The Role Of Urban Planners In India

Challenge of understanding the diverse needs of the community. The inclusion of diversity is the key element in the revolutionary power of planning. With the increase in urban sprawl, the cities are not only facing heterogeneity, but also growing economic inequality and spatial segregation and so the role of urban planners in fostering the social cohesion is essential in the process with short and long term development plans to rejuvenate or revitalize a particular place.

Counteract social and spatial exclusion

The restriction on migration policies, social investments and affordable housing with a better market for regulated employment can holistically solve the inequalities and socio-economic polarisation. Though the roots of it cannot be influenced, a well formulated and connected urban pattern can facilitate interaction and social inclusion in the urban fabric.

Cities for people

Land use planning is the key balance of urban development. The Indian planners with increasing urbanization in the cities where there are more built structures than community open spaces should consider the development of ecological benefits with community spaces and buildings to exclude profound consequences of privatisation on the public realm. Non-commodified urban spaces play a crucial role in the place making process of urban development in Indian cities.

The ‘Umpire’ role

Being a democratic country, the involvement of politicians on one hand and the general public on the other in the decision-making process of the planning schemes are unavoidable. And so, it is the responsibility of the planners to promote and negotiate their ideas to convince both the parties. Planners have to deal with various public officials, developers, and even the public regarding the development plans and land use to avoid unnecessary confusions during the course of time.

Develop safer public realm

Enlivening the public spaces are very crucial to eradicate crimes within the cities. The success of a good public realm lies in the liveliness and sense of belonging of the public spaces. For example – In New Delhi, an exhaustive amount of public spaces is perceived to be gender biased and solo women are forced to stay away from these refreshing open spaces because of this stigma. The emptiness of the streets because of the single-use planning of the New Delhi makes it unsafe for women to step-out late in the evening hours.

Project management skills

Planners have to analyse the feasibility of the project especially in India with very limited amount to be spent on the development of urban areas. The rejuvenation of the urban areas of vast diversity, pride and heritage are redeveloped with the incorporation of necessary changes by the planners facing even the controversies. The planners have the rights for the recommendation or denial of the proposals made by the commission. They are obliged to study the site and review the plans submitted by the developers.

Believe the concept – ‘One size does not fit all’

Each planner must formulate their own unique strategies to address and resolve the diversified issues. The role of an Indian planner is to formulate and design the best public spaces from the funds available for the project in the fairest way possible in spite of various controversies. It is up to the government to make further decisions on how to maintain or operate those community spaces in the future. For example, the Kankaria lake development project in Ahmedabad faced a lot of controversies on the ticketing of the public space costing around Rs. 13/ticket in the evenings. The government decided to ticket the space to maintain the serenity of the public space without stressing it. Difference of opinions should be negotiated, and all the parties cannot be satisfied at same levels, but fair play can be done with the list of priorities.

Adapt to the new trends

Planners should constantly update themselves with the current zoning, building codes and other environmental regulations to provide efficient designs to the public. Periodic field investigations are necessary to understand the factors affecting the land use.

Flexibility for the future needs

Any new development or revitalization of the public space should consider a 10-20 percent hike in the inflow of the people in the near future. The incorporation of the analysis of projection and scope for development will make the places free of congestion and stress in the future. It will even help in the reduction of cost to be spent on redeveloping such places.

Development of primary infrastructure

Developing primary infrastructure is very important not only to provide water supply and roads, in general, to the inhabitants of a city, but also because the development of primary infrastructure will have an impact on the supply of land which can be developed, and the density at which this land can be developed. Therefore, infrastructure will have an impact on housing prices, land and even transport costs and time spent commuting. For example - Ahmedabad has a grid and a public transport network across the whole city. Growth will not pick up everywhere in the city. Where ever it picks up, one goes and reinforces the infrastructure. Where ever it doesn’t, one need not worry about it. So, to put an expansive framework in place is necessary which allows to have a holistic view and responds to emergencies and stresses.

Upgradation of plans

All the various types of plans for the cities like the development plan, master plan, regional plan and the annual plan needs to get upgraded within some periodic interval years by the planners after knowing the present challenge and need of the society. Proper maintaince and upgradation of the database.

Market responsive framework

India having a high market value and demand should regulate urban developments without strangling the markets. Highly responsive and nimble planning with inclusion of markets than choking them.

Market friendly planning

Static planning of cities without enabling the growth of it distorts the city and leads to illegal constructions in the future. And so, by having limits in anticipating the future, make the growth of it flexible to enable market friendly planning for India. For example - Ahmedabad is a forerunner in liberalizing it to make it more effective. The process started in 1999 when the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) put together Ahmedabad’s 2002 urban development plan (DP). The key champions of these reforms in AUDA’s urban planning were Surendra Patel, who was the chairman of AUDA at that time, and M. M. Bhaumik, who was AUDA’s senior town planner at that time. Their initiative, leadership, commitment, understanding and instinctive appreciation of liberal principles led to the effectiveness of the new successful implementation of AUDA’s plan over the next 10 years. AUDA is one of the few agencies in the country that can boast of successfully implementing its plan.