Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s name for a “paradigm change” in city planning, whereas saying a high-level committee of reputed city planners, city economists and establishments to advise the federal government, was welcomed as an ‘alternative of a’ by planners, managers and consultants in Gujarat.
Bimal Patel, an Ahmedabad-based city planner-architect and director at HCP Design and Project Management Private Ltd (HCPDPMPL), stated India’s city planning remains to be “informed by the planning philosophies of the socialist era”. He instructed The Indian Express on Tuesday, “It (Urban planning) is characterized by a command and control approach, a yearning to establish a license-permit raj and an anti-market outlook. On account of this, it not only does not work, not only causes more problems than it solves, but also does grievous harm to the poorest sections of the urban population. Indian urban planning urgently needs reform and liberalisation. It is very hopeful that this has been recognized by the FM in the Budget.”
Keshav Varma, former World Bank director and chairman of the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd (SRFDCL), who’s advising the Uttar Pradesh authorities on city affairs, referred to as the announcement “the most important thing that has happened in urban planning.”
Varma stated, “It is very crucial as well planned urbanism will add to the GDP and another dimension to economic growth”. Varma is chairman of the committee for city improvement for the cities of Jammu and Srinagar, of which Patel can also be a member.
Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, spoke on how when India will rejoice its one hundredth independence day, practically half the inhabitants can be in city areas.
Elaborating additional, she stated: “This will assist realise the nation’s financial potential, together with livelihood alternatives for the demographic dividend. For this, on the one hand we have to nurture the megacities and their hinterlands to change into present facilities of financial development. On the opposite hand, we have to facilitate tier 2 and three cities to tackle the mantle sooner or later. This would require us to reimagine our cities into facilities of sustainable dwelling with alternatives for all, together with girls and youth. For this to occur, city planning can not proceed with a business-as-usual strategy. We plan to steer a paradigm change.”
Patel feels the city planning in Gujarat is “more advanced than in the rest of the country”. Asked concerning the distinction, Patel stated, “In Gujarat urban planning actually works. Urban Development Plans are actually implemented, peripheral growth is orderly on account of the use of Town Planning Schemes, redevelopment and densification of built-up areas is accompanied by infrastructure strengthening and the compliance to Building By-laws is high…”.
Dr Subhalaxmi Mohapatra, affiliate professor and co-director, Center for Urbanism and Cultural Economics, Anant National University, Ahmedabad stated: “The emphasis on a paradigm change of the city sector by way of the involvement of the stakeholders at a number of ranges is a welcome step. “
Varma stated city planning in its true sense has been lacking in a lot of the cities “as their growth trajectory determined by realtors”. “Now this is a chance for mega cities as world class planning will result in international metropolis areas. For occasion, if 25 international metropolis areas are developed, these will add to our competitiveness which could be engines of financial development. Professional city planning is essential for secondary cities-tier 2,3 and 4. Their financial development is pulled by the magnet metropolis like central cities of Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai. For that public transport is crucial. It is essential to create mobility grids that might join these secondary cities to mega cities and make it doable for folks to dwell outdoors cities and are available again,” Varma stated.
Given that each metropolis has its personal character, economic system and trajectory of development, Patel — who has been related to a number of nationwide tasks just like the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor and the Central Vista redevelopment — when requested how this high-level committee is anticipated to play out , stated: “Plans have to address specific problems and characteristics of specific cities. However, the philosophy and approach informing diverse plans can be similar…”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
