Dateline Pune

Tuesday, August 02, 2005 12:10 p.m. IST

Rains Update:

Yerwada Bridge is open, although some smaller bridges like Holkar Bridge are closed. There's a traffic jam from the end of Sangam Bridge to COEP signal (10:50 a.m.) and potholes at COEP, Sancheti, and Shimla office signals; and on Ganeshkhind road opposite Rahul theatre.

It drizzles off and on, interspersed with sporadic showers for 5/10 minutes.

I am sitting in office; jeans all wet, leaking ceiling next to my desk, watching the sky turn clear from grey and the drizzle stop for the time being.

Roads are bad, however, and this is a surprise, the power situation is good with no power cuts in the last few days.

The low-lying areas of the city are affected, however, life is normal in all other parts of the city and suburbs, and there is NO danger of flooding and NO reports of major bridges being closed for traffic.

Please don't believe in rumours. The city is normal, except for potholes and traffic jams. Leave offices at your regular times.

The bridges are crowded, and that's bound to happen, it's a typical feature of Pune, no sooner does it rain and water is relased from the dams, than the people crowd the bridges to *see* the water.

Last afternoon, one of my colleagues was saying, Let's leave early, there are rumours of bridges being closed for traffic. I said, "Yeh Pune hai yaar, idhar kuch nahin hota hai!" "This is Pune, Bro, nothing (untoward) happens here!"

Be patient, wait at traffic signals, spend time changing gears, and if you have a girl in town, take her out for a movie.

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