MG Road: Gearing up for the boom

I still remember the first time I visited the main shopping street of Trivandrum, the MG Road.

I liked the avenue for many many reasons...For me, a 5 year old boyyie at that time, going to MG Road and East Fort meant going to 'Trivandrum' ; because the glitz and glamour associated with the city in my mind, the Secretariat, toy and sweet shops, the big bus stand, East Fort, theatres and hotels...all existed on this street.

Also this was the route the double-decker bus took. I was so fascinated by the jumbo-bus that my dad used to take me in it from East Fort to Pattom(the double decker serviced the Medical College route in the 80s) and then retrace back to our home at YMR, Nanthencode.

Not to mention the glitzy lighting of the buildings, the crowd and the shopping fest during Onam!

So it was the MG Road which conditioned my mind to love city life...and Trivandrum.

And as years went by I learned that all major cities had their main shopping avenue named after the Father of the nation. So MG Road essentially was the showcase of any big city.

Unfortunately in Trivandrum, the advantages have turned detrimental when it came to the development of MG Road. The location of the seat of power, the Secretariat, meant that this road would be chronically infested with all kinds of agitations and gimmicks against the Govt. There is seldom a day without strikes, marches, rallies and dharnas, clogging up the street. This would also turn into a battlefield on a wrong day, and the business establishments along the avenue would pay the price.

MG Road was also a testimonial to the cruel treatment meted out to the capital city by various Governments. Almost 50 years after the formation of the state, this arterial avenue of the State HQ contended with 2 lane carriageway for most of its length(except for the Overbridge- EastFort stretch). The picture becomes clearer when you learn that it didn't even have a decent footpath for the shoppers. And about the parking space, the less said the better.

So thanks to our inspiring leaders, the growth of the MG Road stagnated, and businesses started to desert the avenue for greener pastures. Pattom- Kesavadasapuram Road(seen here) became
a hot spot and many business establishments focused on this avenue to enhance their potentials. All major electronics and retail shops have opted for the Pattom road, and the Jewellery showrooms are following suit.

All the same, it is good for Trivandrum as a growing city, but doesn't the arterial road in the name of Mahatma Gandhi deserve better treatment?

Well, that's exactly what is happening now.

Better late than never, the MG Road is now undergoing a radical cosmetic surgery 'threatening' to make it one of the premium stretches of land in the state. Shopping will be turned into a pleasure pretty soon in Trivandrum after the redevelopment works are over along this arterial road.

The 3.5 km long MG Road from LMS to Attakulangara is revamped completely with all the amenities of a modern commercial street. It will have a 6-lane carriageway, 2m wide footpaths on either side, bus bays, central median with streetlamps, cable ducts and drains and intelligent traffic management technologies.

Start of MG Road: LMS Jn

Traffic on MG Road would be streamlined by automatic signal systems on 13 junctions. The signal system would encompass the VATMS technology (Vehicle Activated Traffic Management System), meaning that you will not be stuck at consecutive junctions. Signal lamps would be erected at the following intersections:

LMS Jn
Martyr's Jn
VJT Hall
Spencer's Jn
Secretariat North Gate
Statue Road Jn
Secretariate South Gate
GPO Jn(Pulimoodu)
Ayurveda College Jn
Overbridge
Pazhavangadi
East Fort(Gandhi Park)
Attakulangara

The underpass at Martyr's Column Jn and a flyover at Powerhouse Road Jn are constituents of the inner ring road, which will intersect MG Road at the two ends. Moreover this 4 lane road would make up a parallel for the MG Road, enhancing the traffic entry and exit.

Old dilapidated crumbling structures are pulled down to make way for modern commercial structures. The 7 storied Kerala Lotteries Building (Pothen's building) and the Kesari Building are history now. 2 malls by Nikunjam and Trinity are going Nikunjam Mall u/c on MG Road

to take shopping experience to the next level. Homegrown establishments like Naaz, Premier and Kulatunkal are in the process of shifting to their swanky new buildings. Muthoot Group is demolishing their cinema halls just off the MG Road(Kripa & Dhanya/Ramya) for Multiplexes. Developers who have shied away from MG Road are now vying for a chunk of land. New hotels and commercial complexes will soon be propping up all along the stretch.

The aesthetics of the avenue would also be augmented once the redevelopment is completed. Gandhi Park is already a green dot on MG Road, a hideaway in the heart of the city. TRIDA has plans to develop a public plaza inside the Saphalyam Complex and Putharikandam will soon metamorphose into a gorgeous landscaped park with all public amenities. The bus stand at East Fort will soon disappear and the vintage beauty of the Fort will be a charming backdrop. A paved or landscaped footpath and road divider would add to the charm of the avenue...

