Though they are off the roads, any thought of bringing them back would be suicidal.
This very Capital that boasts of bikers gang and chain snatchers gang. - and the electronic media instead of suggesting measures to wipe their tail believes in blowing their operations. The electronic Media would in a scale of propriety try to wean away from the desire of highlighting the ills and in an exercise of neutrality try to focus on positive spins of the National Capital. Perhaps a campaign on Personal Transport and how it has engineered Traffic Blues would be desired. Perhaps a campaign that no matter how much goes in upgrading the infrastructure, the roads would creak and people would fret and fume. Perhaps a campaign on how residents are on a short fuse - and what tempts them to be abusive and which others abhor. A campaign on greed and how it has spawned realisation of private schools, colleges and private fiefs would be sought after.
As in this National Capital where prices skyrock and hopes of sustainability dwindle, the hope of resurrection lies in giving the breathing space it desires. Had the Commonwealth Games not been hosted in the National Capital (India should have made the bid by suggesting that a Tier II city would host), perhaps the ills that have sprung along would have been avoided. The sheer ecstasy that defines those in the high income group who move in here and get an apartment/house to their name and add more dwelling numbers in line with personal vehicles shows the audacity to have a sizeable stay and a sizeable load on infrastructure. Had public transport as a concept been rained heavily on residents and personal transport coming with a levy, much of the resurrection would have happened. The seminars/ conferences/workshops need to be organised far away from the National Capital and so have to be the headquarters of Public Sector Giants quite a distance away. The Private Giants have shown the heart and need to have a large base functioning from Non Metros and Yet To Be Recognised Centres.
The suburban stations have to be functional for all long distance trains (Rajdhanis and Durontos included ) and a levy to be charged for those hosting big theme parties and drawing support from NGOs and other govt. set ups.
All the launch parties/functions of big ticket announcements, films, book release functions deserve to be in places which haven't been heard often. Let the National Capital belong to a commoner like the Citadel of the East Belongs to a Commoner.
A stay in Kolkata may not bring one face to face with the vagaries of life or a life pulsating with different and undiluting challenges. The commute may be one area where one would feel the need to bring out a personal transport and yet fewer fall to that bait. Metro is the best option they try and the buses are not ignored either and here people from wide sections and strata use them. Wiping out sweat from forehead is a normal sighting and equally tangible are sights of lassi/lemon drink and other variants being tried. The buses share the space with other modes but there are fewer of them. Speeding or overtaking is not desired. As one would suggest that the roads are not wide enough to give that leeway. But on a thin day when the city is not in the thick of transactions, speeding is fairly less. The sighting of yellow taxis is as common as sighting of a bong boarding and deboarding a bus. Those who haven't stayed for long won't be able to spell the power picture but with fewer or no power interruptions, it is as sturdy as the mindset of the resident who takes pride in moving out and trying jhalmuris as solo or part of a entourage.
The National Capital vis-a-vis the Citadel of the East
It is the National Capital with national outpouring of efforts that gives the capital the national mileage which it would be in all fairness desisting in some cases. Perhaps had it not been the compatibility with the National tag, the different architects of modern day India would have never pitched their tents here and claimed the support of sections across section.
From 70s to right up to the first decade of the new century, the political class has employed the National Capital thunder to dethrone their rivals or bring in their level of supremacy. It was in 2011, post CWG and 2G that the civil groups realised the import and devised National Capital Roadmap that would accrue them benefits of a scale that no city in India can endow them. Perhaps the first attempt to showcase how vulnerable the political class is and how loathing they have been in their efforts to streamline the inclusive agenda- bringing the development to sections that deserve. It is the political class that is to be blamed entirely for the situation we are in, faced with a prospect where we could be on the brink of a civil upsurge. It is this National Capital where members of political class having lost polls get nominated to the other House to enable them to retain the Govt. Accommodation. This Very National Capital is witness to Govt. Accommodation turning to Memorials.
This National Capital may draw its strength from the institutions it houses and the role they are mandated to play. But this very National Capital has had its share of notoriety, like the redlines and bluelines running past us and mocking at the system when they get away with after knocking one here and one there. Though they are off the roads, any thought of bringing them back would be suicidal.
This very Capital that boasts of bikers gang and chain snatchers gang. - and the electronic media instead of suggesting measures to wipe their tail believes in blowing their operations. The electronic Media would in a scale of propriety try to wean away from the desire of highlighting the ills and in an exercise of neutrality try to focus on positive spins of the National Capital. Perhaps a campaign on Personal Transport and how it has engineered Traffic Blues would be desired. Perhaps a campaign that no matter how much goes in upgrading the infrastructure, the roads would creak and people would fret and fume. Perhaps a campaign on how residents are on a short fuse - and what tempts them to be abusive and which others abhor. A campaign on greed and how it has spawned realisation of private schools, colleges and private fiefs would be sought after.
As in this National Capital where prices skyrock and hopes of sustainability dwindle, the hope of resurrection lies in giving the breathing space it desires. Had the Commonwealth Games not been hosted in the National Capital (India should have made the bid by suggesting that a Tier II city would host), perhaps the ills that have sprung along would have been avoided. The sheer ecstasy that defines those in the high income group who move in here and get an apartment/house to their name and add more dwelling numbers in line with personal vehicles shows the audacity to have a sizeable stay and a sizeable load on infrastructure. Had public transport as a concept been rained heavily on residents and personal transport coming with a levy, much of the resurrection would have happened. The seminars/ conferences/workshops need to be organised far away from the National Capital and so have to be the headquarters of Public Sector Giants quite a distance away. The Private Giants have shown the heart and need to have a large base functioning from Non Metros and Yet To Be Recognised Centres.
