Urban Update May 2016 by Urban Update

ISSN 2349-6266 RNI No DELENG/2014/57384

Setting The Agenda For Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cities

UrbanUpdate Volume III, Issue V

Rs 100

May 2016

Streamlining urban transport Improving the efficiency of urban mobility systems through operational innovation and sustainable measures with safety and convenience in mind is critical to provide efficient transport facilities to increasing population in our cities

Sustainability should be at the centre of urban planning City leaders and urbanists from South Asian Countries came together at SAC Summit 2016 to discuss how local governments can handle pressing urban problems

The project is funded by the European Union.

The project is implemented by the AIILSG.

Union Ministry of Urban Development has empanelled AIILSG on the list of consultants qualified to work for Smart City Mission. AIILSG has been selected to work for Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Community Based Interventions

Professional Empowerment Project Management

Advisory Services Customised Training

Knowledge Management Capacity Building Information, Education and Communication (IEC)

Policy Research

All India Institute of Local Self-Government No. 6, F-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, TPS Road-12, Bandra-East, Mumbai-400051, Maharashtra Tel.No.: +91-22-26571713, 26571714, 26571715, Fax: +91-22-26572286, Email: contact@aiilsg.org

UrbanUpdate A monthly magazine published by the AIILSG — a project funded by European Union’s ‘Equi-City’ programme for India. Ranjit Chavan President-AIILSG Capt. Anant Modi Editor-In-Chief Director General-AIILSG, dg@aiilsg.org Ashok Wankhade Managing Editor Abhishek Pandey Editor Ravi Ranjan Guru Executive Editor

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Kumar Dhananjay Consulting Editor Lojy Thomas Associate Editor Meenakshi Rajput Graphic Designer Namit Pruthi Circulation Executive Volume III - Issue V Printed and published by Ranjit Chavan on behalf of All India Institute of Local Self-Government. Printed at Artz & Printz, 208, DSIDC Shed, Okhla Industrial Area Phase-I, New Delhi-110020 Published at Sardar Patel Bhavan, 22-23, Institutional Area D-Block Pankha Road, Janakpuri, Delhi-110058 Despite careful selection of sources, no responsibility can be taken for accuracy of the contents. The magazine assumes no liability or responsibility of any kind in connection with the information thereof. The views expressed in the articles are the personal opinions of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the All India Institute of Local Self-Government. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

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The project is funded by the European Union.

The project is implemented by the AIILSG.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.

May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

EDITORIAL

Urban Mobility Challenges along the way

Capt. Anant Modi Editor-In-Chief dg@aiilsg.org

rban mobility emerged as a key issue in various stakeholder consultation processes undertaken for the Smart Cities Challenge by many city administrations across the country. Not surprising, since rapid urbanization, sub-optimal planning and inadequate investments have resulted in unruly scenes on the streets of our cities. Burgeoning number of personal transport vehicles alongside shrinking pubic transport options have resulted in choked roads, overcrowded buses and trains,alarming ambient air quality, and snail-like commute speeds causing increasing stress for the city-dweller. In their effort to leapfrog public transport problems, city managers are increasingly turning to metros and mono-rails as the solution to all ills. These require huge investments, have large gestation periods and must navigate the sticky issues of land acquisition in crowded city areas and the resultant legal hassles. In addition, they often require continued operation subsidies in addition to the large doses of capital support in the form of Viability Gap Funding. Even then the metro may not be affordable for all city-dwellers. As for the well-heeled car user, the time-flexible, door-todoor convenience of the car is too much to give up in favour of the metro. Other than the four metro cities and a handful of others, public transport options are virtually non-existent. Most smaller cities and towns depend on informal arrangements which are minimally regulated and raise questions of vehicle road-worthiness, safety and uncontrolled emissions. Evidently, good public transport is a complex and elusive subject in our country. Cities will have to work out the public transport options

best suited to their cities based on city layout, activity nodes and other local dynamics. Primarily they need to promote walking and bicycling by providing clean, un-encroached footpaths and bicycle lanes respected by motorists. Metro rail may be a good option for trips from the city centre to the outskirts like the airport where it can be efficient and viable. However, it appears that in Indian cities, buses may play the pivotal role in providing efficient public transportation. Buses already account for a large majority of commuter trips in large cities. It is reported that in Mumbai, buses ferry 45% of the daily commuters while occupying just 6% of road space. The same number of commuters is served by private cars and 2-wheelers which occupy 87% of road space. The bus option requires fine-tuning in terms of refined route plans, dedicated lanes on busy thoroughfares, cleaner buses, citizen friendly bus shelters and above all on-time services. Air-conditioned buses can persuade the car owner to take this option instead. Assisted carpooling has emerged as a good option in some cities. Regulated taxi and auto-rickshaw sharing is an efficient and economical way of achieving short-haul mobility especially on feeder routes. All these will enable better utilization of road space, reduced air pollution, smoother traffic flows and less commute times. There are surely other possibilities which planners can explore in consultation with citizens. But the time to do it is now; for cities are already bursting at the seams under the burden of congestion, pollution and road accidents. This issue of Urban Update brings you some viewpoints from urban planners and city managers on this crucial aspect of the urban landscape in addition to other topics.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

Quotes

PIN POINT

BUZZ

We are making plans to redevelop 400 stations as new icons of cities as a station is a starting point of any city and attracts maximum footfalls

I have been elected with a clear mandate to clean up London’s air – our biggest environmental challenge. We need big, bold and sometimes difficult policies if London is to match the scale of the challenge

Suresh Prabhu Union Minister for Railways

Sadiq Khan London Mayor

Al Gore @algore Former Vice President, USA

#ClimateAction is a bipartisan effort. San Diego’s Republican mayor wants the city to run on 100% renewables

Dr Subhash Chandra @_Subhash Chandra Chairman, ZEE &Essel Group

Shocked to see the rise in #pollution levels in Indian cities. Anti-pollution methods should happen from all of us including administration

Rick Robinson @dr_rick IT Director, Amey

Jane Jacobs born 100 years ago, shaped our understanding of cities. she’s 100% relevant in a digital age #SmartCities

Development of smart cities in the country will have to be customized to the Indian context while leveraging on economies of scale to make the requisite technology affordable

All Indian cities will have toilets & dustbins every 500 metres under Swachh Bharat Mission. The government is contemplating imposing penalties so that people practice the rules on cleanliness.

Piyush Goyal Union Power and Coal Minister

Praveen Prakash Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)

May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Mark Watts @MarkWatts Executive Director, C40 Cities

Cities in high-emitting countries are most exposed to rising flood risk

Inside

Volume 3, Issue 5

Inside May 2016

SAC Summit

Sustainability should be at the centre of urban planning

In the wake of rapid urbanisation and emerging allied problems in South Asian countries, city leaders and urbanists from South Asian Countries and beyond came together to discuss problems cities are facing and how local bodies and governments can handle them

Article

Local governments can propel â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;green transportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Local bodies In India too can play a constructive role in paving a way for sustainable transport system in their cities by encouraging citizens to shun private vehicles and opt for public transport and green transport alternatives such as bicycles

Happy Streets! City streets can also be fun

These days, Sunday mornings are dif ferent. Children and elders alike in many cities are looking forward to getting out of bed at 6.00 am and to reach the venue where it is all happening. Yes! The Happy Streets venue

Feature

Lucknow tops Fast Track competition; 13 more Smart Cities announced

AIILSG assisted Raipur & Faridabad in making of their smart city plans

RegularS

6 10

Pin Point Newscan

15 46

City Images Urban Agenda

ONE ON ONE

DMRC confident of handling high volume traffic: Mangu Singh

In an interview with Urban Update, Mangu Singh, DMRC Chief, says that he is hopeful that new metro lines coming up in Delhi and recent innovations in the management of Delhi metro operations would benefit Delhi commuters and provide more comfortable commuting experience

Cover story

Opinion

No more Bhopal, please! While on the one hand the Union Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ministry decided to spend 40,000 crores of CAMPA funds on plantations and allied activities, on the other hand rapid urbanisation is eating into the tree cover in cities. We have a grave situation on hand

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

feature | Equi-City

Bridging gap between cities and people Team Urban Update

n the era of rapid urbanization, a focus towards planned and sustainable development of urban areas is pivotal not only because a considerable section of the population is residing in the cities and towns but the lion’s share of the population is going to be urban dwellers in the decades to come. In this context, urban local bodies/municipalities are the key governing organizations constituted for the development of urban areas by ensuring basic infrastructure and services as per the norms to the citizens. One needs to acknowledge the words of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in this regard–“Building sustainable cities – and a sustainable future – will need open dialogue among all branches of national, regional and local government. And it will need the engagement of all stakeholders – including the private sector and civil society, and especially the poor and marginalized.”

Equi-City Project - Nagpur

Realizing the growing importance of urban local governance through participatory processes in India, All India Institute of Local SelfGovernment (AIILSG) along with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and other partners is implementing Equi-City project funded by the European Union (EU) in the city of Nagpur. This EU project helps to promote inclusive and sustainable growth of Nagpur in Maharashtra, India through collaborative multi-stakeholder approach using participatory governance between local authorities and stakeholders. Furthermore, this

May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

project envisages ensuring equitable provision of municipal services alongside promoting diversity within and capacity development of NMC. The project is spread over four years to ensure effective implementation and envisages the formulation of participatory forum/s, setting up of diversity committee/s, capacity building and research support to identify key performance indicators as well as rating systems for the local body besides problem areas to assess the NMC for improved service delivery through appropriate training and leadership workshops for the officials. Scope for formation of process monitoring, implementation and information dissemination are provided for in the Equi-City project to ensure transparency and accountability.

Why Nagpur?

Given the importance of the project, choice of the first city to implement it was very crucial. Being strategically located at the geographical centre of the country, Nagpur is favorable for the development of an international hub for passenger and cargo movements. Major highways like NH-6 and NH-7 which connect East-West and NorthSouth India, pass through Nagpur and this city acts as an important urban centre for the Vidarbha region. Despite development, considerable population of the city resides in slums. There is large scope for improvement in aligning the economic growth of the city to the civic needs which can further improve the diversity and equality within the city. A city with significant growth potential, Nagpur was thus considered the ideal choice for this project.

Crucial Targets

The project aims to sensitize and capacitate local government officials on particular aspects of civic infrastructure and service delivery with pro–poor engagement techniques and to build capacities of elected representatives and municipal officials to play a leadership role in participatory forums by providing training through leadership workshops. Citizens’ groups are to be approached in large numbers to ensure their active involvement in the participatory processes. They are required to be sensitized and updated about the ongoing activities. Alongside eminent citizens and experts in different fields, elected representatives will be part of the City Development Forum (CDF) to guide the participatory governance processes and to highlight the key priority issues. CDF is envisaged to be crafted in such a fashion so that different facets of the city get represented. Civil society organizations will also be made part of the process to represent concerns of specific groups of citizens. To ensure participation of the target groups, different stakeholders will be mobilized through the CDF. This will be complemented by an inter–city forum established to share knowledge and best practices derived out of this project which can be beneficial for other cities. These collaborative forums will help citizens, women and under– represented communities by making them part of the governance process. Extensive primary and secondary research analyses will form the backbone for conducting sensitization workshops, awareness campaigns and constructing e-learning modules with

The project aims to sensitize and capacitate local governments on particular aspects of civic infrastructure and service delivery with pro– poor engagement techniques, and build capacities of elected representatives and municipal officials IT/non-IT based feedback mechanism for good governance. Monitoring and implementation will be closely looked after through municipal rating system, tools, diversity forums, awareness programs, etc. information regarding the project will be disseminated from time to time to empower the citizens and ensure greater transparency.

Methodology

To ensure smooth implementation alongside achievement of the key targets and objectives of the project, the Equi-City project has planned a complementary methodology: ♦♦ A multi actor dialogue and participatory decision making process will be adopted to promote and mobilize resources in a strategic manner, and to endorse meaningful participation in policy processes needed to build a stronger governance structure. ♦♦ The establishment of an Equi-City cell in NMC will ensure that the local authorities claim ownership and responsibility in implementation of the project through coordinating various responsibilities including but not limited to information dissemination, research and sensitization workshops. ♦♦ The monitoring and evaluation of municipal services will ensure citizen led governance and regulation of municipal services. Furthermore, benchmarks will be set in terms of standard municipal infrastructure and services. ♦♦ The project will ensure development of tools for equality and diversity within local authorities to encourage

greater socio–economic inclusion and promoting human rights. ♦♦ Incentivising and knowledge sharing among stakeholders will be promoted through a system of awards and competition. Inter city and city development forums, e– newsletters, magazines and other forms of communication will be used for sharing of knowledge.

