12 January 2024 – The Hindu

India’s Urban Development

• India is home to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, largely due to its cities, which are expected to account for 70% of the GDP by 2030. To fulfil the demands of the rapidly growing urban population, the World Bank projects that over the next 15 years, a significant investment of USD 840 billion would be required. Even while it promises economic growth, the fast urbanisation process poses problems for livability. A deeper look reveals built-in constraints in the current urbanisation framework, highlighting the necessity of deliberate solutions to guarantee sustainable growth. The Kerala Urban Commission, which was recently established, is expected to transform the state’s urban environment.

Kerala Urban Commission: What is it?

Historical Advancements:

• After a 38-year pause following the National Commission on Urbanisation under Charles Correa, the introduction of the Kerala Urban Commission in 2024 represents a momentous advancement.
• Although Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination caused delays for the first commission, it set the foundation for further urban programmes.

Kerala Urban Commission’s establishment:

• The Kerala Urban Commission was established with a one-year mandate to address the unique difficulties posed by Kerala’s urbanisation.
• The committee aims to prepare a plan for the state’s urban development over the next 25 years, with an estimated 90% of the population living in urban areas.

Kerala Urban Commission’s function:

• Though it is not a national commission, the Kerala Urban Commission could be a model for other heavily urbanised states like as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab.
• It presents a holistic approach to urban difficulties and provides a learning opportunity for governments who are coping with high urban populations.

Relevance of Kerala Urban Commission in the Present:

• At the federal and state levels, an urban commission is considered required due to the intricacy of patterns of urbanisation.
• Swachh Bharat Mission and AMRUT are two examples of piecemeal initiatives that have failed to adequately address the complex issues.
• An urban commission is knowledgeable about migration, patterns of settlement, and the function of technology in relation to changing urban realities.

What Caused Kerala Urban Commission to Develop?

Global Urbanisation Challenges:

• The proportion of people living in cities worldwide has increased to 56% from just over 5% in the 1860s. With its profound effects on inequality, land use, and climate change, urbanisation has emerged as a key factor in capital accumulation.
• Cities have experienced changes in both space and time, which presents problems with housing, sanitation, pollution, and other issues.

Changes in the Paradigm of Urban Development:

India went through two major stages of urban development after independence:

Initial Stage:

• During the nearly three-decade-long Nehruvian era, master plans and centralised planning were prioritised, while manufacturing-driven rural-urban migration was encouraged.
• This strategy, however, was not successful, and in the 1990s, cities were privatised with an emphasis on global city models and project-oriented development.

Phase Two:

• Cities began to be privatised in the 1990s, and huge parastatals and consulting corporations were given control over the master plans.
• Real estate-centric models replaced social housing, public health, and education, portraying cities as “engines of growth” as opposed to centres of learning.
• Project-oriented projects replaced comprehensive city concepts during this era.

Issues with Urban Governance:

• Due to the subjects that have not yet been allocated to cities under the 12th Schedule, city governance faces difficulties. The idea of administrators managing city affairs instead of elected officials is up for debate.
• The centralization of the financial architecture by the Fifteenth Finance Commission links grants to the performance of property tax collection, complicating urban governance.

Required for a Holistic Perspective:

• The urban commission needs to take a more comprehensive approach to studying urbanisation, taking into account factors including migration, settlement trends, and the use of information technology.
• The inadequacy of strategies such as SMART CITIES in tackling objective realities highlights the necessity for a more all-encompassing approach.

What Problems Does India’s Urbanisation Present?

Urban Challenges and Private Transportation:

• In cities, longer travel times, more pollution, and congested roads are the results of the preference for private transportation among certain social classes.
• Due to the widespread use of combustible fuel, this reliance on cars contributes significantly to climate change, underscoring the critical need for sustainable transportation options.

Slum expansion and urban migration:

• Slums have grown as temporary shelters due to the high expense of living in metropolitan regions and the migration of people from rural areas.
• According to the World Bank, Dharavi in Mumbai is the largest slum in Asia, and 35.2% of India’s urban population lives in slums.

Urbanization’s Effects on the Environment:

• Increased population density has an impact on the quality of the air and water, making urbanisation a key contributor to environmental degradation.
• Pollution has an effect on the general environmental health of cities and is caused by land degradation and deforestation for building, inappropriate waste disposal, and ineffective sewage systems.

The Effect of Urban Heat Islands:

• The Urban Heat Island effect is felt in urban regions, which are defined by their limited green spaces, pavements, and densely populated places.
• This phenomena increases the cost of electricity, exacerbates air pollution, and increases the risk of heat-related illnesses and deaths.
• The natural water bodies that are being encroached upon by new developments further disturb the urban ecology.

Infrastructure Challenges and Flooding:

• The confluence of fast urbanisation and restricted land supply leads to the encroachment of developments onto rivers, wetlands, and lakes.
• This causes urban flooding by upsetting natural drainage systems.
• Flooding problems are made worse by inadequate solid waste management, underscoring the necessity of thorough urban planning and infrastructure development.

Obstacles that Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) Face:

• Notwithstanding the wide range of duties that the Constitution assigns to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the absence of a deadline-driven audit and an unequal distribution of resources from the State and the federal government make it difficult for ULBs to operate effectively.
• This emphasises how important changes are to giving ULBs more authority and improving their ability to deal with urban issues.

What Actions Are Needed in India for Urban Reforms?

• A new India Urban Commission should be established in the same vein as the Kerala Urban Commission to encourage the adoption of the following recommendations for a sustainable urban environment:

Green Buildings and Creative Urban Planning:

• Adoption of alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power, mixed-use of public areas, and a move towards green infrastructure are necessary for effective solutions to urban problems.
• For the purpose of creating healthier and more functional urban environments, creative solutions for economical and efficient city management—including public-private partnerships—are essential.

Urban Planning and Social Welfare:

• Organising urban planning is essential to raising people’s standard of living. Urban areas and neighbourhoods must be transformed into healthier, more functional locations through a comprehensive strategy that incorporates social issues.
• Important social aspects of city development are addressed by programmes such as the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme in Rajasthan, which attempts to give the urban poor a minimum quality of life.

Enhancing Public Transportation for Eco-Friendly Travel:

• Rethinking and reconstructing public transit is crucial to achieving green mobility in India’s urban setting.
• This entails putting in place bus rapid transit systems, designating specific bus lanes, and introducing e-buses.
• With an emphasis on ecological and social factors, these actions support sustainable urban development.

Public Involvement in Sustainable Development:

• A sustainable approach to city development that takes social and ecological factors into account must replace the current economic one.
• Local citizens should actively engage in governance through programmes like participatory budgeting in order to democratise sustainable development.
• Using locally relevant technologies and tackling pressing concerns become essential components of this citizen-driven strategy.

Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIA) are required:

• Any developmental activity must be accompanied by a required Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) in order to ensure the incorporation of sustainability at the local level.
• By ensuring that ecological and social factors are methodically taken into account when making decisions about urban development, this strategic evaluation tool promotes an all-encompassing and sustainable approach.

Way Forward:

• Comprehensive urban changes are needed given India’s current rate of urbanisation. It’s critical to strike a balance between sustainable methods and quick development. Urban reforms ought to give precedence to social welfare, environmentally conscious infrastructure, public engagement, and inventive governance in order to establish cities that serve as both centres of economic expansion and models of environmental consciousness and inclusivity. With the ongoing changes, India has a chance to carefully craft its urban environment and create resilient, just cities for the future.