Last weekend I attended a conference at Coimbatore, and I was visiting it after nearly 26 years (did pass through the airport a couple of times) A meeting with one of my classmates did not materialise, and the conference took almost the entire weekend.
The Coimbatore experience was different. The AQI is consistently at or below 100, which is some of the best air quality I've encountered, significantly better than Mumbai's. The airport is upgraded but not like the slick and swanky ones for which you pay more airport tax. Additionally, one may consider the RED Taxi service. There was a time when MERU was dominant and you could call for a cab, RED Taxi works similarly. You call and give your location and time. You get an SMS with the confirmation, and you can check where the taxi is at the moment, and you can also share your location.
A driver experienced communication challenges, and the hotel staff immediately offered assistance. One taxi went to the wrong address and I did not get a cancellation charge (which OLA does). The pricing was only 20/25% of what an OLA ride would cost. I checked....the Cabs are nice and clean + air-conditioned unlike the Black and Yellow taxis in Mumbai. Drivers are courteous, and you can pay cash or UPI, so no need to link card and all the OTP stuff. Lots to learn for taxi operators elsewhere.
The city has grown, and the infrastructure is better but does not seem to be in a hurry to concretize. The PSG convention centre is well-built and designed and any city would be proud to have one like it. Best of all, lunch on the first day was the traditional plantain leaf and eat with your hands combo. Food was served on the leaf and leftovers are all biodegradable. It was a tribute to the local culture without a fuss. You can see biryani joints and exotic restaurants all co-existing, reflecting a culture of peaceful co-existence.
People are as polite as Canadians, including servers, receptionists, and hotel managers, always responding courteously. Where language is a barrier, someone else steps in to help. The airport was crowded, but everyone seemed to be okay. The airport lounge receptionist told me I could get a free vegetarian meal with my credit card and didn't encourage me to order additional items.
Upon my return to Mumbai, I discovered that the app-based taxi services were no longer operational. Black and yellow taxis in Mumbai are often seen lined up with no destination, and the city welcomes you with its distinctive smell. Coimbatore reminds you of a world which can still be.... if we only made good choices.
Image by A Chakravarthi from Pixabay
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