Allignment with National Policies & Programs

To understand its relevance further, the Equi-City project compliments and is in synergy with other national policies and programs that have been implemented at the national and regional level. The Equi-City project will not only help in building on these programs but also provide alternative means and solutions to certain impending problems through a constructive give and take with other programs and policies. Equi-City will work for the benefit of the Area Sabha Act 2009 enacted by Government of Maharashtra for public participation of citizens at the lowest tier to decide upon local needs. Several national level policies like the Swachh Bharat Mission are in synergy with EquiCity as both aim at working towards developing effective measures for proper sanitation and public health for the urban poor. The AMRUT mission is one of the most dynamic missions for urban transformation and has similar objectives as Equi-City. Both work towards improvement in service delivery, mobilization of resources and making municipal functioning more transparent and accountable. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is in sync with Equi-City project that also envisions enhancing skills of urban poor through various sensitization and training programs and increasing productivity of the existing work force.

Similar Initiatives

Whereas Equi-City project is a flagship project in Nagpur that is set to promote inclusive growth and development at a vast level, several other similar attempts have been made in the past

to boost urban local governance and enhance the functioning of urban local bodies. For example, Kolkata launched a Capacity Building Program under which the Kolkata Municipal Corporation adopted a vision to develop an efficient, effective and equitable, citizen responsive, financially sustainable and transparent organization, delivering quality service to its citizens. Ranging from personnel training programs, to social and physical infrastructural improvements, through ensuring community participation and poverty mapping, the CBP program showed remarkable results as the dependence on government funds reduced and own source revenue of KMC increased along with improvement in service delivery in all sectors. Internationally, Romania set up Citizens’ Advisory Committees (CAC), Commissions or task forces to provide ongoing advice to city councils and city administrations on a variety of issues. Members of the CAC are volunteers and might be elected or self appointed. CAGs can be permanent or temporary bodies depending on nature of task at hand. City government provides logistical support to CAG. For example, Turnu Magurele was one of the first communities in Romania, which adopted the idea of a CAG for advice in the area of education. The members of the CAG are school principals meeting with the purpose of exchanging information among the different schools and local government officials to enable interact more knowledgeably with parents and other stakeholders about how the local budget affects education decisions. The Equi-City project can take away several structural, organizational and implementation based lessons from these two case studies. It needs to take into account communities’ needs and work in tandem with them to ensure decentralized participatory urban governance. This will enable the project participants to build a conscious future course of action spread across the city and beyond.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

Feature | Smart Cities Mission

Lucknow tops Fast Track competition; 13 more Smart Cities announced ♦♦ Raipur, Warangal, Bhagalpur, Dharamshala, Chandigarh, New Town Kolkata, Port Blair, Imphal, Panaji, Ranchi, Faridabad and Agartala among the winners ♦♦ AIILSG assisted Raipur and Faridabad in making of their smart city plans New Delhi: Central Government recently announced 13 more smart cities from as many states that had missed the Smart City bus in the first list of Smart Cities announced in January. Lucknow topped the list of winners of the Fast Track competition conducted for 23 cities from as many states and union territories. Announcing the winners at a media conference on the occasion of two years of the Government in office, Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation M Venkaiah Naidu said that the cities that participated in the competition

improved the quality of smart city plans by up to 25 per cent to become eligible for selection. With the selection of these 13 cities, 25 States/UTs are now covered under Smart City Mission Naidu informed that Lucknow that missed the list of first 20 smart cities improved the quality of its smart city plan by 19% to make it to the select list. Other winners of Fast Track competition were ; Warangal, Telanagana (13%), Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh (27%), Chandigarh (9%), Raipur, Chhattisgarh (25%), New Town Kolkata (11%), Bhagalpur, Bihar (25%), Panaji, Goa (9%), Port Blair,

Andaman & Nicobar Islands (26%), Imphal, Manipur (27%), Ranchi, Jharkhand (27%), Agartala, Tripura (25%) and Faridabad, Haryana (12%). These 13 cities were selected based on the marks scored by them in the Fast Track competition and the benchmarks set by the top performers in the first round of Smart City Challenge competition in which the first 20 cities were selected from among 98 mission cities. Naidu stated that the 13 cities have substantially improved their smart city plans by addressing the deficiencies identified in the first round of competition by ensuring better profiling of respective cities in terms of infrastructure gaps and baseline service levels, ensuring consistency between citizens’ aspirations and action plans, more feasible resource mobilization plans and coordinated and integrated picture of how individual projects will contribute to area level changes. Other cities that participated in Fast

The new approaches introduced, the new churning at the level of urban local bodies and States/ UTs, the new spirit of competition among cities and states to do better than others, the new enthusiasm and vigor being demonstrated, the new clarity of thought about outcomes and actions to be taken and the new beginning towards urban transformation in a more purposeful and holistic manner marked the process of urban renaissance M Venkaiah Naidu Minister of Urban Development Savitribai Phule Pune University 10 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Track Competition were: Namchi, Sikkim ranked 14, Aizawl, Mizoram (15), Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh (16), Dehradun, Uttarakhand (17), Kohima, Nagaland (18), Oulgaret, Puducherry (19), Silvassa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli (20), Kavaratti, Lakshdweep (21), Diu, Daman & Diu (22) and Shillong, Meghalaya (23). These cities can submit their revised smart city plans for evaluation in the second round of regular competition underway by the end of June. Venkaiah Naidu informed that the tie between Meerut and Rai Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Srinagar in J&K will be resolved by allowing them to participate in the smart city competition and one city from each of these two States will be selected based on the quality of smart city plans. Seven capital cities left out of Smart City Mission will also be allowed to participate in the competition. These cities are: Patna, Shimla, Naya Raipur, Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala). On the occasion, Naidu released a publication ‘Urban Renaissance: May,2014-May,2016’ giving a detailed account of paradigm shift in attitudes and approaches to urban planning and governance and the major drivers of urban revival and transformation set in motion during the last two years. The Minister said that as a part of efforts for the country’s transformation towards higher levels of social and economic development, renaissance of urban sector has been set in motion through a paradigm shift in policies and programmes. “The new approaches introduced, the new churning at the level of urban local bodies and States/ UTs, the new spirit of competition among cities and states to do better than others, the new enthusiasm and vigor being demonstrated, the new clarity of thought about outcomes and actions to be taken and the new beginning towards urban transformation in a more purposeful and holistic manner marked the process of urban renaissance” he said.

Extensive stakeholder consultations and citizen participation, selection of cities based on competition and other objective criteria, full autonomy to cities and States/UTs to formulate, appraise and approve projects, replacing project based sanctions of the past to area and outcome based planning, convergence based implementation of schemes and substantial enhancement in Central assistance are the major drivers of urban revival, said Naidu. Giving an account of the gains of new initiatives and approaches, Naidu said that for the first time in the country, 98 smart cities and 497 Atal Mission cities accounting for over 70% of urban population now have long term five year action plans based on comprehensive analysis of infrastructure gaps. Other positives the Minister stated include: Atal Mission cities acquiring technology platforms for transparent and accountable governance and citizen engagement, about 100 cities initiating action for obtaining Credit Ratings necessary for resource mobilization, approvals for plans for providing water taps to the unconnected 25 million urban households besides ensuring water supply at the norm of 135 litres per head per day to all urban households by 2019, smart city development benefitting 130 million urban people, streamlining approvals for building permits in urban areas, efforts for sanitation benefitting all 80 million urban households, well considered initiatives to ensure affordable housing for all the urban poor, etc. Naidu further informed that Central assistance for improving basic infrastructure in urban areas has been increased to Rs.1,13,143 cr under new urban missions as against only Rs.33,902 cr during 2004-14. For affordable housing for urban poor, Central assistance of Rs.10,050 cr has already been approved as against only Rs.17,889 cr during the previous ten years. About 6.84 lakh houses have already been sanctioned for Economically Weaker Sections under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) accounting for

Highlights ♦♦ The cities that participated in the competition improved the quality of smart city plans by up to 25 per cent to become eligible for selection ♦♦ Tie between Meerut and Rai Bareilly in UP and Jammu and Srinagar to be resolved ♦♦ The Minister released a publication ‘Urban Renaissance: May,2014May,2016’ giving a detailed account of paradigm shift in attitudes and approaches to urban planning and governance 5 year action plans for cities for the first time, competition among urban bodies, citizen participation, outcome based planning mark the revival ♦♦ Water taps to all urban households, adequate water supply in urban areas by 2019 ♦♦ Housing sanctions based on land availability, options to beneficiaries to ensure Housing for All ♦♦ Total investment potential under new schemes-Rs 18 lakh cr; approved so far-Rs 1,48,093 cr more than half of 13.70 lakh houses sanctioned during 2004-14 out of which only 8.04 lakh houses could be built. Availability of land is being ensured before agreeing to fund housing schemes besides giving four options to the beneficiaries to choose from based on their needs and incomes to enable targeted construction of affordable houses, the Minister observed. Naidu informed that the new urban sector initiatives of PMAY(Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Start City Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission and Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) have a total investment potential of Rs.18 lakh crore. Of this, an investment of Rs.1,48,093 cr has already been approved. This includes; Affordable housing-Rs.43,922 cr, Atal MissionRs.20,882 cr, Smart City MissionRs.80,789 cr, Swachh Bharat MissionRs.2,000 cr and HRIDAY- Rs.500 cr.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

NEWSCAN

BRIEFS

NEWSCAN

NGT seeks data on population, vehicle density of major cities New Delhi: National Green Tribunal recently directed the apex pollution monitoring body to file comprehensive data on the population and vehicle density in major cities across the country. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also directed Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to file complete data on pollution levels in these cities. “We direct the CPCB to place before the Tribunal complete data in relation to the population density, car density, total population of the area and the pollution level of major cities in the entire country,” the bench said. On January 6, the tribunal had taken note of air pollution in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Patna, Lucknow, Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi, Nagpur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pune and directed states to file a comprehensive affidavit stating the steps taken by them for prevention and control of air pollution. During the hearing, CPCB told the bench that report on pollution levels in these cities have already been filed on record. “All the cities which were indicated are having ambient air quality which is violative of the prescribed standard. It is a known fact that there are primarily three sources of pollution, burning of waste and other materials, dust emission from various sources and vehicular pollution. The directions passed in regard to NCT, would safely be applied for all these cities. But before we pass orders in that regard, in relation to all the major cities in the country, we would like the CPCB to place complete and comprehensive data,” the bench said. The Tribunal, which was restrained by the Supreme Court from dealing with matters on air pollution in Delhi, had earlier expanded the ambit of hearing

March 2015 | www.urbanupdate.in

by seeking responses on worsening air quality in metropolises like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. On December 18 last year, the tribunal had refused to vacate its order banning registration of new diesel-run vehicles, saying it won’t interfere with the Supreme Court order which has taken a similar stand.

In contrast to the prior NGT order banning registration of all diesel vehicles, the Supreme Court on December 16 exempted small ones and specified that the diesel-run SUVs and cars having engine capacity beyond 2000 cc would not be registered in Delhi and National Capital Region.

NGT bans diesel vehicles over 10 years in 6 Kerala cities

Kochi: National Green Tribunal Circuit Bench in Kochi banned light and heavy diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, in six major cities, including state capital Thiruvananthapuram and commercial capital Kochi, in Kerala. “All the diesel vehicles whether light or heavy which are more than 10 years shall not be permitted to ply on the roads in the major cities like Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur,” the Bench said in its order. Upon expiry of 30 days from May 23 if any vehicle is found to be violating this direction, it shall pay Rs 5,000 as environmental compensation and this will be collected by traffic police or pollution control board, the Bench said. It said both state police and

pollution control board shall maintain separate account in this regard and directed that the funds shall be utilised for betterment of environment in these cities. The bench issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Lawyers’ Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF). In its petition, the Forum sought action against highly polluting diesel vehicles such as trucks and buses. It also noted that Kochi and other major cities have earned the reputation of being the most polluted cities. Earlier, Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court Thottathil B Radhakrishnan inaugurated the Kochi Special Circuit Bench of the NGT at a function in presence of Justice Swatanter Kumar and other eminent jurists.

NEWSCAN

‘Structure of cities shape their weather’ Geneva: The features that make cities unique can help in understanding how they affect weather and disperse air pollutants, a new study has found. Compared to their surroundings, cities can be hot enough to influence the weather, researchers said. Industrial, domestic and transportation-related activities constantly release heat and after a warm day, concrete surfaces radiate stored heat long into the night. These phenomena can be strong enough to drive thunderstorms, they said. According to scientists, it is not only about the heat cities release; it is also about their spatial layout. By channelling winds and generating turbulence hundreds of metres into the atmosphere, the presence and organisation of buildings also affect weather and air quality. Researchers led by EcolePolytechniqueFederale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have shown that the way cities are represented in today’s weather and air quality models fails to capture the true magnitude of some important features such as the transfer of energy and heat in the lower atmosphere. When wind blows over a city, buildings interact with the moving air mass, generating turbulence, much like sticking your fingertips into a stream causes visible vortices to form on the water surface, researchers said. This turbulence spreads up into the atmosphere and down into the streets. As a result, more heat, humidity and pollutants are transported upwards from the ground.The findings were published in the journal of Boundary Layer Meteorology.

