Urban planning is an area the nation has largely ignored. As a result there is chaos as every city grows by leaps and bounds in its own unplanned manner. City planners and local authorities have done precious little when it comes to planned development. In this context, an initiative in Haryana is a welcome step forward and should serve as a model for other cities to follow. The project, as a sample, covers no more than 2.4 km at a width of 30 metres, done with an allocation of Rs 23 crore. But, the message from this initiative is important. Shaded footpaths for pedestrians, facility for rainwater harvesting, safe track for cyclists and proper care for hundreds of fully grown trees are arranged. Appreciably, some private entities too have put in their mite. The state government has made it clear that it seeks to promote not just infrastructure development but human well-being too.
The road systems across this country do not provide separate space for cyclists and scooterists. Most roads do not even have pedestrian paths, other than some streets in metros and other cities. Cities like London are a marvel also because of the unique way their road infrastructure was shaped. Footpaths in central streets are wider than the roads laid out for vehicles. They are beautifully lined up with trees. Walking through such streets is a pleasure. Cyclists and two-wheeler riders too can move around effortlessly. In modern habitations like Dubai, there are the footpaths for pedestrians which are mostly around residential areas, whereas there are no cycles or two-wheelers and no pedestrians on long walks. Streets in Singapore are well laid-out with sufficient space for walking and adequate tree cover. India being a huge entity, and with little concern for pedestrians and scooterists, the scenario remains pathetic across cities. New Delhi was a planned city but with the flooding of people from all around and with a profusion of vehicles in the streets, the city has not been able to cope with the infrastructure that was built several decades ago. This is despite the improvements brought about since the time of the Asiad in 1982. Similar is the plight of capital cities like Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar and Chandigarh, the so-called “planned” cities. Improvements matching with the changing times and pressures have not been undertaken.
Both the western and eastern metropolises –Mumbai and Kolkata – are chaos personified when it comes to daily transportation and residential spreads. The drains in these cities are in a pathetic condition. The metro rail system first introduced in Kolkata and much later in Delhi and Mumbai, took only a part of the pressure. So too with Bengaluru, where travel is a huge struggle. In all these scenarios, the governments and city corporations simply sat back and blinked as population strengths multiplied. This reinforces the western perception that India is a poor, third world country.
