Now Reading: India Must Measure Infrastructure by Use, Not Inaugurations
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India Must Measure Infrastructure by Use, Not Inaugurations
GreatAndhra argues that India should judge infrastructure by passenger use, travel time and economic gains, not by the number of inaugurations. It cites six Uttar Pradesh airports, including Kushinagar, Azamgarh and Aligarh,…
The Story in Brief
GreatAndhra argues that India should judge infrastructure by passenger use, travel time and economic gains, not by the number of inaugurations. It cites six Uttar Pradesh airports, including Kushinagar, Azamgarh and Aligarh, that currently have no scheduled commercial flights. The report says Kushinagar last had regular services in November 2023. It attributes the gaps to weak demand, airline decisions, aircraft shortages and the end of viability-gap support.
The article calls for a wider transport plan, including high-speed rail, controlled-access expressways and grade-separated urban corridors. It points to China’s reported 50,400-km high-speed rail network by the end of 2025 and proposes a north-south corridor linking Delhi, Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Chennai.
The Indian Opinion
The easy narrative is that every airport is wasteful, while bullet trains alone represent progress. Both claims are too broad. Airports can support tourism and regional growth, but empty scheduled services show why demand forecasts and operating support matter. High-speed rail also needs dense routes, affordable fares and reliable last-mile links. The useful test is not the size of an inauguration ceremony, but passenger numbers, operating viability and travel time saved after five years.
Source: greatandhra.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
