Rahul

@tanvigaikwad_9 Is this Agara lake? I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of people running there. I used to go there in the evening, it was always only a few runners. But over the last couple of days, I went at 7AM and it was a positive surprise see so many people running

Love seeing so many runners at Agara lake. There might be more runners than walkers in the mornings and evenings. Slept late and was in no mood to run. Friends asked me to just show up even if it is a little late. Showed up and ran 5k at 7:15 am. The most inspiring are the uncles and aunties who run in their regular clothes. No fancy watches/gears/athleisure wear. Just a clear purpose- run and stay active. You really don’t need anything fancy to begin running until you are at a certain level.

India is one of the world's largest arms importers, and we are still miles away from our goal of self-reliance in defense. What needs to change? The Case for Defense Spending open.substack.com/pub/rahularora…

Policymakers and urban planners must address one of the biggest hurdles to higher standards and quality of life in urban areas.

subsidized financing, collaborative financing models, mandatory inclusionary zoning, and utilizing public lands for private projects, which could help kick-start the development of affordable housing in Indian cities.

One of the many failures of urban policymaking in India is in the field of affordable housing (below ₹50 lakh) in Indian cities.

My focus for 2026: understanding the root causes behind Indian cities' struggles and identifying policy solutions that can improve urban living standards. Also exploring how civil society can drive change. This matters because cities are where India's future will be shaped.

Bangalore has one of the highest numbers of buses in the country, but slow progress on metro and suburban rail has led to the highest number of registered private vehicles nationwide.

I visited Malaysia in November 2025 and was struck by the quality of life there. Despite being a middle-income country, the infrastructure, living standards, and safety were impressive—far better than those in Indian cities. I barely saw any potholes or broken roads all week.

Here is my review of Test Cricket in 2025: open.substack.com/pub/rahularora… Have fun reading, and let me know what the greatest test cricket moments were in 2025.

Until then, stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and stronger oversight of the private bus sector are essential to improve safety standards in intercity travel.

However, the railway infrastructure is already stretched thin; expanding capacity or introducing faster trains would require substantial investment. If the train frequency and the average speed were improved, a growing number of passengers would likely shift from buses to trains.

The tragic fire incident on an intercity bus bound for Bangalore has raised concerns about the safety standards of unregulated private intercity bus operators in India.