Newsgroup: it.hobby.viaggi
Titolo: Informazioni India

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India
Last Updated: 14/9/1999
India is generally calm and visitors are made welcome. However, we
believe that India is one of a number of countries where there is
an increased risk to British interests from global terrorism. 
Travellers to areas adjoining Pakistan or planning to cross the
international border should take account of heightened tension
between India and Pakistan over fighting in Kashmir. We advise
against travel to Jammu and Kashmir, except for parts of Ladakh
(see separate advice on Jammu and Kashmir).
Visitors to Delhi should take extra care. Bomb explosions occur in
public places in the city from time to time. Public transport has
been targetted in various parts of India including Delhi.
The North East is a disturbed region. Visitors should travel on
essential business only, or in escorted groups. Permits are
required for travel to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
Manipur and Mizoram.
Visitors should be wary of approaches by strangers. Confidence
tricksters (particularly in Agra and Jaipur) promise a substantial
cash reward for delivery of jewellery abroad but only in return
for an initial financial deposit. The jewellery is invariably
worthless and the deposit is lost.
Many foreigners are arrested in India for drug offences. Police in
Goa have launched a crack-down on drugs in the area. Visitors
should be aware that there are severe penalties for possession of
even small amounts of narcotic substances.
Driving on Indian roads can be hazardous. Poor driving and badly
maintained vechicles, together with unlit or poorly lit buses and
lorries are the main cause of accidents. 
Piracy/armed robbery against ships has occurred in and around
India's waters. Mariners are advised to be vigilant and take
appropriate precautions. 
Visitors should seek medical advice about endemic diseases before
travelling.
Travellers may consult the British High Commission in Delhi and
the Deputy High Commissions in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras for
further guidance. 
Travellers to India whose journey will involve overflight of
Afghanistan should be aware that threats from military activity to
civil aircraft overflying Afghanistan using routes V668, A466,
G202 and V848 exist. Some airlines continue to use these routes.
Others, including all British carriers, use alternative routes,
V876 and V500, on which the threat is assessed as minimal.
Travellers should check direct either with travel agents or
airlines which routes individual airlines are using. 
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an increased risk to British interests from global terrorism.
Ditemi se vi piace questa storiella inviatami dal mio corrispondente da
Chennai (Madras):
You will find the following article superfluous, as you are a veteran of
many
years' travel by road in India.  Delhi to Agra to Kanpur.  Madras to Ranipet
to Vaniyambadi to Bangalore and so on many times over.  Does this article
fit in with your experience?
Subject: Driving by BAAN
The Dutch enterprise software company, BAAN has opened an office in
Hyderabad and has been bringing in some of their staff from the
Netherlands to work in India. Here is an article written about the
driving conditions in India Coen Jeukens, who is a functional Architect for
Baan.
Driving in India
For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to
drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are
applicable to every place in India except Bihar, where life outside a
vehicle
is only marginally safer.
Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you
do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company.The hints are
as follows:
Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is "both".Basically
you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go
to the
right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next
available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the
direction,
and proceed.Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional
fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the
intended
direction. Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a
belief in reincarnation, the other drivers are not in any better position.
Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the
road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the
back.Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when
traffic is moving slowly or had come to a dead stop because some minister
is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not
talk
ill of the dead. Blowing your horn is not a sign of
protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment,
frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts),or, just mobilize a
dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar.
Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them
during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or
waiting for the rainwaters to recede when overground traffic meets
underground drainage.
Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience (for those
with the mental makeup of Genghis Khan). In a way, it is like playing
Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the
drivers is loaded.What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out
to be a truck attempting a land speed record. On encountering it, just pull
partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon
passes.Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not
blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck
is
the driver, and the peg of illicit arrack he has had at the
last stop, his total cerebral  functions add up to little more than a
naught.
Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill.
Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet
above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching
you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one,
but
never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously.
Of course, all this occurs at night, on trunk roads.During the daytime,
trucks are more visible, except that the drivers will never show any Signal.
(And you must watch for the absent signals; they are a greater threat.)
Only, you will often observe that the cleaner that sits next to the driver,
will
project his hand and wave
hysterically. This is definitely not to be construed as a signal for a left
turn.
The waving is just an expression of physical relief on a hot day.
Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with  blinking colored
lights and weird sounds emanating from within.This is an illuminated bus,
full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck
speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.
One-way Street
These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise
drab
lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In
metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed
in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if
you
are the fussy type.
Lest I sound hypercritical, I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast
driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed
breaker";two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the
water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy
identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover
the pipe for year-end accounting. If, after all this, you still
want to drive in India, have your lessons between 8 pm and 11 am - when
the police have gone home. The citizen then free to enjoy the 'FREEDOM
OF SPEED' enshrined in our constitution.
Having said all this, isn't it true that the accident rate and related
deaths
are less in India compared to US or other countries!!??
Coen Jeukens, Baan Apps
Distribution.
All said & done its an art isn't it!!!