So 2-3 years from now, Trivandrum would own a business avenue it would would be proud of!

But not without a few bits & pieces that require immediate attention. The chaotic political exhibitions in front of the Secretariat continues to be a pain in the a**. Common man and businesses will continue to suffer if this menace isn't chained promptly. These gimmicks make a laugh out of the numerous court orders and restrictions against demonstrations on MG Road.

Parking certainly has the potential to be a teething problem along this avenue. At present only 4 lane traffic is possible on the 6-laned Overbridge-East Fort stretch because one lane on either side is gobbled up for parking. New commercial complexes should not be permitted without ample parking space. Parking plazas could be built making use of the Govt properties inside Saphalyam, Ayurveda College and Attakulangara, instead of encroaching into prime commercial land. The feeder roads to MG Road like Press Road, Dhanya-Ramya Theater Road, Thakarapparambu Road et al should be expanded to accommodate parking space. Moreover the authorities have shown the sense to incorporate parking lots in the redesigned Gandhi Park and Putharikkandam Ground.

redesigned Putharikkandam

The relocation of KSRTC Bus Depot in East Fort to the proposed Integrated City Bus Terminal in Attakulangara Bypass Road would free up more prime space for utilization.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to extend the MG Road to Manacaud, for another 1 km. To be honest it was a mystery to me why they decided to terminate the 6 lane at Attakulangara, for Manacaud Road is a virtual continuation of the MG Road. The Attakulangara Sub-Jail stands as another parasitic form of matter, locking up property worth crores to house goons.

Trivandrum is growing, faster...bigger... and taller...A showcase commercial street is a must for the aspiring business town and MG road must be well adapted to meet the challenges. For now things appear bright, and we the citizens of Trivandrum wish to see nothing less than a fascinating boulevard!

Related topic: Trams: Outdated or Futuristic?
Birth of a new city!

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Hartal Ahoy!!

I've learned a few more lessons about Kerala & the Hartals from my last visit to my home state.

Things wont change even if it is the leftists at the helm or not, whether there is a court order or not, if yours is an IT City or not or even if the political party in protest is national, regional or a local-hopper...

I'm writing this as an epilogue to what I experienced in Kerala on the May 2 BJP Hartal day.

They say a picture speaks a million words. So here is a compilation of how Kerala and rest of India responded to the 'strike against price hike' by BJP.


Chennai
Courtesy: Malayala Manorama



Mumbai
Courtesy: msnbc


Calcutta
Courtesy: ndtv


Cochin
Courtesy: The Hindu


Trivandrum
Courtesy: Kerala Views


It was almost as if it was a national holiday in Kerala. The weirdest fact was that the Hartal was a no-no in most of the BJP stronghold states , unlike Kerala were the party is always a complete washout.

And this happens in a state with chronic and burning economic problems, where losing such man hours and productivity are almost unthinkable.

Whatever, there seem to be no end to this menace...

We can laugh at this, or we can cry...but nothing ever seems to change in my sweet little Kerala.

PS: I've denoted the term 'Hartal' in upper cases, just because I felt it needed to be treated as something more important. It may be alright to mention it as 'hartal' in other parts of India, but here down in Kerala we certainly need the capital 'H'. Also I would be appreciate very much if someone could enlighten me with the difference between a 'bandh', 'hartal' and 'panimudakku'...

Thank you!

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Trams: Outdated or Futuristic?

My idea of trams was that it was an antiquated mode of public transport until I debarked at Dublin, capital of Republic of Ireland.

A tramcar running through Dublin street

The elegant and sophisticated tramcars, as you see here, has revolutionized the once non-existent transport system of Dublin. The more I learned about them the more I became aware as to how wrong I was on the tram systems, particularly about it being an obsolete one.

For records, the Dublin tramlines (or the "luas" as they call it here) has just been commissioned in 2004.

My knowledge of this mode of transport was stereotyped, thanks to the one and only system of its kind in India; the Calcutta (or Kolkata for the traditionalists) trams. The setup became so outdated and inconvenient that the West Bengal Govt even thought of abolishing the system. Trams still run on Kolkata streets, all right, but mainly as a unique historical showpiece of the city.(see picture)

I was somewhat surprised as to why this system hasn't been adopted by any Indian city. Calcutta could be one reason. Or else the system itself was just not suitable for Indian conditions. Trams often go in conjecture with the mainline street traffic and under the helter-skelter driving habits exhibited on our roads, I wont be surprised if the system turns into a nuisance overnight. The dangers associated with narrow two-wheeler tyres getting caught in rail grooves would be another concern.

