Footloose

Of the story of a failed governance ... !

Let US accept, for the sake of positive argument, that there is no point in opposing the construction of cement roads in Nagpur -- since the authorities are hell bent upon the project, no matter what. Let us, therefore, also accept that there is no point in opposing the attendant parts of road-architecture, like pavements and other accessories that the civic authorities deem fit to build. By the same token, let us also accept that the city requires all the fly-overs, all the bridges, all the public ..

Of a silent but troublesome malady

 By  Vijay Phanshikar : FOOTPATHS have an uncanny tendency to be encroached upon. Or, in other words, people find it easier to keep encroaching upon footpaths. For, all over the city, countless thousands of structures -- residential or co..

When democracy is on a long vacation

THE question is not of just one road of less than a kilometer in length. The question is about the shoddy, faulty, short-sighted planning. The question is of the great inconvenience to the people, the great loss of the tax-paying people’s money, and the sick feeling that every citizen suffers from when he/she sees such pathetic and chaotic project..

Of the promises made but never met

SO, THE civic officials who fail to restore dug-up roads as per norms are going to be suspended. This clear directive from Union Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari (who is also Member of Parliament from Nagpur) has been met with a mix of gratitude and some skepticism from the common people of Nagpur. The loosefooter got a number of calls from ‘The Hitavada’ readers some of whom said that they felt happy that the honourable Minister has made up his mind to take stern action against defaulting officials who ..

Thank You My Lords !

THE whole city of Nagpur will always express its utmost gratitude to a Division Bench of Bombay High Court at Nagpur for asking the most serious question: Who will serve the taxpayers? The reference was the serious problem of water-logging in Nagpur in general and the two Somalwar schools in Khamla area. When flood waters gushed into the premises of these schools, students and teachers and staff had to be evacuated with the help of ropes etc with much effort. The honourable High Court heard the matter ..

Of the lessons we refuse to learn

THIS is a continuous story -- of the lessons we, the Nagpurians, steadfastly refuse to learn. That fateful night of September 23 in 2023, the city saw torrential rains and spilling over of its waterways and waterbodies. The next morning, the city was aghast to notice that as many as ten thousand houses were severely damaged in the floods. On the fateful noon-to-afternoon-to evening of July 28, 2026 (Tuesday), the city got lashed by torrential rains -- 180 mms in just a few hours -- and found itself ..

Of an engaging perspective about cops

THE very feel of the island at the centre of the Raj Bhavan (West) square is different. Right at the centre of isle is the Police emblem (showcasing the strong hand of the cops). Several statues of policemen at work on different duties, in different gear are positioned in a neat circle along the island’s periphery. Take a look at the central island at this square and you would feel happy...

How can we expect auto-mode to work ?

FOR the Nagpurians, chaotic traffic and chaotic parking around the Main Railway Station is a commonplace experience -- no matter the arrangements the local authorities, including the Police, do to contain the mess. Over time, several plans and schemes have come up to organise the traffic flow and parking around the iconic Nagpur Railway Station with a building of stunning architectural beauty. Everytime some new arrangement is proposed, the authorities claim -- and Nagpurians dream -- that some day, ..

Of the administrative paralysis in city !

 By Vijay Phanshikar : The caller was truly irritated -- even angry -- that he had to spend more than three quarters of an hour jammed in a terribly slow-moving evening traffic when moderate to heavy rains were lashing the city on June 23, 2026:..

Of a heat-trapped reality check

ASk any body in Nagpur what he/she thinks is the reason of so much general heat in the city, and the response would be common: Cement roads and cemented paver-block pavements. Factor in also the use of only cement as basic construction material in thousands of buildings now under construction in the city, and the picture becomes dirtier. The other day, some technical units were engaged in some operations on a newly-made cement road (in front of ‘The Hitavada’ office on Wardha Road) in the blazing ..

Of the need of an Erin Brockovich !

 By Vijay Phanshikar :  AS YOU move around the city of Nagpur in continual throes of so-called development, your eyes are often invaded by stunningly tall buildings coming up in different parts of the city -- of course, on relatively small..

