Paper looks at the current status of cities and urbanization, issues faced by urban sector and suggest strategies to make cities more smart and sustainable.
Designing for smart and Inclusive Cities in indiaJitKumarGupta1
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Making cities Smart remains an illusion/ mirage and a fallacy in this world, which is illogically and irrationally being chased and promoted by politician, administrators and people in the power. How can cities be made Smart, both conceptually and physically, when cities are marked by dualities and contradictions, when it cannot take care of its stakeholders; Create ownership among them; provide them basic infrastructures, amenities and services; assure them appropriate employment and economic options; provide them with reasonable shelter; ensure healthy living. Cities cannot be made Smart till poverty continue to rule the cities; where planning remains marginalized/diluted; where multiplicity of agencies continue to operate and rule in contradiction to each other; where decision made remain mired with subjectivity; where there is total lack of ownership; where leadership has no understanding of the city growth and development and where manpower deployed remain inadequately qualified to understand and address the issues of urbanization. Cities would require more focus and will need care and caution, provided with the input of professionals who can lead the cities to make them more livable. I think need is to move from and focus on promoting livability rather than smartness. How can we achieve the objective of livability, should remain the agenda for all professionals and stake holders involved with making cities Smart.
Decarbonising Human Settlements through Regional Planning, Peri-urban Devel...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Text tries to draw the attention of the professionals engaged in planning and designing of cities to the role of peri-urban areas in promoting the future planned growth of urban areas. Text also defines that cities need to be seen , planned , designed, developed and visuliased in the larger context not cofined to arbitrary physical boundaries defined by polotical and economic factors. Cities need to be seen in the larger context of the region and accordingly planned and devloped in the larger context of peri-urban araes/regional context, to stay safe, rational and sustainable. Neglecting rural areas at the cost of promoting urban development can be both irrational, illogical and fraught with danger of having lopsided developmnet of the urban areas. in the developing countries. Making cities carbon neutral will be possible only if the urban / rural areas and peri -urban areas are integrated within a unified planning, devlopment and management framework.
Paper tries to look at the planning, growth and development of cities and the manner in which they can be made sustainable in the context of 17 SDG. It tries to define agenda for their planning and governance while considering the new urbanism.
Preparing and Empowering Cities in the face of Pandemics- Covid 19.JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper makes an attempt to understand the context and impact of Covid 19 on the urban settlements, people and communities in terms of operation, economy, mobility, healthcare etc. and tries to define the issue which needs to be addressed and options which need to be exercised in order to enable and empower cities to counter to the negative effect of all natural and manmade disasters to make them better places to live and work.
Strategies for Promoting Good Governanace at Local Level urban g overnance (1...JitKumarGupta1
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McKinsey Report , âHow to Make a City Great-,outlines three-pronged strategy, to make cities great places to live and work, involving Achieving Smart Growth by adopting a strategic approach, planning for a change, integrating environmental thinking and insisting on opportunities for all; Doing More with Less by assessing and managing expenses rigorously, exploring partnerships, introducing accountability and embracing technology ; Winning Support for a Change by crafting a personal vision, building a high performing team ,creating a culture of accountability and forging stakeholder consensus. 74th Constitution Amendment, mandates ULBs to emerge as government in its own right .Looking at their structure ,resources and culture, it appears that their capacity in urban governance is totally lacking, considering the growing size, population and complexities of the problems /challenges posed by the urban areas, If good urban governance through local bodies is to be ensured, their capacity to govern has to be improved by providing them necessary skills in terms of institutional, technical, administrative and political capacities. For creating appropriate capacity, State must create options for skilling manpower t ; making available Sufficient resources; improving Personnel management ; incentivising local bodies by recognizing good work done by the local bodies. Examples of good governance need dissemination for replication and to build on such examples and ensure that every urban centre to fulfill the vision of a planned, healthy, productive, sustainable, liveable and efficient settlementin.
Designing for smart and Inclusive Cities in indiaJitKumarGupta1
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Making cities Smart remains an illusion/ mirage and a fallacy in this world, which is illogically and irrationally being chased and promoted by politician, administrators and people in the power. How can cities be made Smart, both conceptually and physically, when cities are marked by dualities and contradictions, when it cannot take care of its stakeholders; Create ownership among them; provide them basic infrastructures, amenities and services; assure them appropriate employment and economic options; provide them with reasonable shelter; ensure healthy living. Cities cannot be made Smart till poverty continue to rule the cities; where planning remains marginalized/diluted; where multiplicity of agencies continue to operate and rule in contradiction to each other; where decision made remain mired with subjectivity; where there is total lack of ownership; where leadership has no understanding of the city growth and development and where manpower deployed remain inadequately qualified to understand and address the issues of urbanization. Cities would require more focus and will need care and caution, provided with the input of professionals who can lead the cities to make them more livable. I think need is to move from and focus on promoting livability rather than smartness. How can we achieve the objective of livability, should remain the agenda for all professionals and stake holders involved with making cities Smart.
Decarbonising Human Settlements through Regional Planning, Peri-urban Devel...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Text tries to draw the attention of the professionals engaged in planning and designing of cities to the role of peri-urban areas in promoting the future planned growth of urban areas. Text also defines that cities need to be seen , planned , designed, developed and visuliased in the larger context not cofined to arbitrary physical boundaries defined by polotical and economic factors. Cities need to be seen in the larger context of the region and accordingly planned and devloped in the larger context of peri-urban araes/regional context, to stay safe, rational and sustainable. Neglecting rural areas at the cost of promoting urban development can be both irrational, illogical and fraught with danger of having lopsided developmnet of the urban areas. in the developing countries. Making cities carbon neutral will be possible only if the urban / rural areas and peri -urban areas are integrated within a unified planning, devlopment and management framework.
Paper tries to look at the planning, growth and development of cities and the manner in which they can be made sustainable in the context of 17 SDG. It tries to define agenda for their planning and governance while considering the new urbanism.
Preparing and Empowering Cities in the face of Pandemics- Covid 19.JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper makes an attempt to understand the context and impact of Covid 19 on the urban settlements, people and communities in terms of operation, economy, mobility, healthcare etc. and tries to define the issue which needs to be addressed and options which need to be exercised in order to enable and empower cities to counter to the negative effect of all natural and manmade disasters to make them better places to live and work.
Strategies for Promoting Good Governanace at Local Level urban g overnance (1...JitKumarGupta1
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McKinsey Report , âHow to Make a City Great-,outlines three-pronged strategy, to make cities great places to live and work, involving Achieving Smart Growth by adopting a strategic approach, planning for a change, integrating environmental thinking and insisting on opportunities for all; Doing More with Less by assessing and managing expenses rigorously, exploring partnerships, introducing accountability and embracing technology ; Winning Support for a Change by crafting a personal vision, building a high performing team ,creating a culture of accountability and forging stakeholder consensus. 74th Constitution Amendment, mandates ULBs to emerge as government in its own right .Looking at their structure ,resources and culture, it appears that their capacity in urban governance is totally lacking, considering the growing size, population and complexities of the problems /challenges posed by the urban areas, If good urban governance through local bodies is to be ensured, their capacity to govern has to be improved by providing them necessary skills in terms of institutional, technical, administrative and political capacities. For creating appropriate capacity, State must create options for skilling manpower t ; making available Sufficient resources; improving Personnel management ; incentivising local bodies by recognizing good work done by the local bodies. Examples of good governance need dissemination for replication and to build on such examples and ensure that every urban centre to fulfill the vision of a planned, healthy, productive, sustainable, liveable and efficient settlementin.
Blaze African City Series - Second EditionOnyema Udeze
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Oh, My Africa.
This is the second edition in our Smart City Series. It explored the various components that make up a great city and offers insights on how African cities can catch up on each of these components. This includes both the socio-economic and physical dimensions of the city, transportation, and work, sustainability and technology, the value chain and city management.
GLOBAL CITIES Tomorrow: Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong, Dubai, Moscow,âĻ W...Azamat Abdoullaev
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Global Urbanization and Smart Sustainable Cities
FUTRE WORLD
SUSTAINABLE WORLD
SMART WORLD
SMART SUSTAINABLE COUNTRIES, CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL GROWTH
SUSTAINABLE URBAN GROWTH
New Urban Challenges in Times of Financial CapitalismRoberto Rocco
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This is a lecture originally prepared for the LANDac conference in Utrecht 2016. This is an adapted version for the ALUMNI DAY of the chair of Human Geography - International Development Studies at the University of Utrecht,
Jamestown Latin America Trends + Views Urbanization Trends in Latin AmericaFerhat Guven
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Our latest âTrends and Viewsâ piece addresses the concept of urbanization in Latin America,
and its potential impact on the regionâs real estate market.
Future of cities An initial perspective by Harry Rich Chief Executive RIBAFuture Agenda
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An initial perspective on the future of cities by Harry Rich Chief Executive RIBA. This is the starting point for the global future agenda discussions taking place through 2015 as part of the futureagenda2.0 programme. www.futureagenda.org
Megacities are significant for businesses since they concentrate wealth, income and business opportunities. The trend of global urbanisation is in full swing, with the last 100 years seeing remarkable change in attitudes to city life.
This report offers an overview of the current economic and demographic state and future outlook of the worldâs megacities.
Re-inventing and Re-defining Urban Planning for Promoting Sustainable Mega Ci...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper make an attempt to understand the planning related issues and options for the mega cities with focus on capital City of Lahorein Pakistan, its growth and development post 1947 and the options which can be leveataged to make the city sustainable and livable. Paper looks at the good practices used in the planning of capital city of Chandigarh and also at the option of decentralising these cities. Look at the size, economic role and its criticality in the development of the state/region, --suggestion has been made to plan and devlop these mega cities in the regional/ national context.so as to enable them to play their designated role. However, these cities need to be made resilient to make them withstand any manmade/natural disasters. These cities despite their criticality and importance remain diffficult to manage and govern.
Compact city as an Option for Making Indian Cities Smart and SustainableJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper, written jointly with Ar Anoop Sharma from SMVDU Jammu, tries to look holistically at the prevailing pattern of India urbanization and planning and designing of Indian cities. Paper tries to underline the problems faced by cities in terms of environment, pollution, land , slums, traffic& transportation, housing,services etc and tries to suggest solutions looking at the advantages offed by the compact cities in terms of optimizing land, minimising travel/pollution, making cities development cost-effective, efficient and promoting walking instead of using fossil fuel propelled mechanical transportation. to make cities more livable and sustainable, resilient, safe and inclusive
Blaze African City Series - Second EditionOnyema Udeze
Â
Oh, My Africa.
