My sympathies to all the big shot designers who lost there outlets and their high-profile 1MG Road address. Really, I know it hurts to loose something that you have paid for – even if you buy Liz Claiborne rip-off and get a good deal on it… a loss is a loss. Similarly…

My sympathies go out to all the villagers who have land adjacent to radial roads like the MG Road. The plan for making fancy air-conditioned malls will have to be shelved. Perhaps the rental and sale market will tank…

But to be honest I am happy too. No, I am not taking some high moral ground here. MCD bulldozing the unauthorized structure at the courts behest gives me hope. The CM’s house is on the list of buildings to be demolished gives me so much hope.

The law is not non-existent. It just sleeps. And every now and then it will get out of slumber and shake things up. Therefore half-way reasonable people are advised to think before they flout building bylaws or commit other illegal acts (ok, the last bit is just speculative hope). Irrespective of who you know and how much and how often you have lined there pockets.

I want to desperately believe that, but can’t. Just a few kilometers from 1MG Road are some of the fanciest malls in the NCR, owned and managed by some of the leading real estate companies. Do you think they fallow the bylaws? Have you tried to park in one of the officially designated parking – underground or over? On a weekend?

First published on February 2, 2006
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