If Ram were to build a 'setu' today...

Ramesh Seth / Cuffe Parade

Lord Ram was standing by the side of the sea. He wanted to build a bridge to Lanka to take his army across to invade Ravana's capital. After four days of negotiation and pulling some strings, the lord of the sea relented. But instead of parting the water to allow the army to walk across, he advised Ram to build a bridge over the sea to Lanka.

The Ramayana says that Ram built the bridge under the supervision of his engineers, Nal and Neel, and successfully took the army across. If you ask me, he was lucky to have been born in the far off Treta Yug. Had it been today, the scenario would have been different.

The moment Ram announced his intention to build a bridge to Lanka, there would’ve been a hue and cry throughout the world. First, the environmental lobby would have pounced on him. The proposed bridge would be an environmental disaster, they would say. They would then have passed a peremptory judgment stating, ‘Under no circumstances such a bridge should be made’. The Greens would have sent a ship in that area to keep an eye on the activities of the Prince.

Close on their heels would be the fishermen’s lobby. “Such a bridge would interfere in the flow of fishing boats in the strait. It has been the right of fishermen, since time immemorial, to fish in that area and the strait belongs exclusively to us,” they would announce angrily, “We strongly oppose such a venture.”

Still, if the prince had been persistent and pursued his bridge-building venture, he would be asked to get clearances from various ministries. The Ministry for Environment would just sit on his file, pending study on the environmental aspects, and it would be ages before Ram could obtain a clearance. But then the Ministry of External Affairs would intervene as it involved another country.

Next, the PWD would make its appearance. Since the bridge was one hundred yojans long and was being built over sea, a proper feasibility report and detailed design would be sought and sent abroad for evaluation. Only if foreign experts approved, the clearance would be given. Since such a long sea-bridge had never been constructed anywhere in the world, no one would want India to be a laughing stock if Ram were to leave the bridge unfinished.

Had that clearance also been obtained and finally Rama and his team looked forward to starting construction of the bridge, another problem would crop up. According to the official records the engineering duo, Nal and Neel, did not have the requisite qualifications. Neither of them had an engineering degree from any recognised college. As such they would not be allowed to design or build that prestigious bridge.

At this moment, having heard about the bridge, Lankan government would approach UN, drawing its attention to the objectionable activities of the big bully of a neighbour, and asked for its intervention and stoppage of the building activities. Till the last report came the Prince was still undecided how to proceed in the matter.