This is the second edition in our Smart City Series. It explored the various components that make up a great city and offers insights on how African cities can catch up on each of these components. This includes both the socio-economic and physical dimensions of the city, transportation, and work, sustainability and technology, the value chain and city management.
GLOBAL CITIES Tomorrow: Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong, Dubai, Moscow,âĻ W...Azamat Abdoullaev
Â
Global Urbanization and Smart Sustainable Cities
FUTRE WORLD
SUSTAINABLE WORLD
SMART WORLD
SMART SUSTAINABLE COUNTRIES, CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL GROWTH
SUSTAINABLE URBAN GROWTH
New Urban Challenges in Times of Financial CapitalismRoberto Rocco
Â
This is a lecture originally prepared for the LANDac conference in Utrecht 2016. This is an adapted version for the ALUMNI DAY of the chair of Human Geography - International Development Studies at the University of Utrecht,
Jamestown Latin America Trends + Views Urbanization Trends in Latin AmericaFerhat Guven
Â
Our latest âTrends and Viewsâ piece addresses the concept of urbanization in Latin America,
and its potential impact on the regionâs real estate market.
Future of cities An initial perspective by Harry Rich Chief Executive RIBAFuture Agenda
Â
An initial perspective on the future of cities by Harry Rich Chief Executive RIBA. This is the starting point for the global future agenda discussions taking place through 2015 as part of the futureagenda2.0 programme. www.futureagenda.org
Megacities are significant for businesses since they concentrate wealth, income and business opportunities. The trend of global urbanisation is in full swing, with the last 100 years seeing remarkable change in attitudes to city life.
This report offers an overview of the current economic and demographic state and future outlook of the worldâs megacities.
Re-inventing and Re-defining Urban Planning for Promoting Sustainable Mega Ci...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
Â
Paper make an attempt to understand the planning related issues and options for the mega cities with focus on capital City of Lahorein Pakistan, its growth and development post 1947 and the options which can be leveataged to make the city sustainable and livable. Paper looks at the good practices used in the planning of capital city of Chandigarh and also at the option of decentralising these cities. Look at the size, economic role and its criticality in the development of the state/region, --suggestion has been made to plan and devlop these mega cities in the regional/ national context.so as to enable them to play their designated role. However, these cities need to be made resilient to make them withstand any manmade/natural disasters. These cities despite their criticality and importance remain diffficult to manage and govern.
Compact city as an Option for Making Indian Cities Smart and SustainableJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper, written jointly with Ar Anoop Sharma from SMVDU Jammu, tries to look holistically at the prevailing pattern of India urbanization and planning and designing of Indian cities. Paper tries to underline the problems faced by cities in terms of environment, pollution, land , slums, traffic& transportation, housing,services etc and tries to suggest solutions looking at the advantages offed by the compact cities in terms of optimizing land, minimising travel/pollution, making cities development cost-effective, efficient and promoting walking instead of using fossil fuel propelled mechanical transportation. to make cities more livable and sustainable, resilient, safe and inclusive
Comact City as an Option for Making Urban India more Sustainable and LivableJitKumarGupta1
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Cities and towns remain critical in chartering and scripting the development trajectory of any community/nation. Structural transformation of the economy, sustaining high rates of economic growth and realization of economic potential is largely contingent on the efficacy and efficiency of urban settlements and rationalization of the process of urbanization. Well-managed, urbanization is known to fosters social and economic advancement and improved quality of life. However, cities are globally facing greater threat and challenges in terms of growing number of urban residents living in informal settlements , inadequate urban services, climate change; global warming; exclusion and rising inequality and poverty; rising insecurity; growing migration, rising global carbon emission. The current models and framework/approach to urbanization and urban planning remains highly unsustainable. Majority of Indian cities lack planning, capacity and preparedness to manage and counter effectively the challenges associated with rapid and massive urbanization. Accordingly, new agenda will be essential and critical to defined /effectively address the emerging challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by urbanization. The new urban agenda should promote human settlements that are planned, designed and managed to be environmentally sustainable; socially inclusive and economically productive. Compact city, as a role model of urban planning and development, offer enormous opportunities and options, to make cities more effective and efficient intense dense, efficient. Compact city is also known for its distinct quality of offering enormous opportunities to make cities more sustainable, socially interactive, walkable , cost-effective, land -efficient, productive, socially and environmentally, easy to develop/maintain. Accordingly, appropriate urban planning, development and management framework needs to be put in place and made operational on priority to make compact city model a distinct reality.
Planning Smart cities- Concepts and Practices.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Planning remains universal for making cities growth rational and logical. In the absence of planned development, cities cannot be made to grow in an orderly manner. Planners have been making cities different and distinct using different agenda for planning and development of cities. Currently planners are making cities safe, resilient, sustainable and livable. Many nations are vouching to make cities smart. Smart city is not a new concept .It has been followed globally to improve the quality of living and promote operational efficiency and productivity of the cities. It is an attempt to make cities more livable, sustainable and for creating a brand image to attract investment and make them a tourist destination. Globally , smart cities are characterized by high degree of environmental consciousness; using information technology to promote energy/ resources efficiency; creation of knowledge infrastructure; promoting sustainable economic development and high quality of life; ensuring wise management of natural resources through participatory action. According to Forbe, the structure of smart cities will have to be built on eight pillars involving: âsmart governance, smart energy, smart buildings, smart mobility, smart infrastructure, smart technology, smart healthcare and smart citizens. Based on detailed studies and in depth analysis made of the most successful case studies globally, as how to transform cities into great places to live and make a city great, Mckinseyâs suggests three pronged strategies involving, achieving smart growth, do more with less and win support for change. Considering the entire gamut of urban settlements , a city can be made Smart only if it is planned smart, developed smart, operated smart, financed smart and governed smartly .
Paper is an attempt to define the role and importance of smart cities in the context of state of art planning and design to promote happiness among the residents and stakeholders of the city .
Strategies for Planning Smart Cities in IndiaJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper critically lookS at prevailing planning, development and management practices; re-define new order of urban planning, ; leveraging technology; rationalising travel; promoting governance and re-defining design strategies for built environment to make cities more humane, just, efficient, sustainable and happy place to live and work.
Strategies for Promoting Urban SustainabilityJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper is an attempt to define agenda for planning sustainable cities using different options of planning, transportation, green buildings, ruralisation etc
Strategy for Promoting Sustainable Cities in IndiaJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper is an attempt to look at the options to make cities more livable, sustainable, productive, effective, efficient and inclusive in the face of rapid, massive,unplanned and haphazard urbanisation.
Indian Options for Managing Global Warming Through Ruralisation and Rationali...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper looks at the option of adopting dual strategy , revolving round not only rationalising the development of cities but also promoting ruralisation through effective planning. New option will look at making villages more self-contained, self-sufficient, providing basic amenities and services besides generating employment for the rural inhabitants, creation of synergy between rural and urban settlements, rationalising planning, promoting accessibility, minimising mobility, planning for people not for vehicle and creating green built environment..
Paper is an attempt to showcase the role and importance of Green Transport in making cities sustainable. It tries to bring out issues facing the urban areas in transportation besides suggesting strategies to overcome them
Paper looks critically and objectively, the role and importance of Master Plans in Rationalising the development of cities, issues created and options to make it a better master plan
Housing remains one of the most valuable right and asset of the mankind besides the major issue for all developing nations. It is both a challenge and opportunity. Paper tries to define strategies which can help achieve the objective of shelter for all
Urban planning and urban governance invariably remain people centric having prime concern/focus on looking at/ promoting the welfare of the people, improving their social, physical, economic and environmental conditions besides improving quality of life. Both are mandated to create supportive/enabling conditions and environment to help people to perform their basic functions involving living, working , care of body & spirits and circulation, in a most effective / efficient manner. Accordingly urban planning and urban governance remain interlinked /integrated, and have close relationship. No good urban governance can exist in isolation/ without the input of good and rational planning. Looking at the entire context of good urban governance, it can be fairly concluded that effective urban planning holds the key to good urban governance. Poor urban governance has its genesis in poor urban planning. For enabling urban planning to play its desired and designated role in urban governance, it will be essential that operational mechanism of existing pattern of urban planning is critically looked into, reviewed, revised and re-defined to made it more responsive to the emerging urban dynamism/challenges. Unfortunately, in India, role of urban planners has been diluted and marginalized and has never been given appropriate recognition. Limited numbers of planning institutions have contributed to restricting the number of qualified professionals. With urban centres holding the key, future growth and development of the cities will be contingent largely upon the proficiency, efficacy and efficiency of âPlanning Profession and Professionalsâ. However, , for planners/planning to play its ordained role, they have to be made more responsive , professionally competent, having capacity /expertise to understand /appreciate the complexities of urban growth and development, based on prevailing ground realities, and evolving appropriate options. .Planning tools will also require review and redefining to make them more effective and efficient.
Affordable housing in India- A Myth or RelityJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Paper makes an attempt to look at the housing as a major issue in the urban area, identify the major roadblock and options to make housing for all a distinct reality
Globally, cities are being treated as commodity, used , traded and speculated for generating more money and large wealth for individuals, communities, states and nations for making them rich and prosperous. Despite creating large space for human living, working, care of body & spirit, mobility and employment, cities are made to reel under enormous stress bordering on deficient infrastructure and services. Despite consuming minimum land for housing large population in a limited area, cities are being made places of large land speculation. Considering the major implications of cities in promoting sustainability, economy, productivity, employment, quality of life ;urban spaces need care and healing on priority. It is not the city which are culprits for all the social, economic and environmental ills, it is in fact the way cities have been treated and made to grow, develop and expand. Cities need care and focus to understand the genesis of their problems and evolving appropriate solutions to heal them. Cities need appropriate empowerment, supportive planning, enabling resources and state of art technologies which enable them create happy and healthy spaces for human living. Cities need to be treated like organic/ living entities, requiring appropriate environment, infrastructure and services to enable them to play their designated role in human emancipation and promoting global sustainability effectively and efficiently. Cities would require innovations and out of box thinking to make them safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable.
