[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by PPS

The distance which a car covers in 2 1/2 hrs during peak hours takes 1 hr by train! I travel by train everyday, they are quiet convenient & efficient that way & they are certainly not dirty, but not the cleanest either.

No one can deny the time saved and efficiency - but the trouble involved is simply too much. People are 'expected' to be pushed and shoved around. If you are carrying a handbag or something in rush hours, God help you!

People who can take the trains are already using it - others who are not, know and understand the 'trouble' they are getting into - who does the ban help? I am all for creating a better infrastructure. I always say, what's up with us Indians trying to do a quick fix or paper over a crack rather than completely solving a problem? Everywhere it's the same

[centaur]

Looks like another knee jerk reaction. Not sure why is the judiciary getting into such decisions instead of getting a thorough analysis and workarounds being considered. To start with they can have different tax slabs for second and third cars. Adding to that, they can have government provide incentives to companies encouraging work from home culture. That way you will have more car off the roads anyway and when multiple people in the family do not travel on multiple routes at multiple times, the families wont see a reason to have more than one car. Provide additional incentives to people taking public transport/company transport to work places thereby discouraging use of personal transport to work. There are many ways to do this than just a ban.

Originally Posted by pratyush6

No one can deny the time saved and efficiency - but the trouble involved is simply too much. People are 'expected' to be pushed and shoved around. If you are carrying a handbag or something in rush hours, God help you!

Actually its not as bad as it seems. This is general sentiment shared by people who visit Mumbai once in awhile and have the misfortune of having to travel during peak hours which makes them think that Mumbai trains are definitely not worth travelling. Ask the regulars and most won't will complain, except during rains when the trains are delayed by hours. People travel with handbags, briefcases, sacks and what not. I am sure many BHPians here (including me) have used/are using train services in Mumbai and would have something different to say.

Yes people do push and thats because there is no place for lazy, undecided folks among the fast paced Mumbaikars (pun intended)

[santosh911]

Another case of judicial overenthusiasm. It's very easy to make such announcements but hard to implement. Better Public transport infrastructure and more roads will be a more effective solution. Also, Bombay is not as bad as Bangalore and Delhi. the traffic at least moves.

[shankar.balan]

Estupido!

Thats the word that comes to mind.

Frankly, life on the road would be far easier, irrespective of whichever city/town in India one is in.

Provided;
the road infra were consistently good. If the potholes weren't there. If traffic management were better. If roads and exits and parking areas and pedestrian lanes etc were planned better. If traffic were better regulated. If "Zoning" of buildings and their parking etc were supervised and enforced. If lane discipline were maintained. If rules were adhered to. If public transport were clean, reliable and offered high quality "last mile" connectivity.

Etc.

Yes it is true that India is not geared to be a car borne Society.

But draconian rules of this kind don't help.
India is on the upward curve of its consumption cycle, with bigger moneys available to the regular joe than ever before. Since it is a democracy and not a totalitarian society, the government or judiciary cannot regulate or dictate to the common man about how many cars or bikes a man can buy and use.

Sometimes, I wonder, whether we would actually be better off as a Totalitarian Society under Army rule for the next 3 - 4 generations, until the rubbish and mess is cleaned up completely! Fact is, that we have NO sense of Public Pride in our environment or surroundings. We are too greedy and short sighted, making moneys and swanking around when we can.

The great equaliser though, is the lovely traffic one encounters every day.

Just as the First Class or Business Class passengers in an airline are all equalised beautifully by the vagaries of the baggage retrieval conveyor belt system at most Indian airports, irrespective of the "Priority Tagging", so does the great Traffic System and Road infrastructure create a sort of "equality" between the big boy in his Jag or Aston Martin and the simple man in his Maruti or indeed, in his Tata ACE or Auto Rickshaw...

Unity in Diversity...Ha!