Mumbai: The city for all

Even as the metro went into the spiritual "thinking mode" and occasional "joking mood", thanks to Vajpayee, Advani, Naidu, Modi, Patel, Mahajan and co., its attention started distracting as it began experiencing two races. One at the city''s spacious Mahalaxmi race course, in which there was interest to many, including all party politicians, and another in city colleges, in which only students and their parents were interested.One was for "Laxmi" (the goddess representing money) and another for "Vidya" (the goddess representing education).
The city is witnessing a major controversy over a plan to use one huge open space, acting like lungs to the otherwise congested and crowded South Mumbai. Though not open to all common citizens, still due to its huge size and openness to the sky, the turf club is to Mumbi what the Central Park is to New York.
Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), the body which looks after the racecourse property, has approved a grand plan to convert portion of the racecourse ground into a tourist plaza fully equipped with a seven start hotel, convention cum exhibition centre and a golf course. The Pegasus club will be carrying out this development estimated to be worth Rs 400 crore. Majority members of the RWITC , in a meeting have approved the plan, though a section has stiff opposition to the plan.
The controversy, which was focused to the environmental issues till now, suddenly took a swift turn and assumed a larger significance when Maharashtra Times daily broke a story that Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s relatives are supporting the plan. Brother of Mr. Shinde’s son-in law Shroff is a RWITC member and had voted in favour of the plan.
Mr. Shinde admitted the reported fact but added that none of his direct relatives were involved in the project in any way. He insisted that the Government’s position is very clear on the issue it will not allow any such construction on the race course. Even the civic administration has a tough stand against the proposal.
But, the credibility of politicians is so low on many points, especially land related matters in Mumbai as it is the costliest commodity. As baiting is official on the race track, a city eveninger has challenged Mr Shinde to take bait for Rs. 10,000 that eventually all the permissions will be granted to the Pegasus club for the proposed development. It is a bit embarrassing for the politicians to know that how people and (because of them) the media look at them and how seriously they judge their utterances even on important issues like this one.
The race on the race course is still unfinished, with the final outcome yet to be known and not even predicted. Any tips on this race from any expert?
In the other parts of the city, the race is on to seek admissions to colleges following the declaration of the SSC result. Every year seeking admission to the college of their own choice is becoming a growing problem with many students as even with lesser and lesser marks they are wishing to join highly competitive science stream and that too in a very reputed college. Next comes the Commerce, with the same problem.
The government as usual has announced that nobody will be left without an admission. And past experience shows it is true that all get admission, but of course not in the college of their liking. Like in any government scheme, there are allegations of corruption in this area also as those who are willing to pay some cash get college of their choice.
But it is very important for students to understand that it is a highly competitive world now and those who wish to go to streams like science and commerce and want to go to good, reputed colleges will have to earn good marks. Without marks it will be of no use day dreaming of going to a good college. To run in a race and win is the only way to end this race at least for them, who will succeed.