Indra’s Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Petronas Towers or Taipei 101 in Noida

Posted : March 30, 2005 at 10:01 pm [IST]

Next time when you visit Delhi, you may see this tallest building of the world from your Delhi residence too. (I am assuming that you are one of those who travel to India only once in five years as the practice is among the NRIs).

Let me tell you I was flabbergasted to read the news about the plan for a skyscraper in the City Center complex of Noida, perhaps somewhere near the Adobes attractive multi-color building. It will be taller than the 508 metre high Taipei 101. But let me tell you the reason. I am happy because the building if at all it comes, will be near my residence in Noida- perhaps at a walking distance. And if like the other tallest buildings in the world metros such as New York, London, or Kuala Lumpur, if this building too attracts similar number of visitors local and foreigners, the price of my house will get many times multiplied because of its proximity with this landmark. And then I can dispose that off and shift to Kolkata. This is what my wife will also like to do. Basically, she owns that, I just live in it. I wish, I get Rs 10 million in the deal. That will still be hardly $0.23 million and that cant buy even a cottage here in Santa Clara.

And then Noida Authority will have to create better utility services, cleaner public toilets and perhaps better power availability. We, as Noidites will see improved quality of life. May be the metro project connecting Noida to Delhi will get implemented faster. However, let me tell you I hardly believe that this project will be started and even if this starts, it will never see the daylight of completion before I go away forever. There will be a new government by that time and it will create a situation where the entrepreneur will run away. It happened the same with 6-lane Taj Expressway Project-connecting Noida with Agra that could have changed the economy of the region. I dreamt of driving my Alto on the super expressway one day with one of my sons who would have been visiting me from US. Perhaps the same is going to happen with Reliances world-class power project. However, the six-member committee along with perhaps the Chairman too will certainly go on aworld tour to study the viability of the project and can also visit Kuala Lumpur where the world’s second tallest building, Petronas Twin Towers, is located as the news informs.

As such, there is nothing wrong with the project. Noida is the right choice with an IT-industry center and very prosperous hinterland. Present government of Mulayam Singh and his young heir apparent MBA-MP son can get benefited of the project too, if they really make it happen. But there are many other things that may simultaneously be done to improve the present conditions of the township and bring up the infrastructure to a world-class level. Here are some suggestions:

· Build a large number of toilets for men and women and maintain them. All big parks and shopping complexes must have them Impose severe fines for spitting and creating nuisance in open places.

· Go to the root of the problems that can make and keep Noida ‘clean’ and ‘green’. Encourage residents to plant trees. Lay bricks on the side of the roads or have grass belts.

· Plan wider roads at least 6-lanes if not 8. Provide right gradient for water drainage and have covered drains on both sides. Create compulsorily pedestrian path and a lane for cycles and slower vehicles.

· Plan and provide for vehicle parking places in advance for the future increase in number of vehicles. Discourage licensing of cycle-riksha and autos. There can be better means to create employment. Create at least two levels of ring roads.

· Clear the mess in industrial sectors. Encourage and assist them to develop as world-class manufacturing units to compete with China and other SE countries.

· Privatize electric power distribution and go for removing the jungles of overhead cables.

· Request IIT, Delhi and Delhi College of Engineering to open extension centers in Noida that should cater to the industries needs.

· Form a powerful development council of eminent persons from the bigger industrial units including the MNCs and colleges of engineering and management of Noida and Greater Noida to make Noida - City of Excellence. And to see that the todays mess of Bangalore is not repeated in Noida.

· Build some good libraries, exhibition ground and convention halls of world-class standard.

· Pursue the tallest building project and clear all the possible hurdles See that it comes. India needs one.

- Indra

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