UD Ministry asks all Metros to promote efficiency, lauds Lucknow Metro New Delhi: All Metros across the country being built and operated with Central Government equity have been asked to promote efficiency while hiring manpower and in procurement by taking necessary measures. This was conveyed by Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development) during a review of progress of various metro projects and issues related to their functioning. A proposal for appointing a common Regulator for all metro projects for fare fixation was discussed and it was decided that the views of respective states would be appropriately taken into consideration in this regard while taking a decision. Officials of Metro projects opined that since the losses on account of metro operations were to be borne by respective states under the law, their views need to be factored while considering a common Regulator. Stressing on the need for efficiency in project management and metro operations, Gauba suggested ‘Fast Track Promotion’ policy as appropriate for consideration by respective Boards to attract good manpower talent.

He also asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to come out with a Draft Tender Document within 3 months to facilitate common bulk procurement of various equipment required by different metros to take advantage of economies of scale on the lines of what is being followed in respect of 7 Ultra Mega Power Projects. Directing the concerned officials in the Ministry of Urban Development to finalise standardisation of norms for different components including the rolling stock in the context of expansion of metro cities in 3 months, Gauba emphasized the need to promote indigenous production of such equipment under Make in India. Gauba complimented Lucknow Metro for being in a position to commission the priority section of 8.50 km of NorthSouth Corridor between Airport and Charbagh Railway Station by the end of this year. Work on Lucknow Metro started about two years back. Senior officials of the Ministry besides Chief Executives of Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kochi Metro attended the review meeting.

BRIEFS

AP sets up urban infrastructure asset management firm To establish an urban infrastructure financing mechanism and attract investment for financing and management of the urban infrastructure projects in the state, the Andhra Pradesh government, along with Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), has set up AP Urban Infrastructure Asset Management Limited (APUIAML). The government has also set up AP Urban Development Fund (APUDF) which will finance urban local bodies’ infrastructure projects on commercial or public-private partnership (PPP) principles. The state government will have 49 pc share and IL&FS 51 pc in APUIAML. The initial equity capital of the joint venture company will be Rs 20 crore, of which the AP government will contribute Rs 9.80 crore and IL&FS Rs 10.20 crore.

AMC to conduct survey of houses Allahabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is undertaking a fresh survey of houses within municipal limits so that houses can be numbered properly. It will also identify and bring new houses within the ambit of house tax. The last survey that the AMC conducted was in 2007 but many new buildings have come up since. According to an estimate, there are about 2,10,000 houses in Allahabad city within the municipal limits. Chief tax assessment officer of the corporation PK Mishra said, “Survey of the houses will be done through an agency. There were about 1,80,000 houses in 2007.”

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2015

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SDMC to set up new plant at Okhla landfill South Delhi Municipal Corporation will set up a waste processing plant at Okhla landfill site. The decision was taken as the garbage dumped at the site has exceeded the permissible limit. The Delhi high court recently had directed all three corporations and the Delhi government to immediately resolve the issue of accumulating garbage at landfill sites, which often leads to fires causing air pollution. The court said options such as segregation and recycling biodegradable waste should be explored. But South Corporation officials said segregation has to be done at the source. The Okhla landfill was declared exhausted but due to unavailability of a new site, South Corporation continued dumping garbage there.

Indore corp plans decentralised waste treatment systems Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) is planning to introduce a new policy that will make it mandatory for big townships to have decentralised waste treatment plants. The Centre has recently modified Solid Waste Management Rules 2002. The modified rules state that all residential welfare associations, gated communities and institutions with more than 200 dwellings or plots exceeding 5,000 square meters must have separate space for segregation, storage and a decentralised processing unit of waste. IMC has long been advocating that bulk waste generators should bear the responsibility for the waste management and its disposal. The civic body has already been levying ‘user charges’ on hotels, big restaurants and marriage gardens.

March 2015 | www.urbanupdate.in

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15 day Swachh Office drive launched across the country Ministry of Urban Development issued a Swachh Office Manual suggesting Standard Office Procedures to all the central ministries and state governments to ensure sanitation New Delhi: A 15-day special ‘Swachh Office Drive’ for ensuring cleanliness at all Government offices across the country has been launched as an intensive thematic campaign under Swachh Bharat Mission. Launching the drive, Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu planted a Neem sapling at Nirman Bhawan and inspected the building for about an hour for an on the spot assessment of sanitation. In a meeting with senior officials later, Naidu has noted that there has been considerable improvement towards ensuring cleanliness and there is still scope for improvement. He has directed senior officials of the Ministry and CPWD to ensure regular inspection by senior officials to ensure total sanitation. The Minister directed action to be

taken for dumping waste material in one of the Electricity Distribution Boards. Ministry of Urban Development issued a Swachh Office Manual suggesting Standard Office Procedures to all the central ministries and state governments to ensure sanitation. Norms suggested therein include ensuring water supply @ 45 litres per head per day, one toilet for every 25 persons, urinals to be provided based on employee strength, removal of stains every week, checking electrical fittings twice a week, acid cleaning and scrubbing of toilets daily, schedule of inspections, etc. The Manual enables self-assessment framework for improving Swachh Office Ratings and identification of gaps in sanitation infrastructure for correctional interventions.

13 more cities asked to ensure online sanction of building permits this year New Delhi: To enhance the ‘ease of doing business’ in construction sector, Ministry of Urban Development has asked 13 more cities with airports to enable integrated online approval of Building Plans during the current financial year. These 13 cities are among the 15 cities for which the Airports Authority of India has evolved Colour Coded Zoning Maps for according ‘No Objection Certificates’ in respect of height of construction projects. The other two cities viz., Delhi and Mumbai have already enabled online approvals based on a Common Application Form. Durga Shankar Misra, Additional Secretary(UD) reviewed the status of these 13 cities in this regard with Municipal Commissioners of most of these cities and urged them to facilitate integrated online approvals during this financial year. It was informed that Hyderabad would be ready with online platform by the end of this month and would soon enable integration with other agencies like Airports Authority of India, National Monuments Authority, etc. thereafter. Under Smart Raj programme of Rajasthan, online platforms for Jaipur and all other cities would be ready within two months and the same would be operationalized after trials in the next two months. Kolkata has introduced online system from April this year and integration with other agencies to enable Common Application Form will be taken up. Nagpur would adopt the online model introduced by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai at the earliest. Other cities being encouraged to go online are: Bengaluru, Patna, Aurangabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Kochi, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.

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States asked to convert 3,784 urban areas into statutory Urban Local Bodies New Delhi: Ministry of Urban Development has asked 28 States to take immediate and necessary action to convert 3,784 Census Towns into statutory Urban Local Bodies to promote planned urban development. Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development), in a letter to the Chief Secretaries of these States has highlighted the need for statutory Urban Local Bodies for planned and coordinated infrastructure development, enhancement of revenues and efficient delivery of services to citizens leading to overall growth of economic activities. He stressed that “The opportunity of planned urban development might get lost if unplanned construction and ad hoc provisioning of infrastructure is allowed to take place over a long time”. A Census Town is an area with urban characteristics like a minimum population of 5,000, at least 75% of the male main working force engaged in non-agricultural activities and population density of at least 400 persons per sq.km. As per 2011 Census, there are 3,784 Census Towns as against 1,362 in 2001. A Statutory Town is one with a municipality, corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee. As per 2011 Census, there are 4,041 such towns as against 3,799 in 2001. Gauba also informed the states that conversion of Census Towns into statutory ULBs entitles them to Central assistance as per the guidelines of 14th Finance Commission. Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), 50% weightage is given to the number of statutory towns in any State/UT in allocation of funds among States/UTs. State-wise distribution of Census Towns: West Bengal-780, Kerala-461, Tamil Nadu-376, Maharashtra-279, Uttar Pradesh-267, Andhra Pradesh

March 2015 | www.urbanupdate.in

♦♦ Statutory ULBs lead to planned urban development, enhanced revenues; entitled to Central assistance ♦♦ West Bengal has 780 Census Towns, Kerala-461, Tamil Nadu376, Maharashtra-279, UP-267, MP-112

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The opportunity of planned urban development might get lost if unplanned construction and ad hoc provisioning of infrastructure is allowed to take place over a long time Rajiv Gauba, UD Secretary

and Telangana-228, Jharkhand-188, Gujarat-153, Karnataka-127, Assam-126, Odisha-116, Madhya Pradesh-112, Rajasthan-112, Punjab-74, Haryana-14, Bihar-60, Goa-56, Uttarakhand-42, Jammu & Kashmir-36, Tripura-26, Manipur-23, Chattisgarh-14, Meghlaya-12, Nagaland-7, Himachal Pradesh-3, Arunachal Pradesh-1 and Mizoram-0.

Development projects in Varanasi to be expedited New Delhi: Execution of various projects to ensure sanitation and water supply in Varanasi will be speeded up with all the stakeholder agencies taking necessary actions in a time bound manner. This was agreed upon at a two hour long review meeting taken by Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development) recently. Regarding construction of toilets, Municipal Commissioner of Varanasi has informed that as against the need for construction of 3,500 household toilets in the city, work has just begun on 779 toiles with the State Government agreeing to its share of assistance to the beneficiaries and 46 community and public toilet seats have so far been constructed as against the need for 205. S P Singh, Principal Secretary (UD) of Uttar Pradesh has assured that Varanasi Municipal Commissioner will intensify

efforts to mobilize funds under Corporate Social Responsibility for construction of public toilets in the city. Rajiv Gauba impressed upon the State Government officials for speedy and concerted efforts to make Varanasi ‘Open Defecation Free’ at the earliest. Regarding Solid Waste Management, the state government officials said that IL&FS, which has been entrusted with door-to-door collection and transportation of municipal solid waste in 14 core areas would be asked to consider doing the same for the remaining 74 wards in the city. Regarding setting up of a Water Treatment Plant at Baraipur for bringing more Ganga water to the city and a pending court case, it was stated that the Court has been informed that land proposed to be acquired is not on patta land and necessary further action in this regard would be taken.

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City Images

Innovation for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;traffic reliefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

TRANSIT ELEVATED BUS, a functioning model of which was put on display in the 19th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo organized recently could be a relief for many cities around the world if it clicks. The electric-powered bus aims to solve traffic jam problems in

crowded cities; without burning big holes in the pockets of governments and adversely impacting urban environment. The bus is the brainchild of designer Youzhou Song. The bus would arc over two lanes of traffic while leaving cars and other small vehicles free to drive

underneath it. It can carry around 1200 passengers at once. The bus will be launched in Qinhuangdao City of China later this year to begin testing for its feasibility on city roads. It is yet to be seen how this bus fares on road safety and other operational issues.

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2015

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KMC to push rainwater harvesting The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to draft a comprehensive plan over the next fortnight with help from local experts and activists. The KMC will also make it mandatory for each of the 81 corporators to encourage at least 50 families in their wards to set up rainwater harvesting units. R K Patil, the chief of the KMC’s environmental cell, said “We have started awareness programmes on rainwater harvesting among corporators and citizens.” The officer said that corporators have also agreed to set up the system in their houses soon.

Bengaluru to fine citizens carrying plastic bags

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has started fining people who use plastic Rs 500 and repeat offenders can expect to be relieved of Rs 1,000. The bags manufacturer will be fined a maximum of Rs 5 lakh. This is the first major decision taken by N Manjunatha Prasad after he assumed the civic commissioner post. According to the commissioner, the ban will come into immediate effect and it is the responsibility of the respective zonal officials to ensure that plastic is eradicated from the city. No person, including shopkeepers, vendors, wholesalers, retailers, traders, hawkers or salespeople shall use plastic carry bags or plastic banners.

March 2015 | www.urbanupdate.in

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Designing cities to combat climate change possible: Study

Indiana (USA): Urban planners can take steps to reduce the heat cities may experience from climate change, but there would be other consequences and tradeoffs to consider, according to a study at Purdue University. Dev Niyogi, a Purdue University professor of agronomy and earth, atmospheric and planetary science and Indiana’s state climatologist, wanted to know what effect, if any, urban planning could have on mitigating rising temperatures associated with urban heating and climate change. The amount of concrete and lack of vegetation in many large cities could make those places “heat islands,” where temperatures rise higher than in the suburbs or rural areas. “Are there ways the two synergize and make the combination of climate change and urbanization worse?” Niyogi said. “Or are there ways that we can utilize urban form and function in a way that can help us mitigate what is happening with climate change?” Niyogi and colleague Long Yang, a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University who had been a visiting scholar at Purdue, looked to Beijing, China, as a model. The two collaborated with researchers from Tsinghua University, IBM and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The city is developing in different ways, with some concentration

in the city as well as areas where satellites cities are branching out. Based on complex urban climate models, Niyogi, Yang and their collaborators found that creating polycentric cities - those with a center and suburban satellites could reduce future temperatures in cities that are developed in a more compact way over time. “The thermal comfort over the old downtown area increased in the polycentric city compared to the compact city scenario,” Yang said. All that heat and pollution doesn’t just go away, Niyogi said. Those in satellite cities would have to travel longer distances as destinations are spread out, and that means more miles driven by vehicles and other forms of transportation. And while the thermal load would decrease in the central city, Niyogi and Yang found that the thermal load for the region increases to compensate. In other words, the heat may simply spread around, and pollution is likely to increase. Niyogi says that while there are no simple solutions, the decisions that go into urban planning will affect cities and their surrounding areas in some way as temperatures rise. “This will require an intimate interaction between the urban planning community and the urban climate community,” Niyogi said. Niyogi and Yang will continue to monitor Beijing and other urban areas, using wider spans of time to improve model projections.

