Paint manufacturer Madhav Sawant's glow-in-the-dark paint is used to light up the emergency exits of various buildings, but the mechanical engineer has a brighter, more lasting vision. The 47-year-old has developed a unique way to increase the brightness of glow powder so that it can be used as an alternative to lights and save energy on a large scale.

The resounding success of the Delhi Metro has triggered a race among Indian cities to get a metro they can call their own. India's financial capital too has started off on an ambitious nine-line metro project that has brought parts of Mumbai to a halt. Already, road space has shrunk, footpaths are depleted and huge columns stand in the middle of busy roads.