How infrastructure projects get delayed and stopped

mcadambi - 17-OCT-2008

The ROB at Whitefield is delayed because of inability of the parties (tenderer and tenderee) to work out a commodity rise formula. As noted in the following article, because of unexpected and steep rise in steel and cement prices, the tenderee could not complete the project and had to cite force majeure clause.

Solar rickshaws

murali772 - 13-OCT-2008

Solar-powered rickshaws called green rickshaws were introduced in Chandni Chowk here on Thursday as part of a pilot project. Each of these rickshaws costs about Rs.17,000 and the idea is to have them in place of the man-pulled rickshaws.

Satellite Bus Stands - Will they reduce traffic?

Vasanth - 12-OCT-2008

Most of the traffic planners say to start the satellite bus stands to reduce the city traffic. Recently KSRTC Minister Mr.Ashok announced many satellite bus stands and even in Mysore where the traffic is quite normal in the range of 300+ crores. Will they really serve the purpose?

IRC guidelines on pedestrian facilities - summary

asj - 9-OCT-2008

I will split this in to following parts -

1. Summary of IRC on above topic
2. What is missing
3. What we should do to fill in gaps
4. Action the above by getting local civic body to ratify document Praja creates after step 3
5. Forward plan

Summary:

Bangalore's new Skywalk locations

Bengloorappa - 23-SEP-2008

BBMP has come out with an EOI document for construction of 56 Skywalks with escalators in 14 packages, here it is (link to pdf)

Some of the locations that stand out in terms of utility and usefulness are,

Urban transportation - addressable market size: how big?

silkboard - 12-SEP-2008

I had asked this question at the TransInnova/ BMLTA summit yesterday, and didn't get a good answer, most likely because nobody had a number handy. Local urban transportation is a "problem", and problem equals "opportunity". Why is it that private players are not taking enough interest in lobbying to get access to this market? Policy hurdles would be one reason, but I am curious if the size of the market is being underestimated here. Lets do some numbers, simple and basic.

BIA is shoddy: Yeddyurappa

mcadambi - 9-SEP-2008

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/New-Bangalore-international-airport-shoddy--Karnataka-CM/359223/

"It's shoddy compared to all airports in India," he said at a function at Vidhan Soudha, the State Secretariat."

AAI messed up the runway at BIA

mcadambi - 5-SEP-2008

Our dear AAI (Airports Authority of India) has messed up the landing facilities at BIA and HIA:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/09/03/stories/2008090351240900.htm 

Entropy on roads - examples

silkboard - 28-AUG-2008

Entropy, aka chaos on the roads is a subject we have discussed a lot here. There are about a hundred comments thrown across various posts. How about consolidating those points and making them more presentable via picture posts? Here is my attempt with pictures over last two months. Look, we need to explain and understand one thing very clearly. Flyovers and road widening projects are like buying extra large clothes to deal with obesity. Some folks prefer exercises or medicines to shed some fat.

not - so - NICE excesses

blrsri - 26-AUG-2008

Ex PM Vajpayee had asked 'aakhir ek aadmi ko kitna chahiye?'

Improvising we need to ask 'aakhir ek project ko kitne chahiye?!'

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/26/stories/2008082650210100.htm