- Reams and reams have written about how Indian society is becoming increasingly aspirational, and rightly so, with a desire to be counted among the best in the world. Yes, what is wrong with aspiring to be on par, if not ahead of, some of the world’s most advanced societies? To put it mildly, the technological advances of the last three decades have been nothing short of miraculous. No surprise, India has made tremendous progress in line with global developments on a variety of fronts. As a result, the purchasing power of ordinary citizens has risen. Hundreds of millions of Indians have joined the middle-income group as a result of the country’s economic progress.
PC: Nina C George
- As welcoming as it sounds, the moot point to ponder over here is whether our civic agencies, especially in urban dwellings, have lived up to desired expectations in delivering the required civic amenities that could be considered a benchmark elsewhere. Unfortunately, the answer to this question will be negative. The state of our cities is out of step with the size and prospects of our economy. Consider this: if schools, workplaces, public transport, and businesses remain closed in many parts of north India, it is not a good sign for an aspirational society. And the official explanation—unprecedented rains—simply does not cut it with the discerning public. The nation is witnessing what has recently occurred in north India during the rains.
- Unevenness and concentration over fewer days are not typical monsoon patterns. It’s not even about a lack of infrastructure. Infrastructure projects, from large to small, are springing up all over our cities. The true perpetrator is a lack of coordination and accountability. Urban resilience stems from city planning that anticipates a city’s future needs and is then faithfully implemented by all government bodies. Unfortunately, in our country, this appears to be a science fiction petition. Remember how the February earthquake devastated Turkey and Syria, not least due to substandard construction and corrupt oversight? In contrast, Chile survived the sixth-largest earthquake ever recorded much better in 2010 due to strict building codes.
PC: PTI
- What cities do in benign conditions determines their fate in difficult ones. Unfortunately, in India, we make a big deal out of every rainstorm and heatwave. During the monsoon, we have witnessed deplorable conditions in cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, and now New Delhi. We hear about the millions of dollars spent on weather mitigation projects, only to read the same thing the following year. Even so, why previous years’ investments haven’t yielded fruit has never emerged as a strong election issue, and this may end up harming our cities more than any amount of heat or flood. Cities provide people with food and opportunities that villages cannot. The authorities must address these fundamental issues with diligence, accountability, and firm action.
