Urban re-development to mitigate the impact of climate change on urban centers is the buzzword especially at a time when Cyclone Michaung has landed on Andhra Pradesh coast massively flooding Chennai and throwing life in the city out of gear. Five months ago, Yamuna river in Delhi had reached a record-breaking water level of 207.71 meters inundating several parts of the city.
The India Infrastructure Report 2023, released by former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, lays down a road map on how to improve the existing cities through “urban re-development”. Other focus areas in the report include Planning and Governance, Smart Initiatives, PPPs & Financing, Housing and Migration, Public Service Delivery and Integrating Infrastructure.
In view of increasing concerns over vehicular pollution, especially in metros, urban transportation planning has also come into focus in the report as an emerging pivotal component of urban governance. The report also addresses critical facets such as decentralised decision-making for urban success, the interplay between urban planning and poverty, and the integration of sustainable practices in the construction of new urban centres.
While releasing the report, Naidu reiterated the importance of making Indian cities sustainable. “As all of us know sustainability is not just a buzzword. It is the need of the hour if we are to save this planet from complete destruction,” he said, adding, “Sustainable all-round development is the only way forward as the country moves rapidly along the path of accelerated development.”
The report is published jointly by Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC), Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Ltd. (iDeCK) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
The report covers a wide range of various complex issues related to urban re-development and contains twenty five well-researched papers. The report highlights the transformative role of digital technology in shaping India’s urban landscape, focusing on ‘smart cities,’ performance criteria, examination of financial dimensions, public-private partnerships, financial sustainability of urban bodies, and the efficacy of municipal bonds. The report also talks about transit-oriented development, efficient urban goods movement and regulation of floor space and land prices.
