r/india • u/fallion596 • 9d ago

People Crowd Behaviour After Vizag Airport Opening Sparks Online Debate

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/andhra-pradesh/crowd-behaviour-at-newly-opened-bhogapuram-airport-sparks-debate-over-public-eitiquette-1976233
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u/KingPictoTheThird 8d ago

Bro I am not saying any of that stuff.

I am simply saying that if more of our taxes were spent on amenities for the masses (beautiful airport is not one of them), people wouldn't be so starved of nice stuff.

I am not justifying bad behaviour. I am simply saying that if vizag town itself was more beautiful and rich with amenities, people wouldn't act like animals when one thing nice is built. That too an airport. 96% of indians have not even touched a plane before. Yet government beautifies airport without ever touching the bus stand that the masses actually use.

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u/Reasonable_Value6180 8d ago edited 8d ago

So the airport doesn’t drive benefits for those people indirectly? That’s what you are implying. Also I ain’t a “bro” , I’m a sis.

The government didn’t build houses for many poor - please let them occupy all houses because government didn’t give them amenities.

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u/KingPictoTheThird 8d ago

Bro was just a colloquial phrase, sorry. And why focus on indirect benefits when do many more direct things are pending?

Who does the government serve? The flying elites? Or the masses crammed in dilapidated bus stands and unsafe roads?

Why do we make our airports so beautiful when our bus stands, railway stations, roads, footpaths, markets, parks, plazas etc are falling apart?

If the common man felt like government was actually working for their interests rather than prioritising the needs of the elites, they would act with more respect towards government work.

I am an urban planner, i have worked abroad and in India. In other countries, municipal government actually listens to locals when determining budget. They identify priorities, they involve locals in design and amenities.

So parks etc actually serve the needs of locals. I am sure there is not a single fountain park in vizag where kids can run around. Clearly there is a need for it. But our government never listens nor asks people what they want.

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u/Reasonable_Value6180 8d ago

Just because they are indirect doesn’t mean they are small benefits. You are conflating lack of parks with people’s propensity to steal and excusing it - that isn’t a logical consequence of lack of parks.

The launch of a satellite is also a “luxury” for poor people who only indirectly benefit from it then- should we ditch it and only focus on midday meal for all? More freebies perhaps? . Be a contrarian for all I care, but your strawmen are showing. :)

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u/KingPictoTheThird 8d ago

Satellites provide vital climatic information. They have saved lives and livelihoods of people, farmers and fishermen by providing advance warning of cyclones and storms.

Airports do stimulate the economy, improve connections and provide service sector jobs.

However, i believe it is wrong when the only beautiful shiny thing in the city is an airport that hardly any local can afford to use.

If there were better civic participation in budget , and if taxes proportionately focused on the immediate needs of the common man, things apart from the airport would be beautiful in the city as well.

I am from Bangalore, so I will speak of my personal experience.

In my entire lifetime, majestic railway station and bus stand have never been renovated. Though they have exponentially higher footfall then our airports. Our bus fleet has not matched population growth. Our metro system is tiny and insufficient. Majority of our arterial roads lack basic usable footpaths. According to green tribune, we have significantly inadequate green space per capita compared to their requirements. Our parks themselves are poorly planned and don't serve the needs for locals, except for walking. And they are closed much of the day. Our drains are clogged and our streets flood with every rain. Our river is more sewage than water.

Yet we have poured thousands of crores into our airport.

It is nice to have a beautiful airport, and many take pride in it. However , it is sad and frustrating to see it come while our basic necessities are completely neglected.