Delhi underground: Caught in red tape

Other than the “ordinary” Formula One fans,the Indian Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida attracts the Bollywood glitterati and many “very important dignitaries” from every nook and cranny in the country. This means extra security arrangements for the VIPs. “Safety of the movie stars and high-ranking state ministers and bureaucrats is paramount. The problem is finding enough personnel to provide security to each one of these dignitaries,” an officer said. Already hardpressed to ensure a safe event,police were said to be on their toes to ensure that no dignitary came in harm’s way on race day.

All equal in law

She was all decked up with beautiful ornaments,expensive makeup and an attire made of gold thread. All set to for her wedding pandal. After she stepped out of the beauty parlour,she could not find her car. She was told that the car was towed away by traffic police. The worried bride called her father,a businessman,who was busy welcoming guests at the wedding. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg was one in the list. “The bride had to go where the car was taken and pay the challan amount. The joint commissioner expedited the procedure,but the challan wasn’t waived,” an officer said.

Dengue leveller

Dengue spares no one. The one-liner is often repeated at public awareness campaigns and the corridors of hospitals,municipal corporations and health offices. And rightly so. A top administrative official in AIIMS and a senior former Health department official have been diagnosed with dengue. The AIIMS official is in charge of sanitation and anti-mosquito measures on the campus. The other one was overseeing the city’s dengue prevention steps. Several doctors and their family members on the AIIMS campus are also down with dengue.

Heard to believe

The rumour mill has taken over since the Delhi University administration and the protesting teachers’ association have been at loggerheads. “We have heard that the university will employ private companies to check our papers,” a student said. Another student “heard” “that the university will soon appoint non-teaching staff and get a multinational firm to oversee the recruitment process”. In fact,there are many things which are being “told” and “heard” on the campus. “The veracity of these reports is suspect. Lack of dialogue between the administration and its stakeholders (students,teachers and non-teaching staff) trigger such views,” a teacher said.

Roses not sweet

Railway officials are saddled with a strange complaint. Passengers have complained that flower vendors travelling by train with huge baskets of marigolds,roses and exotic species “disrupt their peace”. No,it’s not the vociferous vendors who “disrupt peace”,but the insects that the sweet-smelling flowers attract. One complaint says “insects from these flowers fly into the hair” of woman passengers and create a lot of trouble.

Between the lines

Police have taken their campaign against drink driving and overspeeding to another level — witty oneliners painted on their ubiquitous barricades. These yellow barricades used to carry the sign “Delhi Police”,but now they caution drivers against overspeeding and driving under the influence. One such barricade on Vinay Marg reads: “A minute of your time can lead us to some hours of running… please don’t overspeed”. Hope drivers are sober enough to appreciate the lines.