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79 % of women in Indian cities experience harassment and violence New ActionAid research highlights global epidemic of violence against women in cities

London: Nearly four out of five women in India have faced public harassment ranging from staring, insults and wolf-whistling to being followed, groped or even raped, said a survey by the charity ActionAid UK. The study - which polled over 500 women in cities across India - found that 84 percent of the respondents who experienced harassment were aged between 25 and 35 years and were largely working women and students. “For us in India the findings are not big news, what is noteworthy of the 500 women interviewed in India, is the extent to which women have responded and reported boldly about facing harassment and violence,” Sandeep Chachra, ActionAid India’s executive director, said. There were 337,922 reports of violence against women such as rape, molestation, abduction and cruelty by husbands in 2014, up nine percent from the previous year, according to the

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This research highlights a global epidemic - every day women around the world face groping, unwanted touching and many other forms of harassment on the streets of their cities Sarah Carson, ActionAid’s Women’s Rights Campaign Manager

latest data from India’s National Crime Records Bureau. Sarah Carson, ActionAid’s Women’s

Rights Campaign Manager said: “It is appalling and unacceptable that this is happening in cities around the world. That’s why we are calling on the UK Government to play its role in funding the life changing work of women’s rights organisations in developing countries. So that no matter who she is or where she lives, no woman has to live in fear of violence or harassment in her city.” The research also polled women in Brazil, UK and Thailand and highlighted an increased risk for women in developing countries, with 79 percent of women in India, 86 percent of women polled in Thailand and 86 percent in Brazil had been subjected to harassment or violence in public. The YouGov poll of 2,500 women aged 16 and over was commissioned to mark the UK launch of the charity’s International Safe Cities for Women Day today to tackle urban violence against women and girls around the world.

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2015

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Panvel Corp formed, suggestions invited Panvel being one of the fast growing cities on the outskirt of Mumbai is declared a Municipal Corporation area. Maharashtra government has issued a Gazette calling for formation of “Municipal Corporation of City of Panvel”. Objections to the said proposal are required to be submitted with reasons therefor in writing to the Collector of the District Raigad within 30 days from the date of publication of this Proclamation in the Official Gazette. A total of 68 villages including Roadpali, Devichapada, Navde, Tondhare, Pendhar, Padghe, TalojeMajkur, Ghot, Koynavele (Ghot Camp) etc. are included.

MCG sends notices on illegal towers to telecos

The Gurgaon municipal corporation might ban mobile phone towers of prominent telecommunication companies in the city after the operators failed to submit the details of location, radiation level and fee paid for the towers. The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has sent notices to four telecom companies asking them for immediate compliance without which their mobile phone towers will be seized or demolished in a month. An MCG official said there are 580 mobile phone towers in the city, of which, only 26 have permission and 554 are illegal. Hence, the civic body has initiated a legal process to take action against illegal towers.

20 March 2015 | www.urbanupdate.in

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40 million Indians at risk from rising sea levels Delhi: Nearly 40 million Indians will be at risk from rising sea levels by 2050, with people in Mumbai and Kolkata having the maximum exposure to coastal flooding in future due to rapid urbanisation and economic growth, according to a UN environment report. The report says seven of the 10 most vulnerable countries worldwide are in the Asia Pacific region India tops the chart with nearly 40 million people in the country projected to be at risk from rising sea levels, followed by more than 25 million in Bangladesh, over 20 million in China and nearly 15 million in the Philippines. It said that changes in settlement patterns, urbanisation and socioeconomic status in Asia have influenced observed trends in vulnerability and exposure to climate extremes. The report said that in many coastal areas, growing urban settlements have also affected the ability of natural coastal systems to respond effectively to extreme climate events, rendering them more vulnerable. “Some countries,

such as China, India and Thailand, are projected to face increased future exposure to extremes, especially in highly urbanised areas, as a result of rapid urbanisation and economic growth,” it said. It listed Mumbai and Kolkata in India, Guangzhou and Shanghai in China, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Yangon in Myanmar, Bangkok in Thailand, and Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong in Vietnam as projected to have the largest population exposure to coastal flooding in 2070. “Many of these cities are already exposed to coastal flooding, but have limited capacity to adapt due to their fixed location,” it said.

Siemens to transform Sri Lanka’s Western Province into megapolis Colombo: Siemens India said it has signed anMoU with the Sri Lankan government to construct smart cities in the island nation’s Western Province and transform it into a megapolis within five years. The MoU, signed with the ministry of megapolis and western development, is to bring about systematic changes and development processes into the Sri Lankan urban community and would ensure its inhabitants become a part of the socioeconomic development while maintaining high levels in quality of life and paving the way for Sri Lanka to emerge as a commercial, naval and aviation hub of Asia, a company statement said. The ministry envisages transforming the entire Western Province into a megapolis to usher in comprehensive development within five years, and the work would include macro-level planning of the region based on biogeo-physical and socio-economic aspects. The Western Region Megapolis Development would be the epicenter towards a long-standing, firmly-established and sustainable future urban process of Sri Lanka, it said. Besides designing smart urban settlements in strategic locations of the country, Siemens India would provide solutions to resolving related issues like garbage, slums, energy, traffic, environment and livelihood.

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Veterans fix civic problems in Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) called its past office bearers and mayors for a four-hour meeting to discuss in depth issues that still vex the civic boy. The meeting was chaired by mayor Gautam Shah. The meeting discussed the smart city proposal but dealt in depth with issues like water supply, drainage, epidemic control and waterborne diseases. “We are taking suggestions of retired officers seriously. They have discussed with us positions of underground civic lines, disease hot spots and how to deal with them, reasons for drainage contamination, town planning issues & water pressure issues,” said mayor Gautam Shah.

Lucknow to get 97 public toilets

India, US sign pact to boost energy ties DELHI: India has inked a pact with the US to enhance cooperation in energy security and climate change with an aim to promote sustainable growth. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of India and the United States was signed to enhance cooperation in energy security, clean energy and climate change, the power ministry said in a statement. Power Secretary P K Pujari and US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma signed the MoU. Speaking on the occasion, Pujari said that “USA and India are already working in some areas and this MoU will help in expanding our horizon. It will provide framework to work more closely not only for betterment of our own people but also for creating a positive environment for the US companies working in India.” Appreciating efforts of the Indian government, Verma said this deal will provide momentum for cooperative work which needs to be

done in the fields of energy security and climate change. The objective of the pact is to boost energy ties between the two countries through increased bilateral engagement and further joint initiatives. These activities are intended to increase incentives for innovation including research and development, and voluntary and mutually-agreed technology transfer, as well as the deployment of clean energy technologies in both countries. They will also contribute to a global effort to curb the rise in greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change, the statement said. The priority initiatives under the MoU would be US-India Energy smart Cities Partnership, greening the grid, Promoting Energy Access through Clean Energy (PEACE) expansion, energy efficiency including space cooling, renewable energy, energy security, clean energy finance and US-India partnership for Climate Resilience, among others.

Lucknow district administration recently announced the construction of 97 public toilet complexes. In the first phase, 38 new toilet complexes will be made available for public use in six months at major marketplaces including Kapoorthala, Puraniya, Bhootnath Market, Hahnemann Crossing, Eldeco Intersection, Husadiya and near Sahara Hospital. There are only 1,200 seats for a population of over 30 lakh in the city. This means one seat for 2,500 people. The UP public health manual says there should be one toilet seat for 35 men and one toilet seat for 25 women in a city.

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2015

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Air pollution worsens as pollution levels rise by 8% Action on Renewables, Clean Fuels Bring Hope of Tackling Public Health Emergency. Mixed progress on air quality still falls far short of what is needed to save 7 million lives each year Nairobi: As global air quality declines, threatening to add to the seven million people air pollution kills each year, increased action in some air quality areas points to political will to tackle this “global public health emergency”, according to reports released recently at the second United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global urban air pollution levels increased by 8 per cent between 2008 and 2013. More than 80 per cent of people living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO limits, threatening lives, productivity and economies. United Nations Environment Programme Executive Director, Achim Steiner, said, “A healthy environment is essential to healthy people and our aspirations for a better world under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “We are indeed making progress on air pollution, but the fact remains that many people are still breathing air outside of World Health Organization standards. The health, social and economic costs are massive and rising. UNEP’s study on ten areas for policy intervention provides a roadmap for countries to follow as they look to reduce air pollution, and we will support them every step of the way.” Policies and standards on clean fuels and vehicles could reduce emissions by 90 per cent, but only 29 per cent of countries worldwide have adopted Euro 4 emissions standards or above. Meanwhile, less than 20 per cent of countries regulate open waste burning, which is a leading cause of air pollution.

22 March 2015 | www.urbanupdate.in

Highlights ♦♦ More than three billion people still use solid fuels and inefficient cook stoves; ♦♦ Only a quarter of countries have advanced fuels and vehicles standards, which can significantly reduce small particulate matter pollution, especially in cities; ♦♦ Electric cars have been on the increase, with strategies being developed in many countries around the world. One-third of all cars bought in Norway are now electric ♦♦ Some countries and cities have been able to increase waste recycling, reducing the need to burn waste ♦♦ The majority of countries around the world have now put in place national air quality standards. India, with major air quality challenges in many cities, has established air quality laws and regulations and also an implementation strategy for these laws.

A second report released, which looks at attempts to control Beijing’s air pollution over a 15-year period, also finds steady improvements are being made. A Review of Air Pollution Control in Beijing: 1998-2013 analyzed measures implemented since Beijing began launching air pollution control programmes, which saw a steady downward trend in the concentrations of many harmful pollutants. In 2014, the international community, at the first UNEA, asked UNEP to support global efforts to improve air quality. UNEP has launched several programmes, including an initiative to develop a low-cost sensor that can be used across the developing world to track and address pollution hotspots. Actions on Air Quality, part of UNEP’s push, focuses on ten basic measures to improve air quality. It shows that the majority of countries world-wide are still to adopt the top-ten air quality policy actions, but highlights many good examples that can be followed. The Beijing analysis, carried out by UNEP and the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, found that carbon monoxide and sulphur levels are now below limits set by China’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, while nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter ten levels are also creeping closer to the standards. This trend has been driven by a decrease in coal consumption in the power sector and a drop in vehicle emissions resulting from vehicle emission control measures. “Even though the air pollution control programmes in Beijing have made substantial progress, the environment quality is far from satisfactory,” said Chen Tian, Director General of the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. “We will continue to explore approaches that could work effectively for improving the environment in this region.”

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Naidu to visit Germany to promote investments in smart cities DELHI: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu will attend a three-day conference on ‘Smart City Mission’ in the month of June in Berlin to promote investment in the urban development sector in the country. Three Indian cities are to be developed as smart cities in collaboration with Germany. The Union Urban Development Ministerwill hold detailed talks with his German counterpart and senior officials on the roadmap for developing the Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Kochi (Kerala) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) as smart cities with German assistance, an official statement said. The three cities have been identified further to consultations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in October last year here. Naidu’s visit is also aimed at “intensifying high-level engagement

for identifying new opportunities” for German companies in the urban development sector offered by the initiative of development of 100 smart cities, it said. Germany’s Minister of Environment, Nature Conservation, Buildings and Nuclear Safety Barbara Hendricks will also participate in the conference. As part of the ‘100 Indian Smart Cities Conference’ and Metropolitan Solutions - 2016 events being held concurrently, exhibitions and 20 theme conferences on the issues of urban energy, urban management, urban mobility and logistics, urban water and waste management and urban buildings and public spaces will be held, it said. Naidu will be accompanied by Urban Development Ministry’s Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the ‘Smart City Mission’ Samir Sharma.

Hyderabad opens butterfly garden Hyderabad: On the occasion of Telangana State Formation Day, Telangana Ministers T Srinivas Yadav, Laxma Reddy, A Indra Karan Reddy and Padma Rao, inaugurated a ‘Butterfly Garden’. The garden has been designed to create an environment that attracts butterflies as well as certain moths, an official release said. Hussain Sagar Lake and its surroundings are rich in bio-diversity. A total of 50 species of butterflies were recorded in and around the lake. Sanjeevaiah Park, having a colourful range of shrubs, creepers and trees with flowers, attracts swarms of butterflies, of at least 30-40 varieties, the release said. Butterfly gardening is also aimed at inviting butterflies and moths to lay eggs. A butterfly park is also proposed to be developed in the area, where about 60 varieties of flowering and nectar yielding and butterfly attracting species have already been planted.

Bihar to give rebate on online registration of land, flats Patna: Bihar government has decided to introduce online registration of land, flats, etc with immediate effect with a rebate of upto Rs 2000 on stamp duty for those opting for the new system. Principal Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra said it would be an important step towards e-governance in the state. The proposal to transfer the centrally sponsored ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’

(rural) and state sponsored ‘Lohia Swachh Yojana’ to the rural development department also got the cabinet nod. Now the two programmes would be managed by the rural development department for the construction of toilets. The cabinet also approved Rs 792.92 crore as grant for the urban local bodies under the state plan for the current financial year.

