NAYA NAGPUR - Namaste Nagpur Part II
In this second article in the 'Namaste Nagpur' series, Author Krishnakant Jonnalgadda evaluates the change that has taken place in Nagpur and what a Nagpurian needs to do to carry on this growth momentum in the right direction. You can read the namaste Nagpur Part I here
Change is an inevitable truth of life. Evolution & metamorphosis have been synonymous with our lives since time immemorial. The reasons for change can be myriad. It can be because of not being satiated with the current state of affairs, it can be due to the expectation of a better tomorrow, or it can be simply because of being Bohemian. Staying clear of being the one to state a fact, I can take the liberty of atleast making a generalization that change is mostly for the good. Change brings a new direction in the way the scheme of things are being worked on. It has become an anthem of sorts for the new age young turks - and with people like Barrack Obama pulling off a smashing underdog success story based on this very simple phenomenon, it is a testimony to the fact that change is here to stay.
Nagpur as a city has been neglected for long. After Vidarbha was merged in Maharashtra, Nagpur became an uncared, mediocre cousin compared to the modycoddled kids- Mumbai and Pune. It hardly got its due for many years due to the nonchalant approach of the state Govt. Even the coveted title of being the centre of the country couldn't come to its rescue to lure investors. But as i mentioned, change is inevitable. nagpur has been in the process of seeing a makeover in all facets. The insouciant attitude is obsolete now and we can witness change around. I personally could see the change relative to the time when i used to visit in summers. The roads have improved, the infrastructure seems to be ameliorating, the Purchasing Power Parity of people seems to be burgeoning, the quality of human resource is going up and most importantly the sentiment about the city is now a positive emotion.
The congestion in Mumbai and Pune has been a blessing in disguise for us. The Multi Modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) has been the stepping stone for a better tomorrow. It claims whopping investments in various sectors- Infrastructure and IT being the prime movers. Why i state this as a positive development is simply because it is these sectors that metmorphosized Bangalore and Hyderabad. SO I can prognosticate we're on the same path, maybe on a better path because we already know the mistakes done earlier and can learn from them.
The rate at which the realty sector prices shoot up(sometimes out of speculation though) and the way city's facade looks to be changing- malls, multiplexes, fancy restaurants, pubs, it indicates that the direction is correct. We just need the local and state authorities to pull up their socks so that no opportunity is lost and no stone is left unturned to make sure the change which has started doesnt lose its momentum. The link seems to be there, since we've manifold educational institues providing manpower to cater to the local flavour and needs. The dots seem to be connecting, the jigsaw puzzle is being rejigged.
The entire downturn has left us in a slowdown as well, but the steps may have slowed down but certainly not stalled. It is in this hour that we need to refurbish the entire working mechanism and come up with a novel polarized process. We need a band of brothers who are ready to fight it out against any impediment. The vision is laid, the path built, all we need to do is to walk on it.
Nagpur is one of cities that come under the umbrella of Central Govt.'s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) which allocates an exhorbitant sum of money for urban infrastructural development. It is aided further by the state govt. ,but the local municipal authorities need to be on their toes to make sure the funds are utilized properly and put to good use. The change made so far isn't enough. Lets conglomerate our vision with the mission of amelioration. As a responsible citizen ,making the proper use of Right To Information Act, we can corroborate that the change is for real and not just a breeze on a sultry day that comes and goes away.
"Barson se ek pyaas rahi hai,
ab parivartan ki nadi bahi hai.
Har boond ki keemat ko jo bhaape,
Shaashwat drishti ka roop wahi hai."
Author
Krishnakant Jonnalgadda blogs at www.ourintellect.blogspot.com
