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Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
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New Delhi

Inside delhi

VIP rush

With actor-turned-director Rajat Kapoor’s latest venture “Mithya” getting considerable critical acclaim and a more than generous response at the box office, it is no surprise that it is attracting a lot of “VIP” audience.

This past Sunday, when a friend went to watch the 4-15 p.m. show at PVR Plaza in Connaught Place, she was surprised to notice a sizeable presence of Delhi Police personnel near the cinema hall.

With a couple of PCR vans parked outside, the friend initially thought the police were perhaps making arrangements for a VIP movement — an almost routine thing in Lutyens’ Delhi.

Little did she expect that she would end up watching the show with none other than Sheila Dikshit herself whose arrival created a flutter among the crowd.

Accompanied by a few relatives, Ms. Dikshit came in her government vehicle and entered the hall a little before the movie was to begin.

After the screening, she made a quick exit with all her relatives in one car, leaving the friend wondering if the Chief Minister wanted to convey a message on fuel conservation.

Parul Sharma

Vintage show

A “Vintage Car Rally-cum-Heritage Treasure Hunt” was organised in the Capital over the weekend for a number of noble causes.

Scores of vintage cars took part in the rally that was primarily aimed at generating money for differently-abled and visually impaired people.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Delhi Rajdhani, the unique event was also organised to promote public interest in the Capital’s rich cultural heritage.

The participants were given interesting clues to generate curiosity about old, forgotten landmarks that may have been a trip down memory lane for some.

Motorists were provided cards containing 10 clues from which they had to decipher the corresponding locations in Delhi. “Clues like the historic ‘Chausath Khamba’ at Nizamuddin, ‘Flagstaff Tower’, Vijay Ghat and Tihar Central Jail were given to the participants who took three hours to complete the rally,” said Club president Vinod Bansal.

Mr. Bansal said the proceeds from the treasure hunt would be forwarded to “Tamana”, a school for the differently-abled and towards various other community projects.

“We will be pumping more money into the Vocational Centre for the Blind where we will teach visually impaired persons how to use computers. We are also setting up an eye hospital in Delhi,” he added.

Madhur Tankha

Civic sense?

With major airports across the country undergoing a makeover, Indira Gandhi International Airport is no different. However, while it gets ready to serve passengers in a “new and improved” avatar, the civic sense of Delhiites using the airport leaves much to be desired.

Recently a friend narrated an incident demonstrative of this very contradiction. At the airport to book a flight, she made her way to one of the airline counters and managed to get a ticket. But as she got ready to leave she discovered to her shock that her dress had accidentally clung on to a chewed gum. A little examination revealed that the gum had been cleverly stuck to the underside of the counter making it impossible to spot and avoid.

After bringing it to the notice of the counter person, she finally left the airport with nothing but disgust and a story to tell.

Instances such as these are in fact commonly experienced at other public places like cinema halls, shopping malls and restaurants and often make one wonder about the exact “utility” of the dustbins placed at such places. It is regrettable that no matter how glitzy and “new age” our malls, airports and movie halls get, ensuring a civic sense among the city’s denizens still remains a tall order.

Manisha Jha

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