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Pond enclosures for idol immersion in Hyderabad

With the High Court suggesting that GHMC create separate enclosures for idol immersion to prevent Hussainsagar from becoming polluted during Ganesh and Durga idol immersion, corporation proposes to create Ganesh Nimmajjanam Koneru (separate pond enclosures) at 10 different tanks in the city and its outskirts. The GHMC has planned formation of separate enclosures on the lines of Bangalore city. Recently, GHMC Mayor Bonthu Rammohan and GHMC Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy visited Bangalore and inspected separate enclosures created by Bangalore Corporation for idol immersion.

Rajasthan to launch save water mission in cities Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje announced that the government would launch Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan in cities. She instructed district officials to construct rainwater harvesting structures in Jaipur and other cities. Facing frequent contamination of water because of drinking water pipelines and sewer lines running parallel, Raje called for better planning. “City developers should be careful enough and ensure that drinking water supply lines and sewer lines are not laid parallel,” said Raje. She added that urban planners should use modern trenchless technology while developing sewerage system and install underground ducting in the cities.

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2015

COVER STORY | Urban Mobility

Streamlining urban transport

24 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Improving the efficiency of urban mobility systems through operational innovation and sustainable measures with safety and convenience in mind is critical to provide efficient transport facilities to increasing population in our cities

Abhishek Pandey Editor, Urban Update ap.urbanupdate@gmail.com

he concentration of urban population in and around million plus and 100,000 plus cities of India is creating problems for already ailing urban transport systems. Increasing vehicular load, insufficient public transport system, rise in pollution levels and road fatalities are some of the areas which demand immediate attention. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Ministry of Urban Development have taken a slew of measures to make urban mobility efficient, smart, attractive and reliable. Cities in India have witnessed a significant growth in number of private vehicles in the absence of efficient and reliable public transport systems to meet ever increasing travel requirements. Since 1991, the total number of registered motor vehicles in India has gone up from 21 million to 150 million, a more than seven fold increase. The increasing vehicular load on city roads is not only choking our city roads but polluting urban environment beyond repair. With the

Cities in India have witnessed a significant growth in number of private vehicles in the absence of efficient and reliable public transport systems to meet ever increasing travel requirements. Since 1991, the total number of registered motor vehicles in India has gone up from 21 million to 150 million, a more than seven fold increase. The increasing vehicular load on city roads is not only choking our city roads but polluting urban environment beyond repair. With the result that cities like Delhi had to go for vehicle rationing scheme like Odd-Even rule to reduce air pollution

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

COVER STORY | Urban Mobility

result that cities like Delhi had to go for vehicle rationing scheme like OddEven rule to reduce air pollution. In an initiative to make urban public transport sustainable, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had launched â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Green Bus Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Nagpur in 2014. The project is an initiative in collaboration with the Maharashtra Government and Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Learning from the experiences of Nagpur city, other cities can also go for similar transport model for making their public transport green. Similarly, e-rickshaws have started plying on roads in many cities. However, there are several operational bottlenecks which need to be taken care of. E-Rickshaw should be made more safe, regulated and institutionalized. It is the responsibility of the local government bodies to promote such e-rickshaws with proper operational mechanism by providing them infrastructure facilities such as parking spaces and charging stations. From the point of view of users, routes and rates for trips should be fixed too, else

26 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

such alternative green transport model can become a menace as it has already started creating problems in many cities including in the national capital-Delhi. Urban Transport is a cross-cutting sector and involves many government departments at state, central and local levels. The sector covers a variety of modes of intra-city transport for people and goods, including walking, cycling, non-motorised transport, two wheelers, four wheelers, public transport such as metro, buses, monorails; private-public transport such as taxis and para-transit modes among others. The present situation on transport management in our cities throws up several pressing concerns and it is required that all the concerned departments stress on how reforms in urban transport policy can better leverage new and emerging mobility choices in cities. City has to provide for cycle tracks, walkways, balanced parking spaces and efficient public transport system to improve its liveability. According to a report released by the National Transport Development

Policy Committee (NTDPC), one of the key differentiating factors between urban transport and other transport sectors like railways, roads and inland water ways is the complexity of the system given the variety of modes prevalent here. The solutions not only have to look at the efficiency in terms of time and cost and convenience of each mode but also the inter dependency of one mode on the other.As an example, a highly efficient mass transit system could be made ineffective if links to other parts of transit systems are weak and inefficient. Unlike other transportation sectors, urban transport is primarily guided by the nature and future of urbanisation. Collaboration is required between various modes of public transport in the city so that one mode of public transport can serve as substitute for another mode in case of emergency or breakdown.

Personalised Rapid Transport

Governments worldwide are encouraging people to opt for public transport systems. Personalised rapid

transport is being launched in many cities worldwide. Netherlands and Switzerland have already launched pilot projects in which pod cars and small driverless buses are being trialled. Similar pod shuttle service is operational in London and the Transport for London is rolling out the project on city streets too. In one such initiative, Government of India has proposed Metrino Personalised Rapid Transport between Delhi and Manesar. The government has already sanctioned Rs 400 cr for the project and soon it will be rolled out for implementation. According to the project website, Metrino-PRT (formerly MISTER PRT) is a new, innovative public transportation system for cities. Small (car size), fully automatic, driverless vehicles (pods) travel independently suspended under an overhead network of light guide-ways, 5 to 10 m above street level. All rides are on passenger demand. There are no timetables and no pre-defined routes. Pods are usually waiting for passengers at small stops

along the network as well as shopping centers, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, etc. Pods are only for individual trips. They carry up to five people, usually acquainted, therefore providing absolute personal safety. All pods, stops and the route network are constantly monitored by security cameras. Rides take place from any stop directly to your selected destination, without a break during the journey. They travel at an average speed of 50 km/h compared to 30 km/h for metro and 10-20 km/h for buses or trams. Stops are off-line (like petrol stations along motorways). They do not obstruct the flow of traffic on the guide ways. Passengers would be able to enjoy a smooth ride in air conditioned comfort with multimedia services and elevated views.

Road Safety

With one of the highest motorization growth rates in the world accompanied by rapid expansion in road network and urbanization over the years, India is faced with serious impacts on road

Ten Golden Rules for Road Safety 1. Stop or slow down: Allow pedestrians to cross first at uncontrolled zebra crossings. 2. Buckle up so that your family and you are safe in the car. Seat belts reduce the chances of death of a car occupant in accidents. 3. Obey traffic rules and signs to prevent road accidents. 4. Obey speed limits for your own safety and that of others in residential areas and market places, ideal speed should be 20 kmph and the maximum speed limit is 30 kmph. 5. Keep vehicle fit to prevent breakdown and accidents on road. 6. Never use mobile while driving to avoid distractions that largely lead to accidents. 7. Wear helmet to protect your head while riding a two wheeler. A good quality helmet reduces the chances of severe head injury. 8. Never drive dangerously to ensure your own safety and that of other road users. 9. Be courteous: Share the road with all and be considerate. Never rage on the road. 10. Never mix drinking and driving: Be responsible... don’t drink while driving. Source: United Nations and Government of India (https://data.gov.in)

safety levels. In 2015, 50 Million-Plus Cities accounted for a share of 22.1 per cent in total road accidents in the country, 11.3 per cent in total persons killed in road accidents and 16.4 per cent in total persons injured in road accidents. Mumbai had the highest number of road accidents (23,468) while Delhi had the highest number of deaths (1622) due to road accidents. Accident severity in terms of percentage share of the 50 Million-Plus Cities was 14.9 per cent in 2015 as against 15.0 per cent in 2014. The problem is similar in other parts of the world. Some 1.25 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes, according to the WHO’s Global status report on road safety 2015. The WHO report highlights that road users around the world are unequally protected. The risk of dying in a road traffic crash still depends, in great part, on where people live and how they move around. A big gap still separates high-income countries from low and middle- income ones where 90% of road traffic deaths occur in spite of having just 54% of the world’s vehicles. Europe, in particular with the region’s wealthier countries, has the lowest death rates per capita; Africa the highest. India is a signatory to Brasilia Declaration and is committed to reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020. Seeing the urgency of the situation, the Government of India has approved a National Road Safety Policy. This Policy outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, establishing road safety information data base, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, and enforcement of safety laws. Ministry has also released a set of guidelines for spreading awareness on road safety.

Follow the writer on Twitter @abhishekpandey

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

Leaderspeak | Sustainable Transport

Ranjit S Chavan President, AIILSG

Local governments can propel ‘green transport’ Urban Local Bodies in most of the Indian cities, barring a few, do not manage urban transport. When municipalities and city leaders worldwide are taking initiatives to promote green transport to declog city roads and cut down emissions, local bodies In India too can play a constructive role in paving a way for sustainable transport system in their cities

ycling has been a part of dayto-day life for many decades in India but gradually one is seeing less and less of it in our cities. A small portion or urban dwellers, especially the poor that do not have alternative arrangements, uses cycles for commuting. Indian cities need to promote cycling and other non-motorized transport to cut down emissions, noise pollution, congestion, road accidents and other associated problems emanating from the growing use of fossil fuel run vehicles. Many countries in the West have already begun taking initiatives to promote nonmotorised transport to cut down transit emissions and unclog city roads. Recently, Norway has gone a step ahead. It has announced a $923 million bike highway project to build 10 broad, two-lane, cross-country bike tracks in and near its nine largest cities. These bicycle highways would promote long distance cycling by ensuring speed and safety for cyclists. It will also enable people living in the suburbs to commute on bikes. Netherlands is another good example where almost 43 per cent people cycle every day, and in cities like Amsterdam and The Hague, almost 70 per cent of daily trips are

28 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

made by cycles. According to a BBC report, the Dutch began the cycling revolution in the 60s and 70s because cars began clogging city roads and the number of road fatalities soared exponentially. Luud Schimmelpennink of Amsterdam is considered the pioneer of bike sharing programs. He along with a group of enthusiasts called Provo started the program the Witte Fietsenplan (the “white bicycle plan”) in which they used to take any bicycle and paint it white and leave it on city roads for citizens in need of transport. This was the first bike sharing program in the world.

Bike Sharing Programs

Many cities have started bike sharing programs in which citizens can pick upbicycles at one point in the city, use them and leave them at another point on a small per hour fee basis. Bicycles are quite effective in densely populated areas which are common in Indian cities. According to data compiled by Russell Meddin for MetroBike, a consultancy specialized on bike-sharing, the global bikeshare fleet comprises almost one million bicycles, the majority of which are located in China. It is also important to mention that bike-sharing systems were available in 855 cities around the world by the end of 2014.

According to a study published by Metrobike’s Bike-Sharing Blog in 2014, China boasts of the biggest bike-sharing fleet of 753,308 followed by France (42,930), Spain (28,804), United States of America (22,390) and Germany (12,474). In India, there are a few cities which have such programs and even those are not very popular because of poor infrastructure for biking in our cities. As per a study in 2014, India has only 120 public bicycles. The number could have gone up slightly as a few initiatives were started in certain pockets of Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Cycling in Indian Cities

One program is Namma Cycle, a bicycle sharing system at the Campus of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. These bicycles are available to students, staff and visitors, to commute within the campus. The project works on a simple Sign-Up, Select, Ride and Return system where intending users sign-up via the website, and get a registration ID, select a cycle from any of the station racks, ride the cycle to their destination and return it to the nearest docking station. Similarly, Mumbai has FreMo (Freedom to Move) and Cycle Chalao programs. Both of these programs are operating on a small scale but their success can be replicated in any city with the right infrastructure in place. Similarly, Delhi Metro has started a Public Bike Sharing initiative. Pune, Jaipur and some other cities too have joined the bandwagon. However, the sad part is that most of these programs have not yielded good results in Indian cities for two major reasons—poor cycling infrastructure and limited expansion of the program. Apart from lacking infrastructure, the major problem the operators faced

China has outpaced all other countries in the world in bike sharing initiatives. The country has the largest fleet of public sharing bicycles

was financial feasibility as in most of the cases, they are not able to recover operation and maintenance costs from cycle rental fee and advertising revenue alone. This is where local bodies can step in. They can assess the requirements of their citizens and may collaborate with agencies which have already implemented similar projects in global cities successfully for implementing the same in their cities. There are many such programs which are running successfully. Some of them are Velib (Paris, France), Hangzhou Public Bikes (Hangzhou, China), Capital Bikeshare (Washington DC, USA), Barclays Cycle Hire (London, UK), EcoBici (Mexico City), Melbourne Bike Share (Melbourne, Australia) and Dublinbikes (Dublin, Ireland). Safety is a major concern in India. People using non-motorised transport, that includes cyclists and pedestrians, are particularly vulnerable, and account for about 35-50 per cent of road traffic fatalities in most Indian cities. That is the major reason walking and bicycling are losing popularity among the people who can have alternative arrangements for commuting. However, the poor are still riding them. To ensure more people opt for cycling, it is the responsibility of the government to provide them

appropriate infrastructure so that more people irrespective of their economic strata feel comfortable using cycles. That calls for serious efforts to make cycling safe in our cities by providing dedicated ‘bicycle only’ lanes. In 2006, the National Urban Transport Policy raised the safety concerns for non-motorised transport but nothing much has been done in this regard. There is a need to have bicycleinclusive city planning. If this does not get priority, the public bicycle scheme cannot take off in the first tier cities. Indian cities which are expanding fast and building new urban pockets can rejuvenate the cycling phenomenon by carefully including non-motorised transport in their planning. Road maintenance in case of bicycles use would also be lower than in case of four wheelers. Carbon emission would be less. Another major challenge is for local bodies to bring about a transformation in the Indian mindset towards cycling. The general impression that cycles are for the poor must be discarded. Local leaders, bureaucrats, and celebrities can participate in public programs that encourage people to take up cycling, just as they do during marathons. And, in this regard, an aggressive local campaign by municipalities is a must.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

one on one | Delhi Metro Chief

Mangu Singh, who took over the reins of Delhi Metro as Managing Director from E. Sreedharan in 2011, is hopeful that new metro lines coming up in Delhi and recent innovations in the management of Delhi metro operations would benefit Delhi commuters and provide more comfortable commuting experience

