I am probably the millionth guy writing or talking about it. But its something one can't stop talking about.
I first came to Bangalore in 2000 for my summer internship in NAL. Bangalore was new to me and I had tough time initially figuring out directions to roam about. I stayed in CV Raman Nagar and take to take the early morning bus down to NAL in Airport road. We then take the NAL shuttle bus through wind tunnel road to the NAL R&D campus.
Now my first impression when I saw the wind tunnel road was, probably the places beyond it when we go by the airport road is city outskirts and nothing really existed. (I really didn’t know about the existence of Marathalli at that time). This impression mainly came because of the lean traffic I saw on that road. After almost a month I knew about the existence of Kemp Fort, which is just walking distance away from wind tunnel road. In my last days I started exploring places near Kemp Fort. One of my fellow trainee told me about a place called Marathalli he stays, which is a good small place. I went back with a very good impression, awesome weather, easy going peoples and fun place to be in. I wanted to be back here for my job, if given a chance.
Come 2003, I finished my Master’s and got a job in Bangalore. Really felt good to be back, with older memories coming back. This was quite a different place what I have seen when I left last time. More peoples, looked more developed, many more peoples probably working. Being posted in Whitefield, I got a chance to explore places beyond Marathalli J. I stayed in Indiranagar and it took me around 25 minutes to reach office, sometimes later. Comfortably took my 8:30 am bus to reach office before 9:00 am. Things were quite normal for a year when things changed. It started to take more time to get to office (courtesy the famous Marathalli bridge). My house owner in Indiranagar wanted me to move out, as it seems the house rent has suddenly increased quite a bit. We had to move to Airport road. It suddenly became common to reach office at 9:15 and later. Before I can really adjust “psychologically” traffic has started becoming unbearable in the bridge. I actually started getting headache by the time I reach office. It might be road rage, but all the vehicles just SHOUT’S WITH THEIR HORN for just no reasons.
Time passed by, traffic torture continues, every day MORNING as well as EVENING. Nobody cares, cars shout, bus shout, everyone just drives rash, no traffic rules, no lanes, WELL JUST NOTHING.
One fine day, I was just so happy to see a board. A bridge is planned to build in place of the current TORTURE bridge at Marathalli. In just 4 months (as per as I remember it was supposed to be over by 2006 September), we will be having a 6-lane road. I felt like I was daydreaming. But anyway traffic was diverted via the inner ring road, touching down the old-Madras road. The distance was longer (but believe me, it took less time to reach office). I wasn’t complaining, as its just some months of compromise and we will cruise through a highway, WOW.
OK, too much daydreaming J, today is September of 2007, and I am still awaiting my dream bridge. I just don’t know how much more time it would take. Traffic woes still continues, car’s still SHOUTS. And when it rains, it takes me 2 hours to cover the 12 kms distance from my office to home.
Added on 8th April 2008:
Today I saw the marathalli bridge opened. May be it was opened over the weekend.
