What Will It Take to Make Our Cities Truly World Class?

Business Today › January 12, 2006

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Summary

Proper urbanisation is one of the most pressing challenges facing India today. It is inevitable that over the next 20-30 years, India will double in urbanisation from 30 per cent to 60 per cent. This will be at a time when we also have the largest pool of young people in the world. The combination of urbanisation, the demographic surge, globalisation, and the economic growth that consequently will be unleashed, present the most significant opportunity for India to reach a developed status. But for this, we have to get our cities right. Classical concepts on urban matters are based on implicit assumptions of slow steady growth, not the explosive torrent of people rushing into each of our metropolitan areas. To make our cities world-class, we will have to think of a new paradigm.

Inclusive and participatory: The bane of cities has been the stark contrast between the rich and the poor. This is a global phenomenon. In India, it is lavish skyscrapers jostling with slums. In the urban sprawl of the United States, it is violent inner cities surrounded by posh suburbs. In Paris, it is a rich city centre surrounded by alienated immigrants in suburban high-rise ghettos. A world-class city will have the least amount of such differences, and in its design and architecture will be meant to be inclusive. This will be supported by a democratic process based on participation and transparency of governance, so that everyone feels they have a voice. This sense of inclusion will also be the source of public safety and peace. An important factor in creating inclusion is the city retaining enough land in its possession, either for public spaces and utilities or for providing facilities for the economically weaker sections.