From the days of Fiats and Ambassadors Great auto revolution
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 29, 2015 -

From Ambassador, Fiat and Jeep from Mahindra, the motor industry has certainly come a long way in India.

In the two wheeler segment too, today the choice is no longer confined to the scooter from Bajaj and a motor cycle from Rajdoot.

Foreign cars today no longer mean queuing outside the foreign embassies to get hold of a second hand Toyota or a Honda car.

The choice is numerous and while the liberalisation of the economy may be credited for opening the door of India to manufacturing giants such as Suzuki, Hyundai, Honda, Ford etc, the people’s choice too has widened and Indians are ready to invest their hard earned money in the little comforts of life.

Certainly the average Indian has come a long way from the socialist days when saving every penny earned was thought to be the mantra for success.

Financial institutions such as banks too have jumped in and are today offering a vast array of easy loans to buy vehicles from the company.

Manipur has not been lagging behind in the great auto revolution witnessed across the other parts of the country.

The vast array of choice and the availability of loans have meant more vehicles on the road. Gone are the days when only a single family had a Fiat or an Ambassador car in a locality.

The age of consumers has certainly dawned and this is something which could not be even imagined about three decades back.

The socialist days seem to have outlived its utility.

A more than enough indication that the private sectors are booming and there are customers who will not hesitate in spending a little more for their comforts.

This is the new Manipur.

However it is uncomfortably clear that the Government of the day has not been able to keep pace with the growing demand of the consumers and the need of the time.

The number of vehicles on the road has increased. So has the population.

However so far there is nothing much to show that the Government has been able to understand the impact such a growth will have on the roads of the place, particularly in a place like Imphal.

More convenient it is to move from one place to another, especially with the coming of engine vehicles, but unfortunate it is that the Government has abysmally failed to understand that more vehicles mean there is the need to put into place better planning to organise the movement of motor vehicles.

Likewise it also stands that what was once a road and could provide enough rooms to the vehicles may no longer be the case today.

Has the Government given any thought to this ? No doubt some road expansion works have been taken up, but are these enough ?

It should also be kept in mind why the people have had to face so much inconveniences whenever the Government comes up with any idea to widen the roads.

The abject failure of the Government to move with the need of the time stands exposed each time anyone steps out and has to negotiate one’s way through the streets and roads of Imphal.

The presence of people who cannot think beyond their immediate selfish ends has only made matters worse.

The need for the Government to move with the time need not be emphasised here. Same is the case with the mentality of the people.