During my first few days in Bangalore,the usual statement I used to hear from friends,already settled here,was this-"Any place in Bangalore is free from traffic jams as long as it is not BTM Layout-Silkboard junction.However I was to discover in less than a week that every single arterial road in Bangalore chokes with traffic jams.
I happened to get caught in traffic at this infamous Silkboard signal this morning.It all started at Electronics City when I had just bought a 30-rupee daily pass and the conductor said he would give me the balance of 70 rupees later.Nearing Silkboard,I asked the conductor for the change but he showed me his bag displaying 100-rupee notes and with a grin,asked me "Aivathu rupay note illiyaa Sir?"(Do you have a fifty-rupee note,Sir?).I replied in the negative and he began searching his bag to try and dig out a fifty rupee note before the bus reached Silkboard bus stop.Unable to find any,he went around asking the other passengers if they had two fifty-rupee notes to be exchanged for a hundred.Noone had.By this time the bus was about to move ahead from Silkboard towards Banashankari.I pointed this out to the conductor who in turn asked me where I was going.I replied "K R Puram" and he said this in Kannada "I will somehow get the change before Jayanagar.If not don't worry.There are buses to K R Puram from Banashankari."So I had to wait and wait while the conductor went around asking every single passenger,even a confused school kid,if he/she had two fifty-rupee notes.After sometime I got the change but the bus had reached Banashankari.I got down and boarded a K R Puram-bound bus.
It was during this part of the journey that I encountered the worst ever traffic jam I had ever seen in my life.Everything was smooth till Jayadeva Hospital after which I saw,to my dismay,a long line up of vehicles till the next major junction,which incidentally happened to be Silkboard.The bus moved,but only an inch forward.Then engine off.Move one inch,engine off.Move one inch,engine off.This happened for about 35 minutes after which the bus managed to pass the Silkboard signal.I eventually turned up late at office and had to give a detailed explanation to my team leader.While the explanation process was on,my manager happened to pass by and he asked "Why late?" My team leader did the explanation for me and both of them began rendering advice on how important it is for a professional to be punctual and what I could do in future to avoid Bangalore traffic.
I had to apply for half-day's leave.But I did not mind that.I only want to send out this message to Indian banks:
Make 50-rupee notes available in ATMsLabels: bangalore, traffic |
Half day leave-a? Irundhaalum namma Infy romba over dhaan!