Landed at the airport in the early hours of the morning after a long vacation. The ceiling in the arrival corridors of the international airport is worn out. The desire to jump immigration queues etc. are par for the course.
Returning from Spain and Istanbul, where tourism thrives and monuments stand for centuries, it's disappointing that new infrastructure in India barely lasts a few years. The streets of Granada and Istanbul are much narrower than our roads, but people there drive with patience and without honking.
At the airport, we booked a taxi (prepaid cool cab) home and the counter guy said Rs.470/- and we paid. On examining the billing I realised that the amount was actually Rs.466/- not Rs.470/- and the clerk would pocket the difference. The beauty of this is even at 2000 taxis a day and Rs3/- change pocketed, the clerk makes cash of Rs.6,000/- per day without any value. The concept of returning change seems anathema to him or anyone who can get away with it. This is just another makeshift solution that they probably take pride in. However, better planning could guarantee rounded taxi fares and higher earnings for drivers. Guess, who loses out in this Jugaad. Radio Taxis like Meru are hard to find because they are located far from the arrival lounge.
It takes effort to locate the taxi and then the driver who is never with the taxi. Once we are all set to leave, he has to provide the slip to a security guy who nods and the taxi moves on to a screeching halt 50 metres away for the driver to collect his fare. Athithi Devo Bhava is all good, but we need to get the process of getting a taxi simplified and easy.
I am afraid we have to get the small things right before we start proclaiming to the world that India has arrived, GDP growth, population nos etc. notwithstanding.
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