Update:
As a fellow blogger Bhopal-e pointed out, I missed the Bhopal buses (literally too, I haven't yet travelled in them). The Star Buses had been introduced in Bhopal before they were introduced in Mumbai. Also, the multicolored (all Web 2.0 colors used!) buses of Bhopal look much better than the mono-colored BEST star buses in Mumbai.
Original Post
I am in Bhopal - my hometown .. a lot is changing here and this time around the major changes that struck me were:
1. Radio
In the past 3 months, Bhopal grew from being a single Radio channel town (FM Vivid Bharti) to a 4 FM Channel town. BIG FM (92.7), My FM (94.3) and Radio Mirchi (98.3) are already here - thats just one channel less than Mumbai! 104 Fever - where are you??? ;-)
2. Roadside Beauty
Before you start getting ideas - I am talking about the beautification of road dividers and footpaths. Run along the road from MP Nagar (Ambedkar/ Board Office चौराहा) to New Market / TT Nagar - the dividers and the footpaths have been beautified and green bushes loom around.
3. Urban Infrastructure Development
Roads in some areas are still in shambles, but there are signs of improvement. Many new roads have already come up (ex. one from Railway station Gate no 1 to Ashoka Garden) reducing travel time, many more are planned and more importantly, existing lifeline roads are being widened.
While, there are no big malls as yet, but more than one 'Plaza' have come up (Metro Plaza at Bittan Market, Millenium Plaza at Tin shed etc.) which can be called mid-sized malls. Multiplexes are yet awaited, but with the interest of media sector (indicated by rise of Radio) in the city - the first multiplex might not be far!
4. Railway Infrastructure
Habibganj Railway Station has been one of the cleanest and most efficient stations in the country since inception. It was the first railway station in India to earn the ISO 9001 certification. The Bhopal main railway station too is following suit. A new cleanliness drive has been launched and is already showing effect.
There is also news of new shuttle service between Bhopal and Itarsi to augment suburban traffic around the city. Many new suburbs like Misrod, Mandideep etc will benefit from this shuttle service.
However, a personal worry remains that there are as yet no corporate jobs - especially in the technology sector (there are some companies like CSC in Indore though and the scene isn't that bad for the banking sector). More worrisome, there are no initiatives from the government to develop any Incubation/IT parks or similar corporate office complexes, thus leaving the field further closed for Startups.
Anyway - lets hope that things improve further for the better - the current improvements at least promise that Bhopal is going to become a good city to live in from the lifestyle perspective for sure! To perk up things - here is an artistic imagination of Bhopal in 2020.
Source: http://www.vulturo.com/2005/02/india-2020/
As a fellow blogger Bhopal-e pointed out, I missed the Bhopal buses (literally too, I haven't yet travelled in them). The Star Buses had been introduced in Bhopal before they were introduced in Mumbai. Also, the multicolored (all Web 2.0 colors used!) buses of Bhopal look much better than the mono-colored BEST star buses in Mumbai.
Original Post
I am in Bhopal - my hometown .. a lot is changing here and this time around the major changes that struck me were:
1. Radio
In the past 3 months, Bhopal grew from being a single Radio channel town (FM Vivid Bharti) to a 4 FM Channel town. BIG FM (92.7), My FM (94.3) and Radio Mirchi (98.3) are already here - thats just one channel less than Mumbai! 104 Fever - where are you??? ;-)
2. Roadside Beauty
Before you start getting ideas - I am talking about the beautification of road dividers and footpaths. Run along the road from MP Nagar (Ambedkar/ Board Office चौराहा) to New Market / TT Nagar - the dividers and the footpaths have been beautified and green bushes loom around.
3. Urban Infrastructure Development
Roads in some areas are still in shambles, but there are signs of improvement. Many new roads have already come up (ex. one from Railway station Gate no 1 to Ashoka Garden) reducing travel time, many more are planned and more importantly, existing lifeline roads are being widened.
While, there are no big malls as yet, but more than one 'Plaza' have come up (Metro Plaza at Bittan Market, Millenium Plaza at Tin shed etc.) which can be called mid-sized malls. Multiplexes are yet awaited, but with the interest of media sector (indicated by rise of Radio) in the city - the first multiplex might not be far!
4. Railway Infrastructure
Habibganj Railway Station has been one of the cleanest and most efficient stations in the country since inception. It was the first railway station in India to earn the ISO 9001 certification. The Bhopal main railway station too is following suit. A new cleanliness drive has been launched and is already showing effect.
There is also news of new shuttle service between Bhopal and Itarsi to augment suburban traffic around the city. Many new suburbs like Misrod, Mandideep etc will benefit from this shuttle service.
However, a personal worry remains that there are as yet no corporate jobs - especially in the technology sector (there are some companies like CSC in Indore though and the scene isn't that bad for the banking sector). More worrisome, there are no initiatives from the government to develop any Incubation/IT parks or similar corporate office complexes, thus leaving the field further closed for Startups.
Anyway - lets hope that things improve further for the better - the current improvements at least promise that Bhopal is going to become a good city to live in from the lifestyle perspective for sure! To perk up things - here is an artistic imagination of Bhopal in 2020.
Source: http://www.vulturo.com/2005/02/india-2020/
Hi, How did you miss the city bus? Have you not taken the ride yet?
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