Commuting in Comfort

From the break of dawn to the fall of dusk urbanites are stuck in cluttered roads and at traffic-regulating signal points longer than time of moving forward in their personal transport both while making their trip to their respective workstations and also to catch bus or train or flight and getting back to the safe territory of home. Offices, schools, business establishments, factories, hospitals, law courts, venues of public functions, wedding halls, locations of sporting events offering prizes to winners, crematoria, occasions of seeing off near and dear ones at departure points and so on, not to forget reaching hosts of social and religious functions have to be reached with limited scope not to be punctual. Only the full-time home-maker and other members of families, forced to be immobile due to either age or disabilities of various kinds are spared the hassle of rushing to the respective destinations braving noise, dusts, toxic emissions of motorised vehicles and also risk of road mishaps resulting in serious injuries and also loss of life. The traffic-regulating wing of the law-keeping force are burdened by the load of work far beyond the limits of their physical faculties. Bengaluru is in the august company of many other mega cities of the country in creating this chaotic scene, almost 24×7.

The elderly residents of Mysuru, now in their eighties, can recollect the times when commuting within city limits and even to many spots in the city’s vicinity, including Chamundeshwari shrine atop the hill was totally hassle free as most of the residents walked leisurely and the rest took to cycling. They are aghast on seeing the city’s roads and open spaces flooded by all types of motorised vehicles moving in mad rush.

Ironically or otherwise, the sections of urbanities who are expressing their dismay at what havoc motorised vehicles in which they are commuting have created are much the same sections who are party to the worrisome urban scenario. The factors behind this virtual metamorphosis as it were, cities changing from heavenly conditions to those of hell on earth increasing their impact, particularly population expansion and the ways of life; wishing for return to old ways amounts to asking for the moon. Like a whiff of fresh air comes a development taking place in Bengaluru, with signs of an end to the daily commute of its working population eating up a decent chunk of the money, time and peace of mind. The enterprise of start-ups in some cities has raised hopes of office-bound working professionals to commute daily in comfort with substantial cost reduction.

In the face of App-based cabs having become undependable and expensive, mostly because of surge pricing and cancellations by drivers, the facility of carpooling created by start-ups is gaining popularity, including working women who account for nearly half the customer base. The feeling of travelling to and back from workplace by saving on time and cost promises higher efficiency of the workforce, a bonus in reality.