Chennai: Footpaths are not meant for walking?

In many parts of Chennai there are paved footpaths. But most people avoid them and walk on the road. Lack of safety consciousness? Not really. Pedestrians avoid them for different reasons.

First of all, the kerbs are too high from the road levels – almost 18 inches at many places. Getting on to them is not easy, particularly for the elderly. And they are the people who have to be extra careful while walking on the road.

Then, at every 30 feet or so, there is an entrance to a building. The pathway does not taper down at such spots. Therefore, one has to step down to the road level and climb up again after the gate. It could be good exercise but not friendly to people who are in a hurry. The photo below explains the point.

Even if one takes up the challenge, there are problems. The other day I found a two-feet-high boundary demarcation on a footpath as an extension of the compound wall between two buildings. You can step over it if the watchman and his cronies are not sitting on it.

Another impediment I noticed was a three-feet-wide concrete name board of a resident right across the 4.5 feet walkway, at a height of about four feet. One could neither stride over nor duck under it.

Why are the kerbs so high? I don’t think that international road specifications demand such huge concrete blocks. Is there some particular reason why Chennai opts for them? See below a picture from Cubbon Park, Bangalore, originally published in my post Bangalore: Of a club, a park and a Chief Secretary couple

Let us look at the cost of the kerb stones used at Chennai and Bangalore. In the case of the former, the outlay would be more than double. It is not only the price of the input materials for the concrete blocks.

We must also consider the higher transporting and handling charges for the larger pieces. A truckload of the smaller ones would cover much more road length. Then again, much more volume of sand is needed to fill in the high footpaths and considerably longer time is taken to complete the work.

It is clear that that less elevated walkways have several advantages. Why not stretch the available funds to cover more areas and benefit the pedestrians by choosing low-level footpaths?

That is, unless there is other compelling reasons like local conditions to follow the present practice.

Bangalore: Of a club, a park and a Chief Secretary couple

Last weekend I stayed at the Century Club, Bangalore. The attraction of this place is its location on the fringes of the beautiful Cubbon Park. I strolled down from the club’s front gate to the back gate through the park and took these photographs (click to enlarge):

Views of the Public Library

A road junction in Cubbon Park

A fruit vendor.

An old tree outside the exit gate of Century Club.

I commit the pictures to the public domain for free use by anyone who wants to promote Bangalore, provided due acknowledgment is given.

I had always wondered how the Century Club acquired the rather strange name. Was it in commemoration of 100 years of some event or person? I had the answer when I dropped in for lunch at the residence of Mr.& Mrs. BK Bhattacharya on Sunday the 14^th.

Bipul (BK Bhattacharya) is a Bengali and his wife Teresa a Malayalee. Both were in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). When Bipul retired as Chief Secretary, Karnataka, it was his wife Teresa who was appointed to the post. That was a rare instance of a wife taking over as Chief Secretary from her husband.

But recently the roles were reversed and it was the husband who followed the wife. Teresa had a heart bypass surgery three months back. It was Bipul’s turn last month. By God’s Grace, in both cases, the surgeries were successful.

Bipul told me the story he heard about how Century Club got its name. Bangalore United Services Club (BUS Club), now known as Bangalore Club, was started in 1868 for the British service officers stationed at the Bangalore Cantonment. The Bowring Institute was also founded in the same year as a literary and academic institution, but in course of time came to be branded as an Anglo-Indian club.

There was no such facility for the Indians. Dr. M. Visveswaraiah, the father of modern Mysore State (now Karnataka) asked 100 government officials to come together and form a club for them. The Maharaja of Mysore made a grant of the land required. The establishment that was started by a century of men became ‘Century Club’ and was opened in 1917.

As I mentioned earlier, the club is at one end of the Cubbon Park, the gorgeous garden, which probably was a reason why Bangalore was labeled ‘Garden City’. It was laid by Sir Richard Sankey, Chief Engineer of Mysore, in the year 1864 and was named after Sir Mark Cubbon, the longest serving Commissioner of Bangalore. Originally it was spread over 334 acres. Reportedly the area has shrunk to 250 acres or less today.

The Century Club was probably the first encroachment on the Cubbon Park. I believe that recently the Karnataka High Court has prohibited any further violations on this lovely garden.

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Also see:

Nostalgia: Bangalore again

Nostalgia: Bangalore again

(1924 map of Bangalore)

Cities don’t grow old. They change, sometimes subtly, often drastically. When such transformation affects the character of a place, something is lost forever. For better or for worse.

Has that happened to Bangalore? In my opinion, not yet. My last few trips to this place that I love, were rush in, rush out affairs. But this time (Feb. 21-25) I went with just one agenda – look for the old Bangalore in the metropolis that is bursting at the seams today.

Most of my time was lost in traffic snarls and half my plans went awry. Occasionally the landmarks that I was looking for were missed. They were either obliterated, or masked by new structures around.

I would have passed by the old St. Joseph’s College Hostel building without noticing it if the driver hadn’t pointed out from flyover connecting KR Road to Lal Baugh Road. I couldn’t locate my friend Sushil’s house near that. The Cash Pharmacy has been demolished and a new construction is on at that site. Does anyone remember the kind hearted Dr. Madhavan?

Opera House is still there, though I heard that it is marked for demolition. Many parts of the city have trees and gardens and flowers even now. The Cubbon Park has lost some area but the bulk of it remains. Unfortunately it is not well maintained. Wonder if the golf greens are still there; forgot to check. Didn’t get time to visit the Lal Baugh Gardens.

During my college days there was a man at the South Parade (MG Road) – Brigade Road corner selling old books and comics. Some years back I found a younger man, I think the son, carrying on the business. Wonder if it is there now. Wanted to visit Rakhra’s, the sports goods people on Commercial Street but couldn’t make it. Mr. Rakhra used to get hockey goalkeeper kit specially made for me according to my design.

One place which has maintained the ambiance is Taj West End. This hotel set in about 20 acres of gardens is one of the finest I have come across. My association with it started in 1951. My maternal uncle Jose Kallivayalil used to stay there on his frequent visits to Bangalore. I never missed an opportunity to stuff myself at the West End on his account. Those days Spencers were running the hotel. I think Taj took over in the 1980s.

Later on, during my career, I have been a guest there several times. This time too I went there. Spent a couple of hours in the bandstand style Blue Bar savoring the atmosphere and the lovely weather. Thank you Taj, for maintaining the character of the West End.

I plan to go back to Bangalore for another visit next month, or in May.

(Old photo of Lady Curzon Hospital)

Ends.
Images from Wikimedia Commons; Public Domain. Click on map for enlarged view.
Also see:
Bangalore memories
Hockey days in Bangalore
Bangalore Memories: Cricket, hockey and the tragedy of Len Dial
Bangalore: Of a club, a park and a Chief Secretary couple