Other Infrastructure Study
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Publication
Vulnerability to Human Trafficking in Nepal from Enhanced Regional Connectivity
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-12)Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. It is a form of modern-day slavery that involves the recruitment, harboring, or transportation of people into an exploitative situation by means of violence, deception, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. In Nepal, the most widespread forms of human trafficking are for forced labor, domestic servitude, prostitution and sexual exploitation, and organ extraction. The country’s open borders with India, and to some extent China, with limited border surveillance, have enabled transnational crimes such as human trafficking. The World Bank has extended technical and financial assistance to large-scale infrastructure projects in Nepal, some for improved transport connectivity and trade facilitation both within the country and within the region. The nature of these investments must be looked at through the lens of enhancing long-term economic growth and prosperity, which is jeopardized by human trafficking. As a result, this study was conducted to draw links between the various aspects of development projects, in particular, improved transport connectivity and migration, that either contribute, mitigate, facilitate, or prevent trafficking in men, women, and children. -
Publication
Reforming the Indian Ports Sector
(Washington, DC, 2013-06)Maritime transport carries more than nine-tenths of tonnage of world international trade. The international shipping industry, competitive and dominated by private companies, has delivered to trading nations increasing capacity, generally improving service levels, and declining unit shipping costs. To access and extract the maximum benefit from this vital transport resource each nation depends on the performance of its ports sector; not only on the capacity, quality and price of port services but also their connectivity to hinterlands and to the industrial and consumer markets they serve. Ports in India, as in many countries, face continued pressure to handle higher throughput, adapt to larger and more specialized vessels, improve productivity, and adopt new technology and information systems that can meet the increasingly demanding service standards expected by shippers, logistics companies and shipping operators. As in all economic sectors, the success of ports depends not only on investment in its infrastructure but on supportive policy and regulatory structures, and on the effectiveness of the institutions that deliver services to customers. This Report contains an analysis of the current status of India s ports sector, identifies potential constraints on the ability of ports to meet India s future development needs, and sets out a recommended policy framework to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector. -
Publication
International Experience in Bus Rapid Transit Implementation : Synthesis of Lessons Learned from Lagos, Johannesburg, Jakarta, Delhi, and Ahmedabad
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-01)It is in this context that this study has been undertaken to document BRT case studies in terms of the political setting, institutions/governance, public involvement and communications, service/operations/management and planning and their relationship to investment performance. The study has been undertaken in recognition of the fact that successful implementation and operation of BRT systems often reflects non-physical actors like leadership, communications, organizational structure, service planning and operating practices rather than the design of transitways, stations, terminals and vehicles. This paper does not seek to compare BRT with other forms of public transport but only seeks to evaluate a sample of BRT systems in terms of the softer issues that have contributed making a BRT system successful or not so successful. -
Publication
Assessment of the Regulatory Philosophy of Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-06-22)The report has a high quality and discusses the main issues of regulation. The overall aim is that it reflects best practice regulation. Furthermore, AERA is an independent regulator accountable to democratic bodies. Also in that respect the regulatory institutions in India are well designed and superior to the majority of European countries which have dependent regulators open for regulatory capture. -
Publication
Regulation of the Indian Port Sector
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-05)This report sets out various options for regulatory reform of the Indian port sector. The terms of reference from The World Bank require the Author making recommendations to the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) with respect to alternative institutional and legal options for regulation of the port sector in India as well as analysing key considerations in the regulation of this sector and the way they are being addressed in the Indian Ports (Consolidated) Act, 2010, which has been drafted recently. This report is solution-oriented and focuses on day-to-day problems of Indian port management. The problems of the Indian ports (including those of tariff regulation by TAMP) are well known, thoroughly analysed, described in detail and widely discussed in the port sector. A final solution for the restructuring of the sector has not yet been found. This report is written with a view to outlining various alternatives which may help the competent authorities to make final decisions on a new/revised port sector regulatory framework. -
Publication
India : Municipal Financing Requirements - Water, Sewerage, and Solid Waste
(Washington, DC, 2010-06)This report presents the main results from cost models that were developed as an input to the High Powered Expert Committee on Urban Development in order to estimate the investment, operations, and maintenance requirements for urban water, sanitation and municipal solid waste in India. The cost models are designed as tools that allow linking the various building blocks of the cost estimation to one another, and tests the impact of the main model assumptions on the overall investment requirements. A cross-country comparison is also conducted to benchmark the key service standards adopted in the models against international experience. The report addresses the challenge of India's fast growing urban population and the high backlog in urban service delivery. Infrastructure deficits in urban areas are large and growing. Universal water access for urban population in India has yet to be realized. The report uses the cost models to discuss India's municipal financing needs, urban water supply services, urban sewerage services, municipal solid waste, and investment needs. -
