The idea of personal space is strictly aFirst World thing, developed by tiny populations and shocking resources. Here inDelhi, we’re stuck with each other, quite literally, bumper to bumper. Anyonewho stands in line to buy a train ticket, or pay a phone bill, risks an intimateacquaintance with the bra size or arousal level of a total stranger. Hands willcasually, and quite innocently, rest on various parts of your body. The universewill not speed up if you’re actually touching each other, so where does allthis clinginess come from?
Space abhors a vacuum, they say. Gaps in traffic are for filling; driving lanesare space-wasting devices. And why wouldn’t you charge up to the top of theright-turning lane in the middle lane—don’t you have places to go and peopleto meet? If you look at the face of the driver of the Mercedes who just pulledthat stunt, you will see something astonishing: he or she is quite oftentotally, honestly unaware that while his or her body is technically in theright-turning lane, the rest of the car is blocking straight-bound traffic.It’s as if people are only concerned with the goal of the moment, and anythingthat gets in the way (or to the sides or behind) doesn’t count. Notice thenumber of side view mirrors which people diligently fold in before setting outon the road. We put what’s behind us, behind us, and anything in front is tobe either overtaken, or nudged gently along. Or leaned on.
Urban and economic growth follow the same basic principle, which is why I’mpretty sure the on-going demolitions will be like plucking heads off a hydra.See space, will use, and bugger the aesthetics. Actually, bugger the utilitytoo: what’s a road sign but a space on which to stick a movie poster?
But all this is for the teeming masses (and that might be at least partly whypeople are so touchy-feely; if your life is generally sad, all you have islurv). When it comes to power, we all get serious, space no bar—nobody doespomp and ceremony better than we do. The city authorities have their knickers ina tight twist about the upcoming 2010 Commonwealth Games, and that is probablythe only hope Delhi has for some sprucing up. They’d never do it just becausethe citizens of Delhi deserve it (it’s not entirely clear that we do, ofcourse, when we take all our nice new flyovers and drive down the wrong side ofthem).
One particular poster campaign, recently, goes ‘Challo Dilli: From Walled Cityto World City’. It’s pretty funny to think of Delhi swaggering around theworld stage, like the smelly person in the room whom everybody is too polite tomention, but keeps clear of, that’s the kind of personal space you don’treally want. As I remember the phrase, the idea is to act local, think global,not think local, act global.
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This article originally appeared in Delhi City Limits, April 30, 2006