Aesthetics: What are you talking about ?

 By Vijay Phanshikar : THE shamelessly shabby bamboo scaffoldings to support green-net canopies at different intersections of the city afford very apt symbolism of the shabby urban management culture the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has e..

Of the license to mess up with public interest

 By Vijay Phanshikar : WHAT is the most important attribute of civic administration ? Responsiveness ! This is what is taught to students in their course on public administration -- not only in India but also all over the world. Public..

Who is responsible for this scandal? Who is backing it?

The city has been hit by another land-related scandal. Vested interests have gobbled up 15.5 acres of land (in Pardi -- East Nagpur) originally reserved for usage as crematorium in the Development Plan. And this detail surfaced in a Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s review meeting chaired by none other than Mayor Mrs. Neeta Thakre. The meeting was told that only 1.5 acres of the land now remain -- to be used as crematorium. This information was shared with the members by officials at the meeting...

Of the overwhelming emotion for Kasturchand Park !

 By Vijay Phanshikar : THE strong emotions expressed unabashedly by countless people -- openly or privately -- in favour of a public campaign to save the historic Kasturchand Park from getting permanently spoiled due to official encroachment wer..

Of trees waiting to be ‘dechoked’

THE Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) was expected to start ‘dechoking’ of 3000-plus trees in the city -- as per the direction of the honourable High Court (as part of the next phase of the effort). This effort, no doubt, was an urgent need of the city. To that extent, the city must welcome the direction of the honourable High Court and expect that the work on the project would be done with diligence and discipline. Of course,’The Hitavada’ has been campaigning for ‘dechoking’ of trees for the past ..

Who gobbled up our lakes ? Who is the real sinner ?

 By Vijay Phanshikar : Once again, we must ask the question to ourselves : Who gobbled up those 6-7 beautiful, wonderful lakes in Nagpur ? Whose neck should be caught in the wringer for this sin ? Who is the real culprit, the real sinner ? For,..

Of a lazy, sleepy, sloppy civic administration !

The rules -- Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules -- are clear: There must be a buffer zone around every garbage dumping yard. However, at the Bhandewadi Dump-Yard on the eastern fringe of Nagpur, this part of the rule cannot just be implemented. For, as even a street urchin in the city knows, years ago, the fringes of Bhandewadi yard were encroached upon by people who built their ‘pukka’ houses -- no matter the stench and the filth of the mountains of garbage in the yard just outside their compound ..

Of a new face of the emerging city

By Vijay Phanshikar : Those joints are found all over the city -- posh, modern, jazzy, swanky, fashionable, and often crowded by good-looking, fashionable (mostly) young people. This is a new development -- of the last few years. And it repre..

We cannot afford to miss taking note of NOTA vote

SO, AFTER a long time, the city of Nagpur has an elected body of corporators. It will now have a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor and a Standing Committee Chairman (with financial powers). So, the people will have their ‘own’ representatives to take care of civic matters. All this is welcome. Even as the city was still in celebratory mood, the loosefooter went around meeting people randomly to asses the actual mood...

When Nagpur confronts itself

the city of Nagpur confronts itself today as it goes to municipal polls. After a long gap -- whose explanation nobody ever had -- the people will elect their ward representatives once again. The second capital of Maharashtra, thus, will have a ‘complete’ municipal corporation -- free from the bureaucratic grip with no one to listen to the troubles, trials and tribulations of the common people. From tomorrow (January 16, 2026) onwards, the city will have ward members who will be expected to address ..

We must thank ‘them’, too !

The police claim that the city of Nagpur saw lesser numbers of fatal road accidents in the year 2025 needs to be welcomed. When a city bursting at the seams reports lesser numbers of fatal accidents in a year, it is obviously a good news. For, it gives a good feeling to the people that they are plying on safer roads. As Dr. Ravinder Singal, the indomitable Commissioner of Police, made a proud announcement of the reduced numbers of fatal accidents on city roads, the people realised the good work the ..

