The Trouble With India

Business Week Online ^ | March 9 | Steve Hamm, with Nandini Lakshman

[grey_whiskers]

When foreigners say Bangalore is India's version of Silicon Valley, the high-tech office park called Electronics City is what they're often thinking of. But however much Californians might hate traffic-clogged Route 101, the main drag though the Valley, it has nothing on Hosur Road. This potholed, four-lane stretch of gritty pavement -- the primary access to Electronics City -- is pure chaos. Cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, taxis, rickshaws, cows, donkeys, and dogs jostle for every inch of the roadway as horns blare and brakes squeal. Drivers run red lights and jam their vehicles into any available space, paying no mind to pedestrians clustered desperately on median strips like shipwrecked sailors.

[grey_whiskers]

The real India, not the John Chambers / Bill Gates / Carly Fiorina / Jack Welch wet dream.

It is interesting, you know, when outsourcing was just a twinkle in some CEO's eyes, how investing in "Global Crossing" and such was de rigeur -- without that internet connectivity, there would be no outsourcing.

Now that they have outsourced past the capacity of anyone who can even pretend to speak English coherently, they are admitting the flaws. Funny how the clarion call is not going out for stock in companies to build India's infrastructure, but are doing it with money from Indian tycoons instead. I wonder why that is?

[grey_whiskers]

*PING*!

[starbase]

Why do you wait so late in the evening to post your interesting articles, my FRiend? Product placement, product placement!

You should have posted this at 4:00am PST Sunday morning for maximum exposure!!! (people have more time to read detailed articles on Sundays!)

Who's going to see it now? At 11:45pm Pacific Friday night, which is 2:45am Eastern???!!

Nobody, man!!

[snarks_when_bored]

I'm not sure why the image of a well-dressed smiling fellow seated in a train compartment eating a slice of watermelon and spitting the seeds on the floor comes to mind, but it does.

[grey_whiskers]

Sorry! ...I get so excited when I finish writing something, or reading it, I tend to post on the spot.

Thanks for the kind words, and I will start posting at more opportune times.

Cheers!

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #2

This article must be a not-so-subtle pressure on Indian gov to embark on massive infrastructure project.

Now, look for stocks of construction company who will venture out to India.:-)

[Mojave]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjrEQaG5jPM

[MimirsWell]

The asrticle is very very true and to the point. As critical as it is about my country, everything saisd here is real and needs some quick action from the Indian government. We'll see what will be done. Indians really are crying for a change.

I hope it will come though....