I am a ‘Pravasi’ for many years now. The initial 28 years of my life, I lived in Kerala before moving to Mumbai and then to ‘Bangalooru’. Now, for the past several years I am toiling in the gulf. I visit Calicut, now my home town, every year. I love that place for the warmth of the people there and for the moderate weather conditions compared to Palakkad, the place where I originally come from.
One remarkable thing about Calicut is that the developments in the city in the last say 10 years are many. Though the overall look and feel of the place has not changed a bit, thanks to the nice people from here, the City planning and traffic authorities have brought in many improvements. Let me list a few items from the ever increasing collection.
While retaining the original pothole on all important main roads, the size and depth have been quadrupled. Creation of new ones is ongoing and are retained. During rainy time it helps in rain water harvesting and statistics show that the ground water table has become very high in the city.
The size of mosquitoes have been improved to the size of a small bird while increasing their numbers at any given time after 530 PM to many folds. The great canal flowing from Karaparamba junction through Eranhipalam to Mavoor Road and beyond is doing a wonderful service to the people of Calicut by producing enough number of these ‘blood thirsty’ birds to meet the increase in human population. This has helped people to have more physical activity at night with less sleep and lesser blood volume. According to leading physicians the incidence of ‘blood pressure’ is less in Calicut area compared to other cities. This may be directly attributed to the increased activities of these mosquitoes.
The traffic department in other countries are seriously contemplating to adopt Calicut’s unique traffic system of allowing two way traffic on any one way traffic road any time after 745 PM to next morning until a Police cap is seen in the vicinity.
The traffic lights that had never worked installed at all traffic junctions has become a hot subject of discussion on all Road safety workshops. Other cities around the globe are sending research groups to Calicut to study this possibility there also.
The population explosion is also kept under check thanks to the buses that zip through the narrow roads. The limited stop buses that ply between Calicut and other towns needs a special mention. Without them, the accident and emergency care of the Medical College and the other private hospitals would have been rendered jobless. Apart from this, the tinkering workshops and paint shops are bustling with activity and the business is improving per day.
The traffic department has also ensured more driving thrills if you have not had enough. The nail biting drive from 4th gate through Cannanore Road to join YMCA cross road and from Gandhi Road to Christian college cross road towards Wynad road could be true unforgettable experiences. It can be as thrilling as surfing against an oncoming Tsunami.
I also want to mention about the musical beating on the bus doors by the ‘Kilis’’ as they overtake a boring safe driver on the road. It reminds one, of the age of bullock carts where the driver will use his stick to make such sounds to make the bulls run faster. How nostalgic!!
The interesting sights and scenes are many.. I will try to continue at a later occasion. I hope the authorities will do nothing to change these attractions as I intend to visit again in the next 5-6 months. I do not want to miss my Calicut.