Publication
Reform of Gujranwala Water and Sanitation Agency : Design of Institutional Framework and Corporate Structure
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009-03-31)WASA-G is an agency established by the Authority under the Punjab Development of Cities Act, 1976 ('PDCA') to 'carry out functions of the authority in relation to development, operation, and maintenance of water supply, sewerage and drainage system within the boundaries of Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA) and to carry out all functions ancillary hereto. Authority means the development authority i.e, GDA created under PDCA. One of the functions of the authority is to establish an agency or agencies and entrust to it such powers and functions as it may deem fit with the approval of the Government. The functions of water supply, sewerage and drainage have been 'entrusted' to WASA-G, an agency of the authority under the PDCA. There is no further detail in PDCA regarding the legal structure of the agency. WASA-G is, therefore, no more than a wing or department of the authority entrusted with a specific function of water supply, sewerage and drainage and matters ancillary thereto and does not enjoy an autonomous legal status. The authority is therefore the service provider (through WASA-G) and the regulator. Further, the authority can give direction to government agencies to execute the scheme, if falling within the jurisdiction of the government agency. -
Publication
Radio Spectrum Management Development in India : A Framework for Strengthening Radio Spectrum Management and Policies
(Washington, DC, 2006-06)This report provides a detailed review of the current spectrum management regime in India; provides a perspective on best practice as may be applied in India and in addition provides a consideration of measures which could be taken to enhance spectrum management activities in India. The radio spectrum in India is a national resource, owned and managed by the Government. The authority for day-to-day spectrum management activities is vested Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) in New Delhi. Formal interfaces have been established with key spectrum user organizations, whose spectrum management staff may be found in other parts of India, remote from the capital city. The spectrum management regime has to date been strongly biased towards fulfilling the needs of the State and serving radio communications requirements funded by public sources. However, during the last 5 to 8 years a demanding private sector has made significant investments in the roll-out of new services and systems. The private sector (and indeed several segments of the public sector) is not entirely satisfied with the level of service provided by the spectrum management organization. This report performs the following functions: 1) it provides a detailed review of the current spectrum management regime in India; 2) it provides a commentary on best practice as may be applied in India in connection with each of the above areas; and 3) it provides a consideration of measures which could be taken to enhance spectrum management activities in India. -
Publication
India : Road Transport Service Efficiency Study
(Washington, DC, 2005-11)This study reviews the long-distance road transport industry in India, in order to identify inefficiencies that could reduce the benefits to be derived from the large investments now being made by the Government in the nation's highway infrastructure. It has been undertaken to assess the present policy regime, and identify measures which may be considered to improve the functioning of road transport, in particular long-distance road transport, and, enhance its already enormous contribution (3.9 percent of GDP) to the workings of the Indian economy. While the road transport sector encompasses a wide variety of activities, this study has focused on three aspects which were considered the most relevant to the investments in highway infrastructure - the trucking industry, inter-city buses, and in view of its very important, but largely unfulfilled role in enhancing road safety, the motor insurance industry. The key findings and recommendations of the study are summarized below. India has achieved a highly competitive, low-cost road freight transport industry for basic services, with highway freight rates among the lowest in the world. In fact, trucking freight rates are so low that the industry is suffering an intense period of low profits, or rather, even losses. In this context, actions by the Government that increase costs, or reduce the efficiency of operators, will soon find their way into higher freight rates. Introduction of tractor-trailer, multi-axle vehicles would reduce not only transport costs, but also road damage caused by the higher axle-loadings of 2- and 3-axle rigid trucks, and, incentives proposed for introduction of multi-axle trucks include reduced tax and highway toll rates. Regarding inter-city bus services, the private sector has won back a rapidly increasing share of the inter-city road passenger market, and now about 80 percent of the bus fleet is privately operated. The report stipulates the appropriate focus of regulatory policy, in the case of road passenger transport, should be qualitative standards related to the safety of services, and the minimization of negative environmental impacts. As per the motor insurance industry, removing tariff controls and allowing a free market to develop will enable the industry to turn into a viable business, to invest in the kinds of enhancements needed, e.g., a system to maintain, and access driver records in order to properly assess risk, and charge premiums that reflect the risk profile of individual drivers. -
Publication
India : Financing Highways
(Washington, DC, 2004-10-21)This report is designed to provide information and advice to the Indian Union and States Governments on the principles and practicalities for establishing a sound and sustainable system of highway financing. The report reviews the economic principles for establishing efficient and equitable road user charges (road pricing), and examines the potential mechanisms for charging road users. Present road taxation in India is assessed in the light of these considerations as is the levels of highway funding required to meet government objectives. The report reviews the potential contribution of private sector finance to the sector and assesses the present use of private finance and the alternative possibilities for utilizing the private sector in the financing and management of the network. The report also examines the need for an agenda of sector reform which addresses both the financial and institutional frameworks needed to achieve network sustainability and public acceptance of higher user charges.