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Navigating The Infrastructure
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At this point, we would like to introduce the concept of "islands of excellence" in the Indian context. These "islands" are world class solutions/ businesses/ services that have evolved in what is still largely a third world infrastructure.
Immediate examples that come to mind are India’s thriving IT companies, world class private healthcare hospitals and new city metro systems in Delhi and Calcutta.
The objective of this book is to guide the reader such that he or she can navigate India via these "islands of excellence" and obtain the world class healthcare they need. There is a time and place for "roughing it" in India, a unique experience in itself but we recommend that you leave that for another time and place. There are enough commercial travel books in the marketplace to guide you on those adventures.
But first an overview of the immediate infrastructure that confronts a visitor to India:
Roads
Indian cars drive on the left side of the road. Most roads are chaotic and traffic discipline is non existent. Road signs are difficult to read and in most places virtually non existent. In case you plan to rent and drive, be careful that most cheap rentals may be non air-conditioned and with manual stick drive.
Traffic signs are poorly placed and directions for motorists difficult to come by. Also, signage for roads is poor and often hidden due to posters placed on them. It takes a long time to ease into driving in India. Motorists have the tendency to change lanes without notice and it is often assumed that the driver at the back will watch out for the person in the front. Carts, auto rickshaws, trucks, buses and stray animals including cows make for a very chaotic traffic pattern.
As the Indian economy has grown and world class businesses have sprung up, the government has recognized the need for world class roads and infrastructure. But, this is easier said than done given the congested nature of existing cities. Nevertheless, freeways are being built in major cities and cheap public transportation systems like the Metro in Delhi are given high points for cleanliness, timeliness and customer service.
If you think you may drive at all in India, do obtain an International Driver Permit before you leave the US. Although many countries do not recognize U.S. driver's licenses, most countries accept an international driving permit (IDP). IDPs are honored in more than 150 countries outside the U.S. (See AAA’s Application Form for the list of countries. They function as an official translation of a U.S. driver's license into 10 foreign languages. These licenses are not intended to replace valid U.S. state licenses and should only be used as a supplement to a valid license. IDPs are not valid in an individual’s country of residence.
Before departure, you can obtain one from an automobile association authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue IDPs. Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic (1949) authorizes the U.S. Department of State to empower certain organizations to issue IDPs to those who hold valid U.S. driver’s licenses. The Department has designated the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance as the only authorized distributors of IDPs.
Many foreign countries require deposit of a customs duty or an equivalent bond for each tourist automobile entering its territory, and the motoring associations are equipped with the necessary facilities for providing expeditiously a standard bond document (Article 3 of the Convention). The Convention is not applicable to United States motorists using their cars in the United States.
Before departure, you can obtain one at a local office of one of the two automobile associations authorized by the U.S. Department of State: the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance.
- AAA (American Automobile Association) , 1000 AAA Drive, Heathrow, FL 32745-5063. The application is available on-line.
- National Auto Club, 1151 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404, tel: 800-622-2136 or 800-294-7000 ; fax: 650-294-7040
To apply for an international driving permit, you must be at least age 18, and you will need to present two passport-size photographs and your valid U.S. license. The cost of an international driving permit from these U.S. State Department-authorized organizations is under $20.00.
The Department of State is aware that IDPs are being sold over the Internet and in person by persons not authorized by the Department of State pursuant to the requirements of the U.N. Convention of 1949. Moreover, many of these IDPs are being sold for large sums of money, far greater than the sum charged by entities authorized by the Department of State. Consumers experiencing problems should report problems to their local office of the U.S. Postal Inspector, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Better Business Bureau, or their state or local Attorney General’s Office.
The good news is that by US and European standards, it’s easy and cheap to rent a chauffeur driven car. Having a driver leaves you free to rest and enjoy the drive. A driver will be able to navigate the chaotic traffic, watch the car when parking is impossible to come by (as is often the case in large cities) and communicate with locals. Charges for car rentals vary widely. In each location, remember to ask at the hotel what the approximate fare should be for a defined taxi ride and then fix the fare with your driver.
