I returned to Bangalore last Tuesday and have slowly gotten adjusted back to life here. I was surprised at how much my home city has changed in little less than 6 months. I am sure people who left Bangalore a few years back will find it hard to believe the amount of changes that has happened here. I will try to answer a few questions such people may ask:
Q: I am flying straight to Bangalore from Frankfurt/London. How is the customs and immigration facility in Bangalore?
A: When I landed in Bangalore this time, I was pleasantly surprised to find smiling, friendly staff at immigration counters. No, I am not joking. They were indeed better than the immigration folks in Chicago airport. They surely set us off on a good mood at 5:30AM. However, customs has not improved much :-(
Q: I have heard that Bangalore airport is very crowded now-a-days and it looks like the Majestic bus stand at times?
A: No, Majestic bus stand does not get that crowded.
Q: How is the traffic situation in Bangalore?
A: Contrary to popular belief, Bangalore's roads are now safer than ever before. All cars move at an average 10kmph and bikes at 15kmph now, so number of fatal accidents is coming down drastically. People walk out of head-on collisions without a scratch on their body!
Q: How is the condition roads in Bangalore?
A: You would have seen some jokes a couple of years back comparing Bangalore's roads to moon's rocky surface. Well, those are not jokes anymore. Only Ashok Leyland, Shaktiman and Ambassador have the right technology to build right vehicles for Bangalore's roads.
Q: How is the water shortage situation?
A: This problem has been fixed. This year during the rains the authorities ensured that all houses get enough supply of water in their ground floor rooms. If that was not enough, there was enough water on the roads.
Q: I was asking about drinking water, through the pipes.
A: Oh!
Q: How is the condition of Kannada in Bangalore?
A: The Government has announced the solution to this problem today. Bangalore will be renamed Bengalooru and that will solve all the problems. It is surprising that the earlier Governments could not think of this.
Q: Is there good coverage of mobile phone network?
A: You must have been away from Bangalore for quite a few years. Now-a-days it is impossible to be in any place where Airtel coverage isn't there. Unless you are in a bunker designed to protect from nuclear bombs.
Q: How is the cost of living?
A: Here is where Bangalore is giving serious competition to the cities in western countries. If you have been in a small city in mid-western US and if you are returning to Bangalore, mentally prepare yourself - you are not as rich as you thought you are.
Q: How is the airport road flyover helping? How about the flyover at Jayadeva circle?
A: If you are returning to Bangalore after 2 years, there is nothing to see at the airport road flyover construction place, because nothing has changed! Jayadeva circle flyover is not very different either. Any joke about these is not funny anymore.
Q: When will these flyovers be ready?
A: This year
Q: That is what you said last year!
A: True. And the year before as well.
Q: Are there shopping malls, multiplexes, good cars and high speed internet access in India?
A: Yes. You should visit India more often.
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