I am always mystified when I pass by the much-adored Magic Box that has replaced Cauvery Circle in Sadashivnagar. I had heard about this engineering feat from residents, who attributed all kinds of good things to it - reduction of traffic, noise, improvement in morals etc. So I couldn't wait to check it out.
However, when I did see it, I was completely confounded. I couldn't ( and still can't) figure out what it's good for. My first theory was that it was to enable Sadashivnagar residents to bypass the circle. Fly in the ointment is,the underpass surfaces *before* the circle, so vehicles don't really avoid it. Then I was told that it's to avoid a traffic light and congestion. That explains it a little bit, but not really. For one, the magic box is cunningly engineered to fit just one lane of traffic, with a bump at the entrance to boot. So there's build up all the way to Malleswaram. Second, anyone going South can't take a right anywhere between Mekhri circle and Guthalli. And anyone going North has to take a left, a U-turn and another left before they can just go North as God intended them to do . And another thing...oh, forget it, my mind gets all confused just thinking about this eighth wonder of the world.
Perhaps it's a puzzle, one of those living mazes one hears about in Videshi countries. When combined with Bangalore's whimsical one-ways ( guess !! is the high grounds road one-way today or not ? And in which direction?) it's definitely good for keeping the brain agile and preventing Alzheimer's.
Really, it's a tragedy. One hears that college students volunteered to help the BMC out with this thing, and in fact did a lot of manual labor while singing patriotic songs. But it's such a pity that the result had to be, well, what it is.
On the plus side, I am inspired to think of new ideas while I wait for the traffic to clear. For example, I think we should build a large saxophone next to the violin-shaped Chowdiah. Then we can all rightfully bemoan the big time Sax and Violin(s) in Bangalore ( you need to say it out loud to get it).
I suppose some others would say that this just adds to the number of reasons as to why one should get rid of the Magic Box.
V Madhavan Nair (1945-2025)
5 weeks ago
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1 comments:
May 18, 2008 at 4:09 AM
The only thing magic about it is - it sucks in and attracts all the traffic going from anywhere to anywhere (except those going anywhere from somewhere North) and then spits it out to send you anywhere - all this when being one lane wide. Picture it like a huge whirlpool (no not cesspool) sucking in everything around, churning it till it has no life left in it anymore and spitting it out - all in one lane. Now enough hyperbole, but in short - its really bad!
Loved the sax and violins dig.. I really had to say it loud before I got it. I thought I would crack a few smart ones like "sax and the city" and some things about videotapes and lies etc. but thought the better of it - nothing to beat the sax and the violins - long live!
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