Airplanes
Most major airlines have flights originating from the US and Europe that fly into India. You can usually get the best fares by comparing the fares from the airline web sites and those offered by the airline consolidators specializing in these markets.
If you live in the US, these consolidators advertise heavily in Indian periodicals. These are available free in Indian shops and Indian immigrant neighborhoods in most major US cities. Your friendly neighborhood Indian restaurant may also have some for free distribution. If nothing else, they will be able to tell you where to find these papers.
Continental Airlines has a direct flight from Newark in New Jersey to New Delhi. American Airlines flies direct from Chicago and Delta from JFK airport in New York.
International airports in India are definitely not up to international standards. The facilities are basic though somewhat adequate. There are plans to build new airports of international caliber in the major metros of Delhi, Mumbai (formerly called Bombay), Kolkata (formerly called Calcutta) and Chennai (formerly called Madras).
No matter when your flight arrives, be careful of planning domestic departures. If there is too little time between your ongoing domestic flight, you are at risk if your arriving flight is delayed or if takes you too long at immigration or at baggage claim. If there is too much time between your connections then you are exposed to the somewhat unpleasant prospect of spending a long time at the barely adequate airports. So, I would recommend that you have a gap of at least 4 hours between connections. Alternately, consider terminating your journey at your arrival location in India. So, if you fly into Delhi, consider making that the first stop on your itinerary. So you can collect your bags, take a pre paid taxi and make your way to a well deserved rest at your hotel. Once you’ve stayed there for 2-3 days (or more depending on your situation), you are in a much better state to make an informed effort for the ongoing journey.
Whenever traveling by air in India, please make sure to confirm your reservation 72 hours in advance. Also, when you call, do provide a cell phone, hotel number or email where the airline can reach you. Among other experiences, I have showed up at the airport where my flight was the only flight taking off and been told that the airline decided to reschedule the flight timings a day before.
Since train travel and road travel is often difficult for foreigners from the developed world, travel by air is a good option. Trains are overcrowded, stations and restrooms are dirty and information on connections is not always available. Roads conditions are poor with conditions often becoming worse with rains. Though air travel is not without its challenges, there are private airlines that offer exceptional service and facilities.
Jet Airways (www.jetairways.com)
One of India’s best airlines, it offers exceptional service and flies new airplanes. Service is personal and very courteous. The airline has good connections and most of the planning can be done on the web site.
Indian Airlines (www.indian-airlines.nic.in)
This airline is India’s state run airline and predictably leaves much to be desired in terms of cleanliness, service and timeliness. It does have the best reach among all the domestic carriers.
Kingfisher Airlines (www.flykingfisher.com)
Kingfisher consistently wins awards as India’s best airline. It’s brand new with a new fleet. It is also quickly expanding its network.
Trains
India has one of the world’s largest railway networks. Details can be found at www.indianrail.gov.in
Generally speaking, long distance train travel should be avoided in India unless you are the adventurous type and have a lot of time on hand. Try to travel either by First Class Air Conditioned Sleeper or Second Class Air Conditioned Sleeper. An exception is the Rajdhani fast train that offers air conditioned Chair Class seating for overnight journeys between Delhi and Mumbai and Kolkata.
Always try to book your tickets in advance. Indian trains are always crowded, especially between popular destinations. There are Foreign tourist Reservation Windows at most major train stations. But often the foreign tourist quota is also full due to the growing popularity of India as a tourist destination.
The site http://www.seat61.com/India.htm is a good place to get further detailed information on train travel in India. This site takes a rather romantic view of train travel to India which is fine except if you go to India for medical treatment then you should probably not spend time on leisurely train journeys (with all the unpredictability of India) until you have a clean bill of health from your doctor.
Buses
Since care rentals are relatively cheap and air travel can get you between cities, travel by bus between cities is generally not recommended for foreigners. While some bus routes like those between Delhi and Jaipur are comfortable – there are some quality buses and the highway is new, the same cannot be said about other routes.
Public Transportation
Public transportation like inner city buses and local trains leave much to be desired. One exception are the excellent metro systems in Kolkata and in Delhi.
Further information can be found at http://www.kolmetro.com/ and http://www.delhimetrorail.com
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