It’s a simple question. All of us – who have been here for ever, those of us who have come in only recently, some of us who come & go what is it that we truly don’t like about this city? And as far as I know generally someone starts to raise a voice only when he/she feels, understands and is in the middle of a problem. If someone is not in the midst of that problem then largely that is not a problem to him. Generally politicians talk only vague things – Development, Better Infrastructure, Education for all, Poverty eradication etc, which for most of us ordinary citizens don’t make sense. Let’s state our problems & the things we don’t like here. Is what we don’t like here the Auto drivers, the ever increasing petrol prices, and the game that the city’s politicians are playing? Or is it something beyond that.

For me my problem is not getting an auto in the morning. My problem is the big donation my sister has to pay to get her child through to a play school. I just don’t think the traffic out there is regulated enough for me to get the confidence that my sister who is learning to ride a two wheeler only now, will be out there safe. I also don’t like the lack of parking regulation in my area. All those who step out to shop seem to find only the space in front of our gate to park their car. I don’t like the way people are charging whatever rate for their services – painting, plumbing etc. And now I am thinking….Is that it? I am thinking but nothing else is coming to mind immediately.

(After much thinking)…I don’t like the fact that I couldn’t open a bank account in a neighborhood bank because the Manager was insisting on a referral, which I was struggling to get. I don’t know what I am suppose to do when some of my team members turn up late to office because there was a hold up in traffic somewhere. And I am thinking again…..

This constant thinking to come up with things that we don’t like here is probably because most times we tend to just move on. Just accept it the way it is & not to actually consider something as a problem. If it takes me a minimum of two hours in a day to get myself a 20 rupee stamp paper, I plan my day around this. I also crib but I move on.

Bangalore is like any other city when it comes to such things. According to me it’s about time that we gave a little importance to this aspect of ‘Satisfaction with the city’ or ‘Ease of Living’ factor.

Just a thought – Apart from all those ministries that the government keeps coming up with, one really needed ministry is for ‘Citizen Satisfaction’. The job of this Ministry should be to in some form or the other in coordination with the other departments keep a tab on the satisfaction levels of the citizens by eradicating or bringing in place measures that keeps everything running smoothly & in turn keeps its citizens happy. Or is it wishful thinking?

Is there anything you don’t like here? Unlikely. So what is it? Also interesting to know will be if you have to also think & then answer the question. Because if that is the case, I feel we are beginning to accept a lot of things as ‘it is like that only’ & getting on with life.