This new year let’s resolve for a sustainable future

As we step into the new year, it is time once again for renewed hopes and plans for a promising future for all. Hopefully, inspite of the recent scare of a surge in our neighbourhood, the COVID pandemic is now behind us and we will be able to pursue our goals with vigour.

Economic growth is now back on the agenda. Public investments, including investment in infrastructure is among the key levers for the Indian Government to push growth higher. Our urban spaces are bound to benefit from this through increased allocations for cities. We are already seeing step up in construction and operationalising of metro services in many cities with new lines being planned to connect suburban areas to main cities. These bode well for large populations in satellite townships enabling them to access opportunities in the main city. There is also a big push for improving the railway network with new connections and faster trains. These will bring the benefits of thriving urban centres to larger populations.

Urban local governments are set to play a key role to catalyse these investments and convert them into benefits for citizens and bring about ease of living. Sustainable, efficient, and affordable mobility will remain an important area. The rapid rollout of metro services will surely be a big step in this direction. Alongside, other options including non- motorised options will play a big role. Efficient first-mile and last-mile connectivity will be necessary to enhance the appeal of mass transit modes like the metro. Here non-motorised modes like cycling and electric 3-wheelers can play useful roles. Electric mobility is making rapid progress and other options such as hydrogen driven vehicles will support the push for low-carbon mobility.

Affordable housing is another key area for policymakers. Improved mass transit must be leveraged to connect far away places (with lower home prices) to the main city. Additionally, rental housing needs to be facilitated to provide flexible alternatives to city-dwellers. Providing services to ever-growing urban populations is already presenting big challenges. Water supply is one. Depleting ground water, limited surface water sources, and unpredictable rainfall make the task of our local governments difficult. In this scenario, measures such as conservation, reuse, and rainwater harvesting need to be vigorously promoted and citizens made aware of the absolute necessity of these measures. Appropriate pricing of water can also help.

These and other issues call for urgent measures in order to enable a sustainable future for our cities. There are several examples of cities around the world and in India which have devised innovative solutions in these areas. It will be useful to study these. Cities and city managers will be called upon to deploy all their resources to solve complex issues of cities in order that we may fulfil the aspirations of the millions of city-dwellers.

Urban Update will continue to bring these issues into focus for debate and deliberation, and thereby play a role in building a sustainable future.