If dreams were bullet trains

A national business daily in India has a Page 1 news item today, quoting Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy, that the state is eyeing bullet trains for better connectivity.

The state's track record should put the probability of the plan in perspective: Kerala’s past plans include a container transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam (a dream that is now about 110 years old, about which generations of Kerala journalists have written), generating power from sea breeze (a plan which has gone with the wind), and Chandy’s own plan in 2004 to have a north-south express highway (a relatively new dream that is only seven years old). The state is indeed a journalists’ dream posting, where you can keep writing about any of these projects till you retire! (Of course, I'm joking, and exaggerating a bit.)

News of the bullet train plan should make for a happy weekend for Keralites, who can spend it relaxing on the beach, the backwaters or at some hill station. The federal government and prime minister Manmohan Singh must take lessons from Kerala's leaders on how to keep people in good cheer.

By the way, I'm in Chennai and there is no bullet train for me to go to Kottayam for Christmas. Worse, the Kumily border is blocked following the controversy over the Mullaperiyar dam, and protestors are also threatening to block the Coimbatore border. Sabarimala pilgrims have exhausted every berth on every train to Kerala, and at least some Kingfisher flights are scrapped. If only I could ride the futuristic train dream to reach home in time for X’mas – at bullet speed!

Wish you a happy weekend.

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