India Developing, but still a long way to go

[NSG_BlackCats]

RMZ Millenia,Chennai

 

[sensenreason]

These pictures and descriptions of India's development are no doubt impressive. India is definitely resurgent in terms of its economy. Now let's try and see these developments through the eyes of visitors who have had a chance to visit both India and Pakistan and offer their assessments:


Islamabad: Well Organized, Welcoming:

"Islamabad is surely the most well-organized,picturesque and endearing city in all of South Asia. Few Indians would, however, know this, or, if they did, would admit it. After all, the Indian media never highlights anything positive about Pakistan, because for it only 'bad' news about the country appears to be considered 'newsworthy'. That realization hit me as a rude shock the moment I stepped out of the plane and entered Islamabad's plush International Airport, easily far more efficient, modern and better maintained than any of its counterparts in India. And right through my week-long stay in the city, I could not help comparing Islamabad favorably with every other South Asian city that I have visited. That week in Islamabad consisted essentially of a long string of pleasant surprises, for I had expected Islamabad to be everything that the Indian media so uncharitably and erroneously depicts Pakistan as. The immigration counter was staffed by a smart young woman, whose endearing cheerfulness was a refreshing contrast to the grave, somber and unwelcoming looks that one is generally met with at immigration counters across the world that make visitors to a new country feel instantly unwelcome."

Yoginder Sikand
10 June, 2008
Countercurrents.org


Resurgent, Prosperous Middle Class:

"On the ground, of course, the reality is different and first-time visitors to Pakistan are almost always surprised by the country's visible prosperity. There is far less poverty on show in Pakistan than in India, fewer beggars, and much less desperation. In many ways the infrastructure of Pakistan is much more advanced: there are better roads and airports, and more reliable electricity. Middle-class Pakistani houses are often bigger and better appointed than their equivalents in India.
Moreover, the Pakistani economy is undergoing a construction and consumer boom similar to India's, with growth rates of 7%, and what is currently the fastest-rising stock market in Asia. You can see the effects everywhere: in new shopping centers and restaurant complexes, in the hoardings for the latest laptops and iPods, in the cranes and building sites, in the endless stores selling mobile phones: in 2003 the country had fewer than three million cellphone users; today there are almost 50 million."

William Dalrymple
14 August, 2007
The Guardian

Absurd Notions About Pakistan:

"Suicide bombs, battles in tribal areas, and states of emergency tend to put off casual tourists. But the impression such events convey can often be misleading and unrepresentative of a country as a whole. A few days ago I was sitting in a cafe sipping best Italian espresso and reading a news magazine. The front page was full of furious faces and clenched fists under the headline, The Most Dangerous Nation in the World isn't Iraq, it's Pakistan. The cafe was in a smart bookshop in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. I sighed and turned to the article inside.
It was a revealing analysis of some penetration of a few places in Pakistan by the Taleban and al-Qaeda. I pondered the magnifying-glass effect of dramatic news coverage. The suicide bomb attack on Benazir Bhutto's homecoming parade in Karachi in October, which killed an estimated 140 people, and the assault on a Taleban pocket in the Swat valley, a tourist destination, took place while I was in Pakistan.
But neither event had a noticeable effect on the general sense of security and stability where I was in Islamabad or on the road. The notion that Pakistan is more dangerous than Iraq is absurd."

Bill Sykes
BBC News
12 November, 2007

Pakistan as Attractive Investment Opportunity:


"A little more than six years ago, immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks on U.S. cities, few sane investment advisers would have recommended Pakistani stocks.
They should have. Their clients could have made a fortune.
Since 2001, the nuclear-armed South Asian country, blamed for spawning generations of Islamic militants and threatening global security, has been making millionaires like newly minted coins.
As Western governments have fretted about Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling into the hands of militants, the Karachi Stock Exchange's main share index has risen more than 10-fold."

Mark Bendeich
Reuters
Jan 10, 2008

Pakistanis Should be Proud:

"Perhaps it has more to do with Pakistan's preoccupation with conflicts at their northern borders over recent times, but little is written on the fact that with more than 100 universities and 150 research institutes, Pakistan produces 100,000 engineering graduates annually, and another 100,000 technically trained graduates. More than 50 foreign companies have set up R&D facilities in Pakistan recently. Some of these include multinationals such as GE, DuPont, Bell Labs, IBM and Microsoft. In the business of automobiles, Pakistan manufactures and sells engine components to five of the world's largest manufacturers. Suzuki and Hyundai are recent entrants to the manufacturing buzz in Pakistan setting up full-fledged plants, with Pakistan taking its rank as the ninth largest automobile manufacturer in the world.

New emerging industries in areas of interest include mecha-tronics, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and clinical research. And foreign investment has shown a remarkable increase in recent years. Ironically, Gulf countries awash with high returns on the sale of oil have yet to take advantage of an educated labor pool and invest heavily in this growing economy."

Pakistan Revisited — VI: A Time for Reflection
By Tariq A. Al-Maeena, talmaeena@aol.com
Saturday 17 May 2008 (11 Jumada al-Ula 1429)

These eyewitness accounts of Pakistan by serious individuals are a reminder of the fact that fly-by-night journalism and sensational media reports are not reliable sources of information to guide policy on relations with Pakistan, investment decisions in Pakistan, the ongoing war on terror, and Pakistan's role in it. Let's hope that the international policy makers consider sources beyond the traditional commercial media when making important strategic decisions on crucial issues.

