(Had written this when the Games ended but was in Drafts till now)2008 Olympics has been wrapped up. Beijing had its share of highs and lows and London is gearing up to match the set standards. Someone said over lunch that India might get to host the one in 2020 to which someone else countered that “The Commonwealth Games are a few months away and see the condition of the roads. How can India build a roadmap to Olympics if we can’t maintain our roads?” The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the authorities concerned with road development has (or rather had) taken up the task of cementing all roads leading up to the Commonwealth Games venue here and to sum up the status and situation of the task in one word will be ‘pathetic’. It was expected that the repairs work will be over before the monsoons hit Pune and the 10 km patch which I use for travelling to and from office does not have a single road which has been completed. Where ever one goes the roads are dug up, the rains (this year they were below normal) have added to the misery of the commuters and no one from the governing body really cares about this.
So what do the authorities care about, you ask? Well they care about our Olympic gold medalist Mr. Abhinav Bindra. I am really happy and proud of the fact that India has bagged 3 medals (1 gold and 2 bronze) this time but I am rather amused at the 15 lakhs award for Bindra by the PMC. Let me make it clear that I am happy to know that Mr. Mittal has come forward to help Bindra and much more happy that in a cricket crazy nation even the Cricket Board has awarded the shooter. But PMC?? It is good that his state awards him; it is fine that other states including Maharashtra are awarding him but why the hell the PMC, when they have so many right areas where money needs to be put into for the citizens. Anyone please enlighten me if there is some plausible explanation for this. Drawing attention to the Commonwealth Games being hosted here might be one reason I can think of. Whatever the reason might be but it goes from the tax we all are paying, right?
I just hope that the athletes coming here from all over the world don’t find this place bull shit just due to the apathetic behaviour of the PMC and all involved in the hosting.
