NRN moots central governance for metros

Let Centre command metros: NRN
‘Maybe Time To Have Political Leadership Which Means Business’
Times of India


Bangalore: When others weep over Bangalore’s infrastructure woes, Infosys chairman and chief mentor Narayana Murthy ideates. Now, he is all set to float a new one to solve the city’s problems. He plans to suggest to the government that major cities be centrally administered areas reporting to the President so that the state leadership is not divided between the welfare of the rural and the urban regions.

“Maybe the time has come when we need to have serious political leadership which means business. One which would make an all-out effort to solve the problems of the urban areas. Unfortunately, our leaders are not able to straddle urban with rural needs.’’ The city is the creator of high-tech jobs offering high, disposable incomes. “If we are not going to pay any attention to how it develops and nurtures its growth, and do not have leaders who appreciate these concerns, we are not to head anywhere,” he said.

“Incidentally, infrastructure problems don’t exist in Bangalore alone. In Mumbai or Delhi or Kolkata, you see the
cities crumbling — there is no concerted initiative that is looking at the big picture and providing the basic services — good roads, airports and power.” He moots appointment of a cadre of officers, “preferably from premier schools of management and with competitive salaries so they can take up the cities’ problems on an urgent basis”.

When it comes to infrastructure projects, planning takes a beating. “Sadly, it is the quality of planning that is not dealt with. Take, for instance, the Electronic City. The entire area was demarcated for fast-track growth. But the roads leading to it were unfortunately not even considered till it was bursting with over 100 IT companies and 35,000 employees.”

Ironically, the second phase of the Electronic City is coming up and the government is hardselling plots for companies. And, going by its track record, a good road has yet to be paved.