During last 100 years, India witnessed, urbanization level going up by 3 times; urban settlements growing merely 4 times; total population multiplying 5 times; urban population increasing by 15 times and rural population increasing by merely 3.5 times. Massive shift of population to urban areas, is not simply a shift of demographics but places cities/towns at the centre/core of Indiaâs development Cities remain engines of growth for the economy of every nation, including India. As per Smart City Mission agenda; nearly 31% of Indiaâs current population lives in urban areas and contributes 63% of Indiaâs GDP (Census 2011). With increasing urbanization, urban areas are expected to house 40% of Indiaâs population and contribute 75% of Indiaâs GDP by 2030.Globally, India is presently ranked as second largest urban system in the world after China. Considering the existing rate of demographic profile, India will be the most populated country by the year 2050 with population placed at 1.6 billion. Further, 800 million people are estimated to be living in urban areas in 2050, as compared to 379 million living in the year 2011.Being the most populated country and having large share of urban population, urban India will bring large number of challenges and opportunities for the nation in the urban development .Challenges posed by rapid and massive urbanisation will include ensuring rational and planned development of the urban settlements, growing vulnerability to climate change, overcoming problems of shortage of housing, increasing pressure of migration, minimising poverty, removing spatial inequalities, making cities safe and resilient; overcoming problems related to promoting inclusive and rational economic development.. Text tries to quantity the prevailing urban challenges for finding appropriate solutions/options to make cities sustainable, safe, resilient and inclusive
Strategies for Planning Smart and Sustainable CitiesJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Smart city remains a misnomer. No city on planet earth can claim to be smart. Experts are still searching the soul of smart city in order to precisely define it .Unfortunately smart city has become a money spending/spinning exercise for few individuals/agencies. Entire concept of smart city has been made technology centric, minimizing the role and importance of human beings. In addition, role of Town Planners in smart city has been totally marginalized. How can a city be made smart without intervention of planning and planners. Smart city as a concept has been copied globally to promote operational efficiency and productivity of the cities , with minimum concern for human growth and development. Addressing issue of poverty and making city livable for all should be the agenda of urban growth and development. In the face of homeless people , absence of basic amenities and facilities essential of human living, making cityâs smart will be a fallacy and prove to be counterproductive. Cities do not exist in isolation and require the support of rural hinterland. Dealing cities alone by excluding villages will invariably lead to lopsided growth of cities because genesis of majority of urban ills has roots in the neglect of the rural areas. Urban areas must do handholding for the rural areas for synergizing mutual strength and to usher a new era of rational growth. Smart city concept must focus on empowering human being/ living, making them more skilled, create options for meeting the basic human needs and removing the curse of poverty and unemployment.
Bridging gap between resources and responsibilities at Local level.JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Text refers to need, role, relevance and importance of empowering urban local bodies by bridging gap between resources available and responsibilities bestowed, for enabling ULBs to operate and function as institutions of local governance more effectively and efficiently.
Construction Industry Through Artificial Intelligence -.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Considering the role, relevance and importance of construction sector in promoting economy, generating employment and creating wealth besides providing infrastructures and amenities, there is need to make the sector more effective, efficient, productive and sustainable. Driven manually, construction sector remains in the slow lane of creating quality built environment which are cost-effective, energy efficient, least consumers of resources and generators of waste. Artificial intelligence can help and empower the construction to make it more valuable, productive and qualitative besides supportive of environment and ecology. However, construction sector must be ready to co-operate and collaborate with IT industry to look for options and opportunities to make construction sector more qualitative and productive. Majority of urban ills and climate related issues can be resolved if Artificial intelligence can be embedded as integral part of the construction industry right prom planning, designing, construction, operation and management of the built environment and infrastructures. Communities and nations will save lot of valuable non-renewable resources if the construction sector is transformed from human led to technology led by the induction of Artificial intelligence. However, Construction industry has to search the areas where Artificial intelligence can be used effectively and intelligently.
Making Urban India a Role Model of Planned Urban Growth a.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Known for productivity, promoting economy, employment and innovations cities, when properly planned, rationally developed and professionally managed, have been labelled and recognized as engines of economic growth. Prosperity and urbanisation are known to have positive co-relation with rational urbanisation, leveraging growth and development of any community, city, state and region. In majority of developing countries, where urbanisation remains unregulated, forced largely by rural push and less by urban pull, cities invariably remain in crisis, crisis of population, crisis of poverty, crisis of development and management. Cities need to be cared ,incentivized, empowered and made more productive, effective, efficient and humane.
Redefining Globalization, urbanisation and LocalisationJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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If cities are to made more livable, humane and productive, it is time that intent, contents and scope of globalization must be revisited and reviewed, both critically and objectively. Globalisation would need redefinition for promoting universality and inclusiveness among people and nations to have basic amenities and quality of life for all its residents , including poorest of the poor to lead a dignified life. Failure to redefine globalization, rationalise urbanisation, restore localization empowering poor and promoting universalisation and inclusivity; will invariably lead to making SDGs merely a paper exercise. In addition, making the world, cities and communities sustainable, livable, safe and inclusive, would remain merely a dream and a mirage, for future generations and communities, making planet earth as their preferred place of residence.
Knowing, Understanding and Planning Cities- Role and Relevance Physical Plan...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Cities are known for its complexities and operational inefficiencies. cities remain dynamic ,ever evolving, ever devolving, never static and never finite.
All cities remain different, distinct, unique and universal. No two cities are similar. Each city has its own strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Accordingly, problem faced by any city cannot be viewed, dissected, analyzed and enumerated, while sitting within the four walls of the air-conditioned rooms and by the so called intellectual sitting in the so called offices determining the future of cities and towns. Neither the cities can be made more rational by limited knowledge agencies providing consultancy to cities , states and nations.
For realistically and rationally understanding, analyzing the cities and having simple, cost-effective and quality solutions to the problems and challenges faced , Cities have to be walked through and concerns of the various communities have to be properly understood and appreciated.
Prime reason for inability and lack of capacity on the part of majority of physical planners, engaged in the art and science of planning, designing and developing the cities, to address the issues and challenges faced by cities , realistically and rationally, has genesis in the lack of understanding of the origin, growth and development of cities.
Lack of capacity in majority of town planners, has roots in the quality of education imparted and seriousness and commitment on the part of both teachers and taught involved. As it stands today, majority of institutions involved in imparting education in planning are being run on an ad-hoc manner and by proxy. Only few institutions have regular teachers and regular students. Majority of planning institutions are being run on proxy with proxy students and proxy teachers. Education system including curricula used for teaching, needs, review, revision and redefinition to make it more relevant to rational for addressing the issues and challenges faced by the cities and towns.
Land as a Resource for urban finanace- 24-1-23.pptJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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PPt tries to brief Land, as a gift of nature, is being grossly misused, abused , manipulated Land is globally used for providing platform for all human driven activities, based on living, working, culture of body/ mind and travel.
Limited availability, coupled with large number of human beings trying to source land, has invariably created large demand for land resource for human consumption. Land, in urban context, is required for meeting the specific needs of urban dwellers for residential, commercial, institutional, recreational, travel& traffic purposes besides providing space for infrastructures , amenities, services, trade and commerce etc. Land in urban context remains under large demand and command high price due to concentration of large population in small physical area, with stakeholders making competing claims.Rapid and uncontrolled growth in population experienced by urban areas has adversely impacted and generated considerable pressure on land resource in cities and towns , leading to large scale conversion, sub-division and illegal occupation of urban land. Unregulated and regulated pressure on land has largely been met by means of both formal/informal sub-division and development of land. Growth of the urban settlements and entire mechanism of urban planning and development remains land based/ land focused. In order to make optimum use of land resource on 24x7x365; making city planning, growth, development and management ,both rational. realistic, orderly and promoter of quality living, it will be critical and essential, that all ULBs are made to focus on eliminating culture and practices promoting un-authorized/ illegal sub-division of land for ushering an environment and era of planned urban development in the cities. Land needs to be effectively leveraged to generate resources for ULBs to make cities vibrant.
COST-EFFETIVE and Energy Efficient BUILDINGS ptxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Built environment is known for its capacity, capability, role, relevance and importance to change the quality of life of the occupants and communities. Presentation focuses on options which need to be leveraged to make buildings sustainable, cost-effective, energy efficient, resource efficient, qualitative over its entire life-cycle through designing, construction, operation. It calls for making buildings green and sustainable.
Making Buildings cost-effective , Energy Efficient ptxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Presentation focuses on options which need to be leveraged to make buildings sustainable, cost-effective, energy efficient, resource efficient, qualitative over its entire life-cycle
Ppt briefs about role, relevance, importance of the rating systems applicable in India, criteria used in assessing
greeness, weightage allocated, , brief of how these rating systems are applied, parameters involved; weightage granted, levels of rating granted , incentives given by states for green rated buildings and brief of suggestions, how to make rating system more effective, efficient, objective and transparent.
The phenomenon of global warming remains more pronounced in the urban areas, for the reason cities house large concentration of people and activities in a small/compact urban space.Densely-built downtown areas tend to be warmer than suburban residential areas or rural areas.. UHI not only raises urban temperatures but also increases ozone concentrations because ozone is a greenhouse gas whose formation will accelerate with the temperature. Tokyo, an example of an urban heat island. Normal temperatures of Tokyo go up higher than those of the surrounding area. However, it needs to be understood and appreciated that climate change is not the cause of urban heat islands but it is causing more frequent and more intense heat waves which in turn amplify the urban heat island effect in cities. Major reasons for ever growing global warming and climate change can be attributed to the; Nature and natural; Human-Driven; population; Rapid Urbanisation; Irrational Urban planning; High Density; Inefficient Transportation ;Large generation/consumption of fossil fuel based Energy; Unsustainable Buildings; Polluting Industry & Manufacturing; Unsustainable Agriculture; Irrational Development; Large scale Deforestation; Lack of open spaces and individual life-choices;
Making and Unmaking of Chandigarh - A City of Two Plans2-4-24.pptJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Presentation is a narrative of a
capital city- known for its innovative planning, designing, construction and management of a new capital . It briefs about the principles used in the planning and designing of city -by the first team of planners led by Albert Mayer and Mathew Nowicki-- followed by the second team led by Le- Corbusier, P Jenerette, Jane B Drew , Maxwell Fry. It also details about the various aspects of the city planning, planning of the sector as a neighbourhood, typologies of
various developmental controls used for regulating the construction of buildings. Innovations used for regulating the growth and development of periphery; redensification of city in case city exceeds its planned population of half a million, creating a narrative of city and periphery, innovative landscaping, defining an edict for the city to educate the future citizens of the capital city to safeguard the future growth and development besides lessons learnt from planning and designing the new cities.
