If you live in Pune, you’re probably all too familiar with the city’s traffic. Even if you don’t live here, you can imagine the chaos: drivers in a constant rush, unwilling to yield. Now, think about the situation for pedestrians who need to cross these bustling roads.
Saturday, 27 July 2024
Traffic is generally heavy, but on weekends, traveling becomes nearly impossible. Travel times increase, accompanied by relentless noise pollution. My situation was different; as a pedestrian who loves long walks, I see things from a unique perspective.
Today, like any other day, I decided to go for a walk. I got ready, charged my phone, and plugged in my earphones to listen to a Pocket FM story. Everything was going smoothly until I had to cross the road. I waited for two minutes, hoping for a chance to cross, but none came. I removed my earphones and returned them to my pocket. I focused intently on finding a break in the traffic.
Ten minutes passed, and I still couldn’t cross. Then, a PCMC bus stopped, dropping off a girl in a white salwar. She had her face covered with a scarf and an ID card indicating she was a college student. She joined the line of people attempting to cross the road. Every time she took a step, she would retreat, clearly anxious about being late.
Finally, I saw an opportunity. I started to cross, and she followed. We made it past the first lane, where vehicles were coming from our right. I looked to my left, where she was standing, signaling that it was her turn to move. This time, we quickly found another gap and crossed the road together.
She headed to her destination, and I continued to mine. But the memory of that shared moment, crossing the road together, stayed with me. It was a brief connection amid the chaos. It reminded me of the small acts of cooperation that can make navigating this city a little bit easier.
JVS Shayari 
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