India’s Beautiful Resorts through Killer Roads
The death of 31 women, who had just celebrated marriage of their relative on December 14, 2010 in road-accident on busy high-way, is yet not another example of India’s crumbling infrastructure. The major cause for concern is it happened on the road that leads to popular tourist destination Ootty - also known as the blue mountain - through thick forest reserves of Bandipur and Madumalai in South India. Moreover, it is not an isolated incident as deaths on this route is common feature. Part of the problem could be attributed to drunken and careless drivers but the authorities cannot escape the criticism as most of the roads in the hinter-land are single-lane, narrow, full of potholes and curves with no barricades.
Soon after the ghastly incident hundreds of villagers came out and protested by blocking the “killer road” to attract the attention of those who matter. Politicians have promised to initiate steps to construct culverts alongside the lakes to ensure that cars and buses do not plunge into water as it happened on Tuesday when the driver, allegedly drunk, lost control of his mini-bus. “The truth is it could happen to any driver”, says a villager pointing out at the close distance between the road and the lake.
It is nightmare to even drive about 30 km on this road from Mysore - another popular tourist place in South India - towards Ooty. I counted five big water-bodies on this small but picturesque stretch. A little error, and the curves on damaged roads lead straight into these ponds besides possibility of head-on collision with the vehicle coming from the opposite side.
According to one estimate, at least 400 accidents take place, 50 people die and hundreds are injured every year on this small stretch alone. India’s infrastructure development is dogged with litigations from land losers, environment groups and slow decision making process. With the government now promising culverts and four-lane project since the locals are killed, one wonders how many more lives would be lost till such promises are turned into reality. It does not matter for the newlywed couple as their lives are already shattered.
Photo caption
Lake alongside busy high-way, recipe for disaster?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Rising Economy, Gulf Operations Save India’s Airlines
Rising Economy, Gulf Operations Save India’s Airlines
Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding exorbitant prices charged by the airlines in India, bleeding balance sheets for two years since 2008 recession, the year 2010 has ended on a happy note to airline industry in India. The recovery is so spectacular that Indian aviation industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing aviation markets globally thanks largely to India’s excellent economic growth which is pegged at 8.75% for the current fiscal by the Government. With economic recovery in full swing, the consumer spending on travel too has gone up rescuing the airlines industry that was staring at bleak future not long ago. According to one of the aviation experts, 2011 will be much better with passenger traffic likely to reach nearly 60 million from 45 million in 2009.
Most of these loss making airline operators have left behind turbulent period of surging operational costs, excess capacity and unruly competition. Now they reach more domestic destinations hitherto unheard of besides targeting lucrative Gulf sector, Saudi Arabia in particular. The Gulf was the sole prerogative of the national carrier Air India a few years ago. But that has changed. Jet Airways, the private airlines for example, now flies to Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Kuwait, Muscat and three destinations in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The Kingfisher Airlines, relatively new entrant in the overseas market, has introduced flights to Dubai from Mumbai and Delhi. “The challenge is to increase and retain the market share and the Gulf is the lucrative sector since one can take advantage of near full capacity all the time of the year. You get the international benefits for a flying time of just about three to four hours from India”, say sources in the Jet Airways. However, the competition on the international routes, particularly on the Gulf segment is expected to get stiff with entry of more private players such as Spice Jet and IndiGo in the near future as they too are on massive expansion mode.
Given the optimistic future, the Government has decided to infuse ailing Air India with INR 12 billion a few days ago. “This is the second bail out after INR eight billion given to them in February 2010. If AI cannot get out of its sickness in next few years, they will never”, says an aviation analyst pointing out that some private airlines have already turned profitable albeit in a small measure.
Despite the positives, all these airlines whether owned by government or a private operator, cannot take good prospects for granted. The price of crude oil which recently hit US$ 90 may spoil the party in the coming years.
Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding exorbitant prices charged by the airlines in India, bleeding balance sheets for two years since 2008 recession, the year 2010 has ended on a happy note to airline industry in India. The recovery is so spectacular that Indian aviation industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing aviation markets globally thanks largely to India’s excellent economic growth which is pegged at 8.75% for the current fiscal by the Government. With economic recovery in full swing, the consumer spending on travel too has gone up rescuing the airlines industry that was staring at bleak future not long ago. According to one of the aviation experts, 2011 will be much better with passenger traffic likely to reach nearly 60 million from 45 million in 2009.
Most of these loss making airline operators have left behind turbulent period of surging operational costs, excess capacity and unruly competition. Now they reach more domestic destinations hitherto unheard of besides targeting lucrative Gulf sector, Saudi Arabia in particular. The Gulf was the sole prerogative of the national carrier Air India a few years ago. But that has changed. Jet Airways, the private airlines for example, now flies to Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Kuwait, Muscat and three destinations in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The Kingfisher Airlines, relatively new entrant in the overseas market, has introduced flights to Dubai from Mumbai and Delhi. “The challenge is to increase and retain the market share and the Gulf is the lucrative sector since one can take advantage of near full capacity all the time of the year. You get the international benefits for a flying time of just about three to four hours from India”, say sources in the Jet Airways. However, the competition on the international routes, particularly on the Gulf segment is expected to get stiff with entry of more private players such as Spice Jet and IndiGo in the near future as they too are on massive expansion mode.
Given the optimistic future, the Government has decided to infuse ailing Air India with INR 12 billion a few days ago. “This is the second bail out after INR eight billion given to them in February 2010. If AI cannot get out of its sickness in next few years, they will never”, says an aviation analyst pointing out that some private airlines have already turned profitable albeit in a small measure.
Despite the positives, all these airlines whether owned by government or a private operator, cannot take good prospects for granted. The price of crude oil which recently hit US$ 90 may spoil the party in the coming years.
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