Planning and Designing Green buildings-.issues, options and strategiesJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Affordability and sustainable development are considered anti-thesis across the world. Generally there exists conflict between the approach to sustainable built environment and affordable buildings. Sustainable development is considered more expensive. According to Middleton, âSustainability and affordability arenât mutually exclusive goals. Itâs not about adding extra, but thinking more carefully about the design of buildings and incorporating technologies that can offset the rising costs of energy, water and other services. Affordability and sustainability are known to fit together perfectlyâ.
Through excellent design, buildings can be made more sustainable and affordable. Smaller the footprint of buildings, lower will be the upfront costs and embodied energy and lower shall be the running costs of buildings. Looking at the entire context of health, rising cost of amenities/services; Sustainable/Green designs are now being increasingly adopted, to make built environment more cost-effective and affordable. Considering the enormous amount of built environment to be created, India will have no option but to tread the path of sustainability and sustainable development in the built environment. Sustainable built environment would also help in and go a long way in achieving the majority of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the reason, built environment is known to be the largest consumer of energy, avoid wasteful use of resources and minimise generation of waste. Global sustainability will be largely contingent upon how effectively and efficiently we can make our buildings sustainable and qualitative through innovative/green design solutions based on local climate and culture, valuing site planning, embedding orientation, cross ventilation, using renewable/waste materials and involving state of the art building technologies.
_Neighborhood Planning in Capital City of Chandigarh- An Appraisal (2) - Copy...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Neighborhood as an idea, concept, option and strategy has been extensively used locally and globally by the Urban Planners to plan and decentralize cities, create cities within cities, promote self-contained communities and to make cities more humane, safe and socially vibrant. Neighborhood has also been used recently to define the city in terms of travel time - making 10/15 minutes city
Accordingly, large typologies of NH ,in terms of planning and designing , with varying shapes, sizes and contents have emerged in the urban context. Americans have used superblock and French using Sector for defining the neighborhood. Despite distinct advantages, holding high degree of relevance in urban and local area planning , NH planning has not been able to deliver the envisioned objectives of safety and social vibrancy. Cities in the process have been socially, economically and physically fragmented, leading to clear division of cities into different communities with little economical and social connectivity. Variance of planning and designing norms followed at NH and sub-neighborhood levels have promoted more dichotomy and contradictions with varying quality of life inducted at local level. Differential population and infrastructures have divided the city into the categories of high/low end NH units. Fabric and morphology of cities, in large cases, has been distorted with urban settlement emerging as a distinct social map of communities graded economically and socially,on the basis of area/location . In the process, the way NH planning concept has been used, neighborhood planning has emerged as an instrument of social and economic segregation/division. In fact in number of cases, concept has been used, misused, abused in intent and content to divide the cities into distinct social and economic layers. Instead of unifying , concept has led to division of cities.
Genesis of modern application of NH can be found in the planning and designing of Chandigarh where entire city fabric of capital city was woven around Sector as the basic unit of planning, concptulasied as self-contained and self-sustaining unit at the local level. However, the way sectors have been planned, it has led to dividing the cities into different and distinct communities. Individual status in Chandigarh can be judged from his/her residence. Concept of Sector has done more damage than good to the fabric of the city. Chandigarh is likely to face considerable problem in making city socially and economically cohesive/vibrant,. Sectors in Chandigarh remain anti-thesis to the basic concept of NH planning of safety, involving walkability, vehicular movement, putting commercial space in the centre. Considering role, relevance, importance and usability , NH needs to be planned, designed with care and caution, in order to make cities socially and economically vibrant, inclusive. NH planning deserves a new definition and approach to make it relevant and rational.
Reviewing, Revising and Redefining Master Plans and Development Plans to Ma...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Looking at its efficacy and efficiency, it can be seen and observed that Master Plans/ Development Plans have done more damage than good for the planned growth and development of the cities to which they have been made applicable. These plans have been violated with impunity both by the people, communities, cities and parastatal agencies; for the betterment/welfare of which these plans were prepared. These plans have been visualized as controller of development rather than promoters of development. Instead of planned development , these plans have been usherers of the unplanned development. These plans are known to be responsible for promoting large number of slums besides making quality of life poor for majority of the urban inhabitants. Cities under Master Plans are also known to promote exclusion rather than inclusion. Master Plans/Development Plans are known to promote prosperity for few and marginalize the large proportions of the local community by making them poor. Instead of catering to urban dynamism, Master Plans/Development Plans try to freeze the city, for next two decades, to which it is made to serve. Accordingly, these plans need to be reviewed , rationalised, revised and redefined to make them better Master Plans/Development Plans
Rationalizing the Planned Growth of Urban India- paper.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Rapid and uncontrolled growth in population experienced by urban areas has adversely impacted and generated considerable pressure on land resource in cities and towns , leading to large scale conversion, sub-division and illegal occupation of urban land. Unregulated and regulated pressure on land has largely been met by means of both formal/informal sub-division and development of land. Growth of the urban settlements and entire mechanism of urban planning and development remains land based/ land focused, based on a strategy of sub-division of the land, dictated by the economic forces prevailing in the market. Irrational and ineffective public policies of urban planning and land sub-division, devoid of prevailing ground realities, have turned out to be incompatible with the demands of urban expansion, leading to large scale un-authorized and illegal sub-division of land. In the process, valuable land resources, gift of nature, has been misused, abused and mutilated in this race of uncontrolled and irrational urbanisation. In order to make optimum use of land resource; making city planning, growth, development and management ,both rational. realistic, orderly and promoter of quality living, it will be critical and essential, that all urban centres are made to focus on eliminating the culture and practices promoting un-authorized/illegal sub-division of land for ushering an environment and era of planned urban development in the country.
Suggestion and Options for integrating villages. within the framework of the...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Preparing Master Plans/Development Plans for any urban settlements, basically and essentially, involves declaring a planning area for which the said long term plans are prepared. Planning area invariably includes and involves, number of rural settlements, which comprise of the planning area besides the urban settlement. It has been observed that in majority of cases, while detailed studies and analysis are carried out of the urban settlements but villages in the study and analysis remain marginalized, diluted and muted. Despite the fact, villages have critical role in the rational development of the urban settlement, but in preparing Master Plans their role and relevance is not made part of the said plan. Accordingly, this text tries to bring out the typologies of villages falling in the planning area and the suggested framework to develop these villages in making Master Plans, better Master Plan. In order to improve Master Plan qualitatively, quantitively, both in intent, contents and scope, It will be appropriate that all the villages falling in the planning area must be studied , analyzed and made integral part of the final outcome of the proposals of Master Plan. In-fact one Chapter must be exclusively dedicated to detail out the issues faced by the Villages and options which can be leveraged to promote the rational growth of villages ,as an integral part of the long term development of the urban settlement , for which the Master Plan is being prepared. This will help not only in integrating the urban- rural settlements falling in the planning area, but would also go a long way in promoting and ensuring rational growth and development of the urban settlement, for which the Master Plan is being prepared.
Making cities Climate Responsive and SustainableJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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âDecarbonizationâ of cities ,as an issue ,as an option and as a strategy , has been gaining currency in the parlance of; making planet earth livable and sustainable. âDecarbonization has been globally valued for keeping the global temperature below 1.5C, and achieving the agenda and goals defined in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, defined by UN for achieving universal sustainability. Despite distinct role and relevance, criticality and importance of decarbonization of cities has neither been properly understood and appreciated nor made integral part of the architectural practice and art and science of designing and construction of buildings. Consuming one -third of global energy (33%) and generating 39% of greenhouse gas emissions buildings have been considered as the major player in the domain of climate change and global warming. Since Architects and Architecture are
actively involved in the making and unmaking of buildings, accordingly it becomes important that planners and architects must play a significant role in making
cities and buildings least consumers of energy and generators of the minimum greenhouse gas emissions. This objective can be achieved if decarbonizing cities/buildings is made a distinct reality . Issue of decarbonizing the cities/buildings assumes importance for the reason, that worldâs building floorspace is likely to be become double by the year 2060, with the addition of large number of newcities/ buildings due to rapid urbanization, population growth and economic development ; required for catering to
to the needs of additional population opting for urban living.
Managing Planning and Development of Citie- 26-2-24.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Cities in India are known to be in perpetual crisis; facing numerous crises in terms of; crisis of rational growth, crisis of orderly and planned development; crisis of effective and efficient urban management; crisis of making provision of basic infrastructure and services; crisis of climate change; crisis of global warming; crisis of poverty, pollution and population and crisis of making human living and prevailing environment qualitative. These urban crises have genesis in the fact that cities in India, lack ownership, command, authority and lack of willingness to run and manage cities professionally and objectively. In majority of cases, cities in India are run by proxy. In terms of physical growth and development; large cities are marked by multiplicity of agencies claiming right/ownership of development over the urban areas, whereas smaller cities face absence of such ownership and are made to run, operate and function like orphans
Agenda, Approach and Options for Rationalising and Redefining Future Indian ...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Government of India/state policies, programs, mission and agenda must move providing basic essentials to all its citizens through an efficient, objective and transparent system of governance. For making cities livable and empowering people; right to basics/essential of human living including; Right to shelter, food, clothing universal access to healthcare, education, employment , infrastructures, amenities and mobility; should be made integral part of Indian Constitution by embedding it as Fundamental Rights/Directive Principles of state policy besides making them integral part of planning, development and management/governance process of all human settlements.