But all matters aside, I would love to see a trolley-system develop in India, especially in Kerala. My first argument would be that trams are simply more cheap and environment friendly than its counterparts, the monorail, skybus or a Metro. Apart from being faster than a BRTS, trams would enhance the image of a city, reduce congestion and pollution without affecting the aesthetics of an urbanscape.

I'd imagine, in Trivandrum the best option to develop a tramline is along the evolving corridors of the new city. It is too late and impractical to manipulate with the existing roads of Trivandrum. One of my friends who works in the real estate field mentioned about a study to develop a transport system exclusively for the Vizhinjam- Technocity corridor, all along the highway. I queried about the possibilities of such a light rail system on this strip, but he raised authentic doubts about it, mostly related to the tram-automobile nexus.

A luas stop and ticket counter in Dublin

Well, if planned properly this disadvantage could well be turned into an advantage. The road divider could essentially become the tramway. It just requires around 6-8 meters for placing all the necessary infrastructure, consisting of double rail-lines, ticket counters and bays. Foot overbridges or subways may be necessary to connect the tram avenue to either sides of the road. Automated signal control would be mandatory at junctions, and the initial mayhem would resolve once the population is familiar with the system.

This tramsystem would have Mangalapuram, Technopark, Enchakkal and Vizhinjam as bases/depots and preferably have branching routes to Sreekaryam-Medical College(via Eng College), Akkulam-Ulloor Road(augmenting with the Medical College line) and Airport(New Terminal). These corridors have the advantage of being in early stages of planning & development, allowing for incorporating the adequate berth for tram infrastructure.

This system could be built and operated at one-fifth of the expenses for a similar Metro System. This would cut down significantly the need for private transport and thus help reduce congestion plaguing our cities. Moreover, with the increased emphasis on environment, CO2 emissions and greener methods of transport, trams are likely to rejuvenate itself as a fashionable choice.

Such systems are already up and running in multitudes of global metropolises like HongKong, Melbourne, Zurich or Amsterdam, and I see no reason why it wont work in our cities. I was convinced at the efficiency of this system in a megapolis like Zurich, where the penetrating and efficient web of tramlines has minimised to a great extent the problems due to vehicle population.

After the successful establishment of a tramsystem in Dublin, the Irish are expanding the system in the city, and also planning new ones in cities of Cork & Limerick. Just for point, the luas covers the Connolly-Tallaght route in Dublin in 40 minutes sharp, always, when a bus takes you there in over an hour(if you are lucky).

This Wikipedia article elaborates on this mode of transport, and also points out that cities which harbored disused tramlines are rebuilding it.

Perhaps in the next decade I would be able to coast down the Trivandrum Bypass on a modern streetrail...

Related Topic:Birth of a new city!

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Two too many...

Building airports in every nook and corner of the state seems to be the new 'developmental craze' in Kerala.



Already the expat-dependent state has three airports bestowed the international tag, with nothing more than a handful of flights each to feed its overwhelming population in the middle east. A fourth one in the Communist fort of Kannur is already taking shape(in papers), with the blessings of the political party. And if that's not enough here comes the plan to build another airport, that too International, in the serene countryside in Aranmula in Central Travancore!

Not finished, yet another one is proposed in the hilly haven of Idukki!! Mind you, these are not just airstrips for local tourist planes, but fully fledged International airports!!

So very soon we could become the first state with more airports than railway stations or bus stands...Something to cheer for the state...

Or is it?

Already there is a healthy(?) competition between the three airports in Kerala for the solitary gulf pie. The only other destination served by our airports is Singapore, apart from the Arabian nations. Make no mistake, this Gulf market is a lucrative one and it is what keeps our airports going. For a state where industrial production or exports are next to nothing, having more airports vying for the same piece of bone doesn't augur well. Especially in a small state like Kerala.

Last year Kerala airports served just under 6.5 million passengers, with Cochin Airport handling nearly half of those numbers. Interestingly, these airports carried just 2.1 million domestic travellers, a measly 30% of total traffic. In a big country like India, domestic air travel statistics will be a clear indicator of the economic momentum carried by a city. And the figures expose our sorry state of affairs. Trivandrum & Cochin are beginning to ride the IT wave, and with the ongoing developmental surge in these two cities the figures are all set to be revamped. Calicut, even though being the main city serving the bigger Malabar region fares poorly in the domestic front. The unsound lobby activities as well as an unfair chronic monopoly by Air India also spelt deleterious for this north Kerala airport.

