Showing posts with label Mumbai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mumbai. Show all posts
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Parking Spot Lights At Infiniti Mall
Saw an interesting innovation at Infiniti Mall last weekend in Mumbai - above every parking slot, activated by sensors, are these red and green lights that tell you quickly where the open parking slots are, as you scan around for a vacant spot. Wonderful idea!
The camera couldn't capture the color of the lights clearly, but I am sure you can see what I mean!
The camera couldn't capture the color of the lights clearly, but I am sure you can see what I mean!
Expressway Tales
A couple weeks back... we were in Nariman Pt for a meeting. We left by 445, took a 30 min break for an early dinner, and were home in Aundh by 815 - can you believe that? All thanks to the amazing Eastern Freeway and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which has brought the sister cities together like never dreamt possible!
We had another amazing experience on the way. A self
proclaimed VIP was arguing with toll booth staff and refusing to pay toll. The attendant
refused to give in to the pressure to open the gate, and after a couple of minutes, with the VIP unrelenting, he simply closed the lane, asked other cars to switch lanes and left the VIP fuming, the toll barrier blocking his path, while everyone went along their business.
Absolutely commendable!
Mumbai
Can't agree more! Lived 18 months in Mumbai during my IIT days - and fell in love with the city. No matter what its limitations and shortcomings, this is one beautiful city with beautiful people!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Mumbai Vista
Captured this view of my fav city from a TV program - and only one of the people I showed it to could guess that this was Mumbai, and not some exotic European location :)
Like most things in life, I guess you just need to have the right perspective!
Sunday, September 07, 2014
Mumbai - Honest City!
In an experiment last year, Mumbai came across as the world's second most honest city. A simple, abandoned wallet was left on the road, and the study recorded how many people stumbling on it returned it to its owner. An average Mumbaikar returned 9 out of 12 wallets he or she found lying on the road, each carrying Rs 3,000 (or equivalent). Each of the wallets also contained a cell phone number, business cards and a family photo. The experiment was carried out in 16 cities across four continents with 192 lost wallets, dropped in crowded places like shopping malls, sidewalks and parks in cities as diverse as New York and Zurich.
For the record, Helsinki topped the list of honest cities returning 11 of the 12 wallets.
I got a first hand experience of Mumbai's generosity and honesty last month, when I left my expensive, brand new, Samsung Galaxy S5 phone in an auto rickshaw. By the time I realized my phone was not with me, a cool 15-20 mins had passed by. Not only did the auto driver pick up my desperately hopeful call, he immediately came back from wherever he had reached, completely aware of the phone sitting on the back seat in his auto until I called. With a big smile, he stopped his auto across the road, and ran through the traffic to me, handing over the phone like he had just delivered his most precious "amanat" back to me.
And while I did tip him generously, I really need to add - not for a second did he try to linger on after handing over my phone, with absolutely no expectation for a reward!
My only regret - I should have taken his number, and found a way to repay his generosity some day! Maybe I was feeling too small in front of him, and it was easier to just give him some baksheesh and get the hell out of there!
For the record, Helsinki topped the list of honest cities returning 11 of the 12 wallets.
I got a first hand experience of Mumbai's generosity and honesty last month, when I left my expensive, brand new, Samsung Galaxy S5 phone in an auto rickshaw. By the time I realized my phone was not with me, a cool 15-20 mins had passed by. Not only did the auto driver pick up my desperately hopeful call, he immediately came back from wherever he had reached, completely aware of the phone sitting on the back seat in his auto until I called. With a big smile, he stopped his auto across the road, and ran through the traffic to me, handing over the phone like he had just delivered his most precious "amanat" back to me.
And while I did tip him generously, I really need to add - not for a second did he try to linger on after handing over my phone, with absolutely no expectation for a reward!
My only regret - I should have taken his number, and found a way to repay his generosity some day! Maybe I was feeling too small in front of him, and it was easier to just give him some baksheesh and get the hell out of there!
Sea Link - Is This Even Real?
Another amazing shot of my favorite bridge in the world!
PS: not my pic, got this on Whatsapp; owner unknown.