-Redefining and Rationalising Development Controls - Copy.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
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Globally recognised as engines of physical, social , economic growth and development, cities have been valued to be the future of humanity and communities. Housing major proportion of population, generating large employment; making major contribution to the economy; and providing quality infrastructure besides supporting and innovating state of art technologies, cities remain relevant and important for defining the agenda for growth and development of any state and communities. However, despite having large number of positivities; cities are also known for its dualities, contradictions, positivities and negativities. If cities have been promoting prosperity, they have also been at the forefront of promoting poverty, pollution, unplanned, haphazard, sub-standard development, climate change and global warming. Looking holistically, problems related to climate change , global warming and rising carbon footprints, environment and bio-diversity, can be largely attributed to the manner in which cities are being planned , manage and governed and buildings are being designed, constructed and operated. In the process, cities, as manmade entities, are fast emerging as embodiment of unplanned , haphazard and sub-standard development.
Globally ,it has been recognised that majority of urban ills have genesis in the typologies of Development Controls , made applicable at the local level for regulating the sub-division of land, determining land uses ; planning of the cities and designing, construction and operation of the built environment. In order to promote planned development, cities have been trying to experiment, invent, revise, review and rationalise the Development Controls periodically.
Capital cities like Chandigarh have clearly demonstrated the role and relevance of Development Controls in ushering an era of state of art urban development and creating quality-built environment. Chandigarh has also showcased that if Development Controls are not reviewed and revised periodically, they can prove to counter- productive and become a perpetual liability for the city and its development.
Considering the role , relevance and importance of Development Controls in making urban development rational and sustainable, there is an urgent tp look critically, objectively and holistically, at the context, genesis, intent and contents of different Development Controls made applicable in the urban settings in general and Capital city of Chandigarh in particular.
Providing a rational, realistic, effective and efficient framework for making Development Controls, more transparent, objective, community focussed, effective , efficient, rational and productive will remain critical to promote planned development and make cities more sustainable and better place to live and work.
Expert Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Drafting ServicesResDraft
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Whether youâre looking to create a guest house, a rental unit, or a private retreat, our experienced team will design a space that complements your existing home and maximizes your investment. We provide personalized, comprehensive expert accessory dwelling unit (ADU)drafting solutions tailored to your needs, ensuring a seamless process from concept to completion.
Between Filth and Fortune- Urban Cattle Foraging Realities by Devi S Nair, An...Mansi Shah
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This study examines cattle rearing in urban and rural settings, focusing on milk production and consumption. By exploring a case in Ahmedabad, it highlights the challenges and processes in dairy farming across different environments, emphasising the need for sustainable practices and the essential role of milk in daily consumption.
Transforming Brand Perception and Boosting Profitabilityaaryangarg12
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In today's digital era, the dynamics of brand perception, consumer behavior, and profitability have been profoundly reshaped by the synergy of branding, social media, and website design. This research paper investigates the transformative power of these elements in influencing how individuals perceive brands and products and how this transformation can be harnessed to drive sales and profitability for businesses.
Through an exploration of brand psychology and consumer behavior, this study sheds light on the intricate ways in which effective branding strategies, strategic social media engagement, and user-centric website design contribute to altering consumers' perceptions. We delve into the principles that underlie successful brand transformations, examining how visual identity, messaging, and storytelling can captivate and resonate with target audiences.
Methodologically, this research employs a comprehensive approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses. Real-world case studies illustrate the impact of branding, social media campaigns, and website redesigns on consumer perception, sales figures, and profitability. We assess the various metrics, including brand awareness, customer engagement, conversion rates, and revenue growth, to measure the effectiveness of these strategies.
The results underscore the pivotal role of cohesive branding, social media influence, and website usability in shaping positive brand perceptions, influencing consumer decisions, and ultimately bolstering sales and profitability. This paper provides actionable insights and strategic recommendations for businesses seeking to leverage branding, social media, and website design as potent tools to enhance their market position and financial success.
Book Formatting: Quality Control Checks for DesignersConfidence Ago
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This presentation was made to help designers who work in publishing houses or format books for printing ensure quality.
Quality control is vital to every industry. This is why every department in a company need create a method they use in ensuring quality. This, perhaps, will not only improve the quality of products and bring errors to the barest minimum, but take it to a near perfect finish.
It is beyond a moot point that a good book will somewhat be judged by its cover, but the content of the book remains king. No matter how beautiful the cover, if the quality of writing or presentation is off, that will be a reason for readers not to come back to the book or recommend it.
So, this presentation points designers to some important things that may be missed by an editor that they could eventually discover and call the attention of the editor.
Top 5 Indian Style Modular Kitchen DesignsFinzo Kitchens
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Get the perfect modular kitchen in Gurgaon at Finzo! We offer high-quality, custom-designed kitchens at the best prices. Wardrobes and home & office furniture are also available. Free consultation! Best Quality Luxury Modular kitchen in Gurgaon available at best price. All types of Modular Kitchens are available U Shaped Modular kitchens, L Shaped Modular Kitchen, G Shaped Modular Kitchens, Inline Modular Kitchens and Italian Modular Kitchen.
1. PLANNING GREEN SMART CITIES
* Jit Kumar Gupta
Introduction
Cities are known to be the most innovative and complex creation of human beings. They have
showcased the journey, achievements, rise and fall of homo-sapiens on this earth. Accordingly, they
have been integral part of human history. Cities have existed in the past and shall continue to exist,
define, script and showcase the unending story of human growth and development. The unending
journey undertaken by cities is now treading on a fast pace of development in a territory, which is both
unknown and difficult to define. Three major developments define the contemporary Urban world,
which have their genesis in growth in size, number and spread of human settlements; increase in the
proportion of population that lives in urban centres and transformation of the society based on large
proportion of population making urban centres as place of residence besides following a pattern of life
which has its origin and character in urban environment. Combination of these three major
developments has created a system which is both powerful, deep seated and self- reinforcing. It has
rapidly changed the spatial organization and economy, which has impacted both local and global
environment.
Cities, as economic and social system in space, dominate the global canvas not only in terms of
concentration of population but also concentration of Industry besides being principle centers of
economy and polity; large consumer markets and highly trained workforce. Accordingly, they
represent most viable and suitable places with significant, social and economic achievements. As
engines of economic growth, cities are known to be creators of wealth, generators of employment and
promoters of economy and prosperity. Cities have been centres of innovations and trade &
commerce. They have always attracted people in large number to its fold to provide them immense
opportunities of growth, achievement and development through skill and entrepreneurship. They also
offer optimum location for services and facilities, which require large population threshold and markets
for its operational efficiency. Despite housing large population at higher densities and adverse living
conditions, cities are known to offer opportunities and quality of life better than its rural counterparts.
Urbanization in India is known for its massiveness of population and spread. According to Census
2001, with level of urbanization standing at 27.7%, 278 million Indians lived in 5161 urban
agglomerations. This number increased to 377 million in 2011 with agglomerations also increasing to
7935 and level of urbanization going up to 31.1%. Last decade (2001-2011), will be known for two
reasons in the parlance of Indian demography. For the first time in the demographic history, Urban
India added more population (91 million) as compared to Rural India (90 million), putting India on the
fast trajectory of urbanization. Secondly, for the largest growth in the number of towns placed at
2774(from 5161 to 7935), with almost entire increase recorded in the category of census towns
(2532). Statutory towns increased by merely 242, accounting for only 9% of the increase in total
number of towns. Based on massive differential between urban and rural growth rate (2.1% against
0.7%), by 2030, out of projected population of 1.4 billion over 600 million people may be living in
2. urban areas and number of urban dwellers will share parity with rural population by 2050 AD. Next
four decades are likely to witness enormous growth in terms of numbers of urban centres, their size
and population. As per estimates made in World Urbanization Prospects âThe 2014 Revision Report
of Department of Economic and Social Affairs , United Nations, India by 2030 will have 7 Metro cities
with population exceeding 10 million and 2 cities of population above 5 million. It is also estimated
that by 2050 AD number of Metro Cities will go beyond 100 and 10 million plus cities will be 9 with
Delhi becoming second most populated agglomeration in the world. In the given context urban
centres are likely to emerge as major settlements, housing large proportion of Indian population.
Urban India besides housing large population concentrated in a limited area, will also make sizeable
contribution to the national and global economy.
McKinsey Global Report-April,2010 titled ,âIndia Urban Awakening :Building Inclusive Cities- projects
the Urban scenario of India by 2030 in terms of :
īˇ 590 million Indians would be living in Urban India- twice the present US population
īˇ 70% of Indiaâs GDP will be generated by cities
īˇ 80% Revenue will be contributed by cities
īˇ Urban India will ensure 4 fold increase in per capita income
īˇ 5 times the number by which GDP would multiply
īˇ Net increase in working age group in Urban India will be of the order of 270 million
īˇ 70% of new jobs (170 mil) will be generated in cities
īˇ 91 million urban households will join the elite middle class(income ranging between 2-10 lakhs per
annum)-- up from 22 million
īˇ 68 Cities will join the select band of Metropolises-Europe has only 35 metropolises at present.
īˇ $ 1.2T capital will be needed to meet projected demand of infrastructure and services in Urban
India
īˇ 700-900 million square meters ofresidential/commercial space would be needed annually to meet
the needs of living, working, leisure, trade and commerce, industries, institutions etc- a new
Chicago to be created every year.
īˇ 2.5 billions Square meters ofroads would have to be paved , 20 times the space created during last
decade, to meet the travel needs of Urban India.
īˇ 7400km (350-400km/year) of metro would need to be constructed, 20 times metros created in last
decade, to meet the mass transportation needs in urban areas.
īˇ 200 million Rural Indians living close to top 70 cities of the country would benefit from the
prosperity, employment and wealth generated by Urban India.
īˇ 75% of urban India would be living in bottom segment with earnings placed at Rs 80 per day.
With highly positive correlation between urbanization and GDP, it can be safely visualized that
urban centres will be major drivers of Indian economy and story-writers of its growth and
development. This calls for critically and objectively looking at the urban centres in terms of their
pattern of growth and development and evolving strategies which make them more productive,
smart, efficient, healthy and sustainable.
3. ISSUES & OPTIONS
UN Habitat Report, State of Worldâs Cities 2008/2009- Harmonius Cities, defines the cities in their
basic character and growth pattern in terms of:
Cities contain both order and chaos. In them reside beauty and ugliness, virtue and vice. They can
bring out the best or the worst in humankind. They are the physical manifestation of history and
culture and incubators of innovations, industry, technology, entrepreneurship and creativity. Cities are
the materialization of humanityâs noblest ideas, ambitions and aspirations, but when not planned or
governed properly, can be the repository of societyâs ills. Cities drive national economies by creating
wealth, enhancing social development and providing employment but they can also be the breeding
grounds for poverty, exclusion and environmental degradation.
