Making Metros Livable

Most Indian cities, especially the metros, are in a state of terminal decline. The four parameters set by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry — governance, social institutions, economic and physical infrastructure — to determine the Ease of Living Index seemed grossly inadequate in assessing the complex crises that have afflicted sprawling urban settlements. To begin with, a government exercise of this nature should have dwelt on the quality of life in cities.



The horrors that await citizens when they step out of their homes tell the real story that surveys often tend to miss. The monsoon is as good a time as any to look at how cities cope with a deluge. On that count alone, Mumbai and Greater Mumbai fare poorly with Navi Mumbai notching up marginally better scores. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of the most corrupt civic bodies in the country, has taken the distinction – Greater Mumbai stood third in the Top 10 list of liveable cities – a little too seriously.

However, the Union Government’s stamp of approval may not be enough to gloss over BMC’s inadequacies. Potholes, bridge collapse, water logging and buildings caving in have become a seasonal feature during the monsoon. Ranked first in the same list, Pune’s journey downhill has accelerated over the years. What was once one of India’s cleanest cities, in terms of air quality, with a generous green cover, is now witness to rising levels of pollution due to auto emissions. Moreover, large parts of Pune have been denuded of trees to make way for monstrous glass and steel structures.



The problem with all Indian cities is that infrastructure hasn’t kept pace with the burgeoning population. This crisis is further compounded because urban planners couldn’t see beyond the near future. The first sign of terminal illness is manifest in the haphazard growth resulting from lack of coordination among different government agencies. In no time, the wetlands disappeared, and tons of garbage began clogging the city’s drains. In these times of global warming and unpredictable changes in weather patterns, our cities are least capable of handling a natural calamity. Delhi illustrates how life in a metro is a death-trap with air pollution taking away at least five years of a person’s life. Its lowly 65th rank is a wake-up call that the national capital is fast becoming uninhabitable. India no longer lives in its villages as the steady flow of migrants from the countryside to cities in search of livelihoods threatens to turn into a torrent.



This means that the pressure on cities is going to increase in the coming decades. Since their expansion is inevitable, city planners need to look at phased developments to evenly distribute human population and resources. India is projected to surpass China as the most populous country by 2024. According to World Bank data (2015), India’s population stands at 1.31 billion. Developing smart, sustainable cities is the only way forward. It will ease the tremendous burden on the metros.