This all means that our airports are still struggling to find their feet in the commercial aviation market. Building two more airports would only help in impeding their growth, and this would further retard the state's economic progress instead of augmenting it.

First things first, a new airfield is no magic-carpet to fly in more passengers. It is the airlines that bring in customers and being most optimistic I see nobody other than Air India touchdown at Kannur or Aranmula, that too within the next decade. Remember, even Calicut saw a foreign Int'l carrier other than Srilankan Airlines, only in 2008. And how could we expect domestic carriers to break even on these new sectors with poor economic background? Arguably Kannur has a mushrooming textile industry, all right...but even an established mega textile-industrial center like Coimbatore struggles to maintain a good airline load factor. That leaves Tourism as the final straw for the Kannur airport.

The proposed airport at Aranmula is also expecting to cash in on the enormous no of Keralites in middle east and also in Europe & the US. Well, it remains to be seen if Lufthansa or United Airlines would zoom in on Aranmula anytime before this century. Apparently, Lufthansa which operates from all 6 metros of India has landing permission in Cochin, the next obvious choice, but is still holding back from landing here. And unto this day, barring a few reports here and there nobody has made any worthy efforts for a direct Kerala -US/Europe flight.

Under the Airport Infrastructure Policy of 1997, an additional airport within an aerial radius of 150km of an existing airport is not permitted. A sensible directive, but as usual waived under political pressure. The proposed Kannur airport is just under 80km from Calicut Airport and 125km from Mangalore International Airport. Aranmula, too lies within 100km from Trivandrum and Cochin.




God forbid, we will soon have airports at Palakkad, Punalur, Perintalmanna and where else? Think about it, even Switzerland, a wealthy nation double the size of Kerala with showcase cities like Geneva, Zurich and Bern has only 8 Int'l airports(including 2 hubs for Swissair).

Isn't there a better channel to spend public money other than wasting it on such political drain holes??

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CIAL: An enthralling success story

Among the calamitous array of infrastructural glitches we stumble across in Kerala, stand one illustrious model waiting to be emulated across the globe. The inspiring story of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) in Nedumbassery.

In the road or railway development front, Kerala cuts a dismal picture with 2-laned pothole filled congested 'highways' and sporadically doubled, mostly unelectrified rail lines. Things appear better in air travel with the presence of 3 international airports in the small state. But things weren't so rosy when the idea of a new airport was conceived as early as 1992.

The airport which existed on the Wellington Island inside Cochin city limits became chronically disabled with space constraints and geographical barriers providing little scope for development. The thoughts for a greenfield airport were born and against all odds this massive project took off in early 1998. The usual incessant roadblocks in the form of land acquisition or political foul plays were dealt promptly and astutely and the airport opened its skies for the first aircraft landing on June 10th 1999.

CIAL from the air

The airport immediately struck national headlines as the first private airport in India and also as a major infrastructural project built using people's money. It was the first PPP(Private-public-partnership) project undertaken on a big scale with 74% of the cost raised from NRIs. Kerala has exhibited something never witnessed before in India: a new state-of-the-art international airport in 800 acres at just 230 crores INR!!!

Interestingly, as the airport enters the second decade of service, a similar one planned along with it in Bangalore is still limping its way to the finishing point.

CIAL has, over the years, become a bookmark on a multitude of aspects. From its traditional architecture, professionalism in management, streamlined and passenger friendly service to the landmark model of execution, CIAL has become a reference for any such project planned in the future.

But at the first place what had made this project a resounding success unlike the despondent public sector tragedy tales we have around us?

Political willpower was a key element in CIAL's success. The airport is indebted to K. Karunakaran and his guiles in people relations. The powerful Cochin business community was all-hands-in for the project. The inspiring, influential and thoughtful CEO in V.J. Kuryan IAS made sure that the customary red tapism was minimal. His vision and skills have laid the foundations for the airport.They also succeeded in making the media work positively for the project, rather than against. A huge no of NRI population involved just meant that the weapons of the distractors were dented. Together this political-administartive-business alliance scripted what now has become a feather in the cap of Kerala's development.

