Distress Call
Close to Connaught Place, in the heart of New Delhi's business district, stands Eastern Court, the colonial building designed by Robert Tor Russell. Once a picture of elegance a creamy white facade, arcades, huge verandahs and a massive lawn the sprawling complex is today crumbling with decay and neglect.
Much like the state run telecom company it houses: Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL). The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) office, a stone's throw away, appears swankier, but walk into either of the offices and you find files piled up on desks, the backrest of chairs lined with towels, broken hot cases and too many hands to do each task. A notice at the MTNL reception instructs visitors not to pay bribes and to lodge a complaint if an official asks for one. It's a vintage sarkari set piece, reflecting the archaic ways in which the telecom behemoths carry out their business.
Scores of
