tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post112775361635604417..comments2023-11-02T19:19:15.129+05:30Comments on Death Ends Fun: Western potholesDilip D'Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08221707482541503243noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post-1128166496044232992005-10-01T17:04:00.000+05:302005-10-01T17:04:00.000+05:30After seeing the posts, once again we seem to have...After seeing the posts, once again we seem to have the solutions but not the will to implement them - simply because vested interests- in this case the contractors have a stake. Sorry for the digression- but the problem whether in economic policies or anything else that will benefit the large majority of Indians seems to be vested interests. How we can get outof this vicious circle is something I feel nobody has any convincing answers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post-1128158804605887342005-10-01T14:56:00.000+05:302005-10-01T14:56:00.000+05:30kuffir, thanks for your welcome, but I'm not sure ...kuffir, thanks for your welcome, but I'm not sure what you mean. I've not been outside India for 1.5 years, and in any case have lived here for the last 13.5 years. <BR/><BR/>r: you're exactly right. I wish we could move to these longer-term contracts -- and in fact I've heard government officials themselves suggesting that this is the way to tackle the problem of poor roads. Make the contractors sign long-term contracts for which they are paid once. That way their interest is in the well-being of the road. How likely is that to happen, given the amounts involved? Let's just say, not very.Dilip D'Souzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221707482541503243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post-1128109632065414012005-10-01T01:17:00.000+05:302005-10-01T01:17:00.000+05:30inordinate connectivity..potholes on the highway.....inordinate connectivity..potholes on the highway..glad to have you back in india.kuffirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12137701734913669203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post-1127923512227607192005-09-28T21:35:00.000+05:302005-09-28T21:35:00.000+05:30nikhil, With all these Chinese 5th column, we need...nikhil, <I>With all these Chinese 5th column, we need not worry about any external invasions from them. Their lackeys will finish us from within</I><BR/><BR/>Here's a note about our own DD who'd still be calling for external invasion had not UPA turned tables on the NDA during the last LS elections, enjoy:<BR/><BR/><I><BR/>Saturday morning, last week was a bad one for me – the first thing I read, was an article from Dilip D'Souza. He pontificated, <BR/><BR/>"Then what do we say about those who might plot against the obscenity that blights their land, as Stauffenberg did, who fight to free India of it? Are they patriots? If so, what if they welcomed a force from abroad that toppled this hypothetical regime, as many Iraqis did? Are they still patriots?" (www.rediff.com) <BR/><BR/>I was stunned. D'Souza a recognized and very visible journalist, was insinuating and subtly recommending a foreign invasion of India to get rid of the current government; pretty much like the US did in Iraq. Let's be sure of one thing- I will die defending D'Souza's right to criticize, fight legally against, decry or vote out of office the current Indian government – but, calling for foreign invasion?? Now, that's beyond hate. <BR/></I><BR/><A HREF="http://www.gatewayforindia.com/articles/cool_to_hate_india.htm" REL="nofollow">full article here </A><BR/><BR/><BR/>-kAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post-1127918967442485312005-09-28T20:19:00.000+05:302005-09-28T20:19:00.000+05:30Sorry no space. but am following up on the Honda M...Sorry no space. but am following up on the Honda Motor case. Here is a news item:<BR/><BR/>Central intelligence agencies have warned of a possible repeat of the Gurgaon violence, this time at another Japanese unit — the Suzuki-owned Maruti Udyog Limited. <BR/><BR/>Leaders of the Left parties, associated with labour unions, are also under watch. The agencies have named AITUC’s general secretary and CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta and its national secretary D.L. Sachdeva for fuelling the situation. <BR/><BR/>... <BR/><BR/>"The union has sought a fresh registration along with other demands such as stoppage of employing contract workers, clear definition of working hours, reinstatement of about 2,400 employees compelled to go in for VRS since 2001 etc," the note claims.<BR/><BR/>Are we seeing a pattern here? The second Japanese company to be targetted. Let us drive all these companies to China and then the existing workers will be rendered unemployed. Let us then roll out more Employment guarantee schemes that will ensure that some pockets will be lined.<BR/>N Ram and The Hindu can continue to write peans to their country - I mean China and not India. <BR/>With all these Chinese 5th column, we need not worry about any external invasions from them. Their lackeys will finish us from within.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070362.post-1127802225343178212005-09-27T11:53:00.000+05:302005-09-27T11:53:00.000+05:30The reason for potholes is simple enough. Contract...The reason for potholes is simple enough. Contracts and Contractors. The faster the road disintegrates sooner will they get a contract. In some cases these contracts are annual. So this leads to cheaper material, shoddy labour and a road that gets higher and higher every year (since they just lay the tar mixture right over the existing road, hence causing a not so level road and finally leading to potholes).<BR/><BR/>It would be cheaper to give a five year contract and get a performance guarantee from the contractor for the strength of the road. Even if the authorities pay higher for this, it should make more financial sense in the long run. Further more there should be strict regulations regarding the credentials & solvency of the contractor (being a Politician's relative is NOT strong credentials).R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13751281571821760855noreply@blogger.com