My editorial on London

the pic: Oxford Street, one of the 10 best streets in the world is a pedestrian's haven. Along with me is gorgeous Dipti Chadha

London is a city more for citizens than cars

I alighted out of the Heathrow Airport, London and got into the car sent by my host. Except for Boria Mujumdar and Nalin Mehta’s book on the Common Wealth Games `Sellotape Legacy’, I had left behind the controversy that had reached its peak a fortnight before the Games (the time when I Ianded here). However, as I was quietly admiring the charming Hounslow neighbourhood studded with a row of cottage-like houses where many Indians and Pakistanis reside, the driver suddenly propped up the CWG controversy. I am so pained, he said, as an Indian to read about the pathetic state of CWG preparations. I tell you, we Indians are great, it is the Indian politicians which are bringing shame to this world. ``It is clear that politicians there work only for profit and not for people- here, all authorities work for people only,’’ he remarked. All that he said haunted me throughout my three day sojourn.

CWG indeed was a part of the conversation anywhere I went – it almost seemed as if suddenly India was associated with mega corruption, putting all our achievements and rich culture in the backburner. I thought we were better off when India was linked with snakes and jungles by the West – rather than this blockbuster blemish! While CWG has ended, it continues to be in the news for post-mortem, London gave me a peek of how mega cities can be made for the happiness, convenience and benefit of the people and not as much for vehicles! London, with a population of over 75 lakh is the most populous municipality in the entire European Union (though only half of Mumbai’s population) – yet it is not monstrous vehicles that are the driving force of the city.

I set out for a morning walk on Regent Park Road – the mint-fresh cool air instantly rejuvenating me; the ``sprawling’’ footpaths on both sides of the road sending a tingling sense of instant happiness in me. Then I saw a spate of cyclists – all of them in light blue-coloured Barclay bikes zipping through the road (no separate cycle tracks). Four little lights twinkled on the handle of the cycle; one shone from the rear end; one flashed on the helmet and the other from the back of the jacket. Even through the mild fog you could make out their presence and they were of all age groups. Barclays pays a handsome amount to the annually to the London Corporation to run the bike hire scheme with 5,000 bikes spread over various prominent roads – (the only encroachment on footpaths but without inconveniencing citizens). It has gained immense popularity and the City of London website belonging to the municipality constantly encourages people to use these cycles and keeps adding to the cyclists’ convenience.

Across this road is the picture perfect Regent Park, sprawled over 350 acres – a similar trend that I was to see around. The London civic administration owns and manages 10,700 acres of open spaces in and around London and a special department by the name of Open Spaces Department looks after the public parks and open spaces. The opening remark in the website states: ``Our sites (meaning public parks and open spaces) are used and enjoyed by millions of visitors each year. They are important wildlife habitats but also provide many facilities for visitors, including swimming and other sports, play areas, fishing and much more. The Open Spaces Department is committed to providing the best service possible within available resources, ensuring fair and efficient management, good communications and an open, learning culture.’’ As I passed the Hyde Park, I could see hundreds of Londoners, old and young and with children and prams basking in the glory of its picturesque surroundings.

Walking, that is life threatening in Pune, is life-giving in London. One of the best 10 pedestrian streets in the world is the Oxford Street and both the footpaths on either side of the road together have bigger road width than the road itself. Yet no one thought of chopping off the footpath to let vehicles flow more easily. I still remember with pain and regret, the way the broad footpaths of Castellino Road were cut to one-fourth of their sizes in order to give easier way to vehicle owners. Or the manner in which, in the mid-1990s stalwart banyan trees on Ganeshkhind Road and North Main Road of Koregaon Park were butchered to suit two, three and four wheelers.

Every street in London has a citizen friendly map (another pleasant encroachment on the footpath) to guide you to neighbourhood locations. Hundreds and hundreds of people just keep walking – by themselves, with children and towing along prams. Whether a physically challenged or a senior citizen, walking is oh so friendly! Footpaths are truly the most important aspect of road engineering and road making in London and you witness this as you travel through London. I stumbled upon cycle rickshaws of all designs and shapes! Our myopic government in Delhi had banned cycle rickshaws but only a few weeks back, the Apex court has snubbed the government for this move and allowed cycle rickshaws to ply. I asked a Londoner the presence of cycle rickshaws. He said, it is a project under Climate Change instituted three years back. Londoners enjoy taking rides on them to go to their destination.

Our municipal commissioner kept giving the example of the London Metro reminding us that London envisioned metro more than a 100 years back and we here are disrupting its arrival when people need it the most. What he did not tell (for the sake of convenience) was that even in that mid-19^th century era, 1863 to be precise when London’s first underground corridor started and though London was not crowded, the city fathers brought in underground metro and not an elevated one! I spent a day going in and out of the metro. It is very user-friendly and well connected and is a great transport system beneath the city. I asked Londoner how they rated it – good, very well managed but metros and Paris and Stockholm are better!

If you browse through the City of London website you will find that people of the city are the utmost priority. A fact reflected in a prominent street of Central London I passed by – a half of it was being turned into a pedestrian street while we were stuck in our car in a traffic jam!

Vinita Deshmukh

Editor, Intelligent Pune

www.intelligentpune.org