Infrastructure is needed for progress

Around 250 B.C., Roman Empire grew because of well designed roads, arches, and bridges that Romans used to trade and invade. Ancient Greeks built great structures and roads to move their people. Around 2500 B.C., citizens of Indus Valley laid bricks to create infrastructure for India's first cities.

They lived in homes connected with a maze of winding roads that were strong and resistant to the weather. King Solomon built his trading empire using the infrastructure during 962 B.C.

Our country's prosperity is built on infrastructure layer that is the network of roads, bridges, and transportation links. It includes channels that move people, goods and services throughout the country. Infrastructure layer ensures that produce from farmland gets to consumers; medicines from manufacturing plants move to people in need; cargo carrying goods is transported from one place to the other. The payback in investing in infrastructure is in the form of tangible returns like toll, gas tax or in the form of intangibles such as low pollution, safe travel, and fast movement of goods.

Roads, bridges, buildings, airports, train stations are all part of infrastructure that supports movement of not just goods and services but also of people across the nation. People move because of many reasons such as better job-opportunities, better quality of life and/or perhaps because of safety and freedom. Movement of goods and services ensures that people get products such as food and medicine to enrich their lives. Movement of armed forces is needed to protect the defenses of the nation. All such movements are only possible if the nation has high quality and sustainable infrastructure.

For us to stay ahead as a modern nation and to improve the quality of life of our citizens, it is inevitable that our infrastructure continues to be enhanced, expanded and looked after.

Shankar W. Nigam

10th Grade

Palatine High School