Raghav’s Take: Big Idea 2 for PM - Build Transport Infrastructure

What can Prime Minister Modi do in his Second Year to galvanise India’s railways and transport infrastructure? Raghav Bahl explains in the following video: 0 0 1 234 1339 Paul 11 3 1570 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} Big Idea 2: Build Railways & Transport Infrastructure Rapidly So what can Prime Minister Modi do in his Second Year to galvanise India’s railways and transport infrastructure?Most critically, India can learn from its northern neighbour, which revolutionised China Rail by converting it into a corporation, thereby taking it out of direct government control. Mind you, nobody is advocating the highly contentious route of privatising the railways – no sir – all we are suggesting is a corporatisation, still owned 100% by the government. We simply break up Indian Railways into several companies for different zones/services; simultaneously, we allow private operators to run trains and stations, by paying a charge for using the infrastructure, quite similar to how private telephone companies pay BSNL for connecting to its network. Another effort should be to quickly begin the high-speed rail network. How? By initially converting the routes plied by Shatabdi Express trains. Another quick win is possible by converting 2,000 kms of Golden Quadrilateral Highways from 6 lanes to 12 lanes – without getting embroiled in land acquisition disputes, the highway capacity would be doubled and road construction kick started. Even after struggling for over a decade, we have not been able to convert our ports from archaic “trust ownership structures” into modern corporations, which would allow them to raise funds, induct strategic partners, and expand operations.And finally, let’s build 50 new airports in big cities and towns, rapidly urbanising India needs to fly!------------------------RELATED STORIES1. Raghav’s Take: Big Idea 1 for PM Modi - Reflate The Economy

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Raghav’s Take: Big Idea 2 for PM - Build Transport Infrastructure

Raghav Bahl gives you his 5 big ideas for the PM to focus on in his second year.

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Topics: Business Prime Minister Narendra Modi Raghav Bahl