The questions we must ask ourselves at the year’s start

EVEN as we say one another ‘A Happy New Year’, we also must ask ourselves a few questions at the start of the year 2026 -- about Nagpur and its upkeep and its public policy and about its civic administration (not administrators as persons). In other words, it is time we asked ourselves whether we really, really, really live in a livable city ! Of course, definitions differ -- from person to person, from political party to political party. But then, there are some standard definitions that are the ..

Of policy and action paralyses about the Naag !

THE biggest question the Nagpurians have in their mind is: Is the Government -- political leadership and the bureaucracy -- serious about Naag River rejuvenation ? As per recent developments have only underlined the question once again. We all may recall that the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has proposed a Rs. 1,900-crore Naag River Pollution Abatement Plan. And just a week later, Bharatiya Janata Party Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Mr. Parinay Fuke has given a Call Attention Notice ..

Of the immense goodwill they earn !

They wear bright-coloured, sleeveless vests and stand at road intersections holding up placards with appeals to common people to follow traffic rules. They keep smiling as they approach people on their two-wheelers and four-wheelers urging them to abide by rules on the roads. Most people respect those volunteers, all right. However, there also are many who just don’t care -- and push on with their brazenness. For such haughty people, rules make no sense. So, naturally, those who urge them to follow ..

Of the challenge to clean the city

SIGNALS are available in Nature that the rains are on their way out. Now, with Diwali festivities round the corner, it is time for Nagpur -- its administration and the people -- to deck the city up for the healthy season ahead. Soon, the dampness and humidity in the atmosphere will go away and the air would be crispy and cool -- before it turns very cold in the next couple of months...

Of the urban mess by design

NAGPUR presents a classic example of how a city has been messed up by ‘design’ -- almost literally, so to say ! The latest example of this comes from the Ashok Circle at which the fly-over (constructed by the National Highway Authority of India -- NHAI) runs tangentially through the gallery of a private house -- which also is an illegal construction. The images of the fly-over tearing through the outer edge or gallery of the private house are really shocking. The story is told of how the house-owner ..

Of one more civic announcement !

AT long last, the civic authority in the city has found time and inclination to think of an integrated way of handling all infrastructure tasks alongside roads. They are now talking of a plan that would fuse all utilities in single ducts along or across the roads -- so that repeated digging of roads is avoided. If the loosefooter remembers right, such a talk was doing the rounds of the civic circles a few years ago as well. At that time also, the newspapers had written big headlines on the proposed ..

Cesspool of civic mismanagement

HEAVY rains of just a couple of hours also convert the Purani Sabzi Mandi in the Old City area into a vast pool -- almost in the shape of a lake. Thus, during the rainy season, the Purani Sabzi Mandi area witnesses such flooding every now and then -- in the process leaving the users of the place in an impossible-to-sort-out situation. The area stinks with stale and slushy water and becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This happens every year during the rainy season. Yet, the civic authorities ..

Of the social shame of street go-getters !

THEY think that they are very smart and intelligent and great go-getters. They also think that everybody else on the road is a bloody fool and timid. So, looking at all others with disdain, these smart go-getters just zoom past traffic signals triumphantly -- as if they have just conquered an enemy post ! On the ground of reality, all these go-getters look actually stupid, idiotic and brazen law-breakers. They don’t look smart. They don’t look intelligent. They only look plain hooligans who have no ..

Of systematic destruction of Futala Lake

 By Vijay Phanshikar : THE ruling of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the water in Nagpur’s Futala Lake is not good enough even for human bathing, should make every Nagpurian not just very upset but also very, very angry. That is als..

Of the need of an anti-drug social drive

 By Vijay Phanshikar:  THAT the Bhopal cops arrested two foreign nationals for drug trafficking, does make a good news. It is clear that the Bhopal Police have done an excellent job during their anti-drug fortnight -- for which they deser..

Of course, no city is built in a day ...

By Vijay Phanshikar : ROME, as we traditionally say, was not built in a day. In other words, every great city takes time to come up, to evolve with time, to accommodate new ideas. Nagpur can be no exception. Yet, looking at the sluggish pace..

