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HomeRevival of cities

Revival of cities

Revival of Cities Series funded by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies

Rapid urbanisation brings with it an unprecedented level of stress on the infrastructure, resources and public services of our cities, many of which are already stretched to their limits.

Ask Shimla, Mussoorie, Leh or any other Himalayan town and they will relate the woes arising from unplanned urbanisation, irresponsible tourism and an unsustainable model of growth followed by the state. A ‘green bonus’ or a separate ministry may not be enough to reverse the damage being done.

It is imperative that the planning for this growth focuses on livability, safety of residents, reliability of services for all, and equitable opportunities for learning and employment for its citizens.

A report presented at WEF Davos in January 2019 highlights this issue well.

“The solution lies in inclusive urbanization processes that prioritize quality of life for all, focusing especially on the needs of vulnerable urban groups for employment, housing, sanitation, healthcare and education. Most importantly, planning must incorporate long-term resource sensitivity and community involvement at every step, while benchmarking smart and measurable outcomes for all stakeholders.”

During 2019-20, Citizen Matters, supported by the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, scaled up regular city coverage. We published stories from a total of 14 locations, ensuring cities where quality journalistic contributions, as well as a responsive audience, intersected.

This project covers topics or major issues affecting citizens in-depth reporting and follow ups, complemented by analysis, commentary and op-eds that contribute to a larger body of knowledge about our cities. Topics include water, waste. mobility challenges, environmental issues like air pollution and climate change, inclusive city and the lives of the differently-abled, policies and infrastructure, the reality of migrants’ lives and low-income groups.

 

Water Supply

Bhopal left with water for two weeks, thanks to neglect of iconic Upper Lake

July 3, 2019 Anup Dutta

Crores have been marked for wetland preservation and urban water supply; yet, shrinking lakes, ineffective sewage management and diminishing green cover have brought Bhopal to a situation where its natural water reserves may dry up within a matter of weeks.

Environment

Resilience, diversity in focus as Bhubaneswar tries to restore trees lost to Fani

July 3, 2019 Basudev Mahapatra

Government, civil society and corporate bodies have joined hands to regreen cyclone-ravaged Bhubaneswar, but what is needed is not just replantation but also proper urban forest planning.

Governance

Udta Himachal: Is Shimla set to be the new drug capital of the country?

June 26, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

50-60 percent of youth in Shimla are caught in a massive drug menace, as addicts, peddlers or both, says the owner of a rehab centre in the city. Other surveys yield similar findings. What has led to this and why is an effective crackdown missing?

Real estate: High end apartment buildings
Society

Young, single and working in Kochi? Here’s why finding a home may be your biggest challenge

June 18, 2019 Sangheeta Bhattacharya

With thriving infrastructure, a blooming arts and entertainment scene and an encouraging start-up culture, Kochi has a growing population of young creative millennials, many of them single. But ask them about their experiences with rentals, and horror stories emerge. Especially if they are women.

Economy

All for Rs 10K or less a month: The lives of Noida’s migrant rickshaw pullers

June 16, 2019 Vishwas

Around 20,000 tricycle rickshaw pullers live in Noida, mostly migrants from other states, who came here in pursuit of the ‘urban dream.’ But they find themselves constantly struggling to meet all ends, as they lead sub-par lives, far from their families and roots.

Commute

With just around 2.5 lakh passengers a day, is Hyderabad Metro failing the test?

June 14, 2019 Kolla Krishna Madhavi

The city’s largest infrastructure project ever, Hyderabad Metro was expected to carry about 17 lakh passengers per day by 2017. But with only two partly operational lines, slow expansion and poor last mile connectivity, the targets appear elusive and raise many questions about the project itself.

Environment

Bhopal all set to become ‘smart’, even if hot and barren!

June 11, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Countless trees have already gone under the axe and several thousands are at risk in Bhopal’s Tatiya Tope Nagar, where a government housing project under the Smart Cities Mission is in progress. Environmentalists fume at the toll that such projects are taking.

Environment

Can Bhubaneswar’s smart city infrastructure withstand summer heat stress?

May 30, 2019 Basudev Mahapatra

Extreme heat stress caused by high ‘wet bulb temperatures’ and urban heat island effect come into play in Odisha’s capital, that is often the hottest city in the country during summers. But what do these terms imply, and how are they a threat to the upcoming smart city?

Shimla cityscape
Water Supply

Contrary to 2018, Shimla has enough water today, but will it last?

May 20, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

In the summer of 2018, Shimla’s peak tourist season, not a drop flowed in the taps of the town for over a week and thousands of visitors had to leave. May 2019 has seen a remarkable reversal in the water situation, but can the town afford to be complacent?

Civic

Fani aftermath: Civil society groups play key role in cyclone-ravaged Bhubaneswar

May 16, 2019 Basudev Mahapatra

While government disaster response teams focus on roads, electricity and other infrastructure, local community groups and volunteers try to mobilise residents to participate in the relief work being done in their localities, and especially the low income settlements.

Environment

Are Mumbaikars prepared for the environmental impact of new coastal projects?

May 15, 2019 Apekshita Varshney

Government and policy makers assume solving Mumbai’s congestion and traffic problems solves everything else. But half a dozen new projects could have far reaching impact on the environment and people’s livelihoods.

Environment

Contesting elections without pamphlets: Kolkata candidate explains why

May 13, 2019 Gurvinder Singh

Kolkata based entrepreneur Niraj Agarwal is contesting the large urban constituency of Kolkata South with a single agenda: To make people more aware of the need for policies to effectively tackle pollution and climate change. True to his mission, he wants to get as close as possible to a ‘zero-emissions’ campaign trail.

Civic

Living in hell: Sewage, garbage and contaminated water leave 2800 families struggling in Delhi transit camp

May 13, 2019 Akshita Nagpal

Evicted Kathputli Colony residents struggle with water shortage and lack sanitation in their temporary homes in Anand Parbat. As they wait for the new homes, the sordid conditions in the transit space create grave implications for the environment.

Environment

In waterless, powerless Bhubaneswar, green is a thing of the past (PHOTOS)

May 8, 2019 Basudev Mahapatra

Photos of the devastated city and the massive damage to tree cover in Bhubaneswar wrought by Cyclone Fani

Governance

Delhi just got three new mayors, but can they change anything for the city?

April 30, 2019 Santosh Joy

Amid the din of the Lok Sabha election campaigns, Delhi witnessed a silent but significant change of baton at the post of three mayors of the South, East and North municipal corporations. However, given the power dynamics in the capital, the road ahead for city administration under the new leaders hardly looks promising.

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