Saturday, May 18, 2019

Smart Cities - Fundamental Parameters


The report by Nidhi Sharma (ET, 21st Mar 2019) on indifferent results of 3-year old smart -city (NDMC) initiatives caused concern. Our planners seem to be missing something very basic, that a smart city components can only rest on "Smart Physicals"

We need to do a 360 ยบ review of vastly changed external realities to those that informed the current assumptions and parameters that guide our Urban/Human Habitat planning norms. Exploding population caged in finite land masses is now causing "frictions" that are becoming "unbearable", in most cases. 

It is no-brainer that we need to grow "vertically" -shrinking the cities horizontally.

Designate and notify areas with MIN (NOT Max, as we do now) FAR/BCR areas, facilitating 50 Story + multi-use Complexes, that house many activities reducing the need and frequency of stepping out.
*(No Govt building be less than 50 floors – Govts, both state and centre get rental income)
*(No housing permit to increase floors on houses - encourage plot pooling -to build 50 story mixed use complexes)   
*( Rules like 50% plot coverage need to be modified so that even basements do not cover more than 60% of plot Area, against almost 100% now).   

Secondly, we need to smartly manage our refuse, waste and garbage: start with Corporates (SPV) responsible for designated areas, for planned Automotive, electronic waste and garbage (recycle, use and dispose). 



















 Thirdly, to regulate movements create -large low cost steel structures for parking (herring-bone)(Mixed use), with kiosks for hawkers and rehri -walas,  (rented @Rs100/day) restaurants eateries and (dhabas etc also) on different floors -roof top gyms and pubs, creches and kids play areas).
Clears up and de-clog road surfaces for faster commutes.    

Fourth, as we vacate lands, create parks and ground water re-charging systems revive water channels (to reduce flooding) 

In thirty years (It is definitely a generational shift), we will have better human habitats, with better air and water quality. 



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