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missing the point
murali772 - 21 January, 2008 | Traffic | Bangalore | Nano | public transport
Last evening, I happened to watch the ‘Devil’s Advocate’ programme on CNN-IBN, where Karan Thapar was interviewing Sunita Narayan (of CSE). The subject of discussion was TATA motor’s NANO. And, contrary to the norm, both were generally agreed on many of the points that came up.
An important point that they both stressed on was the need for the likes of TATA to be making world-class buses, even as they have begun making world-class cars. But, the even more important aspect that they, and everyone else, seem to miss out is the need for the likes of TATA’s to get into providing public bus transport services. These services are too vital for the nation to be left in the hands of government-run monopoly organizations. The present regime does not allow for their entry. If facilitated, their entry will change the entire dimensions of the problem, and solutions to many of the current ones will become automatic, contributing significantly to improved quality of life, both of the poor as well as the rich (refer 'better bussing').
Besides, this does not require a single paisa investment from the government side. Perhaps, that’s where the problem lies, since it will mean the drying up of another source of making money underhand.
COMMENTS
TATA's are the problem?
idontspam - 21 January, 2008 - 11:53
I saw the program too and they were blaming the TATA's for innovating on the car and not on the Bus instead. TATA seems to have become a soft target for everybody taking potshots. The providers have gone scot free with pathetic service and utter lack of innovation. There are environment friendly CNG busses in Delhi made by the likes of TATA's and still they knock down 100 people a year. There are world class Volvo's on the Bangalore roads and it still faces a traffic poblem. I am sure once Nano's are misused on the roads by unlicensed people without driving skills the TATA's will be blamed and not the athorities who should be engineering our roads/rules/lanes and the ones enforcing them.
"The present regime does not allow for their entry." can you elaborate on the structural problems which bar non-state players from addressing these issues? how does reliance's mumbai metro fit in? is this a state level problem or a fed level issue? idontspam: "I am sure once Nano's are misused on the roads by unlicensed people without driving skills the TATA's will be blamed and not the athorities who should be engineering our roads/rules/lanes and the ones enforcing them." well said!!
world-class Bus
Tulluri - 21 January, 2008 - 23:52
What does a world-class Bus mean? Current buses manufactured by TATA’s and the Hinduja’s is better than any other manufacturer in the world for the price they are paid. The current issue with the public transport corporation’s run by the sate governments is not having a world-class bus. These corporations can better perform if the state governments stop intervening into their business and allowing them to do business on their own. In many states the public transportation (passenger) are monopolized in the favor of state corporations with little room for private operators. As there is no competition in this field the service rendered is poor. Tamil Nadu can become a role model for bus services where we have healthy competition between the private and government services. None of the state transport corporations around the country have a track record of running into profits till date with the exception of BMTC. The only reason why BMTC making profits is due its high fares and low taxes paid to the GOK. Who will be interested in jumping into a business that doesn’t have any money and high risks? Public transport corporations owned by state governments are run in our country as a non profit organizations as they more bound to be service oriented than profit oriented. Why haven’t we heard anything regarding the public transport from these TV channels and the intelligent people till now, who are currently spending their valuable time on this. Why all this fuss when we can standup proud in front of the world and show that we too can achieve some thing good. Lets not spend our time in judging weather Nano is good or Bad, anyhow will time give its judgment in the next 2 years to come. My best wishes for Ratan for his next ambition of creating low cost water purification system… Hope we will have it soon.. To drench the throats of millions of my fellow Indians who can’t afford to have at least safe drinking water even after embracing 60 years of independence…
tricks of the trade
murali772 - 22 January, 2008 - 10:29
I have already elaborated on this in the posting captioned 'belling the cat' made by me on 17th Dec,'07 under my blog http://bangalore.praja.in/blog/murali772/2007/12/12/better-bussing-green-bangalore#comment-1293 Further, I myself applied to the Transport Dept for a license to run a bus service, to begin with in Koramangala. They offered to issue me a license for 'contract carriage' operation, but not for 'stage carriage' operation. It's using these tricks that they protect their turf. For more, read the above blog, as also http://traffic-transport-solutions.blogspot.com/ Muralidhar Rao
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