Indian cities are no different from the global pattern defined above. Indian urbanization is
distinguished by dualities and contradictions where growth and development is marked by deprivation
and opulence. Despite showcasing distinct advantages and critical role, urban centres have not been
growing in a planned and rational manner. Emerging urban scenario on Indian canvas portrays large
number of slums over-shadowing the city growth; where slums and state-of-the-art buildings are
rubbing shoulders; where poverty and prosperity compete with one-another; where unplanned
development has emerged as the order of the day; where informal sector govern the growth and
development of cities and where basic amenities and services are eluding the majority of urban
residents. Majority of urban centres continue to face problems of acute housing shortage and rapid
uncontrolled growth resulting into haphazard expansion with sub-standard infrastructure, adversely
impacting the quality of life of majority of urban residents. The existing inadequacies have resulted
into inefficient traffic and transportation besides uncontrolled rapid growth and proliferation of informal
sector. Poverty and environment have emerged as the major issues and greatest threat to the urban
dynamism. In addition, urban centres are fast emerging as large consumers of non-renewal resources
and energy, adversely impacting the sustainability, both at local and global level. They are also
generating enormous amount of waste which is grossly polluting water, air and land based necessities
essential for human existence, growth, development and survival.
Looking at the entire context, Indian urbanization can be called a urbanization of poverty, urbanization
of population and urbanization of pollution, marked by large concentration of people in a small area.
Rapid growth of urban poverty; inadequate and inefficient state of service provision and delivery;
unregulated expansion and large scale pollution have emerged as some of the major concerns of
urban growth and development and have made the Indian cities most un-harmonious. The present
state of affairs of urban sector can be largely attributed to the way majority of urban centres are being
planned, developed, managed and governed. In the Indian context, urban planning mechanism
remains both diluted and confused.. Plans for the city are prepared by agencies which are not based
at the local level and have very little knowledge and understanding of the local problems, potential
and aspirations of the local people.. Most of these plans are prepared without adopting any
consultative process. Where adopted it is limited to few elites, with the result city plans excludes
majority of residents to whom the entire process is supposed to serve and promote. There is lack of
clarity as to who would be responsible for promoting planned development of urban centres. Despite
4. the fact 74th Amendment Act came into operation in 1992, still the subject matter of urban planning
has not been handed over to the urban local bodies. Being a state subject, each state has its own
agenda and pattern for urban planning. In most of the cases, there exist large number of state/ local
level agencies operating in the domain of urban planning at local level to the exclusion of urban local
bodies. In this scenario of duplication and overlap, planned growth of cities has emerged as the major
casualty. In addition to planning, urban governance is conspicuously ineffective and resultantly
inefficient. Most of the urban centres are being managed and developed by proxy. There exists no
single agency which has the power to direct the growth and development of the city in an integrated
manner. In the process ,urban areas are unable to meet the basic needs of shelter with the result
majority of urban poor which migrate to the cities have no option but to find/ create make shift shelter
while encroaching on every possible available derelict public/private land. The resultant rapid growth
of slums in the city indicates the exclusion of majority of urban residents from the formal process of
creating shelter. In addition, majority of cities are not in a position to provide basic and essential
services of water, sanitation, sullage, transportation, accessibility, power etc to majority of its
residents, creating adverse and inhuman living conditions and poor quality of life for urban poor. This
makes cities highly inefficient, unproductive, unsustainable, exclusive and discriminatory.
In order to leverage the inherent potential of urban centres and make city growth & development
rational and inclusive, it becomes critical that urban centres are effectively and efficiently governed
through a well defined and innovative system of planning and development. Effective, efficient and
people centric urban governance can be put on professional pedestal only through the mechanism of
participatory planned development. In this context, role of physical planners and planning profession
assumes critical importance to usher an era of high quality of urban planning and governance . For
promoting state of art planned development, Government of India has now come out with the agenda
of planning smart cities. Initially government plans to develop 100 cities in the country under the
scheme, for which dedicated funds to the tune of Rs 7000 crores have also been provided. Scheme
envisions developing one satellite town for each mega cities above 4 million population, all 1-4 million
population cities, all state capital cities including North- Eastern states, 20 cities which have
population in the range of 0.2 to 1 million and some cities of tourist and heritage importance. In
addition, some new towns would be developed in the Hills and Coastal areas with no population
threshold. In Search for appropriate solutions, paper looks at the various options and strategies
which can go into the making and planning of Smart Cities in the Indian context.
DEFINING SMART CITIES
Smart cities is not a new concept. The concept has been used globally in the past to promote cities
to make them more liveable, have major concerns for urban ills pertaining to energy consumption,
adverse quality of life, poor governance , poverty, transportation hiccups, environment, resources,
sustainability , lack of basic services, poor service delivery etc, using technology as the basic input.
Accordingly, the term has been defined differently by different people keeping in view the basic and
essential needs of the city and available technology.
5. A smart city is typically defined asâ an environmentally conscious city that uses information technology
to use its energy and other resources efficientlyâ. Another definition refers, Smart city in relation to
creation of a knowledge infrastructure. However, as per Caragliu and Nijkamp ; â A city can be defined
as âsmartâ when investments in human and social capital and traditional and modern communication
infrastructure fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with a wise
management of natural resources, through participatory action.â Forbe identified eightkey aspects that
define a Smart City:âsmart governance, smart energy, smart building, smart mobility, smart
infrastructure, smart technology,smart healthcareand smart citizenâ.
Looking at variousdefinitions, a city can be made Smart ifit is Governed Smartly, Planned Smartly,
DevelopedSmartly, Operated Smartly and Financed Smartly. This
can be achieved through a high degree ofcommitted leadership duly supported by a
well defined vision, a strategic approach, state ofart and innovative planning, high
degree ofplanning expertise, committedbureaucracy, quality development, quality
manpower, transparency in decision making, involving citizens and communities in
decision making and project planning/ implementation, optimizing resources,
creating partnerships , promoting accountability, ensuring efficient service delivery
and using technology(ICT) in day to day operations and strategic planning.
PROMOTING SMART GOVERNANCE
Urban Governance as an issue, as an option and as a strategy
to leverage the inherent potential of urban centres has been
well recognized and has assumed critical importance in the
context of ever growing role and importance of urban centres
in the overall economic growth, employment generation and
contribution such centres make to the national/state wealth.
Accordingly, good urban governance ranks high on the agenda of promoting smart cities. With urban
centres growing larger and larger, urban governance becomes critical because of the impact it has on
the life and liberty of innumerable urban dwellers. With cities becoming centres for large investments,
6. centres of large concentration of population and providers of specialized services and amenities, their
effective and efficient functioning assumes added importance.
With India following a policy of economic liberalization, globalization and deregulation, urban centres
in general and large urban centers in particular are going to attract lot of investment. Urban centers
are likely to emerge as the hub around which entire Indian economy and polity would gravitate.
Accordingly, it would be essential that appropriate and supportive environment is created in these
centres to attract investment, contribute to the national economy and wealth, provide employment,
eradicate poverty and ensure appropriate quality of life to make them more inclusive, equitable,
productive and sustainable. If urban centres have been termed as engines of economic growth, urban
governance can rightly be called wheels of such engines. Urban governance accordingly becomes
more relevant and critical, because capacity of a nation to pursue its goals of economic, physical and
social growth is contingent upon its capacity to govern its towns and cities effectively and efficiently.
Urban settlements are vital because they define the agenda for human living and working.
Accordingly, the overall objective is to improve social, economic and environmental quality of urban
settlements and the living and working environment of all people, particularly of the urban poor. Based
on this premise in 1996, the Habitat Agenda identified, adequate shelter for all and sustainable human
settlements as the international priorities. Subsequently, UN General Assembly in its special session
and World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 stressed the need for, promoting more
sustainable urbanization through better urban governance. Considering that urban planning is both
central and critical to promote better governance of urban settlements, proactive role and importance
of urban planning is accordingly stressed. Urban Planning has the capacity and capability of
promoting sustainability and leveraging planned and rational growth besides making connections
between people, economic opportunities and the environment. It also has the potential to reduce
poverty and promote quality of life for all the urban dwellers through the generation of social and
economic opportunities. Urban planning has enormous potential and capacity to usher an era of
rational growth and planned development, provide space and platform for affordable living and ensure
basic services and amenities and quality of life in urban centres to poorest of the poor to lead a
dignified life. However, urban governance in India is conspicuous by its absence. Cities, as already
stated, are being run by proxy by state and bureaucracy. If cities are to be made smart, then it will be
critical to create local leadership having vision, knowledge, expertise, capability and capacity to
launch city on the path of rational and planned development. Leadership also needs to be made
accountable to people and state for all the decisions made. Adequate framework for checks and
balances will have to be created at the local level in order to avoid misuse and abuse of power and
authority and promote accountability. State must allow and incentivize the local bodies to take up the
onus of managing cities and supporting communities to create quality leadership. In addition to
creating local leadership, it will be critical to provide quality supportive manpower at the local level
having expertise in planning, development, management and financing the urban growth. State must
create a dedicated cadre of CEOs for the cities from bureaucracy and professionals to work at the
local level to make them the city smart on the pattern adopted in Singapore.
