And for a Friday returning from my hometown – Trivandrum, some thoughts….. some musings…..
Horror stories of the complete choking; zero visibility in Delhi and the generally high levels of pollution in most major cities. One capital of a state stands out head and shoulders above all others, Thiruvananthapuram the Capital of Kerala, formerly called Trivandrum. It’s the green, clean and today is the best city to live in. From the Airport to my residence in the heart of the city is just 20 minutes, well connected by trains, buses and even waterways. The city has the world’s richest and most famous Padmanabhaswamy temple, pristine seashores including Kovalam beach and about an hour drive is the Ponmudi hill station. Not to talk of the mouth watering Kerala dishes at all price points from “Thattu-Kaddas” by the roadside, to the 2-3-4-5 star restaurants. Ofcourse Villa Maya in an old “Amma-Veedu “ is simply outstanding, a must visit place.
My recent experience with the sub registrar office to execute a property sale deed was amazing. RTO offices and property registration offices in most states are very well known for the levels of corruption and sleazy deals. In our case there was a last minute hitch in documents for some govt dues. Our facilitator said they were negotiating with the authorities to bring down the amount from Rs 97,000 to 44,000. But credit card or online payment not allowed. Only cash will be accepted. Oops…. I presumed it was some kind of an efficiency “bribe”, but to my utter shock after about an hour of agonising wait, decision was received. Only 44,000 to be paid. Lo and behold Taxes cleared. An official receipt was given to me. Sale deed completed. Not one rupee in bribe. An unforgettable experience in a Trivandrum sub registrar office.
India is changing. Lots of improvements and societal changes. With more literacy, technology and economic development, let’s support this change the positive way, the sustainable way, the SEEGOS way.