A striking feature of CIAL is the way it went in doing business. Kerala has never been a big business destination and the airports survived mainly on the Kerala community in the middle east. CIAL would keep the existing customer base and also exploit more on one of Kerala's strongholds: its natural beauty. CIAL was probably the first airport to formulate an organized plan to attract tourists to Kerala, but not entirely dependent on chartered flights. Road networks to major destinations including Munnar and Kodaikanal were envisaged.

Connectivity was one of the major advantages enjoyed by CIAL over other regional rivals. Apart from the central location in the state, CIAL has proximity to NH 47 and MC Road, the two major highways in Kerala. The Ernakulam-Shornur railway line borders the western side of the airfield and a new railway station is planned for the airport city. CIAL has even drafted an outrageous idea to rejuvenate the canal bypassing the terminals, make it navigable and connect it to the National Waterway; if it materializes CIAL will hold the unique status of being accessible through road, rail and water.

Now CIAL set about making its foundations more stronger, in other words strengthening its commercial background. In early 2000 Cochin was still struggling to shrug off its tag as a small city, a mini-metro, even though it constituted the industrial backbone of Kerala. The idea of a SEZ, with CIAL and the proposed Container Terminal in Vallarpadam as fulcrum was mooted. The new road connecting the two focal points was inaugurated in 2003, christened the Seaport-Airport Road. This highway is already rewriting the horoscope of Cochin and in the next phase it will connect the IT City blossoming on its corridors to the Airport.

One highly appreciates the foresight of V.J. Kuryan and his team on witnessing the airport development plans, almost 10 years after inauguration. He even awarded the construction of boundary wall to six different contractors to speed up work. His vision of a fully fledged airport city is slowly taking shape in Nedumbassery and when complete it will become the first Aerotropolis in India consisting of an 18 hole golf-course, IT Parks, Shopping arenas, residential avenues, star & budget hotels and more.

Perhaps this Aerotropolis would hopefully become a benchmark in urban planning, unlike the planning mishap that is called Cochin now. And this can also be an eyeopener to the bunnys of the much touted Bangalore International Airport who have finished an airport without a proper approach road!

Today, the airport ranks 4th in India in the no: of Int'l travallers. Over 16000 domestic customers flew out of Cochin last year and the numbers are growing, but still modest. The shot-in-the-arm needed is the commencement of an Airline with Cochin as its hub. A dream perhaps unlikely in the near future, but if realized will propel CIAL into the league it never dreamt of. Kingfisher Airlines will make Bangalore an International Transit Airport very soon. With a huge diaspora of Keralites across the globe, CIAL has all the ingredients to metamorphose into a transit hub. The proposed Kerala Airlines would help further...

I've a feeling that time has come for CIAL to aim for the stars. A report I came across the other day claimed that CIAL is constructing an exclusive A380 hanger. First I thought it extravagant, but with Kingfisher awaiting International License and the super-jumbo order in place, CIAL would ideally be a second base and hub for the growing airline giant. It would turn out to be a boon for the millions of expats in Europe or America who had been longing for a direct Kerala touchdown for long. Not to mention the trade and tourism windows opening furthur!

More challenges mean more severe tests to the capability of the Airport visionaries to see beyond...

The Airport must be made ready to handle the biggest of the birds; with the ever expanding Indian Aviation scenario and the prospect of more A380s traversing Indian skies, the airport must be fully compatible as per industry standards. (CIAL claims it is A380 compatible, but from the preparations I've seen in Frankfurt, it is not even 20% there.)

Improved connectivity to and from the city. Metro rail must reach Nedumbasserry, along with the Railway station and boat terminals planned.

Blueprints for a second runway and conjointed infrastructure improvements have to be drafted before the airport reach choking figures. And if the runway recarpeting works are planned in the same way as it is being done now, then 'God save the Queen', that's all we can say!

CIAL is now contemplating the idea of emulating its success story inside and outside India. Recently it received a proposal to build a similar airport in Srilanka. As it is spanning out, CIAL's intent to own and operate at least 5 airports by the end of 2020 is gradually realizing. The Cochin International Airport is certainly becoming the diamond in the Queen's necklace.

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Foundations on quicksand

"The things that will destroy us are:
politics without principle;
pleasure without conscience;
wealth without work;
knowledge without character;
business without morality;
science without humanity;
and worship without sacrifice."

- MAHATMA GANDHI

I've seen this quote many times in my life, on books, banks, business establishments, offices and even uttered by the lousy politicians. This is one strong message, which I feel, must be instilled into generations to inculcate values in the society.

Business without morality has been deemed as a 'social crime' by Mahatma Gandhi. The lack of conscience and ethics has led to many innocent people fall victim to the immoral business men's guiles, the latest one being actress Navya Nair.

