photography permission

second day of photography. this time it was link road and sure enough we were accosted by the uniformed security guards as soon as they saw our camera at mindspace. we lost our temper – public space is still public. this paranoia about security is merely used to conceal far more devious dealings- of that i am sure.

a black clad security guard every 100 meters. whom are they guarding? there is no one on the streets as no one can linger without being shoved off. naturally we took it all the way to the top who was a ex cop now security head who assured us that there would be no trouble as long as we are photographing only the street and not the buildings. if they are in the frame it is not allowed. hilarious.

after a ruckus we were finally allowed to click photos of the deserted streets and the pristine overflowing gardens that are claimed to be turned over to the bmc. no sign of that yet. while one garden lies on the periphery of the waterfront road blocking off the mangroves from view, the other is right behind inorbit mall on top of what used to be a garbage dump. these inner paradises have jogging tracks, park benches, begonias and petunias and are walled away from any person that might want to jog or smell the flowers.

no one is around but security guards and gardeners protecting and tending to flowers and pathways that no one will see. a excess of surveillance supposedly under a paranoia for security, paranoia. but the very overkill makes me suspect of it all being a big cover up.