Our country is urbanising swiftly. We now have close to 8,000 cities and towns, including "census towns". We all know each one of these has its own characteristics, in terms of liveability - what it offers and what its strengths or weaknesses are. So what makes our cities worth living in? What broad parameters would characterise liveability in various towns? Just basics, like enough water available in our houses every day? Garbage getting collected and disposed of regularly? Movement within the city smooth, the ability to own or rent a decent house? Civic offices and systems comfortable to deal with; educational institutions and health facilities plentiful and satisfactory, daily provisions available within walking distance, and so on? Or is it also that along with all these, good entertainment facilities, green spaces and parks, 24-hour supply of water and electricity and such things which matter more to affluent sections should be the indicators? Of course, the yardsticks vary for di

Ranking cities

Business Standard

It is unfortunate that transport, on which poorer families have to spend 25-30% of their total income, does not even figure in the basic tasks of our urban local bodies

Budget recognises urban transport

In the absence of a nationally stated strategy on India&rsquo;s urbanisation, the next best thing is to look at the Five-Year Plan document to understand the direction we are taking as far as urbanisation is concerned. Though all that is stated in the chapter on urban development may not get acted upon, the chapter gives an overall idea as to what needs to be done, what is proposed to be done and what the thrust of the strategy will be.

<B>M Ramachandran:</B> Our cities deserve more than just a Plan

As the world gets more and more urbanised, with more than 70 per cent of global GDP from cities, and with cities growing fast primarily because they are the engines of national economies, there is a clear message that it is time that we in India paid sufficient attention to how our cities are evolving. UN Habitat&rsquo;s latest &ldquo;State of the World&rsquo;s Cities Report&rdquo; says that by the middle of this century, it is expected that out of every ten people on the planet, seven will be living in urban areas. An urban governance system which is not sufficiently empowered, that allows continuing gaps in basic infrastructure coverage and delivery, and which lets slums proliferate because there is no well-defined housing strategy, has complicated the process of steady, balanced urban development.

M Ramachandran: Systems for our cities 

Today, there are at least three basic facts about the waste that we see all around us in Indian cities and towns. One, gone are the days when garbage was considered a &ldquo;waste&rdquo; in terms of the huge spending that local bodies had to make to collect and dispose it of. It is a resource today &mdash; a paying proposition for city bodies.

M Ramachandran: Garbage in, garbage out

As urbanisation proceeds faster, the trend the world over is towards smart cities. It is assumed that 70 per cent of the world&rsquo;s population will be living in such cities by the year 2050. In a smart city there will be integration among all concepts and tools in a variety of areas such as urban planning, mobility, energy efficiency and population management, all with a view to ensuring sustainable urban development. Innovation and technology leads to greater efficiency in the provision of clean energy, smart buildings, open government systems, better water and waste management, sustainable resource management, smart vehicles, integrated transportation, and so on.

M Ramachandran: Towards smart cities 

A population of 377 million, spread over 7,935 cities and towns, projected to grow to over 600 million in another 20 years, presently contributing more than 60 per cent of India&rsquo;s GDP, above 80 per cent of tax revenue and generating almost 70 per cent of all new jobs in the country &mdash; that is urban India. But when it comes to basic services for these urban residents, where do we stand and what solid planning for ensuring basics to all do we have? Not all urban residents are covered even by basic requirements like water connections at home. While estimates show that a little over 90 per cent of urban population has access to water supply, with almost 10 per cent not having this privilege, even within those connected there are huge variations. Indicators of poor quality of access, low reliability of supply, poor water quality, high loss levels and low cost recovery do not get reflected in the overall access figures.

M Ramachandran

M Ramachandran

Page 2 - M Ramachandran

Ranking cities

Budget recognises urban transport

M Ramachandran: Our cities deserve more than just a Plan

M Ramachandran: Systems for our cities

M Ramachandran: Garbage in, garbage out

M Ramachandran: Towards smart cities

M Ramachandran: Managing our cities' water