Haq's Musings: Foreign Visitors to Pakistan Pleasantly Surprized

Haq's Musings: Food, Clothing and Shelter in India and Pakistan

In view of the prosperity Pakistan enjoys, it should refuse to accept Military aid from US or atleast share some of the drug booty with India as well; as anyhow its burdened with more people.

 

[kallu_be]

Pranav mistry at TEDIndia

 

[Bushy]

Although Im a die hard fan of Shivaji.....

I can bet any money that this monstrosity will be finished in less time than the Bandra Worli Sealink.....

Sometimes I doubt us Desis and our prudence.....Seriously, whats the use of building this??
Take the 50 Cr and bulldoze the hell out of Dharavi instead....Hell Ill be more than happy to bribe someone to do this job....Corruption exists in all the wrong spheres......

Off topic.....but just venting my frustration.....

Yet Im sure it will beautify the city....and push tourism to Mumbai

I reiterate your point! The corruption needs to be weeded out first. Once that's done, there are enough people and NGOs in India to raise the level of poverty, if not abolish it entirely.

 

[Bushy]

lol I couldn't help notice that lights are out, no traffic light is working, sure must be our beloved India lol

 

[Bushy]

This comment was completely uncalled for. I was complementing New Delhi's Metro, and then you make a joke about terrorism? You're sick.

As an Indian, I very much appreciate your outlook toward India and I too hold very similar thoughts for Pakistan. Please do avoid such occasional remarks if possible. Inside, we are all up for peace and growth between both the countries.

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Bangalore Elevated Tollway Limited (BETL)
This will be the second elevated Expressway after PVNR, Hydrabad.
Length : 10 Km
Cost : Rs. 775 Crore
Status : Expected to be opened for public by December 2009
Benefits : Ease Traffic congestion between Hosur Road and Electronic City stretch bangalore


Picture copyright : Sudhakar Arjunan

Picture copyright : ajithv

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Ring Road Bangalore

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Some Pic of Indian Railways

Navi Mumbai local
photo copyright ani biswas

Delhi Agra Shatabdi interior
photo copyright David Kuslow

Trivandrum Central-Ernakulam Junction JAN SHATABDI Express. (Kerela)
copy right: sudheeshnairs

Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC).
RO-RO Service(roll-on roll-off)
photo cc right cloud.number.9

Local Train Mumbai

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Self Deleted : Double post

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC)

•This fully fledged industrial city, complete with water, power, labour, communications and transportation, provides Plug & Play Infrastructure where investors can simply set up shop immediately.

•An internal single window clearance facility where businesses within BIAC can get quick go-aheads, speedier documentation processing, and authorisations from a single point.

•The availability of world class facilities and conveniences like training institutions, banks, recreational and townships amenities.

•Close proximity to key infrastructure gateways - namely the seaport and international airport of Visakhapatnam and the road network.

•This state of the art apparel park is expected to employ over 60,000 employees at full capacity.

•BIAC will provide “Real Time Connectivity and Seamless Integration’ combined with economies of scale to supply chain partners, bringing in a total combined investment of USD 1 Billion to Visakhapatnam. Once fully operational, BIAC will export apparel worth more than USD 1.4 billion per annum.

Partners of BIAC

Ocean India (Knit Fabric)
The largest knit fabric Mill to be set up in South Asia, Fountain Set Holdings of Hong Kong through Ocean Lanka will set up state of the art unit on a 75 acre site at an initial investment of USD 20M. The unit will facilitate the knit fabric requirements of the park offering a range of products.
•US$ 20M initial investment
•Built on 75 acres
•Construction Oct’07
•Operational by Jun’08

Pioneer Elastics
Pioneer Elastic Fabric Limited of Hong Kong is to set up an elastics unit of to facilitate the elastics requirements of the park. With an investment of US$ 12.5M the facility is to be constructed on a 10 acre plot and be operational by mid 2008.
•US$ 12.5M facility
•Built on 10 acres
•Construction to commenced Dec’07
•Operational by Oct’08

Brandix Apparel India Limited
Brandix Apparel India Limited is the first Brandix apparel manufacturing facility in India. It commenced commercial operations in January 2007, at a temporary location in Visakhapatnam, with first exports shipments to Victoria’s Secret made in April 2007. The state-of-the-art new facility of Brandix Apparel India, spanning 30-acres is presently constructed in BIAC. The unit is set to be operational in BIAC by March 2008, with the mission to be the World’s Largest Underwear Solutions Provider.

Hayleys
Sri Lankan multinational Hayleys has signed an MoU with Brandix in February this year to offer a state of the art computerized centralized hub, facilitating all the logistics requirements of the park. Built on 20 acres with a USD 20M investment, the facility will offer centralized cutting units and will be operational by early’08

•Computerized next generation logistics service hub
•Logiwiz Limited
•US$ 20M investment
•Built on 20 acres
•Construction to begin in Nov’07
•Operational by Jun’08

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Continue..

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Continue..

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Continue ..

 

[beckham]

Buses of KSRTC (Kerala state road transportation )