To recession-hit US companies, universities, seeking salvation here with infrastructure projects, say experts
To recession-hit US companies, universities, seeking salvation here with infrastructure projects, say experts
Recession-hit US companies and universities trying to seek an entry into Bangalore, are no longer welcome here.
These companies are proposing infrastructure projects with advanced technologies, but it is hardly meant to improve the situation here. It is more to save their own skin.
Chief minister Yeddyurappa has been advised by infrastructure experts to shun such firms and individuals, as they are coming here with projects just to offset their losses due to the economic slump.
"We have cautioned the state government that these firms are approaching us so that our investment can help them fight recession. People from US just can't dump their technologies here," said M N Srihari, special advisor to CM on infrastructure.u00a0
Recession impact
A letter has been written to the CM in this regard. The letter says companies and individuals operating in the US are now eyeing India, especially Bangalore.u00a0 It asks government not to consider the proposals.
"Two companies and a Stanford university professor have given their demo in the past two months," added Srihari. "They have proposed technologies on infrastructure improvement that include a traffic management plan too."u00a0
The proposals include cost pricing and reward method and are to be a Public Private Partnership initiative. It is meant to ensure their economic sustainability rather than improving the city's infrastructure.u00a0
u00a0"It may not necessarily be workable for traffic management planning and transportation industry. Most of the hi-fi technology that they propose to introduce is outdated in their homeland (though it is new to us). They want to dump obsolete technology into the Indian and particularly Bangalore market," added Srihari.
Advisors have urged the CM to prefer local service providers who have already been implementing several projects, including several traffic management plans and city infrastructure improvement initiatives.
Caution is the word
The government has now decided to go by the expert advice. "We will not do as earlier government's did," said R Ashok, transport minister. "We will choose private parties carefully for projects or technologies that are meant to improve the infrastructure."
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