The suburban stations have to be functional for all long distance trains (Rajdhanis and Durontos included ) and a levy to be charged for those hosting big theme parties and drawing support from NGOs and other govt. set ups.
All the launch parties/functions of big ticket announcements, films, book release functions deserve to be in places which haven't been heard often. Let the National Capital belong to a commoner like the Citadel of the East Belongs to a Commoner.
A stay in Kolkata may not bring one face to face with the vagaries of life or a life pulsating with different and undiluting challenges. The commute may be one area where one would feel the need to bring out a personal transport and yet fewer fall to that bait. Metro is the best option they try and the buses are not ignored either and here people from wide sections and strata use them. Wiping out sweat from forehead is a normal sighting and equally tangible are sights of lassi/lemon drink and other variants being tried. The buses share the space with other modes but there are fewer of them. Speeding or overtaking is not desired. As one would suggest that the roads are not wide enough to give that leeway. But on a thin day when the city is not in the thick of transactions, speeding is fairly less. The sighting of yellow taxis is as common as sighting of a bong boarding and deboarding a bus. Those who haven't stayed for long won't be able to spell the power picture but with fewer or no power interruptions, it is as sturdy as the mindset of the resident who takes pride in moving out and trying jhalmuris as solo or part of a entourage.
How can you rely on this bank? When they would listen to the pleas of customers?
How can you rely on this bank? When they would listen to the pleas of customers ?
The bank on Ganesh Chandra Avenue has its hands full. Coming to the rescue of customers is the least it can do. But it believes in catering to high networth individuals and houses. The bank on Ganesh Chandra Avenue has on its rolls staff who can't be eligible to try their luck in any other private banks and have haughty airs about themselves.
Today being Saturday, the working hours are 9: 30 to 12: 30 and being a day followed by Sunday there should be extension of hours they work or pretend to work. Now look at the way they flash their irresponsibility card. The customer, be it any small or big entity should be given the comfort that his/her urgent pleas would be addressed in a manner that defines the functioning mode of the bank. What they did was highly irrational. Sunday is a Holiday. Monday to Thursday is no different. Being festive and making others feel like fugitive, Monday to Thursday they won't operate and any customer desiring of availing cash through cheque has a zero chance of success.
I went to the bank at half past one hoping against hope that working hours would be till 2p.m. The man at the gate, who happened to be one of the middle level executives, showed me the etched message on the notice board displaying the working hours on a Saturday. Coming to know that i don't carry ATM card of this bank, he took pride in informing me that from Monday to Thursday they won't operate either. Having told about the writer part and the paper for which i have worked in the National Capital in the past made no difference to him. He was upfront: "Exceptions would have been made in the past when you tried to withdraw cash against cheque from the National Capital." Probably underscoring the fact that nothing of that luck i can be blessed with, even when for straight five days the bank is on a holiday. Had there been any high networth individual, they would have gone out of their way to entertain him/her. Since the customer could flash no links, he had to settle with defeat staring him. Even the prodding part like the Identity card i have and the application i am prepared to make did not find the desired success.
The bank's irresponsibility stems from the fact that there are five holidays starting from Sunday. And herein they should have stretched the working hours for customers, small or big. As for the ATM card, i had to encounter numerous difficulties when someone stole it three years ago. Perhaps even before it got stolen, the ATM Card hardly used to function. And i decided once and for all to do away with this so-called ATM Card and once it was stolen i never sought a new one.
Here you have a HDFC bank which is on an extended holiday and here is a bank which takes pride in serving high networth individuals.
The bank on Ganesh Chandra Avenue has its hands full. Coming to the rescue of customers is the least it can do. But it believes in catering to high networth individuals and houses. The bank on Ganesh Chandra Avenue has on its rolls staff who can't be eligible to try their luck in any other private banks and have haughty airs about themselves.
Today being Saturday, the working hours are 9: 30 to 12: 30 and being a day followed by Sunday there should be extension of hours they work or pretend to work. Now look at the way they flash their irresponsibility card. The customer, be it any small or big entity should be given the comfort that his/her urgent pleas would be addressed in a manner that defines the functioning mode of the bank. What they did was highly irrational. Sunday is a Holiday. Monday to Thursday is no different. Being festive and making others feel like fugitive, Monday to Thursday they won't operate and any customer desiring of availing cash through cheque has a zero chance of success.
I went to the bank at half past one hoping against hope that working hours would be till 2p.m. The man at the gate, who happened to be one of the middle level executives, showed me the etched message on the notice board displaying the working hours on a Saturday. Coming to know that i don't carry ATM card of this bank, he took pride in informing me that from Monday to Thursday they won't operate either. Having told about the writer part and the paper for which i have worked in the National Capital in the past made no difference to him. He was upfront: "Exceptions would have been made in the past when you tried to withdraw cash against cheque from the National Capital." Probably underscoring the fact that nothing of that luck i can be blessed with, even when for straight five days the bank is on a holiday. Had there been any high networth individual, they would have gone out of their way to entertain him/her. Since the customer could flash no links, he had to settle with defeat staring him. Even the prodding part like the Identity card i have and the application i am prepared to make did not find the desired success.
The bank's irresponsibility stems from the fact that there are five holidays starting from Sunday. And herein they should have stretched the working hours for customers, small or big. As for the ATM card, i had to encounter numerous difficulties when someone stole it three years ago. Perhaps even before it got stolen, the ATM Card hardly used to function. And i decided once and for all to do away with this so-called ATM Card and once it was stolen i never sought a new one.
Here you have a HDFC bank which is on an extended holiday and here is a bank which takes pride in serving high networth individuals.
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