Of official road-blocks between west and east Nagpurs

These road-blocks have been there for the past endless months. Each time people travel from this part of the city to that part, they run into these road-blocks of development -- as ‘The Hitavada’ showed in its CityLine edition of July 22, 2025. For record, the administration appears to be engaged in developmental projects. For fact, in the name of development, what people encounter are road-blocks that appear to have no immediate resolution. If this is the definition of ‘development’, then the city ..

Of drug addiction and social responsibility

 OF course, the Madhya Pradesh Police deserve much appreciation for launching a statewide anti-drug campaign that Director General of Police Kailash Makwana inaugurated two days ago. Such a drive will make a positive difference to the larger society..

Vignettes of development Second capital. ... ! Smart city. ... !

These are the vignettes of development -- of Smart City Nagpur --- of Maharashtra Second Capital Nagpur -- of city of great leaders ! It is in this city that lakes are being destroyed. It is in this city that rivers are being toyed with. It is in this city that promises are made but are rarely followed. To be sure, the city offers countless such sights -- day in and day out. To be sure, the people are patient and willing to wait for good days to come. But to be sure, good days are only in speeches ..

The questions we must ask Why are we so committed to killing our environs ?

  By Vijay Phanshikar : TIME has come for all of us to ask ourselves a very serious question about our own commitment to protecting the city’s environment and its lakes and its rivers and its forest patches and its parks and its gar..

The questions we must ask Who is responsible for the Futala Lake mess ?

THAT the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given show-cause notices to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for the decline in the condition of the Futala (Telangkhedi) Lake, is a welcome development in the sense this step will set in motion the process of fixing of the responsibility of the Futala Lake mess. Yet, the moot question is: Will the responsibility be really fixed and ..

The questions we must ask Who will pay those Rs. 34 crores? ... and more !!

SO, FINALLY, steps will be taken soon to correct the wrong design of the Sadar fly-over. And this vow has come from none other than Mr. Nitin Gadkari, the honourable Union Minister for Surface Transport -- who happens to be the Member of Parliament (MP) from Nagpur. By any standard, this is good news for Nagpur. For, when a wrong urban design is sought to be corrected, the city will benefit from the correction. For ‘The Hitavada’, this news (published in ‘CityLine’ of June 13, 2025) brings a sad vindicatio..

Of cattle on the road and commuters in trouble

Of cattle on the road and commuters in trouble..

Of an issue too complex to be taken lightly

Of an issue too complex to be taken lightly..

Of open drains ... and closed minds

WANDER around town and you would get to see literally countless numbers of open drains carrying filth of the city -- and spreading infection and posing public health hazards. In countless places, these open drains stink and make life hell for people living in those areas. Yet, no matter the political tall talk and administrative lip-service, the open drains continue to haunt the city of Bhopal, the modern, metropolitan capital of Madhya Pradesh. So the question: How can the city tolerate such a failure ..

Of the issue of leadership-II

THE failed grand picture of a developed Nagpur -- painted by political leadership years ago -- is a direct result of leadership-failure, a retired bureaucrat said during a chat last week (in the wake of the last week’s episode of ‘Footloose In Nagpur -- May 8, 2025). The city of Nagpur must be bogged down by countless dozens of issues of failed urban designs -- of fly-overs, of road-architecture, or road-intersections, or pavements or sidewalks lining the roads, of the approaches and exits at the ..

Of the issue of leadership

THE grand picture of a developed Nagpur -- painted by political leadership years ago -- appears to be too far fetched a dream. That grand picture may never be fully complete in the near future (which may mean the next 15-20 years). The general impression is, the city of Nagpur is forever under construction of this or that project. And then there are many areas that are in an eternal turmoil as the developmental work goes on endlessly. As a result, Nagpurians are harassed all the time. For, for the ..

Of how a picture speaks a thousand words

THE steady stream of photographs of some or the other mess in public places, sent in by the esteemed readers of ‘The Hitavada’ for the column ‘Through The People’s Eyes’ shows how the city of Nagpur suffers from issues of urban mismanagement in a big way. Each of those pictures speaks of very simple but vastly mismanaged points in public places where there is some or the other point of chaos or indifference by the civic machinery. Most pictures from the esteemed readers bring to fore very pinpointedly ..