On Trivandrum...

My Rockin City...
Trivandrum, a city that bears testimony to a vibrant mix of old world charm and new age culture. A city symbolizing a makeover from the cliché stereotypical to the trendy “Hey, that’s cool!” look with innovation giving way to a renaissance of age old tradition leaving a dash of gen-X contoured to perfection. It’s not your average stuffed up hellhole that chokes you up with each toxic lungful you take in. It’s a city with unparalleled beauty and finesse, leaving you at the end of the day, with a natural, yet insane urge for more, an urge to live, and live on forever. Yes, I’m one of them. One inspired creature from the millions that call Ananthapuri “home”. So are you. We both share this unique immortal spirit that binds us together. That, which day in and day out gives you pride in being called an Ananthapurian. Eighteen long years have I existed, in this place par excellence and am delighted, if not astounded at this city’s staunch and never-say-die spirit, each time something goes against it, which in recent times is a phenomenon, not too rare to be, as a matter of fact deemed coincidental. A slew of high profile development projects, proclaiming the dawn of a new era for the capital, took a turn for the worse as they met a not so celebrated end. Capital ideas, that one after the other took a rendezvous with the dust, only to be forgotten on the sands of time…
Lets begin from the beginning. Long considered Kerala’s Gateway to the world, it was a monument that stood unchallenged for a decade. The Trivandrum International Airport. A structure that once upon a time had the distinction of being the only one of its kind in coconut land. Up North, in a place called Kochi, money started flowing into Nedumbassery. And in a while, thanks to healthy private partnership, the CIAL project took off, which now does twice the business of the Trivandrum Airport. With innovative, free-minded private enterprise and a significant reduction in bureaucracy, we could have a world-class airport in our hands. After all, how much time does it take to procure land in an efficient democracy? Two, three, five years maybe. Ten long years does sound strange, rather weird for a project of such importance and magnitude. The Vizhingam International Transhipment Terminal. Let me quote a die-hard fan of Ananthapuri who gave his view on this subject on tvmlive, a website which invites views and opinions from people all over the city.” Had there been a port, here at Trivandrum ten years ago, it would have been the most happening place in South Asia”. A simple statement, multiplied in it its simplicity by the sheer logic behind it. Proximity to international shipping routes, natural depth, all facts which, I believe would provoke any individual, let alone a government to build a port over there.
Trivandrum has, since time immemorial been a centre of excellent academic institutions, having the privilege of being the most sought after destination in the state when it comes to education. The proposal to elevate the CET to IIT status brought smiles all around town. This again, was short lived as (God knows why?) Kochi was again in the limelight, and the entire plan shifted base leaving the city high and dry. Having an AIIMS should definitely be a turn for the good. Another neglect, the city has suffered is its roads. The pathetic conditions of the city’s lifelines would at best, evoke pity from an observer unfortunate enough to take a ride on them. The Himalayan mountain rally would be far more appealing to some, rather than an escapade on a potholed stretched of eroded tarmac. True, the Capital City Road Development scheme has a lot to its credit, like the Palayam underpass but the real success of the scheme depends on its efficiency and practicality. Allow me to start the Kochi Bhajan again. Which city has four lane roads lining its perimeter? Which city has a sky bus project in the dock? Why, it’s Kochi again! Its not that I’m suffering from some kind of an obsessive compulsive disorder, but it’s just that I want to see a sane equilibrium maintained in the pace of development. Development should not, at any cost be singly focused and unicentric. With the four laning of the NH-47 and the bypass, along with complete electrification of the railway route, a commendable transport system could be established which would set the ground for bigger projects that may take shape in the near future. One should look ahead with optimism. There’s a long way to go, but I’m sure that if you and I work together, TVM could definitely be THE best place to be!