Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Urban planning,in Delhi and Mumbai,is a story of petty turf battles and lack of vision
Truly dynamic cities are zones of the future. They are constantly being planned,rethought,redeveloped to account for future needs,aspirations and exigencies. In different ways,and for vast stretches of their existence,Delhi and Mumbai have heeded this imperative to upgrade. Delhi lays claim to greatness stretching back centuries,its location in the northern plains recommending it serially as a political capital. It has for ever been a city of power-brokers,but in the shadow of its pomp and show have thrived assorted industries and creative clusters,dependent on the rulers to provide enabling conditions for growth. Mumbai takes pride in a more organic growth,with a unique participatory collaboration between the governing classes and the citys private citizens making it worthy of its place,in modern times,among the worlds leading financial capitals. That in both cities,today,there is so much confusion not only on how to imagine their future selves,but also on how to define and meet the needs of the more immediate present,is emblematic of the crisis that assails Indias urban planning.
In Delhi,the review of the Master Plan 2021 is caught in bitter wrangling between the local and Union governments both run by the same party on increasing the floor area ratio. Arguably,there are bound to be contesting visions on whether,and how,a city should expand horizontally or vertically. But the current limbo betrays an unconscionable lack of direction. It is time the Centre stepped in to foster organic and responsive decision-making to signal a return to thinking big.
