Integrated Urban Infrastructure

Urban India Stats

• Urban Population in slums – 17.4%
• No access to safe drinking water – 5.49 million households
• According to Census 2011 – 2.9% houses dilapidated condition

An integrated urban infrastructure replaces technocratic planning approaches, focuses on “learning systems”, including numerous feedback loops between “top-down” requirements and “bottom-up” responses. A sectoral and inter-departmental approach within administrations involves a broad spectrum of actors from government, civil society and the private sector in the development and implementation of strategies.

Infrastructural challenges:

• Housing: devoid of proper ventilation, lighting, water, sewage, etc.
• Safe Drinking Water: Contamination of water sources.
• Sanitation: Unhygienic condition leads to many diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria. Unsafe garbage disposal and management facilities.
• Health conditions
• Urban public transport: due to less penetration of public transport high income individual are buying more private vehicle causing more traffic jam and air pollution.

Major Infrastructure Bottlenecks in India

• Financing: Infrastructure projects are highly capital intensive and funding is considered as a major impediment in achieving the infrastructure goals.
• Land Acquisition
• Clearances from numerous agencies:  Delays in completion. Due to an inadequate regulatory framework and inefficiency in the approval process.
• Poor pre-construction planning: Due to the already adverse effect of various impediments like land acquisition, statutory approvals, delayed financial closure etc.
• Centralization of power: The lack of devolution of powers to the local level of governments who are well aware of the issues is another major impediment.

Reforms needed:

State level:

• Repeal of Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act
• Reform of Rent Control Laws so as to stimulate private investment in rental housing schemes.
• Introduction of independent regulators for urban services.

ULBs level:

• Double entry system of accounting for Urban Local Bodies
• Adoption of  public  disclosure  law  –disclosure  of  medium-term  fiscal  plan and quarterly performance reports.
• Passage of community participation law
• All special agencies currently involved in delivering urban civic services to be brought under the supervision of ULBs, thus creating a uniform accountability platform.
• Advisory Groups for citizens. For example, Bangalore Action Task Force (BATF) kind of citizens technical advisory group should be  constituted  for  each  city  to guide the process of urban reforms
• Introduction of  e-governance,  Global Information System (GIS) and Monitoring Information System ( MIS)
• Reform of Property Tax laws
• Levy of reasonable user charges

Measures:

• Cities need favourable conditions and governmental financial support.
• Urban land-use planning by informal instruments and cooperation is complemented by involving citizens.
• A participatory approach to an integrated development strategy.
• Advanced integrated mobility concepts, the use of new technologies.
• The use of renewable energies and energy efficient construction methods reduces emissions and prevents serious consequences of climate change.
• Urban development to cope with climate change.

Conclusion:

Targeting low-hanging fruits, such as Metro projects, inland waterways, natural gas grids and airport privatisation, to give a fillip to private sector investment should be prioritized. A significant requirement of integrated urban development is to shape a city, socially and inclusively. This means to counteract segregation of neighbourhoods and enable people – regardless of social background, age, gender, religion, skin colour – to participation in civic life.