Arun Kumar Das
The Wire
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Past articles by Arun:
Budget 2023: Policy That Is Not Delivering Needs Change
Focus has to shift from the automated large scale sector, to promotion of the rural economy and the small and micro sectors. → Read More
On China and Economy, Dialogue Is the Need of the Hour
The strength of democracy is that debate and dialogue provide society with a self-corrective mechanism. → Read More
Indian Economy at 75: Much Progress But Lingering Doubts Over Development Model
The 'growth at any cost' strategy has been at the expense of the workers and the environment. → Read More
GST @ 5 Years: The Centre and States Can't Ignore the Most Contentious Bits Any Longer
A structural revamp is necessary. → Read More
Brake Failure Halts Vande Bharat Express On Day After Launch
Though the railways maintains it is a "case of cattle run over", there were no signs of damage on the front of the train. → Read More
Railways Finds Itself With Tough Task of Reversing Operating Ratio Before March 31
While Goyal has promised an operating ratio of 96.2% in 2018-19, internal data shows it had touched the 110% mark by the end of December 2018. → Read More
Will the Budget’s Charm Offensive Quell Distress Before the General Elections?
There is some over-optimism about increased government revenues next year, but in an election year budget that's the least of the Centre's concerns. → Read More
Tickets for Delayed ‘Train-18’ Varanasi Service to Cost 40% More Than Shatabadi
The total fare between New Delhi to Varanasi is slated to be Rs 3,500 in executive class and Rs 1,830 in chair car. → Read More
Indian Railways: Passengers Give Thumbs Down to Toilet Cleanliness on Major Trains
A audit-cum-survey conducted by IRCTC , which has strangely not been made public, shows that even premium-service trains are at the bottom of the cleanliness rankings. → Read More
Bureaucratic Tussle Over 'Train-18' Persists, Delays Launch of Service to Varanasi
Despite repeated successful trials, the semi-high speed train, which will run between New Delhi and Varanasi, has missed three possible launching dates: December 25, December 29 and January 13. → Read More
Sparks Fly Over Plans to Electrify the Scenic Kalka-Shimla Railroad
Electrifying the route could mean faster travel times and less pollution – but could also cost it its World Heritage Site status, as minister Piyush Goyal noted. → Read More
Construction on Iconic Chenab Rail Bridge Stops, Kashmir Rail Link Project Delayed Further
The rail line is now likely to miss the latest 2020 target also as the main work on the bridge has stopped. → Read More
Two Years after Demonetisation, the Nightmare Continues for India's Informal Economy
The note-ban was a foolish attempt to tackle the black economy and a policy-induced self goal by the Narendra Modi government. The response to its fall-out is more authoritarianism. → Read More
As Delays Mount, Modi’s 2022 Target for Fully Operational Bullet Train Looks Unlikely
While the national transporter is working hard, only a 48-km track is slated to be operational on August 15, 2022 to mark 75 years of Independence. → Read More
Amid Major Accidents, Over 500 Safer Coaches Lie Idle as Railways Awaits Power Cars
Linke Hofmann Busch design coaches could prevent greater casualties when a train is derailed. But many are lying idle as they require an accompanying power car. → Read More
As Railways Hits Highest-Ever Operating Ratio, Rae Bareli Accident Underscores Gaps in Safety
The national transporter's inability to generate surplus funds has direct consequences for safety. → Read More
What Happened to the ‘Strategic Rethink’ of the Railways’ 100% Electrification Policy?
The decision to now officially go with 100% electrification leaves many questions unanswered as to how the funds will be arranged to acquire up to 5,000 additional electric locomotives. → Read More
Growth at 8.2%, Yet All Is Not Well in India’s Unorganised Sector
The way we estimate growth in the unorganised sector should have changed after demonetisation, but it didn't. The assumptions of the old methodology no longer hold true. → Read More
India's First High-Power Electric Loco, Flagged off by Modi in April, Fails Test Run
There appears to have been a problem in the suspension system of the first locomotive, whose components were imported from France and assembled at Madhepura. → Read More
As We Debate GST Collections, Is the New Tax Regime Curbing India’s Black Economy?
Computerisation of the billing system was aimed at curbing one source of black money generation. But has the complexity of the system led to creation of new avenues that are unchecked? → Read More