DMRC confident of handling high volume traffic: Singh

Kumar Dhananjay Freelance Journalist kumardhan@hotmail.com

30 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

There has been so much talk about making our transport system energy efficient. Delhi Metro is also planning to install solar panels at its stations to generate power. How much is it going to feed to the energy needs of Delhi Metro? Delhi Metro has already commissioned over 6 MW of solar power and has awarded contracts for another 20 MW. As per an MoU with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), an offsite solar power plant would also be

established from where DMRC would get power directly. Such a site has already been identified in Madhya Pradesh where a solar plant with capacity of 750 MW is being planned. Through these initiatives we hope to reduce our reliance on the non renewable sources of power. Delhi Metro is a model for many small and mid-sized cities that are going to run Metros in their respective cities. How many cities is DMRC helping in

executing their Metro projects? We have constructed a 9.25 km long Metro corridor in Jaipur. We are currently engaged in carrying out construction in NOIDA – Greater NOIDA, Kochi and have been assigned the work in Mumbai and Vijayawada. These apart, we also are the consultant for almost every other Metro system in the country including the ones already commissioned such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai. If all the lines proposed are completed in time, Delhi Metro would have a larger network than London Tube that has a long history. How do you take it or do such figures burden you with more responsibility? Once the current phase is completed, we will have a Metro network of about 350 kilometres. Yes, it is a huge responsibility but DMRC has today become a structured organization where we are equipped to handle such high volumes of traffic and operational requirements. Our recruitment policies are transparent

Delhi Metro will have larger network than London tube when the work on all the proposed lines are completed

and time bound and there are specific training modules for all profiles. This helps us prepare adequate manpower for the new corridors. With progress of work, we also float tenders for all ancillary requirements parallely so that no time is lost. Delhi is a fast growing city and the Metro system here must compliment the growth. Smart Mobility Cards are popular in most of the global cities. What is your opinion on the cards like Oyster? Do you think India would take more time to start such a facility for its commuters? Ticketing in the Delhi Metro system is card based and smart cards have been in use here for many years now. Our fare collection system has provision to deal with multiple operators/ agencies. Others need to join DMRC system. We are prepared to welcome any such initiative whenever it is introduced. Please tell us more about recently launched driver-less trains and new coaches introduced. We are introducing trains capable of running on the ‘Unattended Train Operations (UTO)’ mode in the next phase. With these trains Delhi Metro will indeed take a quantum leap in terms of using the latest technologies. These trains will initially run with drivers but will eventually shift to the ‘driverless’ mode. These trains will be more energy efficient, will have better seating, air conditioning and LED displays. We also plan to provide Wi-Fi facilities inside the trains. What are the major problems you face in running Delhi Metro? Carrying close to three million people every day is indeed a challenge. But as mentioned before, we have the necessary structure in place to handle such high traffic volumes and all types of exigencies that may occur. Running Delhi Metro is akin to fulfilling the dreams of millions and we do this every day with a great deal of pride and passion.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

feaTURE | SAC SUMMIT 2016

Sustainability should be at the centre of urban planning All India Institute of Local Self-Government (AIILSG) in collaboration with United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG-ASPAC) organised a two-day South Asian Cities Summit on May 6-7, 2016 in New Delhi to explore the new avenues of urban development in evolving urban agglomerations in the South Asian Region. The theme of the Summit was ‘Smart Cities—Aspirations and Challenges’ 32 March 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

City leaders unanimously sign Delhi Declaration On the basis of deliberations during eight sessions held at the two-day conference, city leaders from South Asian cities along with dignitaries from national and International development agencies, donor organisations, civil society organizations and representatives of wider urban development fraternity signed a 11-point declaration to make cities inclusive, better governed, smart and sustainable.

Team Urban Update

n the wake of rapid urbanization and emerging allied problems in South Asian countries, city leaders and urbanists from South Asian Countries and beyond came together to discuss problems cities are facing and how local bodies and governments can handle them. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the Chief Guest, inaugurated this third edition of

The declaration read: We, the City Leaders, Representatives of International, National and Local Governments Institutions, NGOs and Civil Society Members, met in New Delhi, India on 6th and 7th of May 2016 for the 3rd South Asian Cities Summit under the theme: ‘Smart Cities - Aspirations and Challenges”. We recall the Declarations adopted during our First and Second Summits held in Delhi in 2013 and 2015 respectively, where a spirit of partnership for development of our Cities was established through the framework of South Asian Mayors’ Forum. We are committed to: ♦♦ Ensure smart development of our Cities through innovation, improved management, cutting-edge technologies, institutional reforms, and other measures towards sustainable utilization of resources by adopting principles of good governance i.e. transparency, accountability, and participation. ♦♦ Focus on human-centered development, making sure that local wisdom, culture, and values, are harnessed and incorporated in local planning and also investments are made on people, especially the youth. ♦♦ Inclusive development of our Cities with focus on community engagement, integrated, coordinated planning and covering the marginalized segment of population, urban and rural development including women, children, differently abled persons and the elderly. ♦♦ Sustainable Development of our Cities by putting in place doable solutions for providing affordable and quality habitat, integrated transport systems, energy efficient buildings, optimal water resources utilisation and promoting zero waste management efforts. ♦♦ Resilient development of our Cities through envisioning, long term planning and implementation which will address chronic stress factors and mitigate the effects of climate change, promote biodiversity, and develop capacity to absorb future shocks and stresses to urban infrastructure systems associated with climate change and natural disasters ♦♦ Ensure prosperity, productivity, happiness, and transformative urban development of South Asian cities through collaboration and knowledge exchange between local governments at the national, regional and global levels ♦♦ Collaborative development of our Cities through a system of people oriented public private partnerships for provision of public infrastructure services while promoting equitable development ♦♦ Heritage-based development of our Cities through linkage of urban heritage management and renewal of historical areas with wider city development and cross country and regional collaboration, contributing to endogenous economic development ♦♦ Enhance institutional and sectoral coordinating capacity of our Cities through human resource development of its executive and administrative branches ♦♦ Direct political will of decision-makers towards people-oriented development and right to the city ♦♦ Collect and share data on urban governance and performance to its citizens to enable greater urban engagement and civic participation in urban infrastructure and services, management, planning and policy.

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2016

feaTURE | SAC SUMMIT 2016

South Asian countries must come together to tackle urban problems: Sumitra Mahajan In an exclusive interview with Urban Update during the South Asian Cities Summit-2016, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who started her political career as a councilor and brought about many changes at the local level, spoke about the significance of local bodies in urban development, and their growing roles and responsibilities Kumar Dhananjay Consulting Editor, kumardhan@hotmail.com

Sumitra Mahajan underlined the fact that local bodies are extremely important in this age of smart cities. When asked how she thinks local self governance and local bodies can help the citizens better,Mahajan said “Actually the local self government is the body that can help because planning is with them. It could be about water bodies, sanitation or playground, local bodies have to plan. Local bodies are the connecting chain between the government and the people. They definitely will send the plan to the government and government will approve. But it has to be done with the help of local people as they are directly related to the people. They know the needs of the town. So they are very important in planning the cities and not only that, it may be village, it may be panchayat;in planning it because they know it better and not only planning but working with the help of the people.” In recent times there have been debates on the empowerment of the local bodies, their role and their powers. Local bodies have even complained that their powers are being snatched. This was the question thrown at Mahajan. She replied that this government is different. She said that “this government at the centre is committed to empower the local bodies. We have set the target that money will go directly to the panchayat account. That means money will go to the people directly. That’s why to strengthen the smart cities project that we are planning, local MLA, MP, mayor all of them will be there in the committee. They will have to plan and they will plan.” Citing her own journey and experience as a public representative over the decades from being a corporator and then going on to become

34 March 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

a member of parliament and how she strengthened the local bodies in her constituency, Mahajan said that creating awareness is the key. She said “When you go to the people they share by themselves that has been my experience. No doubt money is always a problem. Still they share themselves. If you do something good for them, if you create awareness if you work with them it works. First I was a corporator then deputy mayor and then I became Member of Parliament. So when I was a corporator I planned with my local bodies to protect play ground especially in the school. Then we worked on parks and then local bodies planted trees in the parks. And then we presented those parks to the local committee that now you look after them. That is how we worked with the local people, local bodies. No doubt money is a problem. So state governments and central government must help them.” Apart from the importance of local self governance, the Lok Sabha Speaker also talked about a range of issues from sustainable development to climate change to smart cities project. Mahajan said “now a days sustainable development goals are discussed around the globe. Our government has started 100 smart cities project. In India we have started smart cities project. We have selected 20 cities in the first financial year”. Referring to the SAC Summit, she said that this type of discussion is very necessary. She emphasized the need for South Asian countries to come together. “South Asian countries must come together. Because you know it better that our cultural thinking, our atmospheric thinking are a little bit similar. And together we can look forward to the USA, and other big countries and the UN; see what they are doing and how we can benefit mutually.” She expressed confidence that in the next two days the conference would discuss issues related to infrastructure, transport systems among other things as all these are very important. Talking specifically about India she said that planned cities are not new for India. She said “In ancient India

also cities used to be planned. We have examples of Sindhu valley civilization, Mohenjo-daro, etc. These days though we plan to some extent but then there are problems like population growth, encroachment, among other things. So it is important to plan the cities and according to that planning, acting and governance is equally important. I am sure you will discuss how to plan the cities”. At the same time she impressed upon the fact that “a smart city is not just about concrete structure. A city must have open space, water body, parks and cultural space as well. It must also have religious space”. Coming back to the theme of climate change she warned of the dangers of fiddling with nature. She said “our thoughts are together, one and the same. We can live with nature, we must protect nature then only nature will protect us. Now we are talking about climate change. I think in smart cities we think about all these things. Things should be done ecologically, culturally and religiously.” Mahajan also expressed her concern over the usage and scarcity of water. How important water is for our lives. She said “We are discussing drought and water scarcity in parliament. Water is extremely important. It is being discussed from Indian parliament to UN. So I am sure when you think about smart cities in South Asia you must think about the nature. There has to be some parity. I am sure you will discuss all these things”. Lauding the initiative of the All India Institute of Local Self-Government, she expressed confidence that something good will come out of this conference. She asked thatall the points that the conference will discuss be provided to her so that she could study them. She said she will pass it on to the parliamentarians. She stated “Don’t think that politicians don’t think about all these issues”. At the end she again said that government has planned hundred smart cities in the first phase and it cannot be done without the support of the local people. “I will definitely read your thinking and convey to our parliament members as well” she said.

