The decision of the B.S. Yediyurappa government to transfer the commissioner of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, S. Subramanya, has set tongues wagging.
Was it because of his “inappropriate” advice to the parents of Abhishek, the boy who was washed away? Or, because he had filed a defamation case against the Lok Ayukta, N. Santosh Hegde?
Or, was there some other reason like you-know-what?
The move has divided the rulers and the ruled. Good riddance say some, bad politics say others.
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Don’t believe reports that our justly revered Subramanya is no longer the face, voice and soul of BBMP (Bada Bengaloorina Mukhya Pracharak). In the land where Indira was India, Subramanya is and shall always be BBMP.
Subramanya’s footprints cannot be erased, his legacy cannot be ignored.
For Bangaloreans, Subramanya is indestructible, imperishable, immortal.
True, Subramanya’s empire was not quite of Mughal proportions. But it did cover vast territories from Govindapura (which is somewhere in the Himalayas) all the way to Kengeri (somewhere near the Indian Ocean). Vast multitudes of people live in these territories. Among them there is not one man, one woman or one child whose life has not been touched and shaped by the genius of Subramanya.
Such has been the power of the Magic Boxes and the Tragic Hoaxes he invented.
A combined Akbarnama cum Babarnama will be required to record the major horizons he conquered during his short reign. Since no editor will allow the space required for such a compendium, let us confine ourselves to just one of his gifts to BB, the VIP road from Golf Club Circle to Mekhri Circle.
That short stretch of signal-free highway is a signal contribution by the visionary in Subramanya.
There used to be a police station at the Golf Club circle. In the lockup of this police station, a visiting lawyer was once beaten to death and his body dumped near the railway tracks. No doubt keeping that in mind, Subramanya had the police station demolished (yet another instance of the IAS correcting the wayward IPS).
Putting the opportunity to good use, another skill where the IAS excels, Subramanya also demolished the great-grandmother trees that had spread out majestically and made this area one of the coolest, most verdant spots in cool and verdant Bangalore. A great deal of fresh space was freed for traffic.
Of course there was no signal at the circle. There was no signal at the Windsor Manor Circle either. Between these circles Subramanya gave us a magnificent stretch of road making us feel like we were driving on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Unfortunately, at both ends of namma New Jersey Turnpike, traffic piled up in signal-free chaos. This was because of traffics unpatriotic habit of coming from different directions. The flow from one side has to stop for the flow from the other side to proceed.
How unreasonable!
This became quite a mess at the Windsor Manor circle. During rush hours, especially with KSRTC buses appropriating all the lanes, it was one big chaos. That is why citizens renamed the Windsor Manor Circle as Subramanya’s Folly. To enjoy it fully, go there in the evenings.
If you got past Subramanya’s Folly and thought that everything would now flow smoothly, you would have time to think again. For by the time you negotiate the Palace Guttahally Magic Hoax Flyover, you will resume your crawling pace, bumper to bumper. This is because the traffic has backed up from the Cauvery Circle a kilometre away.
Ah, the Cauvery Circle.
This is already in the Guinness Book as the world’s most stunning U-turn. You’ve got to see it to believe it. A straight road is suddenly made to turn left and then take a U-turn to reach the straight line again. What imagination! What originality! You should see the way the buses negotiate the U-turn and how all traffic pay homage to the planning genius as they move forward in slow motion.
Wonderstruck citizens have renamed the Cauvery Circle also. It is now known as Subramanya’s Revenge.
Look closely in the evening hours. You can see Subramanya on top of a flexboard hoarding, watching the tortuous muddle below and chuckling to himself about the unforgiving effectiveness of the punishment he has meted out to these goddamn Bangaloreans including meddlesome politicians and Lokayuktas.
The sheer genius behind the U-turn inventions has led to two marvelous developments.
First, Harvard Business School has taken it up as a case study. Second, the inventor is getting an international patent on the U-turn.
It does not matter where Subramanya is posted. Even if he is Secretary to the Department of Cockroaches, the twin glories of Subramanya’s Folly and Subramanya’s Revenge will keep him as the face, the voice and the soul of BBMP for ever.
Amen.
Photograph: courtesy The Hindu
Tags: Akbarnama, Babarnama, BBMP, Cauvery, Churumuri, Golf Club Circle, Guinness Book of Records, IAS, Indira, IPS, Kengeri, KSRTC, Lok Ayukta, Mekhri Circle, Mughal, N. Santosh Hegde, Sans Serif, T.J.S. George, Windsor Manor Circle
24 June 2009 at 5:13 pm
This Genius invented the deadly road divider.
24 June 2009 at 5:24 pm
Another marvel of Bangalore roads is the Two way flyover in Richmond Road. Not sure if Subramanya’s genius was involved in this.
24 June 2009 at 6:37 pm
He was Chikmagalur DC some ten years ago. People of Chikmagalur will remember him for another 100 years for his ‘ genius ‘ and ‘ great ‘ work.
No match to Dr. Subramanya (he expects everybody to use the Dr. Prefix!).
