Life in the "fast" lane

Hyderabad is getting a facelift. With all its new flyovers & skywalks, Hyderabad is gung-ho about how its going to look in a few years time. But till then we have to face the horrifying prospect of driving through Sardar Patel Road, MG Road, Punjagutta Crossroads, RTC Crossroads and as Yul Brynner once said Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera.
There was a time when driving used to be a relaxing experience, now it is something most of us fear. Going from Somajiguda circle to Begumpet flyover( the one opposite HPS) used to take 3 minutes & 46 seconds, but now believe it or not it takes a minimum of 45 minutes during the evenings not to mention that all hell breaks loose if it rains. Road widening & extensive traffic planning have eased the pressure a bit and also the new Chief Minister residence requires that too many vehicles are not stationary in front of it for too long as it might pose a threat. So it has become a little easier, but once the flyover construction begins in full swing, we're in for some excruciating traffic jams. Methinks in the future when kindergarten teachers say 'J for Jam', it will rather be for these traffic halts rather than the jelly.
Some people think Traffic Jams can be fun. These are the people who have their girlfriends/ boyfriends/spouses next to them, the AC running & loads of fuel to burn. Oh Yes ! This post would be incomplete without talking about the skyrocketing fuel prices. This means no more long drives for broke people like me. I will have to settle for long walks with my mp3 player for now. But some drives like the one to college are really refreshing. The grey tar road, the bright blue cloudless sky & swaying trees on either side of the road are regular traits of a typical morning drive to college. Sometimes drives can give you a very fascinating perspective on life, the long winding road ahead, the speedbreakers, the sudden U-turns all mean something to each one's life. But for now the focus still remains on the Traffic & the pollution that is burning our lungs. Hope we are rid of this, atleast by the time my children can be old enough to experience long drives.