Letters: Ignoring the basics

With reference to Kanika Datta's column, "All Our Singapores" (December 31), why consider replicating only Singapore in India? Why not London and Shanghai also? A former Tamil Nadu minister had coined the slogan, "Singara Chennai", a few years ago. The devastating floods in Chennai have torn apart that claim. Even when rainfall is normal, roads get flooded in Chennai as the drainage system is not adequate. Buildings have invaded whatever open space was there in the city. Load-shedding is a daily affair due to the shortage of power. Auto-rickshaw drivers fleece passengers and never ply on the meter.

The situation is not much better in other cities. We talk of Smart Cities, but cities don't become more livable by building more skyscrapers and flyovers. Shanghai, London and Singapore all have fire brigades equipped with helicopters. I do not think any city in India has that facility.

Our politicians only change the names of cities. So we will have to be satisfied only by going on virtual tours of these model cities abroad.

Deendayal M Lulla Mumbai

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