Wishing and hoping… for 2025

There was excitement in the air as Lady Flora and Sir PM made their way to the cathedral It had become their goto space this time of the year what with the spectacularly litup faccedilade and the melodies that filled the air thanks to the choral groups that performed there from time to timeNow both friends were particularly looking forward to their final session of the year before they bid adieu to 2024 because of their lsquolistrsquo It was a curation of looking forward as well as looking back at the couldhaves and shouldhaves that can serve as lessons for the futureldquoMy Lady so this is ithellipafter 365 days of what can be termed as a challenging year for the city we are on the cusp of a new year Letrsquos see what wersquove managed to compilemdashthe good the bad and the uglyrdquo smiled Sir PMLady Flora was the master curator and had been jotting down notes after each of their night strolls across the city It was going to be an interesting session she was sure ldquoLet the games beginrdquo she laughed as she rolled out a long sheet of paper which included 10 points in her neat handwriting They looked at it together and hoped that this forecast would be picked up by the powersthatbe1 Metro Line 3 should be fully operational The muchhyped line will lessen the woes of hassled commuters who have been extremely patient as far as looking forward to some respite in their travel time goes2 Less disruption please The sightings of JCBs on our roads could outnumber the population of a small Polynesian country May the city be spared the grief of believing that their commuting route is more an offroading dirt track3 Improved frequency and more AC locals for Central Railway Despite being the larger railway network the stepsisterly treatment is inexplicable We assume that this will be improved in 20254 Bring back our pavements We hope the civic gods pay heed to the countless pleas about the shrinking and disappearing pavements The city is as much for pedestrians as it is for motorists and builders5 Green cover concerns Enough of hacking and overnight vanishing of trees may the mangroves and water bodies for migrant birds stay protected with stronger policing6 Climate change is for real Perhaps the AQI levels and haze cover act as a scary reminder as the year wraps up of how this reality has not been seriously addressed and that we are not looking at the larger picture at all7 More cultural venues and events The city fares poorly when it comes to big cultural festivals and venues Letrsquos hope the new year brings in more options especially in the suburbs And corporate housesmdashplease donrsquot forget this key part of your duties towards a city that is your home8 Open spaces for the public When was the last time we could walk freely without getting jostled in a public park or garden The city needs more such spaces especially when most of its population is crammed into matchboxsized homes9 Not the Moon we are Mumbai Our roads need a thorough health checkup Pockmarked stretches bumpy nonroads sudden speed breakers and whatnot Physiotherapy wonrsquot help any more10 A cleaner city When will the city transform into a cleaner more hygienic version Look around itrsquos a mess everywhere Uncollected garbage overloaded dumping grounds unhygienic public spacesmdashitrsquos a collective effort that is the need of the hour Stricter fines better civic sense and tougher policing for serial offendersBoth friends glanced at each other Had they covered good ground Was it representative of the city All they knew was that Bombaywallahsmdashby far the most hardworking species on this planetmdashwere at the centre of this list They deserved better and desperately needed some sunshine to look forward to and get through 2025Sir PM cleared his throat ldquoMy Lady I think wersquove done our best as spokespeople The rest we hope the universe conspires with us to make happen To new beginningsrdquo he smiled broadly as he handed over a cuppa to his friend on a crisp December night It was also a silent night perfect to wish and pray for special things for their favourite citymiddayrsquos Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the cityrsquos sights sounds smells and stoneswherever the ink and the inclination takes herShe tweets bombayana Send your feedback to mailbagmiddaycom