[sustran] Re: Indian roads - planes, cows, elephants, mosques

[Madhav Badami, Prof.]

Dear Carlos,
 
Once the craziness of the academic term comes to an end, I promise a
detailed response to Jonathan Richmond's (and others') postings on the
situation in India (and what we can and ought to do about it). I will
try and work elephants, cows and yoga  -- but not planes -- into my
response as well :-). Meanwhile, I will leave you with this personal
viewpoint ... India is like life itself -- joyous, sometimes sublime,
and at the very same time, very messy, even obscene, but never ever dull
and boring. 
 
Madhav
 
************************************************************************
 
"As for the future, your task is not to foresee, but to enable it."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
 
Madhav G. Badami, PhD
School of Urban Planning and McGill School of Environment McGill
University Macdonald-Harrington Building
815 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada
 
Phone: 514-398-3183 (Work); 514-486-2370 (Home)
Fax: 514-398-8376; 514-398-1643
URLs: www.mcgill.ca/urbanplanning
www.mcgill.ca/mse
e-mail: madhav.badami at mcgill.ca
 

________________________________

From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.o
rg] On Behalf Of Carlos F. Pardo
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 9:42 AM
To: Global 'South' Sustainable Transport
Subject: [sustran] Indian roads - planes, cows, elephants, mosques


We had the chance to be in India (Delhi, Chandigarh, Pune) last week,
working in a BRT training course with the SUTP project, ITDP and World
Bank (which was very useful). Parallel to the workshop I would go
walking around to see these cities. This news from a plane in the middle
of a road reminded me of some other issues I saw:

- A mosque as wide as the sidewalk (Delhi), "blocking" the way for
pedestrians,
- An elephant walking on a major arterial,
- The typical cows in roundabouts or roads,
- The classic situation of the "chaotic" Indian intersection.

This has all made me think deeper about the recent discussion started by
J. Richmond. Is it institutions? Is it a deeply culturally rooted
characteristic of Indians? Is it religion, yoga or whatever? I bought a
book on Indian culture which I've started reading to see if I find any
answers. I would really like to hear from people in India their point of
view on why they think this happens. Being from Colombia, I'm completely
lost trying to understand this.

Best regards,

Carlos 


Roselle Rivera wrote: 

	
	
	something (amusing/very bothering?) on transport.
	 Bad and irresponsible planning? or planned tourist attraction?
	
	
	
	** The Boeing 737 stuck in city road **
	Residents of the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) are wondering
how long it will take to remove a disused Boeing 737 that has been
abandoned in a busy road.
	< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/6620461.stm >
	
	
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	ROSELLE LEAH K RIVERA
	PhD Fellow
	Human Resource and Local Development Staff Group
	
	Institute of Social Studies
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