Mbappe better at theatrics than with athletics.

 In the world cup final, he diverted the attention to himself by histrionics, by sitting in the court and dramatically refusing to leave, even after dragging the president to his side and despite his earnest urging.

So what if he failed, the winning team played better and deserved but he denied them their credit by being adamant and unsportsmanlike. His behaviour set a bad example of the spirit of playing games.

Dramatics are due elsewhere as a talent and not in the field of sports to defy the spirit of winning and losing as part of the game.

Hiranandani,an excellence in deception equal to their magnificence in construction.

 Hiranandani,an excellence in deception equal to their magnificence in construction.

Compacting, compacting, compacting, this is our mantra sir, Niranjan echoes like joyful slogans,as he gets up , comes around and greets the visitors.

He is more handsome than Hollywood heroes, energetic, ebullient and his enthusiasm is phenomenally infectious. He is the true visionary of grand scales who can think up and execute magnificent projects of townships. He is as friendly as your best high school buddy about whom no complaint can be due or will stick.

But business is business. Business is cruel. He has to sell and sell to the most stingy and greedy customers.

So their short sightedness comes as a sales tool.

In the 450 acre Estate in Thana, the Ulhas creek in the East and the lofty Ghodbunder hills in the west are the pleasant and majestic selling highlights. But everyone wants the view and everyone cannot get it, as all good things are.

So what you do, begin the construction in the middle of the estate and sell the views. Once they are settled, slowly expand the construction outside, obstructing the view gradually to the inner buildings.

Begin the project as an elite, exclusive enclave but soon the hundreds of labourers employed in the construction currently and in the past settle down in and around the estate and before you know it, you are living in the middle of a labour colony.

Exclusive shopping complexes overcharge the residents because they were sold the property at exorbitant prices. But soon, due to political patronage, street side vendors occupy or encroach the roads just like any other slums, with tea shops, vegetable and fruit shops,the whole lot.

What is left, the traffic through the Estate includes the public transport from South to North of the Estate, through the Estate and no longer it is the safe place for walking it was expected to be.

Atul Grove Road How this is the centre of corruption gravity.

 Atul Grove Road 

How this is the centre of corruption gravity

The name of Atul Grove Road echoed in parliament in the sixties first time for the alleged lethargy of government in not allotting the numerous British era bungalow quarters suspecting the hidden motive to allot for political affiliates.

Eventually that is what happened, for the last seven decades these sprawling quarters in the middle of acres of gardens and lawns remain allotted to the trade unions affiliated to one or the other national parties. Even though they are partially dilapidated, they are in acceptable living condition but except one or two caretakers nobody lives there in the four bedroom bungalows. After complaints, the unions make a show of using the bungalows by annually hosting an eyewash union function.

It is strange to notice that every six months or one year, the perfectly intact footpaths repaved unnecessarily spending crores , while tribal areas are denied basic amenities of roads,water, health and education.

One or two quarters get allotted to parliament members too. But one of them showed his power by shifting the three garbage bins to the next Street, half a kilometre away, depriving the entire residential community of garbage bins. He justified it for parking his visitors' vehicles in the no parking stretch of the road in front of his quarters.

A few of the quarters are allotted to board level officers of BSNL and MTNL because the pocket comes within the P&T enclave. 

When you want to live near New Delhi stations, Connaught Place, India Gate, Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, Central Secretariat,CGO complex, Khan market, Lodi colony, Pragati Maidan, High Court and Supreme Court, ITO, Dariya Ganj, Chandni Chowk, Red Fort Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium, Jumma Masjid and so on, it is not wise to live in the middle of only one such locality, missing out on the equidistant access to all the other important and happening places.

Atul Grove Road, the unsung, unheard of road is one such central place providing equal access to the heroic places but keeps itself in the shadows, a perfect combination of central location and peaceful anonymity.

New Delhi junction 2011-2021

 When at last I applied for change of quarters, the guy who has to do such things as showing the vacant quarters around took me to a first floor quarters touching the metro gate of JLN stadium opposite Dyal Singh college, and next to the bus depot and BSF headquarters in CGO complex area.

I found it damaged but the civil maintenance is expected to repair the damaged parts on allotment. But next day itself the guy told the quarters got allotted to a friend of Pachauri the HR director. It was told immediately after my visit, he brought his friend, was satisfied with the quarters and got it allotted overlooking my claim.

Later on the director called me for his own suggestion of taking over the type -5 quarters T-7 in Atul grove road, an L shaped road north of Janpath, connecting Tolstoy Marg and Kasturba Gandhi Marg. 

At the northern end of Atul Grove road lies the ancient baoli bearing Maharaja Agrasen and at the southern end lies the Jantar Mantar complex. The outer circle of Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar and Central Park are within five minutes walk.

The New Delhi metro station and the Airport metro station are located within five minutes of the same circular area.

Straight north of Janpath via Tolstoy Marg and Maharana Pratap Marg also New Delhi railway, metro and airport metro stations can be reached through the Ajmere Gate, Ramlila grounds or Minto Bridge.

After Ramlila Maidan, in the east, the Asaf Ali Road takes to Dariya Ganj and Chandni Chowk, Red Fort and Kashmere gate up north and to Passport office, Times of India and Pragati maidan in the south.

A group of modern dazzling towers of Palika Bhawan houses corporation and income tax offices, right in front of New Delhi stations. MTNL Bhawan and Zakir Hussain College are located east of Palika Bhawan. Between Ramlila Maidan and Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium and Pragati Maidan are located many famous institutions and landmarks, like the Lok Nayak Hospital, GB Pant Hospital Maulana Azad medical college and hospital, Dental council of India, Nursing Council, Delhi Gate metro and, some more income tax offices.The immense BJP headquarters and Andhra Education Society building and DPCC offices are on DDU Marg .

On the other side, south of the railway line, Modern School, FICCI, Lalit Kala Academy, Mandi House, metro station, Dalmia House, Lady Irwin college are located before the ITO signal, where police headquarters and Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium are located. The trans-yamuna highway begins afterwards.

The much sought after Bengali Market, Banga Bhawan, Embassies of Nepal and Iran are located around Mandi House on the west side.

Between Mandi House and India Gate, Pragati Maidan and Janpath are located the Railway Headquarters,Patiala House court, High Court and the Supreme Court of India are located.

Andhra Bhawan mess is the mecca of all Andhrites for the typical Andhra food it serves. The crowd is to be seen to be believed. Andhra Government has a very large vacant land between Bahai House and Feroz Shah Road, on the south side of Canning Road. 

A huge government office and residential complex is under construction from 2020, underway still in 2023, between AP Bhawan and Lady Irwin School.

On KG Marg, Asia House, All India Imam Organization, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, National Green Tribunal,External Affairs Ministry Hostel and civil services officers club are located.