This highlights the critical need for sustainable urban development due to rising temperatures and pollution in Delhi-NCR. Jagran Graphics
Jagran correspondent, New Delhi. The temperature in NCR including Delhi, which suffers from air pollution throughout the year, is also increasing with time, hence there is a need for sustainable urban development in this region while taking care of nature. In the transport sector, expansion of metro, rapid rail and electric buses is important, while along with increasing the share of electric vehicles in private vehicles, emphasis should also be laid on making suitable arrangements for cycle lanes and footpaths for walking. Not only is there a need for affordable houses in the area, the buildings of these houses, flats or apartments should also be green and smart.
There should be maximum use of renewable energy. There should be mixed use development in the city, so that people do not have to go far for their needs and there is no burden on traffic. Along with conserving forests, greenery and water resources, new ones should be developed and urban forests should be created. Non-polluting industries should be developed.
Better use of technology in administration, such as smart traffic control systems etc. should be increased. But the biggest obstacle to sustainable urban development in NCR, including Delhi, has been policy shortcomings. Most of the policies are different for each state whereas there should be integrated policies and plans for NCR.
Now whether it is a matter of pollution or public transport, traffic jam or disaster management, housing schemes or drainage... integrated policies and plans should be made for the entire area, only then sustainable urban development is possible. In such a situation, the question arises that why do the government agencies not take sustainable urban development in the region seriously? Who is responsible for this? What concrete measures should be taken for sustainable urban development in NCR. Our today's issue is to investigate this:
The meaning of sustainable urban development becomes very big for any city. If we talk about NCR including Delhi, its meaning increases further here. Along with being the capital of the country, the scope of NCR including Delhi is increasing. As far as implementing it is concerned, here it also becomes challenging.
Talking about Delhi, on one hand there is NDMC area of Delhi, which you can call somewhat organized. But when you come to the Municipal Corporation area, sustainable development seems far away from here. There are many areas here which impact the image of the entire city in terms of development.
The unauthorized colonies located in and around more than 100 villages inside Delhi are also a big issue. There are a lot of problems here and as the colonies are increasing, the problems are also increasing. Illegal construction is going on here, there are no rules regarding construction. There are other types of problems, which are very important to pay attention to. Yamuna is Khadar area, there are rules for there but they are not followed, there is a need to work on it.
Work will have to be done on a large scale to solve the problems of traffic, parking and AQI i.e. pollution. As far as pollution is concerned, such units should be phased out in a phased manner. This work should be done honestly and only those factories should be allowed to run which are registered and have complete details with the government. No factory should be allowed to run illegally. If any factory is spreading pollution then it can be caught.
There is a need for all agencies including Municipal Corporation and Water Board to be active. If we talk about solid waste management, then work will have to be done on it. Solid waste management is the systematic process of collection, transportation, separation, treatment, recycling and safe disposal of solid waste generated from human activities.
Very good work has been done in many places. A lot of good work has been done in Lucknow itself in the last few years. After Indore, Pune, even good work is being done in Noida. Why can't Delhi do this? Delhi can also do it, it needs to work very deeply.
Presently, the city is expected to develop in a better way in a sustainable manner. Because there is a triple engine government in Delhi, that is, there is a BJP government at the Center and in Delhi. Even in Municipal Corporation. In true sense, the public has also given mandate to BJP with the same objective that with the presence of BJP government, the situation in Delhi will be reduced in a better way.
-Balwinder Kumar, former vice-chairman, Delhi Development Authority, as told to VK Shukla
Policy flaws will hamper sustainable urban development
There is a need for urban restructuring and integrated traffic and transportation planning in the National Capital Region. Multimodal public transport is extremely important to reduce traffic congestion, with the aim being to drive 70 to 80 per cent of trips via public transport instead of the current 30 to 35 per cent. For this, provision of dedicated corridors for various modes of public transport is necessary. Transit oriented development (TOD) areas require careful planning of transit corridors before densification and development.
Apart from public transport (BRT, RRT and Metro), it is necessary to promote non-motorized transport, and pollution-free, hybrid, hydrogen and electric vehicles. Water Resources and Revitalization of Yamuna River: Yamuna River in Delhi has become a dirty drain due to sewage discharge from 27 major drains, industrial waste dumps, fly ash ponds, sewage-free slums and unauthorized colonies.
It is necessary to make arrangements for sewage on priority basis in all unplanned areas. Solutions like sponge cities (which trap rain water within the city), recycling of waste water, zero effluent discharge, river health monitoring, water sensitive flood zone management are indispensable for improving river ecology.
Climate and disaster resilience and heat mitigation are important areas of the plan, which will prepare NCR, including Delhi, against earthquakes, disasters and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) attacks.
Heat action plans and mandatory use of footpaths, roads, roofs/walls, water fountains, greenery, vegetation and transverse ventilation are required in urban areas. Nearly half the population and 70 percent of the poor live in slums, squatter settlements and informal settlements. There is a need to review the current provider model of slum rehabilitation by adopting a high-density, high-rise resettlement pattern. The obsession with providing subsidies for slum rehabilitation has led to construction of small flats and their illegal transfer.
At least half of slum housing and rehabilitation should be community based, in the form of gradual, assistance-based rehabilitation. The strategy of harnessing the communities' resources can be integrated with the government's strategy in which the government acts as a facilitator by providing land and land rights construction centres, building construction centres, building material banks and providing tax/GST exemptions.
Secure land ownership is the foundation of slum rehabilitation. Communities can negotiate their ownership agreements through strategies such as cooperative land purchases, long-term lease contracts, land swaps or use rights.
Need to work on these areas in a decade
Objective of vision plan (20 years)
Ashok Kumar Jain, former Planning Commissioner, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), as told to Sanjeev Gupta