Cure for bad roads is his gift to home town

Cure for bad roads is his gift to home town Aarthi R | TNN
Bangalore: He is not new to Bangalore roads and the recent summit on transport was just a homecoming event for David Faria, a Bangalorean who runs a consultancy firm in the US.
The two-day summit gave him and his team new leads to work for better roads in the city. They are now drafting a 15-20 point strategy to solve transport-related problems, including infrastructure issues.
“We’re glad this summit did happen. At least we have finally realized what Bangalore wants — it’s not technology know-how, but understanding the experience of commuters,” Faria said.
According to him, the next 100 days are going to be crucial for the state government because much of its ambitious plans on transportation will depend on how they reach the commuters who rely every day on the system.
“This period will need some really serious tactical planning,” he said. “Success will depend on getting the basics right. No technology will come to our rescue if a roadside signal doesn’t work or there are potholes on every road,” he said.
He stressed on the need to make sensible infrastructure plans that focus on development rather than random policies. “In the US, infrastructure is based on solid policies. But what we noticed here is that much of the infrastructure gets built while the policy is still being framed. And the result is endless process of working and making continuous changes,” he explained.
“Training the right people is also important,” he said. According to him, Praveen Sood was right when he spoke about the lack of training. “What is the point of building a system when half the workers do not know what is coming up or how to use it?” Faria asked.
Lack of public accountability was also a big problem. There is a need for effective integration of different modes of transport.
Also, the team is keen on working out a system that requires lesser compromise on the part of the end-users.
“More than a public-private-partnership, in this case, we are looking at an effective partnership between the governments of Karnataka and Virginia,” he said.
“The last time I was here, somebody asked me why I have done nothing for the city. I could not answer that. But this time I’m leaving Bangalore with memories of having started something useful, and also the fact that I grew up here,” Faria said.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com