Divided city?

The old world charm still exists in Indore while the city is expanding rapidly on the way to become a metro. Local politicians have been selling this metro dream to city residents for quite some time now. The coming up of malls and multi-storey residential complexes in and outside the city, the Bus Rapid Transit System (to keep city moving on public transport with speed and comfort) and the promise of Metro rail has made people believe the dream is coming is true. Driving their Mercedes, Jaguars, Freelanders, BMWs and Harleys, the city elite feel that it is only a matter of time before Indore becomes ‘the city’ and they get ‘the respect’ denied to them for long.

The race to surge ahead, however, has created a divide both socially and economically. The rich have become richer while the lot of the weaker section shows no sign of improvement. Rajwada continues to be the city centre but it is now ‘old city’ where only the middle class venture. The city elite like to have a day out in the malls and multiplexes.

While global apparel brands adore glittering outlets in these malls, defunct textile mills that were once pride of Malwa region, still dot the city’s landscape--- a grim reminder of administrative and social apathy. For decades now, over 200 ex-employees of these mills are waiting for their dues to be cleared. Some have even died. But no one really seems to care.

Chaos reigns supreme on city roads where from pedestrians to motor drivers, no one really cares for the rules. If you are crossing a road and arrive at the other end without getting hurt or without anyone hurling abuses at you for daring to cross their way, thank your stars for that.

With city being the commercial and educational capital of the state, it has a huge floating population. The aspirations are high but there are no means to fulfil them. Crime is on the rise. The moral fabric is spreading thin and the glorious past is fading away in the glitter of modernity.