The 3rd South Asian Cities Summitwitnessed the participation of over 300 national and international delegates, and over 70 city mayors and commissioners from India and other South Asian countries

South Asian Cities Summit. In her inaugural address, Mahajan said that our cities are facing many challenges and we need to empower local bodies to build smart and sustainable cities. The NDA government has initiated a range of urban rejuvenation programs and these programs will not only improve our cities for the better but also provide a platform to Urban Local Bodies to take a lead in developing city plans as per the aspirations of the local populace. She reiterated: “Planned cities are not a new thing for India. Even ancient India had them. I am sure all of you will discuss how to plan cities in the backdrop of present situations. A city is not just concrete structure. A city must have open spaces, water bodies, parks, cultural and religious spaces. South Asian Countries are similar in many ways. Our thoughts are together. We can live with nature.We must protect nature then only nature will protect us. Now we are talking about climate change. I think in smart cities we should think about all these things. Things should be done ecologically, religiously.” Other dignitaries who graced the inaugural session included: Won HEE-ryongm, President, UCLG – ASPAC; Dr Jatin Modi, President Emeritus, AIILSG;

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2016

feaTURE | SAC SUMMIT 2016

36 March 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu addressing the UCLG-ASPAC Executive Bureau Meeting during the South Asian Cities (SAC) Summit 2016 Members and senior office bearers of United Cities and Local Governments posing for a group photograph Capt Anant Modi, Director General, AIILSG, in conversation with Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan addressing the gathering at the inaugural of SAC Summit 2016 Dr Jatin Modi, President Emeritus, AIILSG, addressing the participants during the South Asian Mayors Forum Speakers during the panel discussion ‘Leadership Talk’ Dignitaries were all ears to the panel discussion on the first day of the Summit Speakers during the session on ‘Accelerating the Pace of Urban Rejuvenation through Efficient Urban Planning and Infrastructure’ Speakers during the session on ‘Rural Urban Continuum—The Inclusive Future’. Capt Anant Modi, Director General, AIILSG presenting a bouquet to Dr Bernadia Tjandradewi, Secretary General, UCLG-ASPAC Ravi Ranjan Guru, Sr Executive Director, AIILSG, presenting a memento to Ashish Deosthali, Deputy Director General, AIILSG Speakers during the session Innovative Urban Governance and Empowered City Leadership—A Requisite for Urban Transformation. Abhilash Khandekar, Political Editor, Dainik Bhaskar and a regular columnist for Urban Update, interviewing Jagan Shah, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs Members of organising team posing for a group photograph

Ranjit Chavan, President, AIILSG; Capt. Anant Modi, Director General, AIILSG; Bernadia Irawati, Secretary General, UCLG-ASPAC; Kewal Kumar Sharma, Chief Secretary of Delhi; and Satya Sharma, Mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation. Ranjit Chavan, President of the All India Institute of Local SelfGovernment, said that South Asian Countries are developing new Smart Cities to rejuvenate their urban settlements. The increasing population in cities is demanding better civic amenities, employment opportunities, novel public transport systems, improved physical and IT infrastructure, efficient waste and water management, affordable housing, etc. We need to ensure all these facilities are provided to one and all. He added that AIILSG is committed to provide all possible support to local bodies in their endeavor to make cities better. KK Sharma, Chief Secretary of Delhi said that India and other South Asian countries can better utilize opportunities that urbanization provides them to transform their economies to join the ranks of richer nations. The launch of three mega urban schemes in India, i.e., Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and Housing for All in urban areas, will set in motion the process of urban transformation to enable better living. The missions are new, innovative and focused on pressing needs to improve the quality of life for citizens today, and in the future. He also talked about the Odd-Even scheme for private cars in Delhi and said that creating a safe urban environment that is healthy for citizens to live should also be a priority for city leaders

www.urbanupdate.in | March 2016

feaTURE | SAC SUMMIT 2016

Sumitra Mahajan, Lok Sabha Speaker, lauded the efforts of the All India Institute of Local Self-Government for bringing together city leaders from across the region to discuss urban issues. Mahajan assured that she would pass on the outcomes of the Summit among the parliamentarians for further discussion

and the governments. The Summit convened a high profile gathering of international, national, state and local government officials, utilities, policy makers, financiers, technologists, non-profit organizations, business leaders, academicians, researchers and community organisations – all with a common goal of working together to develop and build a better future for cities and their citizens. The 3rd South Asian Cities Summit witnessed the participation of over 300 national and international delegates, and over 70 city mayors and commissioners from India and other South Asian countries. Ambassador of Afghanistan to India Shaida Mohammad Abdali during an interview with Urban Update said that South Asian countries are facing similar urban issues. “We can learn from eachother in many ways. Our local bodies can share their experiences to widen each other’s understanding of feasible solutions.” Bernadia Irawati, Secretary General, UCLG-ASPAC, said, “the national governments in the South Asia region have begun started fixing several bottlenecks holding back our cities, it has become apparently clear that the time has come to focus on planned development of our cities where inclusivity, sustainability and liveability for all is a prime concern.”

38 March 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Capt. Anant Modi, Director General, AIILSG, said, “The current state of affairs in our cities presents a challenge and an opportunity to promote urban development that is sustainable, equitable and a catalyst for economic growth. I am quite hopeful that the South Asian Cities Summit will play a constructive role in achieving this goal.” Panelists at the conference highlighted that the recently released World Bank Report ‘Leveraging Urbanisation in South Asia’ says that the region’s urban population grew by 130 million people between 2001 and 2011, and it is forecast to rise by almost 250 million more in the next 15 years. The region has already started to see the economic growth and poverty-reduction benefits associated with urbanization; if managed properly, further urbanization offers the potential for more prosperous and livable cities. Ramesh Negi, Principal Secretary (Urban Development), Delhi, said, during a session on Innovative urban governance and Empowered city leadership – A requisite for urban transformation, that municipal leadership was strengthened through the 73rd and 74th amendments but despite these initiatives Indian cities have not been able to achieve the desired results. He said not only political reforms but also the present system of operating cities needs to be corrected. There is a need to focus on human resource policies and reforms in recruitment policies. Training of municipal staff to upgrade their skills is required to ensure productivity in municipalities. Kenjiro Hashimoto, Executive Director, CLAIR (Singapore) added that citizens need to gain deeper understanding into local governance. “Provision of services is no longer the sole responsibility of local governments. Voluntary participation, intermediary organizations like civil society groups are also important for effective service delivery.” The session Sustainable Urban

Management: Skill Development-A Key for Better Urban Management discussed how state and local authorities can find a way to train their staff and new workforce. DK Bhalla, Secretary (Lok Sabha Secretariat), who chaired the session, stressed upon how urban management needs to be reformed for optimal utilization of resources and it should be linked with skill development. He added that for smart cities, professional training should be provided to local leaders. The range of sessions at the summit discussed the problems South Asian Cities are facing and experts suggested a range of solutions to accelerate the sustainable prosperity and productivity of cities. The main sessions during the summit included: ‘Accelerating the Pace of Urban Rejuvenation - Building Efficient Urban Infrastructure’, ‘Leveraging Technology for Smart Cities’, ‘Innovative Urban Governance and Empowered City Leadership - A Requisite for Urban Transformation’, ‘Moving in Cities with Ease and Comfort’, ‘Rural Urban Continuum – The Inclusive Future’, ‘Sustainable Urban Management’, and ‘Clean Cities’.

UCLG-ASPAC Executive Bureau Meeting

The Executive Bureau meeting of UCLG-ASPAC was organized on May 5, 2016. Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu was the Chief Guest. Prabhu in his speech said that urbanisation is an opportunity which has led to a significant increase in national GDP. China’s contribution is a successful example of managing the urban scenario with such a large population. We should also learn and unlearn from others. Members also discussed on the role of women in local politics and their present status. It was observed that women are rising to higher positions like mayors and vice-mayors in many Asian cities and many countries like India, Pakistan and Nepal have reserved at least one third seats in local body elections for women.

Environment | OPinion

No more Bhopal, Please! Abhilash Khandekar National Political Editor Dainik Bhaskar kabhilash59@gmail.com

While on the one hand the Union Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ministry led by a very active Prakash Javadekar managed to unlock the massive afforestation fund known as CAMPA, through a bill in the Lok Sabha and raised hopes of Rs 40,000 crores to be spent in states now on plantations and allied activities, on the other hand rapid urbanisation is eating into the tree cover in cities. We have a grave situation on hand

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

hen we utter the word development, almost instantly trees become the first casualty. Though politicians keep paying lip service to conserving the environment and saving trees, at the ground level, things are just the opposite-across the country under any political dispensation. Will the national smart cities mission hasten the process of cutting trees in cities? Many fear this to be a stark reality! Nature will lose out to ‘development’, various lofty political statements notwithstanding. Bhopal is a case in point. It has always been known throughout the country to be a very green capital, a place which Bengaluru used to boast of till a decade ago. But not any longer. In the capital of MP which is selected among the first 20 cities in the enviable Smart City list, from the day Shivaji Nagar and Tulsi Nagar, were declared as “Smart City” locations, people were in for a great shock. Both these localities are laid out beautifully with decent houses, wide roads, back lanes, lots of open spaces, gardens and importantly, a very rich tree cover. They are examples of how a city should be ideally planned. The area has mixed population of people living in government quarters and in private bungalows. A number of ministers too live in the same vicinity but they had been spared while uprooting the commoners-estimated to be 50,000 plus. Many former civil servants, doctors, architects and writers were up in arms against the very choice of these two verdant placesShivaji Nagar and Tulsi Nagar-where close to 20,000 trees will have to be cut, moved or pruned for no reason. No apparent logic given was convincing enough to anyone-from the victims of Smart City, to expert architects and certain officials. What later transpired was that an influential commissioner level officer in urban development department had his way and he even managed to sideline the Mayor of Bhopal, Alok Sharma, a BJP leader, from the entire process of people’s choice of location. Fake opinion polls were shown as real and it was declared that Shivaji Nagar and Tulsi Nagar were the choice of people. Incidentally, modern Bhopal, built by a renowned urban planner the late M N Buch who passed away in June 2015, is fighting against this smart city proposal thrust on them. Raja Bhoj, after whom Bhojpal (Bhopal) was named, was a great urban planner himself. The current Government celebrated 1000 years

40 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

of Raja Bhoj and installed his statue over the Bada Talab (huge lake, a Ramsar site), a few years ago but conveniently forgot his vision. Therefore a sizeable section of aware citizens, led by Bhopal Citizens Forum, National Center for Human Settlement and Environment (NCHSE) and a new pressure group, Environment Helpline, started asking questions about the process adopted, and began shooting missives to Bhopal Municipal Corporation, the Chief Minister, local MLAs and the Mayor. A spate of media coverage, in which interviews of former Chief Minister and current Home Minister Babulal Gaur, the oldest MLA from Bhopal also appeared, resulted in some rethinking. Former chief secretary Ms Nirmala Buch, 80, took up the issue and led a Tree Walk in the area. She also met the Chief Minister to register her protest. Soon after Ujjain’s international convention on 14th May where the PM glowingly spoke about the environment in general and trees in particular (Modi compared trees with Hindu Gods), Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced that the location would be shifted and no harm would be done to the environment and trees. Surely, it was people’s victory over bureaucrats. The CM took the decision to shift the proposed site for smart city project to North Tatya Tope Nagar where the smart city would be developed on 280 hectare vacant land. A recent study by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore reveals shocking facts of the fast pace of urbanisation which is hitting brutally at the roots of age old trees to give way to road networks, bus stops, educational institutes, railways stations, office buildings and so on. A quick glance at the following statistics would jolt you enough to take away your sleep (though that is surely not my intention of writing this piece). The idea is to help wake up the government from its deep slumber. Bhopal’s tree cover has shrunk from 66% to 22% over a two decade span. By 2018, it will be 11% of the city’s total area and might go down to just 4.10% by 2030. With smart city implementation, it could happen much earlier. Remember Bhopal had suffered from an industrial disaster in 1984? Another disaster is now waiting to happen. But wait...a quick glance on other cities’ plight first. Kolkata’s vegetation fell from 23% to a drastic 7.3% over 20 years in the built up area and by 2030 the green cover would be a

Environment | OPinion

mere 3.37% of the mega city’s (population 14.1 million) land area. Ahmedabad, the truly commercial capital of the country, saw its tree cover falling from 46% to 24% over the same period of 20 years and it is apprehended that by 2030 it would reach a meagre 3%. Very close to having no tree at all. Is this acceptable in times of climate change commitments made internationally? Is anyone really bothered about tomorrow? In the south, Hyderabad, the capital of two states as of now, suffered a similar fate where the tree canopy steadily reduced from 2.71% to 1.66% of the city land area in 20 years. It’s much worse than Ahmedabad. These findings are of the latest study of the IISc that used satellite-borne sensors, compared images over decades and modelled past and future growth to reveal the rate of urbanisation in these four Indian cities in four directions. Prof T V Ramchandran and his team of researchers classified land use into four groups: urban or built-up which includes residential and industrial areas, paved surfaces and mixed pixels with built-up area, meaning built-up areas which contain areas from any of the other three categories-water, vegetation and others. Bhopal, again is one city where the master plan of 2009 was cancelled by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh to protect the nature and water bodies. He earned accolades then. Under tremendous pressure of people and media, he had to scrap the plan but it is unfortunate that no new plan could be made well after six years and thus haphazard development is allowed right under the nose of the government. The question is what are the policies that are governing our urban agenda? How can growing populations in cities put up with such anti-environment conditions? The country is already in the grip of climate change. Weather vagaries are extreme and are being felt in the form of severe drought and unseasonal rains. Chennai was the latest example of the extreme, illegal and flawed urban policies that cost hundreds of lives in November last year, at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was delivering a speech at the Paris climate change summit. The above examples of four cities are citied because the recent study by scientists of an eminent institute brought out these facts before the world. But there is no reason to believe that other Indian cities are better off and not undergoing such havoc. Pune, Delhi,

Bhopal’s tree cover has shrunk from 66% to 22% over a two decade span. By 2018, it will be 11% of the city’s total area and might go down to just 4.10% by 2030. With smart city implementation, it could happen much earlier.

