South Asia

Goodbye Delhi

By Dweep Chanana ⋅ November 8, 2005 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Leaving for Nairobi. Sitting at Delhi airport. it is a good time to reflect on how much things have changed, and much they have stayed the same.

That I can write this, with wifi at the airport, is one indication. Wifi costs me Rs. 111 per hour. That’s about $3, and a lot cheaper than in the rest of the world. Instead of one duty-free shop, there are now several, and a Subway! The scotch is decent, and the prices good. What more could the weary traveler ask for?

Interestingly, other things don’t change. The immigration officer abandons his desk, leaving a long line of people stranded. The checkin counters, as always, are a case study in roulette. Pick one, and hope yours is fast. On Air India, the air hostess says, in perfect English, “buckle seat belts; chairs upright!” So much for politeness. And in a sad commentary on India, 90% of duty-free shelf space is taken up by alcohol. There is, of course, also the artisan shop that charges criminally high prices, but the foreigners don’t seem to care.

For the optimist, the good news is there is plenty of scope for improvement. The immigration officials will one day, hopefully, care about the people they serve. Checkin will take 10 minutes, and one won’t have to arrive 3 hours ahead of time. Roads, which are now broad, will one day also be better. And wifi will still work.

In the 9 days I spent here, India tested my patience. At home, I and others like me, endevour to create a safe haven. We encase ourselves in air conditioned homes with power backup, cars with drivers, and secure compounds. We sharpen the divide already inherent in our society. For how long?

I don’t always complain about the country. Three years ago, on my first return to India, I remarked how sad it was that NRI’s would constantly complain about Delhi airport. Now, I find myself doing the same. Delhi airport’s arrival lounge is an embarrassment to any Indian. And I realize it doesn’t have to be this way. The frustrating part is not that it is this bad, but that it doesn’t have to be!