Re: A Chakraverti/Sabhlok vision for India?

["Dr. Sanjeev Sabhlok" <sanjeev@sabhlokcity.com>]

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At 01:49 PM 9/11/00 +0530, Prof. Roy wrote:

>>Grand vision-making of clean streets or "400 Singapores" is somewhat
>>antithetical, it seems to me, to the slow, pondering, modest ways of
>>classical liberal thinking -- e.g. if you want clean streets and pretty
>>cities, the liberal would say look at rent-control laws, property-rights
>and
>>the property-tax base, as well as the competence of civic administration
>and
>>politics;

The vision is meant to inspire thought; not cities for the sake of cities.

But I agree on the latter. Issues of rent-control laws, property-rights,
etc., are not on our agenda. That is precisely what I am saying. This
deeper thinking is the job of the urban planner/ economist. We are missing
this thought process almost universally in India.

>>our semi-communist and/or semi-fascist elites and governments in
>>India would instead start building dozens of fly-overs using international
>>loans, consultants and contractors.

While being neutral on the above (since the detail is the job of urban
planners/economists), how do you suggest we go about things?

Second, what is wrong with a fly-over "in principle" that you bring into
the debate? I would think it is a matter of cost-benefit; efficiency; and
therefore unique to each situation.

SS

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