Good infrastructure is what our city needs at the moment

Good infrastructure is what our city needs at the moment
The Hindu

While the Government should keep in mind the welfare of rural people, it should ensure that it does not alienate urban citizens in the process. Industries, the IT sector included, which have a stake in the development of cities, are understandably peeved with the raw deal urban development has received, our readers feel.

Poor infrastructure

THE REASON why the image of Bangalore has taken a beating is its poor infrastructure, especially roads. One need not be urban-oriented to realise that a city considered the global hub of information technology needs good roads.

Apart from roads, vehicular traffic needs careful handing, going beyond cosmetic changes such as one-ways.

K. Ram Mohan

Jeevanbima Nagar

Needs neglected

BY MAKING a U-turn towards what is touted as a "pro-poor and pro-rural" government over the past two years, the city's most basic needs have been neglected.

A good government should be able to balance the needs of both the urban and rural population without either section feeling ignored. One hopes this happens in future.

R. Sukumar

Malleswaram

Killing the goose

MOST OF the State's revenue comes from cities, which are centres of industrial production, the IT-sector included. This is the money that the Government needs to subsidise welfare schemes for the poor.

What has been happening over the past two years is like the parable on killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

No wonder the leaders of the IT industry are threatening to locate their new facilities outside the State.

Srinidhi Patil

Jayanagar

Government biased

IS IT necessary to ignore the genuine needs of the city to please rural constituencies?

The Government appears biased in the eyes of industries, which have made the region wealthier.

A more balanced approach is necessary if Bangalore is to retain its status as a global investment destination.

Why should the IT industry suddenly find itself alienated? Any government in power should ponder over this.

Sudha Nagaraj

Malleswaram

Arrest trend

THE STATE and its capital enjoyed the reputation of being progressive, forward-looking and trying to catch up with metropolises in developed countries.

Overnight, the rulers decided that the city deserved nothing better than cart tracks for roads and chaotic traffic seen on market days in rural towns.

Unless this trend is arrested, Bangalore is bound to slide down into an infrastructure nightmare and other cities such as Chennai and Hyderabad will make the best of this fall.

This is already beginning to happen.

Farha M.

Fraser Town

Genuine misgivings

No section of the population will feel overlooked if the Government takes a fair and unbiased view of the needs of different sections such as villages, small towns and cities.

The needs of Bangalore can be ignored only at the cost of industries deciding to relocate elsewhere.

The IT industry is not dictating terms to the Government but expressing genuine misgivings about the city's poor state.

Susheela Oommen

Indiranagar

Centre more balanced

The Government in Delhi seems to be more balanced than the one occupying our Vidhana Soudha. The Prime Minister is carrying out a delicate balancing act with some success.

There is a lesson here for those in power in the State. The urban population cannot be slighted because the Government wants to help the rural poor.

J. Venkatesh

Basavanagudi

Taking advantage

There are some people who try to use to their advantage the helplessness of a minority government. This is why there was a spat between the Government and the IT industry, which was gleefully reported by the media across the country.

Let us wake up to the reality: the State's coffers are richer because of the IT sector and other industries. Farmers do feed us but don't earn us foreign exchange. No Government can forget this fact.

M. Faziuddin

Shivajinagar

No competition

It is being increasingly projected that the urban and rural areas of the State are competing for Government's attention.

Hence, the Government has to make a choice between the two.

But with proper planning and foresight, the needs of rural and urban areas can be reconciled.

S. Chandrashekar

Vijayanagar