The fabulous air show over Marina Beach near Chennai witnessed the gung-ho city welcoming the 93rd IAF Day on October 6. The show put up as part of the Air Force Day celebrations reflected incredible mastery skills by 72 aircraft into breathtakingly mind-blowing aerobatic maneuvers bringing spectators in hordes to their feet. What this day otherwise had to offer was turned into a sorry tale of logjammed spectators left most of them not at all satisfied.
Celebration of Heritage and Excellence
The show was a beaming tribute to the rich legacy of the IAF, commissioned on October 8, 1932. While in its eyes lay the dream of being in the Limca Book of Records, the IAF had pegged about 1.5 million people to witness the show. During the day, it was clear that it was going to go above what they had estimated as the crowd gathering pushed further into crossing the 1.5 million mark while streaming in to see this aerial adventure.
Dignitaries present on the dais included Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and many other senior State government officials and officers from the Armed Forces. This was testimony to the fact that this was an event of grandeur, not just to showcase aerial acumen but to celebrate national pride and community spirit.
Scintillating Show
The spectacular show featured other aircraft, too, showing off complex maneuvers with lots of applause from the crowds. There were old planes showing age, in itself, but representing history and showing modern jet fighters that seemed agile in their performance, which left the audiences applauding and literally gasping for breath. Aircraft streamed across the skies as they performed loops and dives while flaunting the fine skill of pilots and their engineering marvels.
Sessions consisted of action-oriented experiences during which one learned history about the IAF and all that it does in national defense. Enthusiasts took full advantage of every opportunity to engage with veterans and active-duty personnel to gain their perspective on what comprises sacrifice and dedication for the country.
Logistical Problems
It was a spectacle, but ironically, the day witnessed major logistical challenges. Thousands of people had arrived at an early hour to get a good vantage point of the show, but traffic congestion soon began to be a problem. By 9:30 AM, routes around Marina Beach and Anna Salai were seriously jammed and stalled because of hours-long traffic holdups.
Many frustrated viewers voiced their complaints in social networking sites. People commuting from Velachery, Taramani and Mylapore grounds got stuck in huge jams with overcrowded public transport systems. A retired BSNL employee, Anuradha says that there are tales of despair when the audience prefers to leave the plan to watch the show due to overcrowding and poor transport planning.
A Call for more Cooperation
Local people felt cheated by the ‘jugaad’ of different departments. While IAF had put up an excellent display, state government and police apparatuses were woefully short of preparations for the crowds. Despite 6,500 policemen and 1,500 home guards, traffic management was a farcical affair with many facing a nightmarish situation.
Priyadarshini, commuter: “If IAF is hosting an adventure show, then there should be better cooperation among state departments so that everybody could come smoothly.”
She pointed the flaw in planning for the event especially when there are such huge crowds.
Looking Forward
Though the day is probably one of real challenges, the aerial show leaves no doubt that the air show has been a successful affair in bringing the community together to commemorate the Indian Air Force. Indeed, with such marvelous performances reminding everyone of the level of heroism and acumen with which these people serve in the armed forces, camaraderie among participants can be sensed.
With Chennai reminiscing over this exciting journey, all hope is that the next events will be wiser and avoid the logistical difficulties this year presented, so every attendee can share in the spectacle without a hitch. It’s with more aerial adventures to come in the future ahead of it that the spirit of celebration and community in Chennai remains strong and eagerly awaits what the skies will offer next.
