The news recently caught my eye: an Air India plane, seemingly forgotten at Kolkata airport for thirteen long years, is now embarking on a 1,900km journey, not by air, but by road [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/flashreads]. This astonishing tale of a dormant asset being reanimated, albeit unconventionally, made me pause and reflect.
It’s a vivid illustration of how, even with grand plans and cutting-edge technology, fundamental issues of management and timely utilization can lead to significant inefficiencies. A plane, designed for the skies, reduced to a road spectacle—it speaks volumes about delayed decisions and the costs of inertia.
For years, I've stressed the importance of efficient transport and logistics. Looking back at my extensive collection of blogs, "Transport" is a topic I've revisited numerous times, with over 180 entries dedicated to it, as noted in my archiving efforts like "Simplifying Search" [http://emailothers.blogspot.com/2019/04/simplifying-search.html]. My thoughts on "Intelligent Transport System" and the "Internet of Vehicles (IoV)" [https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/10/intelligent-transport-system.html] [https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/03/internet-of-vehicles-iov.html] from years ago were all about envisioning a seamless, optimized flow of goods and people. The core idea I wanted to convey then, and still do now, is the critical need for foresight and dynamic planning to prevent such colossal oversight.
It’s striking to see how relevant these earlier insights still are. While we contend with the spectacle of a forgotten plane on a road trip, another article highlights the turbulent takeoff of China's flying taxis [https://www.msn.com/en-in/entertainment/bollywood/takeoff-of-china-s-flying-taxis-hits-turbulence/ar-AA1R1dOk]. This presents a stark contrast: on one hand, a relic of past neglect, and on the other, the nascent struggles of future mobility. We are navigating a period where the foundational elements of logistics still need fixing, even as we dream of three-dimensional transportation.
Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation for my earlier calls for streamlined systems and forward-thinking infrastructure. We need to ensure that our pursuit of advanced solutions, much like the ambitious projects often championed by leaders like Nitin Gadkari in the realm of electric vehicles and road infrastructure, does not overshadow the crucial task of maintaining and effectively utilizing our existing assets. My past blogs, like "Gadkariji is Angry!" [https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/09/gadkariji-is-angry.html], have often touched upon the urgency and ambition needed to modernize transport.
We must learn from the past—the forgotten plane—to better chart our course for the future, whether it involves flying taxis or simply ensuring every asset, every resource, serves its intended purpose without gathering dust for over a decade. The challenge is to bridge the gap between our current logistical realities and our aspirational future.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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