Bridges: playing host to a motley crowd

Bridges in Surat are akin to the M S University in Vadodara; you can8217;t wish away no one would want to, but still; their connection. Some way or the other both occupy a position in one8217;s heart; in a way both are spitting image of each other while retaining their characteristics.

Not for nothing that you have hundreds of them occupying vantage positions on the bridges, nights after nights, months after months. If it is summer, they become the most haunted hangouts. The spans atop the river are the most sought after. The cool breeze and the lovely view it offers of the city from there simply has no parallel.

No wonder these few precious seats are always lapped up even before the sun has set and the lucky ones preparing for a wonderful evening ahead.

Very few can resist the dreamy romantic nature of the river and the structures that span across them; from the young ones to the octogenarians and from the pot bellied to the skinny and from young couples snuggling up to the each other and romanticizing about only-they-know-what to the oldies reminiscing about their glorious or not-so-glorious past, the bridges play host to all.

There is no way vendors can be kept away, whey you have such a potential clientele merrily whiling away their time. So there they are; from the ones selling coconut round-the-year to the ones feeding on indigestion or digestion if you please 8212; the jaljeera vendors; from the peanuts to the collegian dal, from chana chor garam to nimbu sharbet, everything is available. Ice creams or golas are too cool to be kept out of sight.

Interestingly, the only animal to be seen is the monkey. With scores of children in parents8217; tows, the madari and his athletic companion find in bridges an opportunity to trap the victims. They take commitment from one set of parents and milk others as well, who find the monkey business to irresistible to look the other way, never mind their chronological ages.

Hundreds of two-wheelers, three and four-wheelers too and their owners give a distinctive look to the bridges, much like a mela or a religious festival. Yes, patronising the bridges are a religion for many. They can skip everything but not the bridges and their concomitant benefits.

But, the traffic cops seem little concerned about such niceties of life. Agreed parking on the bridges is illegal but can you rob a city of its one of the most definite characters? The policemen are firm in their intent.

These days packs of them are seen shooing away vehicle-owners to streamline traffic. What about making a concession for two-wheelers? No, they say in unison.

Bridge-lovers are finding the trauma of policemen burning their bridges too overwhelming to forget. They have no choice but to build them elsewhere.