A leading Cochin-based builder has allegedly cheated the Malayalam film actress by luring her into purchasing an apartment in one of their listless 'projects', for which they never received any approval. Since the famed actress's tears had value, it hit the newsdecks and the obscene 'homebuilders' are on the run.

But the filmstar isn't the only person swindled by these outlaws.

Obviously she is just one among the many unfortunates who invested their sweat and blood into the dream home they were promised. And the Builder in the frame are not the only blackhands in the booming real estate industry who rob their customers in broad daylight, making a mockery of the laws & enforcements.

Not long ago, a mother and son committed suicide when they discovered that their brand new apartment in Kazhakkuttam had serious leakages & structural problems. A frontline builder was sued by a Trivandrum based businessman after the builder failed to deliver the apartment on time. Almost a decade now, that building still stands unfinished (but is marked as a completed project in the company's website). Another major builder is notorious for their deviation from approved plans; as a result the units remain without Corporation numbers and ultimately with no Water or Electricity connection. The luckless inhabitants survive on Generator power and raw pumped lake water in one of the apartment buildings. They eventually end up paying the hefty fine to the authorities for the atrocity committed by the builder. A good no of builders doesn't provide the amenities they have so extravagantly described in their brochure. And about the aftercare of the apartments, the less said the better...

The shocking factor in the above cases is that the Builders in the frame are allowed to carry on their immoral tactics. Not even a lone finger has been raised by the concerned authorities. Those concerned at the Kerala Builder's Forum (KBF)came out condemning such illegal activities, but they themselves harbour the culprits. All the above mentioned 'homebuilders' (or homebreakers?) are members of KBF.

A home is every person's dream and usually takes a lifetime to realize. These fugitives have broken many a dreams and are still let loose...and they are conditioned into habitual trickery.

Navya Nair can still consider herself fortunate that she still has a chance to rebuild her dreams. But what about the hundreds of NRIs, professionals, Govt servants and traders who learned that the foundations of their dreams were built on quicksand?

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The Espionage Theory

The news report about the ban of Google Mappers from US Military bases prompted me to write this post.

Sometime back I asked my sister who works in the HAL Airport in Bangalore to mail me some snaps of the airport interiors, flight landings and take offs. To my surprise she replied
that photography was prohibited in the Airport; whats more, she wasn't even allowed to use her mobile cam. A policeman even made her delete the image of a Lufthansa Jumbo jet parked on the tarmac, citing security concerns.

I thought it might be because of the fact that the HAL Airport also had a military component attached to it. I myself had similar experience at Trivandrum Int'l Airport, where Southern Air Command was operating. Perfectly understandable, and as patriotic citizens we wont indulge in acts which compromise national security.

But it doesn't mask the fact that some of these regulations are turning really silly...

Just enter Bangalore Airport images on any search engine and you will get an overwhelming no: of photos of the airport, layout, runways, flights, interiors and whatever you need. Websites offer more than enough details of all the airports in the world. Even worse, tools like Google Earth & Google Map are making an absolute mockery of the 'security laws' we have around us.


HAL Airport, Bangalore in Google Earth

I'm a member of the online community Skyscrapercity, which is a first class arena for urban photos and discussions. That explains my interest in Bangalore Airport photos. The utter asinine nature of the rules are blown wide open if you view the photo galleries in the site. Thousands of pics taken from the aircrafts, tarmac and terminals lay tribute to the agile & efficient forumers.

Leave aside airports, one of the members even reported that he was reprimanded when trying to secure some snaps of the Big Bazaar, a cheap-commodity supermarket in downtown Trivandrum! Me and my friends landed in hot water after posing for a group photo in Mumbai'sVictoria Terminus a few years back. Lastly, the revelation that Trivadrum Airport departure area was also a 'no photography' zone thoroughly confused me.

What could be the real issues behind these restrictions?

Security reasons?
Violation of personal space?
Superannuated laws?
or simple ignorance?

The last choice appeals most to me.

What else would obstruct a young girl from picturing a modern commercial jetliner resting on the parking bay?

Whatever, I myself have scores of photographs taken from the Int'l Airport terminals of Frankfurt, Zurich, Dublin, Geneva, middle east countries and even the LTTE infested Colombo. Nobody Zurich Int'l Airport
raised an eyebrow; some snaps were even taken for me by security officials. But when it comes to aamchi India, the camera turns a potential grenade.

Perhaps our folks haven't yet seen the Google Earth or Flikr...

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