Why Shekhar Gupta should be rebutted for seeing the urban mess from a less than informed position
Romanticism is prevalent around villages. This is correct. This myth has created many problems in our models of development, land acquisition, migration and social equity. There is nothing idyllic about villages. They are often backward, cruel, medieval and inhumane. Violence abounds and the politics is regressive
Equally, the preponderance of rural representatives in our parliament, state assemblies and municipal corporations, disconnected with the principles of Urban Governance creates its own problems. They can be misled/ or persuaded by strong vested interests which do not have public interest in mind. Often Ministers in charge of urban development, see it as synonymous with large construction projects. Unfortunately, Mr. Gupta is advocating similar solutions.
Planning failures in the master plans lay inadequate focus on affordable housing and public transport, along with hurdles in legal and financial systems that promote slums. While slums cannot be reduced to zero, this large number is not a by-product of some ‘intellectual’ inadequacy but of lack of new ideas, domain knowledge and corruption in the administrative-business-political ecosystem.
If indeed the entire Mumbai project has been stalled for ‘two patches of 0.251 and 0.11 sq. meters respectively, or about four sq. feet in all’, then it is clearly silly. However, for the sake of understanding urban challenges and solutions, the question is, if a highway in the water along the coast up to Nariman Point -the only option explored by the government. Thoughtlessly attempting to increase car-based mobility serves the exact opposite purpose in some time. Do you think other options like fast hovercraft, express train link, helicopters to the airport and beyond etc. could have been explored? There are reports that population of South Bombay may be decreasing and mass mobility solutions may be needed elsewhere in that city.
Some other questions that come to mind are: Why not Improve connectivity not only to North Mumbai, but also across the water to Navi Mumbai, Alibag, etc? There is also the aesthetic factor. The saving grace and charm of Bombay is the public spaces along the sea with beautiful sunsets. Is looking at the underside of a raised highway the same?
Massive construction to solve the urban mess my help the Cement and construction industry (which may be a noble intent in itself) but does little to solve the urban crisis to house the poorer and provide transport to citizens who do not drive cars. E.g. A single car is subsidized many times over as compared to an ordinary family where is comes to use of parking space
Mr. Gupta brings up ‘unauthorised colonies in his video. In Delhi almost 60% of Its residents live in ‘unauthorised colonies’ and slums. The parliament has stopped any demolition of unauthorised constructions in Delhi. The Sealings ordered invariably get reversed due to political pressure as politicians have no choice but to protect voters’ lives & livelihoods. So, things go to worse than status quo. This is also responsible for migrant populations not diffusing into the NCR where properties lie unused. The cost of living in the illegally& highly densified East Delhi can be lower than daily life in NOIDA, Gurgaon or other towns in the NCR.
Unlike Calcutta, Mumbai, Chennai and other Cosmopolitan Centers, Delhi is a new Urban Center and unlike those cities, its land use has been in the absolute and exclusive domain of the Government. Delhi also had little legacy burden that it carries and post the Master plan of 1960s had an unlimited opportunity to develop a planned city and keep it that way. Instead the authorities have held onto land and cynically manipulated land use for political and other well-known reasons
Most of these colonies have not always encroached upon public/Govt land but are built upon land for which the DDA did not plan in public interest to allow change of land use. Even when Delhi became a full state the ownership and power to change land use remained with the Central govt and it still does. Despite a constant influx of migrants and an exploding economy the DDA failed in freeing up privately held land in the suburbs by allowing a change in land use, and at the same time held on to the land in its charge to maximise its value for high value options to enrich itself. There are legitimate reasons why officers in the DDA are constrained to maximise profit for their organisation in opposition to real public interest (E.g. Avoiding a CBI Inquiry) but the problem then is not because of activism or romanticizing of villages. The DDA has come up with complicated schemes like land pooling to enrich itself and maintain its control over land. The Master plan has been changed 100s of times causing confusion, harassment and huge corruption. DDA’s record on developing low cost housing even though vast swathes of land are held by it could have been much better.
The Central govt has failed to also ensure that its offices and housing diffuse adequately into the NCR. Instead it wants to monetise land in Delhi by converting simple dwelling unit accommodation in the 7 GPRA colonies by hyper commercialisation and multi-storeyed construction. To do this it hacked thousands of trees, violated the Delhi Master plan, and failed to look at the traffic mess it will create in the area. There are few independent takers for its commercial schemes in these colonies so PSUs have been prompted to buy properties. There is no problem if the govt makes money legitimately but this is ridiculous and illegal. Activists can scarcely be blamed for stepping in to protect their city
The Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policy is factored around increasing FAR. There is no attempt to integrate EWS into these schemes. The Record on law enforcement and traffic is well known for anyone to imagine the nightmare that the TOD will generate around this wrongly understood model of densification. Increased FAR in itself is not always a problem but when the Govt has shortage of staff and little intention of enforcing civic laws, high FAR in a city with 1 crore vehicles is opening the door to hell.
Nothing worthwhile has been done on last mile connectivity and freeing of footpaths for walking. This right is for the government to protect and it simply does not do that. The Civic authorities and politicians are hand in glove with land and parking mafia. No number of flyovers, Tunnels, elevated roads will help if the simple act of safely walking in the neighbourhood is compromised. Local motorised traffic circulating within 1-2 KM in Neighbourhoods are a major source of congestion on roads
Environmental issues which were once considered esoteric and a distraction- like pollution but have rightly become mainstream concerns given that Urban planning can no longer be seen as distinct from the environment but intertwined with it. This is why Solar Energy, Water conservation, Electric Vehicles and Better fuels are being widely put into service. It is scarcely possible that these issues are ignored selectively where mega construction projects are planned. Development Vs Environment is not a sensible binary to have any longer.
Yes, it is disingenuous to compare Delhi to western Metros. Those countries have better governance and less unpunished violations of civic and traffic laws. Less corruption too. But Activists or villages can’t be blamed for that. The political economy, the Politicians and the bureaucracy are totally responsible for the Urban mess. Shekhar ji should direct his anger towards them. Activists and urban planners will support him.
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