Together in development

Together in development
The private sector pitching in to augment the efforts of the civic agencies works well to make the city more efficient, The The Times of India


Acity is built by its people. It reflects the lifestyle and attitude of its residents. Pays the wages its business houses afford it. And heads for the horizon its thinkers dream for it. A city is never built by the government alone. The industries it has, the services it plays host to, institutions it boasts of, and the talent pool it houses together determine its status. They all play a significant role in making the city a destination, aspiration, and successful center of development.
Even as each component strives for excellence, in their collective success lies a city's victory - as a space that makes life comfortable and business successful. It is becoming increasingly clear that the way to an efficient city where commuting is quick, communication efficient, and business networking hassle-free, is through the public-private partnership (PPP) route. The expertise and investment that the private sector can bring to the table is enormous. A host of industries with research and development facilities can create living and working conditions that ultimately lead to a better city for all.
Bangalore's experiment with the PPP formula has been successful. Corporates and the government alike have found it to be a win-win situation. On the one hand, the government finds the technology and funds needed for quality services, and on the other, the corporates find avenues to garner healthy corporate image. Every PPP venture offers opportunities to a host of industries to play corporate citizen well and pay back society. There is no dearth of possibilities in this city. Lakes, roads, traffic management, civic utilities, bus shelters, parks and even signage open up avenues.

What makes PPP tick?
While the corporates find the association with wellmaintained utilities good for brand building, the civic agencies welcome their standard and efficiency. And for the residents it's a good deal. "The concept of PPP brings greater accountability among the utilities. In such a forum, there are periodic reviews all the time. This makes the agency more responsible and helps it do its job better. PPP can be extended to many areas. While conventionally, PPP meant a particular project of the government being put up by a private organisation with government support, there is another context too. It is association with the private sector in the functioning of utilities. Here, the basic work is done by the government, with support from the private sector", says K N Shrivastava, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. He feels this formula can be extended to any area from power to civic amenities. "It should be encouraged as it benefits all", he says. "If a company is working in the domestic market, this is good mileage for them. A five km road stretch with signage is good publicity. IT firms will pitch in with expertise for the goodwill it generates", says C B Raghunandan, General Manager, Wipro Ltd. "Plenty can be done. Organisations, for example, can adopt the approach road to their office. This would perhaps involve lighting, garbage bins, pavements and signage. With clean roads, people will be more disciplined and refrain from littering. With many such initiatives we will have a more beautiful city. The IT industry can contribute with technology. Communication technology, for example, can make life easier. Bus shelters can be adopted and made more comfortable. Aesthetics is another area that can be looked into", says S Hemkumar, Senior Facilities Manager, Novell Software.

PPP, at the end of the day, brings in the element of ownership. An organisation maintaining a road will ensure it looks its best considering the fact that it is also a branding exercise. This concept has caught the fancy of business houses in the city. From street lights to pavements, a host of areas lend themselves well to the PPP formula. In the months ahead, with the civic agencies keen on this method of bringing in better infrastructure pushing for more projects, the city will see more involvement from the corporates.