May 12, 2011

LOT TO LEARN FROM A CITY NATION CALLED SINGAPORE


Yesterday, I had an useful interaction with Mr. Ajit Singh, the consul general of Singapore. Mr Ajit Singh, who is on a mission to explore collaborations with certain states of India in Urban development scenario virtually took me around Singapore right through our discussion. Incidentally, I have not seen Singapore till today.
 
Singapore has identified 6 states in India, where that city-nation wants to work in close collaboration with our Country. Especially in urban initiatives, such collaborations will definitely help. One or two things as explained by Mr. Singh - I felt – deserved to be shared with you.

a) Singapore gets water from Malaysia as of now. The city nation apprehends that, serious interruptions in water supply may occur  due to probable differences of equations between the two countries. In order to contain the serious problems, that may arise, Singapore has decided that after 2016, when the present agreement with the neighboring country comes to an end, the same WILL NOT BE renewed. Instead, it is taking serious steps to launch its own water schemes. Singapore doesn’t have perennial source of water. Then how can they feed their people? Where would they get water when the same is stopped from Malaysia?

Singapore will produce its own drinking water! But How?  The waste water after tertially treated will be taken to the reservoirs. The water after further treatment in the reservoirs will be made potable. The process is termed osmosis. Then Singapore will become self-sufficient in this sector too.

b) The traffic management in Singapore is of high standard. In fact, I learnt that Bangalore Police have studied Singapore model to implement with necessary local improvements. There, depending upon the traffic flow the signal lights get synchronized and the timings get adjusted.

c) The steps taken to have a control over the number of private vehicles is also worth considering. Each year, Singapore Govt will announce the number of new cars that will be allowed on the roads in that particular year. That will be rationed on a monthly basis. To get permission to purchase a new car, one should participate in a sort of auction process and whoever will become a successful bidder, can only go for a new car. This is unique in a sense. But yes, the public transport system there is excellent.

The population of Singapore is around 5 million, whereas Bangalore has crossed 9 million as per the latest census figures available. One cannot easily compare our situation here with them. Their stringent laws, the low percentage of below the poverty line section, economic vibrancy and last but not the least, the responsible citizen are also factors to be reckoned with.

A Bangalorean, when visits Singapore think that it is his Fundamental DUTY to follow their rules, regulations as long as he stays. BUT, the moment he lands in Bengaluru International Airport, he feels that it is his Fundamental RIGHT to flout all rules, regulations here. The system and the citizen-both-should be ready to change.  It is easy to speak about and envy with Singapore. But it is surely difficult to take necessary steps to become one. One of our CMs had announced that Bangalore will be made another Singapore but that dream could not come through. Governments alone would not be responsible.

S.SURESHKUMAR


12 comments:

kiran bhat said...

Dear Sir,

When public gets the common sense then only this will be implemented other wise all should be waste!!

kiran bhat said...

Dear Sir,

When public gets the common sense then only this will be implemented other wise all should be waste!!

krishna vyshak said...

Can the Govt control the over flooding population in the city .... the illegal residents .....

dr murli said...

Dear Mr.Sureshkumar,

I am really happy to see your views on urban development. We will take this as a challenge, and am sure, you will lead this change.

regards, dr murli

CM Reddy said...

Sir,
You are very much right, Every city has lots to emulate from Singapore in lot of areas including transport, e-governance, water, Infrastructure, cleaniness.
Since we are in a different phase of economic growth, people have natural tendency to get driven by the material possession even if it is harming nature or causing inconvenience to others. But, we can definitely have ingenious ways of streamlining our public transport, leveraging media for bringing in positive change in the society.
I had written articles on these couple of years back, had sent them to government and media, am yet to hear.
http://saturdaywriter.blogspot.com/2009/02/convenient-and-reliable-peak-hour.html
http://saturdaywriter.blogspot.com/2009/02/we-need-hope-and-optimism.html
I request you to form few committees with the public and government representatives to ideate, plan and implement such dreams,

Regards
Cm Reddy

Kiron Manuel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kiron Manuel said...

You have done well to enlighten about Singapore.The result in Singapore is not one day`s work or one group of people.I might be able to help you if you are interested.I am in the region and have travelled in Asia.There are strict rules on even pets etc.People feel shortchanged.And there is great migration of people.There are sections of Singapore that are not as glorified as Bangalore.Yet Bangalore should have done more considering the high number of intelligent people.This is not about mindset.Some people are very cunning and selfish but are very neat and tidy people...how do you cure such ills?

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nrsudheer said...

Dear Sir,

I too had visited Singapore long back and came away impressed bytheir City.

Based on that impression, I purchased an apartment in a complex developed by a Singapore Developer ( partly owned by TEMASEK-a Singapore government investment arm)in a joint venture with Puravankara.

The quality of design engineering and construction is atrocius to say the least. They have flouted all laws of the land and are also contributing to polluting the Jaraganahalli Lake by dumping not only their own but neighbour's sewage as well into it.

I did bring this to your attention a long time back but to no avail.

And we go gaga over Singapore!!!

Sudheer

Keshav said...

We can never emulate the Singaporeans.Firstly they are so disciplined,they have this Confucian sense of life style(whatever happened to our vedic way of life?!).Same is the case with Koreans and also the Japanese.Here in India everybody is a leader.Nobody wants to be a follower







in the larger interest of the community/country..and this malaise affects almost all sections of our society be it the political class,the merchant class or the the service class.Even the generation X cock a snook at rules/regulations in their craze to race ahead.
What is the solution?As Swami Vivekananda observed almost a century ago - there is a need to develop character at the individual level and only then we can expect change.Till then we can only envy the Singaporeans,Koreans and Japanese.
The Keppel Land guys are not true-blood Singaporeans obviously.

Mahesh B C said...

Dear Sir,

Will we be a nation that just views others accomplishments and keep praising them, rather than doing something about it?
You are appreciating them taking care of water needs and here in Bangalore a Singapore builder is polluting a huge lake which has been bought to your notice and well there is nothing done.
We all know about Singaporeans and their ethics, but why do they not emulate the same when they are in India? They do not because they know they can just play around with the law and get away. Thats what is happening in Bangalore, by Keppel Land, where they are making their money in real estate flouting all laws.
Would they do the same shoddy job in Singapore as they did in Bangalore? of course NOT, because they will be taken to the cleaners if they do.
But here, its all OK. You of all people being the law minister should look into these things and take serious action so that everyone sits up and takes notice. There are so many laws flouted by Keppel Land, that it becomes futile to even think they are the same breed as in Singapore.

So with all due respect, do appreciate, but also do try to emulate what you appreciate.

Regards,
Mahesh