THE NEWS IN
PROPORTION
26 May 2020
26 May 2020
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
A misplaced emphasis on highways?
A misplaced emphasis on highways?
The government continues with its blind focus on highways and expressways when infrastructure for water supply, waste management and mass transit system is in desperate need of attention. Kannan Kasturi says there is more to public infrastructure than just highways and expressways.
TRANSPORT POLLUTION
Old or new, cars must make way for busesThe ban on old diesel vehicles in Delhi and the NCR is just a first step towards addressing the grave levels of air toxicity in the region, but a well-designed BRTS could go a long way in achieving the real end. Darryl D’Monte compiles notes from a recent conference.
HIGHWAY TOLLS
Why Fadnavis mustn't be soft on motoristsSachin Tendulkar’s letter to the Maharashtra CM Fadnavis, urging him to reduce toll posts in the state, may just encourage the state further to execute its plan of exempting private cars and SUVs from such charges. Darryl D’Monte argues why that is entirely unjustifiable.
MUMBAI DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Who will benefit from the ‘Manhattanisation’ of Mumbai?The Mumbai municipal authorities have delivered a draft 20-year development plan for the city, but implementation of many of the proposals therein could well deliver the final blow to a city already gasping for breath, says Darryl D’Monte.
VEHICULAR AIR POLLUTION
Will banning older vehicles clean the air in Delhi?Is modernisation of transport the sole answer to air pollution problems in Delhi? In view of the NGT's proposed ban on older vehicles on the streets of Delhi, Sarath Guttikunda draws attention to several problems that need to be addressed for a healthier environment in the NCR.
METRO FARES
Will passengers have to bear the burden of Mumbai Metro?Even before the first line of the much-anticipated Mumbai Metro becomes functional, a number of issues have cropped up, most notably one over the pricing of tickets. Darryl D’Monte tracks the arguments, with comparisons to metro rail elsewhere.
LIVEABLE CITIES
On the right track, but miles to goIn March this year, Gil Penalosa of the Toronto-based NGO 8-80 Cities spoke in Mumbai and Bangalore of his global vision for liveable cities. Concluding his coverage of Penalosa’s talk, Darryl D’Monte explains why, despite a few isolated efforts, India requires a giant leap in initiative and attitudes to realise that vision.
URBAN MOBILITY
Our streets are meant for walking: Gil PenalosaGil Penalosa is an indefatigable evangelist for public transport, constantly traversing innumerable cities in the developed and developing world. In the first of a two-part report, Darryl D’Monte details his observations at a Mumbai presentation on streets as public space and the need to make them pedestrian-friendly.
URBAN PLANNING
Can Bangalore’s planners solve its commuter woes?The need for integrating land use with mobility has never been fully addressed within the profusion of plans for Bangalore. The revision of the Master Plan for 2031 may provide a good opportunity to develop a comprehensive mobility strategy, says Shrimoyee Bhattacharya and Sujaya Rathi.
ROAD ECONOMICS
For whom the tolls rileFrom lumpen political elements to the courts, various parties have, in their own ways, come out against toll plazas along different highways in the country, but Darryl D’Monte makes a strong case for collection of charges from motorists.
CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
New body should have better pay, more autonomyPoor compensation could be the key reason behind the DGCA’s inability to attract and retain technical personnel, says the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. PRS Legislative Research summarises the Committee’s report which advocates better pay and more independence for the proposed new authority.
VISION DEFICIT
The strange case of ICTT VallarpadamA PPP project, hailed as a milestone in logistic infrastructure development at the time of launch shows scant growth three years later, costing the Cochin Port trust dearly in the process. P N Venugopal throws light on all that has gone wrong with it.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
What constrains our social enterprises?Enterprises that seek to address socio-economic problems through focused business models could make significant impact with a little more support. Seema S Hegde discusses an example from Bangalore, and explains how the state and big business often fail to recognise that.
India Together offers an excellent forum for people from diverse fields of expertise to present their views, share their experiences and raise questions about where our country and society are headed in the future.
Amitabha Basu
- Retired Scientist
- National Physical
- Laboratory
- India Together reader
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From Aug 2013, published with support from Oorvani Foundation, a champion of public-funded media for the new India.
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