Critical Analysis of India's Infrastructure Projects under Modi Government

Introduction

• Water leakage from Ram Mandir raises concerns
  • Public reaction: people seeing it as a sign of divine anger
  • Issues with hasty construction attributed to electoral motivations
• Similar issues across other states and infrastructure projects

Specific Examples of Infrastructure Failures

• Ram Mandir: Leakage after first rain
• Atal Setu: Cracks in approach road
• Mumbai Coastal Tunnel: Poor seepage condition
• Pragati Maidan Tunnel: Required major repairs within 2 years
• Uttarakhand: Various failure points like Joshimath, Silkyara tunnel
• Bihar: Multiple under-construction bridges collapsed

Broader Concerns

Government Priorities and Investments

• Heavy investment in infrastructure: 11 lakh crore rupees in interim budget
• BJP's manifesto includes significant infrastructure promises
• Concerns over financial sources: Potential funding diversion from health, education, R&D
• Hidden Costs: Quality issues and long-term financial sustainability

Quality and Implementation Issues

• Highways: Substantial investment, but quality and loan repayment concerns
  • 55,000 km of highways claimed, but there are problems with real length and quality
  • Quality issues led to 5000 deaths due to potholes between 2018-2020
  • NHAI Debt: Facing liquidity crunch; will take 25 years to repay debt
• Railways: Promised electrification and freight corridors not realized
  • Safety concerns, high operating ratios, ticket prices up, concessions removed
  • Flashy projects: Vande Bharat trains and world's highest railway bridge on Chenab
  • Ground reality: Accidents, poor maintenance, and safety issues
  • Claims of 'conspiracies' to deflect criticism
• Airports and Ports: Improvement in figures but major control by Adani group
  • Udan scheme: Only 7% of routes sustainable long-term
  • Huge control of cargo ports and airports by Adani

Broader Economic Impact

• Education: Only 0.44-0.61% of GDP spent on education versus the promised 6%
  • Results in poorly educated, less questioning citizenship
• Healthcare: Only 1.2% of GDP spent, lowest in G20 nations
  • Lancet report findings and government denial
  • Talk of 16 AIIMS, but reality of functional status questioned
• R&D: Lower investment than other nations, resulting in inability to pioneer new technologies
  • Aim to be the world's back office, but AI could displace jobs due to lack of innovation

Financial Health

• Public Debt: 80-100% of GDP (IMF projection)
  • Toll payments serving to pay off debt rather than add value
  • NHAI's tight financial state mirrors overall governmental challenges

Potential Solutions

1. Utilize Existing Infrastructure Effectively: Attract FDI, build factories, generate domestic investment
2. Shift Focus: Beyond politics, move towards comprehensive development including education, healthcare, and R&D
3. Long-term Outlook: Develop sustainable and high-quality infrastructure for continuous economic improvement

Conclusion

• Recognize achievements in infrastructure development but address lingering quality and financial concerns
• Diversification of government focus to holistic national development
• Discussion on priorities for the government's next term is vital

Q&A: What should the government focus on in the next 5 years?

<!-- Please write your comments and views below -->