Message in a Metro

Building Urban Rail Infrastructure and Image in Delhi, India

Bibliographic Data

ID4383085
AuthorsMatti Siemiatycki (0000-0002-2987-6677, Vancouver Community College, corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume30
Issue2
Pages277-292
Publication date2006-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Urban and Regional Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0309-1317 • E-ISSN: 1468-2427
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1468-2427.2006.00664.x
OpenAlexW2009563648
LanguageEN
Citations received45
References cited9

The world over, infrastructure mega projects have become more prevalent, even as evidence suggests that such projects often experience significant cost overruns while failing to fully deliver on their projected benefits. In this light, this article will argue that continued support for infrastructure mega projects stems from the way that such projects are presented to the public. Using the case of the development of a metro railway in Delhi, India, it shows that galvanizing public support and attracting patrons to a public transit system stems from creating an all-round positive image that combines tangible variables with an intangible set of symbolic meanings. Of course, image is only an impression, and does not necessarily reflect reality. In this light, the final section of this article examines the broad physical and societal implications of the metro development in Delhi, and uncovers the driving forces behind the project. The article concludes that, in spite of the cultivation of a positive image, the specific metro form that was developed in Delhi to satisfy each of the special interest groups involved in its production might be specifically one that fails to suit the transportation needs of the city

Business · Geography · Light rail · New delhi · Political science · Public relations · Public transport · Sociology · Transport engineering · Computer Science · Engineering · Urban and Rural Development Challenges · Urban Planning and Governance · Water Governance and Infrastructure

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