Scrapping of Delhi’s Bus Transit System+ Surprising Shifts in India’s Riverine Floods
Policy Post #199
Dear Reader,
Some setbacks are visible in scrapped projects. Others are buried in boardrooms, global trade wars, and unforeseen floods. This week’s video highlight talks about how Delhi’s ₹150 crore Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system was supposed to fix congestion, instead, it was scrapped in just 8 years.
We also bring to you a sharp essay which dissects how globally, India is caught in a far more hostile and uncertain world where trade, tech, and geopolitics no longer play nice and a pertinent research on the surprising new patterns in how riverine floods are battering (or sparing) different regions in India this year
In this week’s newsletter, we unpack it all.
And in brighter news: if you’re hungry for fresh ideas and real dialogue, the Jindal Policy Conclave 2025 is around the corner, bringing together ministers, policymakers, academics, and changemakers to reimagine India’s path to Viksit Bharat.
As always, thank you for reading and championing better policy.
With that, we bring to you: Policy Post #199!
Policy Charcha 💬
The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!
💡 Essay Highlight:
In A Hostile New World, Can Our Govt Save Us?
With the US and China turning trade, technology, and even supply chains into weapons, India can no longer rely on others for mission-critical goods. Globalisation is unravelling, trade wars, tech bans, and security fears are shaping the economy more than markets ever did. This essay asks the hard question: can India’s government truly protect its citizens and economy in this new era of uncertainty?
🌟 Event highlight
The Jindal Policy Conclave 2025
📍 O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat (Delhi NCR)
📅 19–20 September 2025
India’s premier policy gathering is back. This year’s theme — “Inception of Ideas for Viksit Bharat” — brings two days of packed panels, debates, and networking. Ministers, academics, industry leaders, and changemakers will dive into climate, health, innovation, rights, and governance challenges.
🔎 Databases and Guides:
Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!
▶️Video Highlight:
Why Delhi Bus Rapid Transit Failed
India’s first Bus Rapid Transit system was supposed to change how Delhi moves. Instead, it turned into a traffic nightmare and shut down in less than a decade. Why did a globally successful idea flop here? What does it say about how we plan (or don’t plan) our cities? This video takes you through the rise and fall of Delhi’s BRT — and the lessons we can’t afford to ignore.
🌍Climate + Health Corner
In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst
👉🏽 India's riverine floods are changing in surprising ways
Floods are an annual nightmare, but new research shows that their patterns are shifting across India. Magnitudes are dropping in the Ganga basin, rising along the Malabar coast, and the timing of floods is shifting earlier or later depending on the region. Climate, rainfall, dams, even human density, all play a role. This isn’t just about disaster response; it’s about rethinking water, cities, and livelihoods in a climate-stressed India.
Careers Corner 💼
A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.
📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!
You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕
We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!