India, July 27 -- Fleeting Thoughts By Ashvini Ranjan

How inefficient administration chokes our cities

Whenever the subject of increasing traffic congestion in Mysuru comes up, the explanations are almost always the same. There are simply too many cars and two-wheelers on the road. The roads are narrow and full of potholes. Traffic lights malfunction. Road works continue endlessly. While all these undoubtedly contribute to congestion, they are only one part of the story.

There is another important reason that receives very little attention.

Imagine stopping one hundred people travelling on Mysuru's roads on a normal working day and asking them two simple questions:

Where are you going?

Apart from those commuting to work or school, a...