The term development, having been understood as prosperity in its widest meaning for all time past, merits a revisit, given the devastation it has wrought in the country’s metropolises, taking the case of Bengaluru to drive home the point. Describing the State’s capital as Asia’s fastest growing city until not too long ago mocks at its present scenario that has emerged as a result of development with inputs by both the government and private players, many of the latter sections having come from other regions of the country to set up shop, continuing their enterprise both within the city limits and surroundings, suffocating the people who wish to be identified as the city’s old guard. The city’s lung space would have shrunk to choking stage but for sustaining Cubbon Park, Lalbagh, Race Course, Sir C.V. Raman’s residence, the remaining playgrounds and the few large residential sites staring down the barrel of yielding their space to high rise structures. The norm of 25 per cent open space is a minimum for every city has been callously thrown to winds, thanks to the avarice of elected representatives in posts of authority. More need not be said about their boundless desire to amass wealth, hurting the society’s welfare no end.

Whatever is left of the water bodies, parks and playgrounds in the two major cities of the State in our times is testimony to the vision of the then rulers of the erstwhile Princely State of Mysore and their Chief Executives in charge of administration neither of whom were elected by the citizens unlike nowadays. The harassed residents of the two cities are paying the price for their choice of the law-makers.

After years and years of developing the many cities across the country, the powers that be lining their pockets with clandestinely syphoned public funds, with the people preferring to be unconcerned silent witness to the goings on have now resorted to yet another development measure called Urban Renewal Mission, which is familiar to all as JnNURM, pulling wool over the eyes of the land’s masses. Mysureans didn’t notice any perceptible outcome of the Mission in the city except paving of footpaths by interlocking tiles and decorative cement railings on the stretch connecting the statues of three former rulers. Rapid rise in population density of major cities along with unabated addition to the already existing stock of motorised vehicles at a steadily soaring rate have taken away the meaning of the term progress.

The most conspicuous fallout of growth, progress and development of cities at large, these terms being mutually synonymous, is quality of life, an expression that doesn’t need elaboration. The realisation of loss of quality of life has reportedly woken up the administration in the capital of Saudi Arabia which is learnt to be investing 25 million dollars to put life of its residents on track. Such realisation may dawn on their counterpart in the land if the voice of the people enough is enough becomes louder in days ahead.