11/06/2015
Smart City - EASY TRANSIT, GREEN GOALS & A SAFE CITY
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
ConnectKaro 2015 | INDIA HABITAT CENTRE, APRIL 15 & 16, 2015
Imagine a city where you could find out the timing of the next bus or train ar riving at the nearest bus stop or Metro station using a mobile application. A city where there is more street space for pedestrians and cyclists, more green spaces, a well-connected public transport system and, above all, a safe environment, especially for women. It's what the capital is far from being.
But this is what several Indian cities may look like if the Centre's smart cities project is executed properly, say urban planners. For the ambitious project to build a hun dred smart cities, the urban development ministry has sought one lakh crore rupees. Since there is no clear definition of a smart city, experts say, there is a need to identify its key components keeping in mind the existing infrastructure.
For this, EMBARQ-WRI India (an expert group on sustainable cities) has org aniz ed CONNECTKaro 2015, a two-day seminar starting today that is supported by The Times of India. Urban planners and transport experts from across the world will deliber ate on various aspects of smart cities.
Over the years, rapid urbanization had led to unplanned growth in most cities. With limited land available for development, the biggest challenge before government agencies is its optimal utilization. For developing green spaces, housing projects and civic infrastructure, there is a need to introduce schemes like land pooling, cluster redevelopment, etc.
For example, regularization of unauthorized colonies is the biggest challenge before the Delhi government. In absence of a proper development plan, these colonies have mush roomed on private and government land over the years. In most colonies, there is no space left for development of parks and civic facilities like schools and dispensaries. Experts say the government will have to come up with a scheme to provide basic services in these colonies.
Public transport is the next big concern.The present transport infrastructure is inadequate and as a result there is high dependency on private vehicles. Experts say there is an urgent need to not only strengthen the existing transport infrastructure but also make it smart. “People will switch to public transport if they are confident that they can reach their destination on time and move around the city comfortably . For this, we not only have to strengthen the existing infrastructure but also use technology as a multiplier,“ says Amit Bhatt, director, transport, EMBARQ India.
This can be possible if government agencies ensure that transport facilities run on time and open up their data to citizens. Using technology, details of train and bus timings can be made available to people on their smartphones.The need for an effective and smart public transport system becomes even more important as private developers are racing to construct gated communities in the metropolises. For instance, there are close to 1,500 such communities planned in and around Bengaluru. Experts say these communities should be integrated within the main city and a proper transport system should be developed to discourage the use of private vehicles by residents.
Urban planners recommend more Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects wherein residential and commercial complexes are developed around main public transport stations. TOD has been incorporated in the master plan of Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Cochin and the state governments have started work on it.
Most metropolitan cities are fast becoming concrete jungles with patches of greens. Since less than 10% of road-users are car owners, experts say there is need to plan parks and other civic projects at existing parking sites.There is a need to provide more space to pedestrians and cyclists and ensure their safety.And street programmes like Raahgiri and Equal Streets will help enjoy public spaces.
