In the last two decades, cellphones, highways and broadband have started to bring India together. Only 43,000 villages lack cellular services; which is being addressed by operators and the government.
India has 5.5 million km of roads—the world’s second-largest—comprising National Highways, Expressways, state highways, roads in districts and villages. More than 6,061 km of highways were built in 2015-16.
Between 2017-18, 9,829 km were added to National Highways. The Metro is the new urban connector with 638.91 km of operational lines and 496 stations in cities big and small.
The National Urban Transport Policy has proposed a Metro rail system in every city with a population of 20 lakh.
Finding Job Havens
With many states facing a blue-collar employment gap, expert glass cutter 50-year-old Hafiz Nasarullah migrated with his family from Uttar Pradesh to Kerala in 2001. Hafiz was one among the first such migrants.
He calls it is his second homeland and the family goes home to Agra during school vacations. “My kids are fluent in Malayalam. The importance given to education in Kerala is really good.
Even outsiders like us can dream of a bright future for our children,” he says. There are over 34 lakh migrants in the state. Binoy Peter, Executive Director of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, Perumbavoor, Kochi, says migrants fulfil a need.
“Though the state is No. 1 in education, the strength of the blue-collar job force is very low while wages in the unorganised sector is high, averaging Rs 600 a day—three times more than the rest of rural India.” Kerala is also well-connected by rail.
The New Metrosexual
Apart of the expanding national road and rail network, the Metro is the largest uniting factor in urban small-town India.
“My three primary concerns when I was going to college four years ago were about saving time, money and effort.
Today, I am able to solve such concerns of average Hyderabadis like me,” says Bhaavya Siripuram, 23, while swiping her ID card of a Loco Pilot driving the swanky Hyderabad Metro Rail train from its hub Ameerpet station.
“Today, the average commute time of a Hyderabadi has come down by half. My cousins and extended family live about 40 km from my home in Malkajgiri.
I could never make it to family get-togethers since it meant spending three hours on the road, one way. Today, I can do it in 45 minutes.
My relationships have become better now,” she quips. Considering Hyderabad’s arterial roads are always choked, Bhaavya plays a role in easing the congestion.
“As an electronics engineer, I could have worked in an industry or a software firm, but this job gives me a natural high, of being able to make a difference, every day, with my job.”
She feels the other upside to her job is breaking the stereotype that women can't drive. “My proudest moment came when I ferried my mother and grandmother in 40 minutes straight to their destination in peak traffic.” Ticket price: Rs 40.
Happiness when granny patted her back: Priceless.
Road to Everywhere
The residents of Marta Panchayat in Jammu’s Udhampur district have finally got a road after Independence.
Students used to walk through fields for about six-seven km to reach school until the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana came to their rescue.
Says a relieved 73-year-old villager, “Since childhood, I was told that a road would be made here. Now when I am getting my old-age pension, it is finally here.”