Fix those Broken windows

A lot has been said about improving Bangalore city's traffic. And more. Suggestions to ease the traffic congestion range from - - constructing more flyovers to covering open drains to having more one-ways to banning movement of heavy vehicles during peak timings to a new city metro to a a sky bus...and the list goes on!

Respectable list but given the anti-urban stance of this government, these things would take atleast a decade to materialise. Even if we assume that Alladin and his jini appear and make all this happen by a whoosh of his wand I am convinced that things wont change much.

What the city really needs is not more space on the road but more sense in people's heads. With road rage becoming rampant, the city's traffic sense seems to have gone for a complete toss. I dont think there is even one amongst us who has not seen traffic rule offenders being let pass for a small fine or no fine (adjust maadi saar). This in turn gives way to the Broken Window Syndrome.

The minority of the people who used to observe traffic rules also then start to violate them. Once this reaches a critical point where in even the basic rules are not observed, the city would see a total and complete collapse of the traffic system.

Also there is a simple method that could be used to check this. What it really needs is plain determination and seriousness to make it work.

Fine all those who violate rules (Or accept only hefty bribes) - even if that means crossing the white line while waiting for the signal to turn green. Put more people on the roads - man all crossings - - (Corporates could easily be convinced to pick up the tab for the temporary workers manning traffic near their office areas). Ofcourse there are operational issues which would need to be tackled. But its no use trying to build more windows till the time broken windows are fixed.

Don't put your eggs in IIPM's basket

This week certainly belonged to IIML. First of all Nimish Adani (IIML - 2003) spoke out about the rampant goonda gardi by certain Bangalore railway officials. Now it appears Gaurav Sabnis (IIML - 2004) has decided to take on IIPM and its self styled Management guru - Arindam Chaudhari.

Gaurav had linked his blog to certain stories about how IIPM and Chaudhari are laughing all the way to the bank by making its students count chickens. It was a nicely researched article which threw up some very convincing possibilities about IIPM and Chaudhari. After about a month or so IIPM authorities served a legal notice on him claiming damages worth 125 crores! The notice really makes for a hilarious read. Makes you wonder what the authorities were thinking while drafting the notice. Most probably they weren't thinking at all.

Chaudhari is a smart man or more likely surrounded by smart people. Why then would he allow something like this which has the potential to blow up in his face? By serving the notice IIPM has ensured this issue gets a huge deal of attention online which obviously has certain risks.

Firstly its the students of the institute themselves! Even if a single IIPM student / alumni supports the allegations made against Chaudhari it would dent the institutes and Chaudhari's reputation beyond redemption. Secondly any sting operation by the media is bound to become a pain for IIPM.

If Chaudhari was looking at getting some publicity out of this then it is surely destined to back fire and make him look like a ugly duckling. The only way left for IIPM to come out of this mess is by answering to all allegations against Chaudhari and IIPM. Rest assured that the pony tailed guy is up for a hairy mess ahead.

I don't know about chickens but I certainly wont put my eggs in IIPM's basket.