It’s not just about the number of or the height of the skyscrapers, it’s about their tensile strength and that of the buildings, in general. It’s not about the speed at which the metro-rail functions, but about the efficiency and the load-sharing that the rail can cater to, to serve everyday commuters.
And the same way, it’s never about hallmark or radiant designs of the bridges rather the immensity of their strength- or as we call it- durability that matters.
Infrastructure, it could be said, is often like that most underappreciated soldier around but also one without whose expertise and valiance, one just can’t survive. Our modern-day cities are floating marvels built on lasting infrastructure.
Had proper infrastructural-planning, perhaps a means to engage in nation-building wasn’t there, then we wouldn’t have had our contemporary cities essaying a svelte, rosy picture, something we put up for a checkered display, in full might especially during important diplomatic visits, and global festivals, so that one takes back poignant memories.
But it must be shared that in this part of the 21st century, where one puts a lot of emphasis on one’s standard of living, cities too are paying much-needed attention especially to aspects related to infrastructural development.
Take Australia for example.
It appears, that Australia’s infrastructure is all set to undergo a rapid change and some recalibration to feed incessant changes and replace decades of depravity in a climate of change that the mega continent is rooting for.
Where the current estimates stand then a whopping $600 billion worth of new infrastructure (and developments) will be pumped into redeveloping urban fringes in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane that have perhaps outstretched themselves in a bid to accommodate growing populations.
This is happening because as a country, Australia is witnessing a strain on its mainstream cities that are challenged by the need to accommodate a rising state of the population. In fact, of all the people, the head of Infrastructure Australia, Reserve Bank governor for the Coalition to prioritize spending on infrastructure has directed the attention of the nation to prioritize and strategize the spending on Australia’s infrastructure.
Romily Madew, the head of Infrastructure Australia, outlined the importance to unleash a new lease of life in Australia’s infrastructure and stated the following insights:
“On the infrastructure priority list there are already 103 initiatives sitting there that have been identified by the states and territories, and that means there is a pipeline of infrastructure that has been identified that could go.’
In front of Australia lies a whirlpool of urban challenges for example traffic snarls in its big urban cities, rising road congestion, crowded public transport; all of these amid times of weather extremity.
What Australia’s infrastructure needs is to infuse a fresh wave of solutions that can tackle a complex maze using innovation and urban mobility. At this point in time, among the things that are key are spending on public transport rolling stock, increased investment in electric vehicles and since more and more people are going to be moving to big cities- which is where myriad opportunities lie- then spending on social -infrastructure such as schools, colleges, health centres, hospitals and libraries.