Baroda, Lucknow, Kanpur, Patna or Ranchi would be facing a similar threat. If urgent corrective steps are not taken in time to deal with extreme population pressures and unparalleled exodus from rural India into urban India, things would go out of hand. Rising temperatures are proof enough of what harm we are doing to nature. Indeed people want development but not without keeping in mind Mother Nature! We all know our life is sustained by the ecosystem-trees, shrub, herbs and micro flora and fauna. This ecosystem is very fragile and takes millennia to evolve. But is easy to destroy within weeks and months. Alas! That’s happening before our eyes. Are our policy planners, economists, city developers or even demographers completely blind to the challenges people of this country are facing on the environment front or is there some design which we are unable to see? Is this politics, greed or a lack of mature understanding of the future? If cities have to be made smart, it cannot be done through mere technological solutions and pumping in money. The IISc report is a grim reminder to what we did to our environment in the past decades. It must stop. Environmental degradation will have to be kept in mind at all times. Trees, water, animals cannot be wished away. More and more people are coming to this conclusion. If Bhopal is raising an alarm, it is for other cities to sit up, listen and act carefully. Such land scams in the name of smartness, must stop at any cost. I can only say, No more Bhopal, please!

The writer can be followed on Twitter @abhikhandekar1

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

Article | City Streets

Happy Streets! City streets can also be fun People across the country in India are claiming their space on city streets by organising a range of cultural and sports events on Sundays. The experience of being out on these designated streets is a refreshing change from the incivility, chaos and lawlessness that they experience every day of the week. The local Municipal Corporation and the Traffic Police, among others are supporting this initiative which aims to give citizens a feeling of pleasure and happiness once again being on the streets

T V Vijaykumar Sr Advisor, AIILSG v.vijaykumar@aiilsg.org

42 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

hese days, Sunday mornings are different. Children and elders alike in many cities are looking forward to getting out of bed at 6.00 am and to reach the venue where it is all happening. Yes! The Happy Streets venue. During some months of the year these events being organized on the streets on Sunday mornings have become very popular. Pune, Bengaluru, Vadodara, Kolhapur, Navi Mumbai and Noida are some cities where the event happens. In a

way, for all, the young and old alike, the experience of being out on these designated streets is a refreshing change from the incivility, chaos and lawlessness that they experience every day of the week. The local Municipal Corporation and the Traffic Police, among others are supporting this initiative which aims to give citizens a feeling of pleasure and happiness once again being on the streets. This season, in Pune Happy Streets is being organized on prominent streets in the suburbs of Aundh, Kalyaninagar

Happy Streets is an attempt to return public spaces to citizens even if for a short while. We have been so frustrated with the stifling surroundings in our cities that these three hours on a Sunday morning are, for many, the best time of the week and Kothrud and among others. Simply put, during this time (usually 7 to 10 am) one can actually walk on the roads and footpaths freely and happily in the company of relatives, friends and strangers without fear of being knocked down by belligerent motorists. Motorized traffic is closed completely during the time the streets are made ‘Happy’ so to say. Not just walk, one can engage in a game of open-air badminton or just kick a football around or do one’s morning exercise routine right on the street. Not just this, there are street side events happening-yoga classes, guitar classes, sessions by painters and artists, meditation experiences and

more. Pedal loving types can pick up a colourful bicycle for use-and-return without charge. There is even a large stage with a performing band. Citizens are encouraged to go up on stage and sing or dance with the troupe while hundreds of onlookers cheer them along and join in the dancing-virtually a disc on the street. Then there is an army of kids with their roller skates on whizzing by. In other words all that you can do in the wide open spaces is now possible right on the busiest street in town. This is an attempt to return public spaces to citizens even if for a short while. We have been so frustrated with the stifling surroundings in our cities that these three hours on a Sunday morning are, for many, the best time of the week. City roads have become a virtual hell with encroached footpaths leaving no room to walk, motorists with no concern for anybody, not even themselves and the complete lawlessness with respect to traffic rules matched only by the helplessness of the traffic constable at the junction. Incidentally at ‘Happy Streets’ the traffic police personnel have been doing a fine job in ensuring that the

Pedestrian Zone in Stroget, Copenhagen. Administrators in different cities have found such innovative measures to relieve the citizen’s stress and make it once again pleasurable to be outdoors on our city streets

roads and sidewalks are available only for citizens on foot or bicycle. Administrators in different cities have found such innovative measures to relieve the citizen’s stress and make it once again pleasurable to be outdoors on our city streets. For example, many streets especially in shopping districts of cities are being made pedestrian only on some days of the week or some hours of every day. Cities need to continue with such experiments in their attempts to make their cities more livable. Citizens need to have more opportunities for better mobility, for clean air, for noiseless uncluttered surroundings and lower threats of accidents involving pedestrians. Instances of pedestrianized zones can be found in different parts of the worldRotterdam and Central Copenhagen are some.Closer home there is a proposal of the Delhi Corporation to make Connaught Place Inner Circle vehicle free although the trader community in the area has raised some concerns which are being addressed. We also have examples of entire cities or towns which are automobile-free. Matheran in India and large parts of Vienna in Europe are examples where the automobile needs to be parked right at the entrance to the city/town and then travel has to be other meanson foot or animal driven modes in the case of Matheran and waterways in case of Vienna. In both cases the issue at hand is the fragile environmental ecosystem and the need to maintain the pristine surroundings by eliminating air and noise pollution. In their efforts to create more livable cities or atleast more livable spaces within cities, administrators must work towards preserving open spaces, promote walking and bicycling with clean, clear sidewalks and cycling lanes, eliminate noise and air pollution and above all respect the rights of other citizens to use public spaces without hinderance. Happy Streets is a step in that direction. Citizens in Pune will have to wait for a few months for further editions of the event which takes a break in view of the approaching monsoon and likely unfriendly weather.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

Article | City Leadership

Indian Cities Need Leaders The Indian Mayor is a powerless entity with a tenure of office ranging from one year in cities like Bengaluru to two and half years in Mumbai and five years in Lucknow and Bhopal. The mayor’s duties are confined to presiding over Council meetings and participating in ceremonial functions. State and central governments can take a cue from the global cities like London and Paris and empower mayors for better management of our cities

A Ravindra Former Chief Secretary Government of Karnataka

ondon has a new Mayor, Mr. Sadiq Khan. And it has made international news. Not just because he happens to be a Muslim and belongs to an immigrant minority community in Britain but mainly because he is expected to lead the transformation of London during the next five years. In most western cities and several other cities across the world, the Mayor is recognized as an important political leader who plays a key role in guiding the destiny of his or her city. Ken Livingstone who was Mayor of London from 2000 to 2008 became famous for shaping a new transport policy and introducing the ‘congestion charge’ which has helped reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the central area of London. He was also successful in his city’s bid for hosting

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the Olympics in 2012. Bloomberg who was elected Mayor of New York for three consecutive terms from 2001 came out with a new plan to transform the city through PlaNYC-a Greener and Greater New York to fight global warming and protect the environment. His Million Trees NYC initiative reduced greenhouse gases by nearly 20 per cent. Jaimie Lerner who was Mayor of Curitiba in Brazil in the 1970s was responsible for introducing the Bus Rapid System and popularizing public transport. Can we think of any such examples in India? There might be some commissioners who tried to bring about some changes in their brief tenure before they were transferred out but it is difficult to name Mayors.Not because we have no individuals who can measure up to the task but because the system does not provide the right environment for city leadership to flourish. The Indian Mayor is a powerless entity with a tenure of office ranging from one year in cities like Bengaluru to two and half years in Mumbai and five years in Lucknow and Bhopal. The mayor’s duties are confined to presiding over Council meetings and participating in ceremonial functions. Even where the term is five years, the Mayor lacks authority except to some extent in Kolkata where there is a Mayor-in-Council system. The city administrative structure

in India is fragmented and works in silos. Urban public services are provided by multiple authorities and there is no focal point of leadership and accountability. Although the 74th constitutional amendment aimed at decentralisation of powers to the urban local bodies, the state government still plays a dominant role in city administration. You often find it is the chief minister or the minister for urban development who takes major decisions pertaining to cities. Maybe because wealth is concentrated in large metropolitan cities and urban resources, particularly land command high value. The fact remains that the state leaders are reluctant to share their ‘urban’ power. One of the critical challenges facing the country today is how to make our burgeoning cities livable by ensuring at least the minimum civic services like safe water, sanitation, good quality roads, public transport and housing. The central government has launched ambitious schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission aimed at urban transformation. Though well intentioned, their successful execution requires able leadership, apart from money and manpower. It is time we must have a system of directly elected Mayor which is prevalent in most metropolises in the world-London, New York and Paris in the West or

London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo during the latter’s recent visit to London

One of the critical challenges facing the country today is how to make our burgeoning cities livable by ensuring at least the minimum civic services like safe water, sanitation, good quality roads, public transport and housing. The central government has launched ambitious schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission aimed at urban transformation. Though well intentioned, their successful execution requires able leadership, apart from money and manpower

Jakarta, Bangkok and Tokyo in Asia or Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Bogota in Latin America. He must have a term of five years and executive powers with appropriate checks and balances and assisted by a small committee, somewhat like a cabinet. In his recent thought provoking book, If Mayors Ruled the World, Benjamin R Barber says that cities and mayors who run them are the best forces of good governance. He further argues that cities which are not burdened with issues of borders and sovereignty are better equipped to meet the challenges of our times like terrorism, climate change, drug trafficking and poverty than nation-states which are becoming dysfunctional. City to city collaborations and continent spanning urban networks “constitute a layer of global governance with a transformative impact on urban and global problems”. The author cites the example of C-40 network of global cities addressing the issue of climate change and how

it is on track to reduce carbondioxide emissions by 248 million tons by 2020. He dreams of a future Parliament of Mayors where city leaders would have a stronger voice in global affairs. With India’s urban population projected to reach 500 million by 2031 and urban areas contributing over 60 per cent to our GDP, visionary leadership is crucial to the task of fixing our cities-from potholes and sewers to traffic and garbage. We need leaders who can inspire confidence among the people and get things done. They must of course be empowered to deliver goods and also be held accountable. Power and responsibility must go together. The Mayor should be recognized as the leader of the city, not the chief minister who will have no time even to chair meetings for taking timely decisions. In all major cities of the world, it is the Mayor who represents the city in all important events and activities. It is time the Indian Mayor gets her due.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2016

URBAN AGENDA | Smart Mobility

Smart mobility cards to ease urban commuting Government of India had formulated a policy under which it decided to launch smart mobility cards like Oyster cards used in London. The model card was launched a couple of months ago by UD ministry to ensure seamless travel by different metros and other transport systems besides retail shopping and purchases. There is a growing need to upscale and implement this full-fledgedly in all Indian cities to make urban travel faster and smoother

ities in developed countries are already using smart mobility cards for almost a decade. The famous Oyster card launched in London in 2003 is a good example that has evolved over the years to meet commutersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs and revolutionised the way transport is paid for in the British Capital. The card can be used to travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TransportforLondon (TfL) Rail, Emirates Airline, River Bus services and most National Rail services in London. Oyster cards never expire. They can be used again after any length of time. Deposits and balances can also be refunded on return of the card at any time. Transportation payment methods are constantly evolving from metal token, paper ticket, magnetic stripe ticket and now smart cards. The evolution of new system is targeted to build a secure, efficient and easy-to-use method for commuters to make payments to access transportation. Most of the transit authorities have based their Automated Fare Collection (AFC) systems on closed loop payment cards, which are, proprietary travel cards that are only valid within a specific transit environment. Octopus

46 May 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

card used in Hong Kong is the example of closed loop cards. Indian Government had set up a committee to study the use of several mobility cards used in developed countries. The committee, after an extensive study of various models being followed across the world, has recommended the EMV Open Loop Card with stored value based model. EMV is named after its developers Europay, Master Card and Visa. Better late than never! In India, Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has come out with Smart National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) Model to enable seamless travel by different metros and other transport systems across the country besides retail shopping and purchases. Minister of urban development M Venkaiah Naidu has approved EMV Open Loop Card with stored value. The model proposed for Indian cities addresses the deficiencies associated with other cards being used in Singapore and other countries. The card will do away with the need to carry separate cards for banking and transit requirements. People can go cashless while travelling in public transport in their respective cities. People will be able to use the smart mobility card in multiple transport modes such as buses,

Ashok Wankhade Managing Editor bhau@urbanupdate.in

metro, local trains and mono rails. Delhi Metro uses contact less smart cards and has collaborated with a few banks for automatic top up of Metro cards. In the future, Contact Less Smart Cards used by Delhi Metro commuters could automatically get recharged at AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gates. For this purpose, DMRC is procuring the AFC gates with new technologies which will have the capacity of automatic top up of smart cards through the bank accounts of card holders (electronic clearance system (ECS). Presently more than 61 Lakh Metro Smart cards are in circulation in the Delhi Metro network. About 12 thousand Metro Smart cards are being sold each day from the Metro stations. The Smart cards are very popular in Delhi Metro as DMRC is providing 10% discount on fares on use of the smart cards and many stations have dedicated exit gates only for card users. The experience of Delhi Metro can be used in developing the Smart Mobility Card and would ease daily commuting. People are still waiting for such cards to save time, money and ease their commuting in cities. We are hopeful that these cards combined with efficient public transport system will add value to the urban mobility management in our cities.

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!!! Congratulations !!! Raipur

stands among the top five cities in Fast Track Competition for

Smart Cities Mission