24 June 2009 at 7:10 pm
This is not his folly. But the aberrations of the system. The IAS officer system created out of ICS system. This system produces Jack of all trades and master of every thing.
When all over the world curves and twists are being eliminated for that is speed friendly, narrow rightangle turns are introduced.
Nehruji brought Slocum a dam specialist. He gave us Bhakra Nangal. Slocum could nevcr imaging giving a damnable dam anywhere in the world.
Carbusier gave us Chandigarh. All laid in grid pattern with wide road. He could never imagine himself to be creator of flooded Bommnahalli or Pai layout
Take for instance Bangalore -Mysore Road. The road has been made four lane without touching curves which are designed for a speed of 30 miles per hour back in 1930s
The road divider all over world are tending to a little wider with hardy shrub to screen the glare of the vehicles from opposite direction
Mr Subramanya himself has acknowledged that he is plant scientist and would love to do some thing in that area
Mr Subramanya took the help of precast century old technology, to get over the immediate problem of congestion made a burning problem by media. i dont think any planning went into its creation
25 June 2009 at 9:26 am
People get what they deserve.
25 June 2009 at 11:33 am
Cauvery U turn needs to be awarded… might be one of the freshie who wanted to experiment has designed it….
25 June 2009 at 5:15 pm
Could be not entirely the folly of the BBMP commissioner..
An example to highlight how an important project is planned and executed…
I am a resident of BSK II Stage and stay very close to the ongoing Kadirenahalli cross underpass.
This project is under JNNURM, expected to be completed in 10 months, cost round 2800 lakhs. Work started in May 08. Kadirenahalli cross is a major junction and busy junction.
All of a sudden on a evening in May (dont remember the dates), traffic police started regulating (or rather blocking) all approach roads for the work on the under pass to begin. There was no proper alternative planning, no adequate updates given to the general public. Worse was entrance from Family mart junction, Kadirenahalli park (which are approx km long) were blocked with mud and boulders causing havoc and a chain effect on the roads – Kanakapura road, Padmanabhanagar road etc.
The current status of the project is that even after an year, complete excavation is not complete!! and the reasons are many. Looking at the current rate of progress, it might well take another year or two for completion
One of the reason given is land acqusition problem on either side of the proposed underpass and presence of hard rocks, for which permission was not given for blasting
Now tell me, without having proper coordination between the different departments, not having the necessary land/clearance, how imaginative was the BBMP in deciding that this under pass would be completed in 10 months?? and the letharginess of BBMP is very visible
In my view, one BBMP is not able to manage a city which is now approx 800 sqkm and having 198 wards. May be we need to have one more for better administration
26 June 2009 at 12:38 am
Another example of BBMP’s callousness is the Jayanagar Bus stand . Since more than an year the Jayanagar Bus stand is closed for public and the commuters are simply thrown on to the road. The commuters run from one side of the road to another while evading the speeding vehicles, from getting hit. All this is happening since an year, there is no traffic constable ever seen controlling the traffic, for saving the commuters from getting hit by the motorists. There is not even a traffic warning sign for limiting the speed of the vehicles, keeping the commuters in mind. When whole of a bus stand is shifted on to the road the BBMP, like a buffalo, is unmindful and unconcerned about public safety.
27 June 2009 at 6:44 pm
Has no one seen the link between this and the International Airport yet? It is unfair to criticise BBMP alone. They were given directions by the State Government to ensure this because BIAL is pressurizing them. State government had initially promised a good road to the airport (which has been built) and hassle free traffic flow to the center of the city. An attempt at this has gone horribly wrong.
30 June 2009 at 9:45 pm
Blaming is convenient. But can anyone propose any alternative to the Cauvery Triangle? Remember, you cannot acquire the Palace Grounds.
1 July 2009 at 10:46 am
@ Advocate, Why bring the airport authorities into it? It was in the construction stage for a long time. Could the govt of the day not done anything to ensure the roads were ready by the time the airport opened?
@ Prashanth,
This is not blaming. BBMP could have done a lot better. Infact today’s Vijaya Karnataka also has carried an item on this mess.
For starters, instead of the current alignment of the magic box, it could have been from the Cauvery theatre towards the bellary road. The vehicles coming from the Bhashyam Circle could have gone over this box at the intersection.
Yes, this would have meant a bit of problem at the exit on the other side of the box, when you come out of it. There were a few private buildings there, whose place could have been acquired for this purpose. There would have been no need to take over the palace grounds property.
Similar underpass could be constructed in front of the Hotel Windsor. This will avoid the circular movement of the traffic in that junction.
Having said this, I must say that the drive from Chalukya Signal to the Airport, barring these two aberrations, has been very smooth.
22 February 2010 at 1:47 pm
I will always remember him and his mentor, Sire BSY, for single-handedly mowing down the largest green patches of Bangalore in the name of development. Ever since BSY came to power, no project has completed on time. Instead, the greenest trees have come crashing– be it Nanda Avenue in Jayanagar or the boulevard on MG Road. More, underpasses have been “dug” up without any more work done, ensuring contractor payments in perpetuity. Bangalore is now a rock museum and a furnace, thanks to God-fearing politicians with an IQ of 20.