November 16, 2021

Ridership Peril- What more could Kochi Metro do?

As per the DPR of Phase 1 of the Kochi Metro (2011), the estimated ridership in 2020 was 4.68 lakh passengers/day. But this figure during the pre-Covid times was just around 65,000 to 1 lakh. Fare box revenue being one […]
June 25, 2021

Is India’s Vehicle Scrapping Policy The Answer?

It was during the 2021-22 budget speech that the Finance Minister announced the voluntary VehicleScrapping Policy. Since then, it has been the talking point in the automobile circles, manufacturers,present and future vehicle owners, environmentalists and media to name a few. […]
April 22, 2021

Is litigation decelerating the process of urban development?

The rapid pace of urbanisation in the country magnifies the need for having adequate infrastructure facilities to support the massive growth of our cities. . The Centre and the State Governments have acknowledged the necessity to have the right infrastructure, […]
February 1, 2021

Budget 2021 | Reviving ailing economy through infrastructure sector?

Nirmala Sitharaman’s investment push for the sector will yield results only with timely and effective implementation. The efficiency and effectiveness of these investments will be closely watched Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first ‘paperless’ Budget a few hours ago. The […]
December 5, 2020

Is Metro the solution to the public transport issues of Kochi city?

An in-depth analysis of the financial situation of Kochi Metro is called for, where on one side huge losses have accrued while on the other extensions are being planned. Amidst the pandemic, phase 1 of Kochi Metro became fully operational […]
June 23, 2020

Shared Auto as a Public Transport Solution during COVID

Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) plays an indispensable role in the transportation system in Indian cities. It is often addressed as the mode that bridges the gap between public and private transport in the city, ensuring first- and last-mile connectivity to […]
June 23, 2020

കോവിഡ് കാലത്ത് പൊതുഗതാഗത മേഖലയിൽ ഷെയർ ഓട്ടോകളുടെ സാധ്യതകൾ

ഇന്ത്യൻ നഗരങ്ങളിലെ ഗതാഗത സംവിധാനത്തിൽ ഇന്റർമീഡിയറ്റ് പബ്ലിക് ട്രാൻസ്പോർട്ട് (ഐപിടി) ഒഴിച്ചുകൂടാനാവാത്ത പങ്ക് വഹിക്കുന്നു. നഗരത്തിലെ പൊതു-സ്വകാര്യ ഗതാഗതം തമ്മിലുള്ള അന്തരം കുറയ്ക്കുന്നതും, ഉപയോക്താക്കൾക്ക് ആദ്യ, അവസാന മൈൽ കണക്റ്റിവിറ്റി ഉറപ്പാക്കുന്നതുമായ മാർഗം എന്ന നിലക്കാണ് ഇതിനെ  പലപ്പോഴും കാണുന്നത്. ഐ‌പി‌ടി മോഡുകളെ പ്രധാനമായും രണ്ടായി തിരിക്കാം: കരാർ കാരേജ് സേവനങ്ങളും,അനൗപചാരിക (ബസ് പോലുള്ളവ) പൊതുഗതാഗത സേവനങ്ങളും. യാത്രക്കാരുടെ ആവശ്യത്തിനും സൗകര്യത്തിനും അനുസരിച്ച് ലഭ്യമാകുന്നവയും, ലക്ഷ്യസ്ഥാനം യാത്രക്കാർക്ക് […]
February 10, 2020

India’s plan to develop smart cities in PPP mode needs more clarity

In the recent Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government is proposing to develop five new smart cities in collaboration with states in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. But, there is a question mark on the ‘public’ involvement […]
January 31, 2020

Govt must not lower its guard on infrastructure

Infrastructure development has been a major focus of the incumbent government. This sentiment was reflected in the Budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in July 2019 when she announced investment worth Rs 100 lakh-crore for the sector for five […]
December 16, 2019

City roads should be transformed into public spaces

The miserable condition of the city roads can be solved to an extent with improved construction methods and better coordination between the agencies concerned. But roads are not just for vehicles to travel. They should also cater to the needs of […]
November 21, 2019

City roads demand more than just carriageway

The miserable condition of the city roads can be solved to an extent with improved construction technology and better coordination of responsible agencies. But it does not end here. Roads are not just a medium for vehicles to travel but […]
July 31, 2019

Are PPPs the road ahead for Indian Railways?

The technological advancements made in the rail sector give a positive message but demand huge capital investment, which will require private participation. Indian Railways is one of the largest rail networks in the world carrying over 23 million passengers and […]
July 5, 2019

For the infrastructure sector, it reads more like a vision statement

The Budget did give out a positive statement. It lacks a clear road map as to how to achieve certain targets proposed. Infrastructure is one of the major focus areas of the Union government in the Budget presented by Finance […]
June 27, 2019

Immediate challenges for Modi 2.0 in infrastructure sector

The market expects that the Union Budget will revive the tax-free infrastructure bonds schemes. Given the status of the economy, it is important that the financing options other than from the government should be encouraged. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s election […]