7. PROMOTING SMART DEVELOPMENT
Looking at the existing scenario of ever increasing and all pervasive poverty; growth of slums on a
scale never known before; high degree of traffic congestion and obsolescence prevailing in urban
settlements; acute shortage of basic amenities and services in the towns and cities, haphazard and
unplanned development emerging as the accepted pattern of growth, a new regime of urban planning
emerges as the basic necessity to improve the developmental framework of urban centres and make
them smart. Urban Planning has been found to have considerable effectiveness and impact in
leveraging smart and inclusive cities through:
i) Reducing new slums formation through slum up- gradation and ensuring adequate
supply of land for development of affordable shelters in safe and accessible locations.
ii) Reducing vulnerability to natural disasters through carefully siting and planning urban
settlements and designing them as energy efficient and green settlements by addressing
key issues of climate change.
iii) Creating Environment friendly cities through adopting a new regime of transportation
based on least priority for personalized mode of transport, using more efficient and
economical city forms, making cities more compact and humane, creating sustainable
built environment besides putting in place legal and governmental systems which are
promoters of state of art planning and development besides good governance.
iv) Building sustainable economic growth based an adopting livelihood focus in the urban
planning, helping in the process reducing urban poverty and rural-urban migration by
creating appropriate level of gainful employment opportunities. Re-planning declining
cities and derelict areas and reusing/ recycling urban land leading to sustainable
economic growth and better cityscape and quality of life.
v) Creating safer and crime-free cities by adopting planning based on inclusiveness and
partnership and providing a comprehensive framework for different interest groups to
work together for a common purpose. Planned reconstruction and a governance
approach used in the post- conflict reconstruction in strife-torn cities, have been found to
be highly effective to create and promote sustainable communities.
vi) Enhancing quality of life in human settlements by addressing human, social , cultural ,
environmental and natural aspects of settlements and infrastructure through the
mechanism of urban planning, recognizing that poverty remains central to planning of
urban settlements.
vii) Generating Resources by leveraging the inherent potential and capacity of urban
centres to generate resources for development of basic infrastructure and services and
providing amenities which are critical to human sustenance, quality living and rational
growth. Planned development has capacity to usher a new era in the regime of
generating fiscal resources through the mechanism of using land as a resource , levying
development charges both internal and external, land use conversion charges, granting
8. development rights, trading floor area ratio, transfer of development rights,
accommodation reservation, granting air space/advertisement rights etc.
viii) Creating land bank in urban centres through the mechanism of framing land pooling and
distribution schemes by involving land owners as co-partners in the planning and
development process. Town Planning Scheme in Gujarat and Maharashtra can be taken
as role-models for promoting planned development and creating land banks for providing
housing for the poor and laying down road network beside creating open spaces and
institutional sites and generating resources for physical, social, hard and soft
infrastructures.
RE-INVENTING SMART PLANNING
Promoting planned development and
involving Town Planners have amply
demonstrated that good urban planning can
lead to good urbanism and usher a new era
of quality living, better community life and
good governance. Areas developed under
mechanism of planning have clearly shown
that they offer better quality of life and
environment as compared to un- planned parcels. Chandigarh, New Delhi, Gandhinagar,
Bubhaneshwar, Manesar, Gurgaon, Noida, Panchkula, Mohali etc. are few examples of planned
development which have amply demonstrated the effectiveness of urban planning. Master Plans
and Development Plans prepared for various cities have considerably redefined the destiny of
existing towns and cities and have put them on the path of rational growth and development.
Building Bye-laws and Zoning Regulations/Development Control Regulations have also helped in
promoting rational use of land and enabled construction of buildings which meet the basic
requirement of quality living besides ensuring air, light and ventilation within the buildings.
However, despite numerous efforts made, inherent, potential/strength and genesis of art and
science of planned development has not been fully appreciated and put in operation in leveraging
the smart growth and development of urban centres. Most of the sufferings, maladies and poor
quality of life prevailing in Indian cities have their roots and genesis in the gross neglect of urban
planning. Urban planning remains central and critical to promote smart cities and this fact must
be duly acknowledged, appreciated and accepted. No city can be made smart unless it is backed
and supported by a comprehensive, integrated, innovative, state of art, effective and efficient
mechanism of urban planning.
However, in order to make urban planning supportive of Smart cities, we have to look for new
innovative and better options and put in place a new planning regime in operation considering the
pattern of yrban growth and urban dynamism. It needs to be appreciated that present form and
pattern of physical planning and town planning will not be able to meet effectively challenges of
9. 21st century in terms of rapid and massive urbanization of population, urbanization of poverty,
urbanization of pollution, environment, ecology and natural disasters. Planners need to revisit
their planning tools, planning processes and planning options/ strategies in the changed context.
They need to be made more innovative, responsive, flexible, effective and efficient in order to
meet the emerging urban dynamism and challenges.
Master Plans /Development Plans have been
extensively used by urban planners to usher an
era of planned development and redefine future
growth pattern of the cities. But in practice, these
plans have emerged as the major roadblocks in
the planned growth and development of the
cities. Master Plans have been known to be
rigid, consumers of enormous time and
resources, based purely on land use, addressing
merely physical/technical issues, difficult to interpret etc. In the process, Master Plans have put
the planning process on the back foot with planning chasing the city growth and development.
With considerable time taken for preparation, approvals and following detailed and cumbersome
procedural/legal requirements, cities continue to grow in the absence of the planning framework in
an illegal manner, with the result majority of Master Plan proposals become obsolete, outdated
and accordingly non-implementable. Rigidly defined Land Use and Development Control
Regulations often fall under public criticism, resulting in more violations than compliance.
Agencies involved in planning are invariably far removed from ground realities, cities and citizens
leading to formation of non-realistic proposals. Agencies involved in implementation lack technical
expertise and financial resources for effective implementation. The existing administrative and
financial capacity and dichotomy in planning besides lack of will and absence of dedicated
agency , has led to non-implementation of Master Plans. This calls for re-looking at the intent,
content and scope of Master plans which need to be redefined for bringing in more flexibility,
making them less consumers of time and manpower in their preparation , for imparting required
level of dynamism to meet the emerging needs of the cities and making them user friendly and
promoters rather than controller of development. Mechanism of preparing the Master Plans
should be able to create local ownership leading to its effective implementation. This would call
for a new regime and order of planning to be put in place for preparing better Master Plans by
involving all the stakeholders in a transparent and objective manner to ensure better quality of
planned/smart development of cities.
Planning approach to smart cities should invariably be based on looking at cities both inward
and outward. Since cities do not exist in isolation in space and have high degree of connectivity
with surrounding areas/settlements, accordingly most efficient cities in the world have adopted
Regional perspective and not just looking at cities growth. The Regional approach/model has
helped them in minimizing local competition and conflicts, over/under investment in infrastructure
10. and overcoming confusion over role and responsibilities of various agencies. In the process, it has
promoted co-operation, growth of not only of the city but of the region. Bringing flexibility in
planning will be critical to promote smart cities in order to enable cities effectively meet and cater
to the urban dynamism. Master plans will have to be prepared in a manner that they serve as a
framework into which local projects can be fitted. Accordingly, Master Plans will have to be
reshaped as guide to evaluate and assess the new proposals in a rational manner keeping in
view the basic objectives and vision of city growth and development. The master plans will not be
merely land use plans which define the city once for all for next two decades but will be made as
documents which evolve along the cityâs changing needs and aspirations. However, flexibility
requires great deal of skill and innovations. Cities that have made a mark in urban planning have
put in place a multi-disciplinary planning department to do justice to the planned growth. Critical
for making planning process promoter of the smart cities will be to make the process both
inclusive and participatory .This would basically involve making planning a collaborative effort
between parties an stakeholders and not dictated by any authority. Such a process shall be based
on an intermix of top down and bottom up approach involving people, communities, NGOs, CBOs,
voluntary organizations and local authorities.
REDEFINING LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Scope, intent and content of Legal framework guiding the planning profession and practice also
needs to be, critically and objectively, relooked in order to make it supportive of the new planning
goals and smart cities. Legal frameworks needs to be simplified and redefined to provide
numerous options to planners to bring flexibility into the planning and development mechanism,
minimize the time frame for plan preparation, plan approvals and plan implementation. Multiplicity
of planning laws needs to be avoided with unified and comprehensive legal framework put in
place. Multiplicity of agencies created to regulate planning, growth and development of urban
centres also need to be avoided and rationalized in the legal framework. Building bye-laws need
to be reframed in order to make them promoters and supportive of quality development. Existing
laws have done more damage than good and have emerged as major roadblocks in the
promoting construction of state of art, energy efficient and sustainable buildings. Building bye-
laws need to be simplified and made user-friendly and promoter of better quality and safer built
environment.
REDEFINING PLANNING EDUCATION
Framework of Planning education also needs to be relooked, in terms of its contents, intent and
syllabi with its contours redefined to make it supportive of new regime of planning practices,
planning profession and creating smart cities. New subjects need to be included in the curricula to
meet emerging challenges of urbanization. Planning education should be able to contribute in
producing better Town Planners equipped with appropriate capacity and capability of
understanding and appreciating ground realities and emerging urban challenges. They should be
capable enough to put in place innovative strategies and options which would promote state of art
development of cities . New breed of Planners should be able to underline and understand the
needs, aspirations and requirements of urban settlements/local residents and address them
11. effectively. They should also be able to visualize and quantify the emerging challenges/threats to
urban centres and evolve policy options for meeting those challenges/threats effectively. Planners
must be able to redefine the agenda for futuristic vision and development for the smart cities
based on in-depth study and analysis of the strength and weaknesses of the city through a SWOT
analysis. Urban governance should be made integral part of the planning education in order to
enable the planners appreciate and understand the underpinnings and genesis of planning and
governance besides their inter-relationship and integration. They must be made aware about the
best practices in urban planning, development and management, being practiced and made
operational globally, in the realm of developing state of art /smart cities.
Unfortunately, research and development is totally missing in the field of urban planning which
has led to the decay of the planning profession and its getting outdated within a short time span.
Continued and dedicated research and development will hold the key to urban planning to
innovate, to evolve new models, strategies and options in order to make urban planning effective,
efficient and productive in the area of planning smart cities. In addition, it will be important that
well resourced planning organizations are created at the local, regional and state level. The
agencies must be fully equipped to innovate with latest planning options, technologies/ models in
order to answer any challenge posed by fast changing urban world. All Planning and
Development Authority must have R & D cells as integral part of planning departments to
undertake the task of research and development. Dedicated and exclusive funds must be
allocated for research and development in the budget of such agencies which can be used by
research agencies/ planning schools, based on specific proposals/projects submitted.
Urban planning in India has largely suffered due to prevailing acute shortage of quality trained
planning professionals. In order to build large reservoir of qualified urban planners, it will be desirable
to create 6 to 8 world class planning institutes on the pattern of Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs)
to train 3000 to 4000 planners annually. In addition, all existing planning schools must be upgraded
and strengthened with dedicated allocation and induction of additional resources/manpower on
continued basis, to enable them to improve quality of the planning profession and professionals.