PS: not my pic, got this on Whatsapp; owner unknown.
Beautiful House
I shot this really pretty bungalow through a car window - can you guess where this could be? Mumbai - on Carter Road.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Mumbai Metro
Last week, it was our turn on the Mumbai Metro. Just like the Monorail, here is another example that even in our crowded and poor cities, world class, affordable infrastructure can work! Clean, efficient, and comfortable - if such transport facilities can come up across our large cities, it will really take cars off the road, and encourage professionals and students to use more and more public transport...
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| An escalator at the metro station |
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| Plenty of security |
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| Interesting signages bring a smile to the face |
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| Clean, comfortable, air-conditioned cabins with lots of standing space and a few seats |
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| In addition to showing stations, the signage also shows which side the platform coming up is! A throwback to the flip flop sides on suburban train lines! |
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| Free wifi in the trains and stations from YOU Braodband. Wow. |
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| A metro pulls into the station |
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| Passing over the WEH |
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| The turnstiles work off plastic tokens |
Parking Technology Overkill?
At the Infiniti Mall in Malad, Mumbai, these sensors track individual parking slots. A very expensive method - but is it really needed? Definitely an overkill, unless you want to direct drivers to specific slots...
On the other hand, Phoenix in Pune uses a much simpler but much more cost effective method - it simply counts cars going in and going out! :)
On the other hand, Phoenix in Pune uses a much simpler but much more cost effective method - it simply counts cars going in and going out! :)
Bird Habitat in Mumbai
In the middle of a concrete jungle, this forlorn tree, dry and leafless in the Mumbai monsoon, provides a haven for the many crows in the city..
Mumbai Sea Link Magic
Two amazing pics of my most favorite structure in the world - the Mumbai Sea Link. Thanks to my friends for sharing these amazing photos.
The Mumbai Monorail
Way back in June, I had the opportunity to catch a ride on the Mumbai Monorail, almost 5 months after it was thrown open to the public. The only other time I had experienced a monorail was in Seattle, almost a decade back.
Just one word sums the experience: wow.
Yes, we are a poor country. Yes, we are over-populated. And yes, looking out through the monorail, you do see shanties and slums.
But the monorail and the stations were squeaking clean - I tried hard to find a scrap of paper, and believe me, I couldn't. Not one. No spit on the walls. No foul smells from urinating passengers in the nooks and corners. Security was tight - just like at the airports. Paper tickets replaced by reusable tokens operating the turnstiles. Air conditioned comfort, station indications, great signages, working lifts and escalators. Everything you would expect in a world class city. And more.
Here are some pics...
Just one word sums the experience: wow.
Yes, we are a poor country. Yes, we are over-populated. And yes, looking out through the monorail, you do see shanties and slums.
But the monorail and the stations were squeaking clean - I tried hard to find a scrap of paper, and believe me, I couldn't. Not one. No spit on the walls. No foul smells from urinating passengers in the nooks and corners. Security was tight - just like at the airports. Paper tickets replaced by reusable tokens operating the turnstiles. Air conditioned comfort, station indications, great signages, working lifts and escalators. Everything you would expect in a world class city. And more.
Here are some pics...
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| The monorail station - clean and airy |
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| Electronic signboards with the ever-present and smart Mumbai Monorail logo |
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| Emergency communication ports |
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| The travel token |
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| A blue monorail pulls into the station - the sister train is pink |
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| Clean, air-conditioned and breezy coaches have a sophisticated look |
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| Useful signages within the coach too |
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| The monorail track looks out over the equally impressive Eastern Freeway |
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| View of the driver's controls - it's amazing looking out over his shoulder at the incoming track |
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| Automated ticket vending machines at the station |
Sunday, June 08, 2014
Amchi Metro
Mumbaikars got their first brush with the Metro today, when CM Chavan flagged off the first train between Versova and Ghatkopar, a distance of just over 11 km. The journey, which takes around 90 mins by road, is expected to take just about 20 mins now.
With the monorail a few months back, and a host of new east-west flyovers coming into operation recently, Mumbaikars definitely have good days coming up!
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| Photo courtesy: Mint |
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