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Journalism of Courage
A bizarre video doing the rounds online shows electric poles sticking out right in the middle of a road, prompting concerns about commuter safety. But what’s really grabbing attention is the man behind the camera, who turns the strange scene into a comedy sketch, roasting the authorities in a sarcastic tirade.
Claiming to have come “all the way from Haryana” just to witness this absurdity, the man doesn’t hold back. He calls the poles an innovative way to test drivers’ reflexes and decision-making. “Yahan logon ki driving ki quality bhi test ho rahi hai” (Here, people’s quality of driving is also being tested), he says, before taking a dig at Bihar: “Bihar walon ne toh ped lagaye the lekin Himachal wale keh rahe hain ki hum toh khambe uga denge” (People in Bihar planted trees, but those in Himachal are saying they’ll grow electric poles).
He also said that the place should be declared a tourist destination, calling it a marvel of modern engineering. “Jo peeke gaadi chalate hain, jinko dikhta nahi hai idhar udhar, unhe bhi dikhe ga yeh khamba centre mei” (Those who drive drunk, those who can’t see left or right, even they will notice this pole in the center), he says.
The Internet, of course, ran wild with reactions. One user fumed, “How can they forget to remove? This is how lazy the bureaucracy is. There is no coordination between departments.” Another said, “This technology should not go outside the country. We are miles ahead of other nations in creating such engineering marvels.”
Some comments even took a swipe at the qualifications of those responsible: “They must have received their degrees during Covid,” wrote one user.
“Kisne banaya yeh mujasema, kya karigari hai, 21 topo ki salami di jaye inhe” (Who made this statue, what craftsmanship, give them a 21-gun salute), commented another user.
This isn’t the first time a public construction has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. Just recently, a newly constructed railway overbridge near Aishbagh Stadium in Bhopal came under fire, not for delays or cost overruns, but for its unusual 90-degree curve immediately after the incline. Designed to ease congestion for nearly three lakh commuters, the Rs 18-crore project ended up stirring controversy over its design. While the Congress slammed the layout, PWD Minister Rakesh Singh brushed it off as political noise but assured that the design would be reviewed.