These schools should also be asked to run dedicated short term courses on regular basis for the in-
service professionals working in the state governments/ urban local bodies, in order to make them
aware of the latest innovations and best practices being used in the field of urban planning,
development and management. This would help in bridging the ever widening gap between demand
and supply of trained planners in the country. For improving the quality of planning education, it will be
critical to grant autonomy to the institutes/ schools from Engineering institutions. However, active co-
operation and collaboration of Planning, Architecture, Engineering, Law, Revenue and Management
institutions must be essential for promoting value addition to the planning education.
12. PLANNING SMART/SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
Cities are known to contribute 70% of green house gasses with majority of contribution coming from
transportation and buildings. With traditional fuels, transportation sector alone contributes 45% of all
total carbon emissions. Challenges posed by transportation sector accordingly remain daunting and
formidable in creating smart cities. To overcome these challenges options would clearly hinge on
promoting sustainability of urban transport in order to make cities cleaner, greener and smarter.
Promoting Sustainable urban transport would accordingly form integral and essential part of any
strategy to promote Smart Cities. Smart cities would have different order of priority for transportation
led by pedestrianization, cycling , public transport with least priority going to personal transport. Smart
cities will be planned with priority for people and not for vehicles. In smart cities sustainable transport
would essentially call for minimizing use of personalized vehicles; promoting non- mechanized/ non-
fuel based options for travel; using public transport with large
capacity run essentials on non-polluting fuels /electricity;
using state of art technology making vehicles zero-emission;
making cities more compact to limit the need of mechanized
travel; using land use planning to rationalize the travel pattern
etc. It would also involve use of information technologies as
one of the mechanism to reduce travel by using homes as
offices, schools, libraries etc. Use of multi-storied buildings
for making cities more compact can also be considered as a
distinct option for minimizing travel needs of the city.
Draft Concept note evolved by the Ministry of Urban Development for the Smart Cities have defined
the transportation parameters for a smart city in terms of maximum travel time of 30 minutes in small
& medium size cities and 45 minutes in metropolitan areas; creating continuous unobstructed footpath
of minimum 2m wide on either side of all street with right of way of 12m or more; dedicated and
physically segregated bicycle tracks with a width of 2m or more, one in each direction, provided on all
streets with carriageway larger than 10m ;high quality and high frequency mass transport within 800m
(10-15 minute walking distance) of all residences in areas over 175 persons / ha of built Area; access
to para-transit within 300m walking distance.
However, creating sustainable urban transport would require a multi- pronged strategy based on
leveraging the advantages of all modes of travel, involving communities and stakeholders besides
professionals engaged in urban/transport planning, development and management. Increased use of
environmentally- friendly public transport systems and halting of urban sprawl in cities can
substantially reduce emissions and make cities cleaner, greener, smarter and sustainable. Our
capacity to create sustainable urban transport, through state of art cleaner and greener technologies
with innovative city planning, development and management would hold the key to the productivity,
economy, quality of life, sustainability and operational efficiency of human settlements and make
cities smart.
13. LEVERAGING SMART TECHNOLOGY
Smart cities, besides being smart will also have to be intelligent. They will have to be user-friendly and
supporters of higher order of quality of life. Accordingly, technology will form integral part of these
cities, which will be used extensively in planning, development, management and day to day
operations of such cities. Use of innovative/smart technology will promote operational efficiency,
bring economy, efficiency in service delivery and promote high degree of urban governance. Globally,
cities are extensively using Information Communication Technology (ICT) to promote good
governance, bringing transparency in decision making and involving communities and residents in
planning and decision making. ICT is also used to reduce/bridging gap between people aspiration and
administrative decision making. ICT has critical role in rationalizing traffic and transportation, reducing
congestion, creating awareness among road users, informing drivers about the state of traffic and
helping them to plan their journeys taking least congested path, helping in reducing clogging of
junctions and reducing pollution and green house gas emissions. Monitoring of service delivery and
plugging leakage in services have been checked effectively with the use of ICT. Technology has also
been used to generate enormous data regarding city, its growth, development and operations which
serves as a valuable base/input for rational decision making. Intelligent systems have been used to
integrate data generated by different sources in the organization at the city level and to bring high
degree of integration among the working of the various departments within the organization. Many
cities have created interactive portals to provide information and promote connectivity with people and
for addressing their grievances. Dimming/ switching street lights automatically by using real time data
to save 30% on energy cost; using cameras at cross-sections to optimise traffic lights, cut travel
times while reducing air pollution and cost of tackling it ; using One Map, an online portal, enabling
government, business, organisations and residents to access geo-spatial data ; using digital
applications to register concern about streets that require cleaning and potholes that need repair ;
posting information online about pending changes to land use plan; sharing data suggesting best
bus route for any journey in the city ; engaging citizens as active partners in planning and
development process; providing drivers with real- time traffic information to avoid congested roads
and city authorities to track traffic volumes and plan for new roads; creating worldâs first solar
powered bike lane to make cycle even greener, have been effectively used by cities of Boston,
Berlin, California, London, and Bucheon in South Korea to make them smarter and harmonious.
CONCLUSION
Approach paper to the Twelfth Five Year Plan- Faster ,Sustainable and More Inclusive Growth-
prepared by Planning Commission of India- listed six initiatives to meet the challenges of Indian
urbanization which included stepping up investment in new urban infrastructures and maintenance of
assets; strengthening urban governance; strengthening soft infrastructure; promoting long term
strategic urban planning; addressing needs of the urban poor and ensuring environmental
sustainability of urban development.
14. McKinsey & Company in its Report- How to make a city great- has outlined three pronged strategy to
make cities great places to live and work. The strategy includes, Achieving Smart Growth by
Adopting a strategic approach, Planning for a change, Integrating environmental thinking and Insisting
on opportunities for all; Doing More With Less by Assessing and managing expenses rigorously,
Exploring partnerships , Introducing accountability and Embracing technology ; Winning Support for a
Change by Crafting a personal vision, Building a high performing team ,Creating a culture of
accountability and Forging stakeholder consensus
Forbe identified eight key aspects that define a Smart City- âSmart Governance, Smart Energy,
Smart Building, Smart Mobility, Smart Infrastructure, Smart Technology, Smart Healthcare and Smart
Citizenâ.
Draft Concept Note on Smart City Scheme issued by Government of India, has identified Smart City
framework based on seven principles which include Attracting Young Wealth Creators and others;
Promoting Constant Physical Renewal; Creating Unique and Strong City Identity ; Connecting to other
Cities; Encouraging Innovative/Out of Box Thinking ; Attracting Investors and Having Strong Political
and Administrative Leaders
Looking critically and objectively at the entire context of Smart cities, it can be fairly concluded that
effective urban planning holds the key to promote Smart cities and make them a distinct reality. Lack of
serious policies to manage planned development of Urban India will jeopardize its physical , economic
and social growth. Government of India, chartering an agenda for developing 100 Smart cities is a
welcome initiative to promote state of art planning and development of urban India. Earlier initiatives like
JNNURM taken by the Government of India focused on improving basic infrastructure and addressing
poverty and issues related to shelter for the poor besides promoting urban reforms. However,
Government program of developing 100 Smart Cities encompasses the entire gamut of city planning,
development, management and operation in an integrated manner. The program would define a new
regime and agenda for urban planning based on innovations and out of box thinking. With large number
of countries, having knowledge, experience and expertise in the planning and developing smart cities,
chipping in their willingness to provide active support to program , it is hoped a new era of urban
planning will be ushered in the country. However, Indian urbanization and Indian cities are unique in
terms of its growth problems and potentials and according solutions and options for developing Smart
cities will have to be purely Indian. Options for developing green field and brown field cities will also be
different. Any attempt to implant borrowed patterns will prove to be counterproductive. Since the
program includes all the 63 mission cities in the list of 100 Smart cities, care will have to be taken that
this program does not become an extension of JNNURM. Government of India should initiate a study for
the mission cities and assess the works already carried out and evolve a strategy as to how these works
can be leveraged to promote smart cities. Since Smart cities would require an innovative and flexible
approach in planning, it will be essential that Institute of Town Planners and academic institutions
should help in redefining the planning systems which would help in planning smart cities and make them
a distinct reality. However, it must be ensured that no single approach can be universally applied to plan
smart cities. Each city being unique in terms of its growth potential, accordingly would require different
15. planning and development approach for achieving smart growth. . With urban centres holding the key,
future growth and development of the cities will be contingent largely upon the proficiency, efficacy and
efficiency of âPlanning Profession and Professionalsâ. Promoting planned development, working with all
stakeholders in a co-operative/co-ordinated /collaborative manner, offers the best option of leveraging
economic, sustainable, rational and inclusive growth of nation, state and local communities Biggest
challenge in crafting a vision, leading the cities from front and promoting smart governance at the local
level will be providing appropriate level of leadership and quality professionals. Government of India in
collaboration with state and urban local governments should work on this agenda, if the program of
creating 100 smart cities is to succeed and become a distinct reality.
BIBLOGRAPHY
īˇ Devas Nick and Rakody Carole (Ed) : Managing Fast Growing Cities.
īˇ Gupta J K :Redefining Strategies for Leveraging Urban Infrastructure Development-published
paper
īˇ McKinsey Global Institute: Indiaâs Urban Awakening: Building Inclusive Cities, Sustaining
Economic Growth, Report April, 2010.
īˇ Ministry of Urban Development ,GOI: Report on Indian Urban Infrastructure and Services March,
2011
īˇ Census of India- 2011
īˇ Indian Institute for Human Settlements Report ,November, 2011,âUrban India 2011:
īˇ Government of India, Planning Commission; Faster, Sustainable and More Inclusive Growth- An
Approach to the Twelfth Five Year Plan, October, 2011
īˇ McKinsey Global Institute : How to make a city great, Shannon Bouton and six others.
īˇ United Nations, New York : World Urbanization Prospects- The 2014 Revision, 2014
īˇ Urban News Digest, Volume III, issue 9: www.urbannewsdigest.in, November,2014
Author:
* Jit Kumar Gupta
Chief Town Planner,
Sahara Prime City Limited
# 344, Sector 40-A, Chandigarh-160036.
E.mail: jit.kumar 1944@ gmail.com