Take me to the
‘Metro Road’
Some roads never get identified by their real names, irrespective of how many name boards are installed as reminders. Instead, they take on the names of a famous landmark on it, or in this case, the newest addition to it. The fourth main road, called R.V. Road (near South End Circle), is a classic case. It is more popularly known as Nanda Road because of the theatre Nanda Talkies that once stood there. During the 1950s, people started referring to it as Lakshman Rau Road, after the great administrator, who also has a park in his name on the same road. RV Road today not just has a boulevard running all along— from South End Circle to 46th Cross in Fifth Block for almost two km— but also Namma Metro’s green line. So the road has got a brand new name. A taxi driver recently did not understand where Nanda Road was. When this reporter finally guided him to the destination, he said, “This is ‘Metro Road’.” The introduction of the metro has caused another change in name for R.V. Road.
‘Put up a no
spitting board’
Namma Metro stations and trains are rather quiet during the non-peak hours, with most people glued to their mobile phones, some others taking in the sights of the station and the train and all that it passes by.
It is then unusual to witness an altercation here, perhaps the cleanest public transport spaces, which is otherwise common to regular modes of public transport such as the BMTC buses.
A senior citizen, who was waiting to board the train with his young grandson, was seen reprimanding a man waiting for the same train. It later turned out that the senior citizen was angered by the man – probably in his early 40s – spitting on the metro tracks. “Someone has to tell you, which is why I am. That is not the place to spit,” said the elderly man.
The response he received left him stunned, forcing him to give up and board the train.
“If you don’t want me to spit there, ask them to put up a no-spitting board,” said the man without any repent.
Reporting by Ranjani Govind &
K.C. Deepika
