We sometimes wonder how India manages to survive one blow and goes on to the next. You say this is part of life? No. we don’t agree. We think a lot can be done to improve the roads, the infrastructure, the very elementary things of our social and economic life.

We observe this when we went on a trip to Panjim, capital of Goa some time ago. Now Panjim is a part of India and is like any other small town. But it has a strict municipal authority who enforces the law. Therefore none of the shops encroach on the streets and there’s a complete absence of dogs and cows on the roads. We could walk down any road without ploughing our feet into dog poo or cow crap. The roads were litter free and clean. A rule is a rule here and has to be obeyed and disobedience and petty greed is not tolerated.

Now if Goa can do it, why can’t countless other states of India?

Afterall, we are one country, separated by a state border and a language. It’s a pity to see some of the streets in Bombay which do not allow a pedestrian to walk freely. There are all sorts of obstructions, merchandise, animal life, on our streets. Contrast this with this picture of a street in Bandra. We think we have made our point.