[sustran] Re: "India is on the road to a transport revolution"

[John Ernst]

On the serious side -- and, sorry to say, the article was not on the 
satire page, Eric -- the problems with India building expressways 
that induce further private motor vehicle use over longer commuting 
distances are, I think, clear to all.

But here's an anecdote to consider in regards to these highways and 
freight shipment:

Last year, on a flight from Delhi to Bangkok, I sat next to an 
American man who was setting up greenhouses in India to grow massive 
quantities of vegetables for large discount stores that were coming 
in (the "big box" stores, e.g., Walmart, Lotus, Carrefour).  His 
biggest problem was the trucking. To make his plan work, he needed to 
reduce the shipping cost and time.  This meant changing from India's 
existing trucks to big semi-trucks with multi-speed gearboxes, 
trained drivers to operate them,... and better roads to accommodate 
them.  He said the roads were coming.

I'm not prepared to comment on the global economic considerations 
here, but I think it provides an interesting window into the kind of 
political pressures behind these expressways.  It's not just the 
Yohan Poonawallas in their Rolls Royces.

Best,
John

At 04:21 AM 5/3/2006, Lee Schipper wrote:
>If Eric liked that he'd LOVE a presentation by the guru of the Delhi
>Metro. Made up numbers and all!
>
> >>> eric.britton at ecoplan.org 5/3/2006 6:07:23 AM >>>
>Dear Sunny,
>
>
>
>This is a satire, isn't it? The sort of multi-layered complex big fish
>Indian tale that we of the West are not expected to be able ever to
>penetrate.  A rich private yarn, is it?
>
>
>
>If so, it's a real good one. I especially liked the name choice for
>the
>"34-year-old scion", Yohan Poonawalla, of Pune nonetheless. And you
>know
>the stuff about Mumbai, cows and "people", well that is very refined.
>As
>indeed is all the rest.
>
>
>
>Keep it coming Guardian. Har har har.

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John Ernst   -  Director, Asia Region
    ITDP - The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
Promoting environmentally sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide
  Visit http://www.itdp.org
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