POLICY Citizen Matters

City buzz: Kerala floods, new CRZ rules for Mumbai, and Rs 195 cr for Hyderabad through bonds

August 20, 2018 News Desk

Here is a quick look at what has been making news in cities across India over the last one week.

Bike sharing is good, but will big city residents risk cycling to their destinations?

August 16, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Indian city roads witness a David-Goliath tussle everyday between cycles and motorised transport. And the latter still holds a big advantage. As more and more cities formally launch bike sharing programmes, will the commoner take to cycling in a big way, given the safety concerns?

Will the rise in Minimum Support Prices make the food on your table more expensive?

August 1, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

There are several reasons why the MSP has little to do with how much you pay for the food items you consume. Here’s a primer for the urban citizen, who invariably feels jittery when the government announces a rise in support prices for the farmer.

City buzz: Maratha protests in Mumbai, Delhi pollution dip and UN award for India’s solar powered airport

July 30, 2018 News Desk

What’s making news in our cities? If you missed some of the interesting and important developments over the week gone by, here’s your chance to catch up.

Mumbai monsoons: Are citizens passing up a chance to solve the flooding issue?

July 25, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

Heard of Advanced Locality Management (ALM) in Mumbai? It is a programme under which citizens of a locality can get involved and work with the municipality to ensure resolution of civic issues. Can ALMs not work towards solving the city’s annual monsoon misery, one locality at a time?

MNS protest against Mumbai potholes is a bigger attack against pedestrians!

July 23, 2018 Vidyadhar Date

To protest potholes, axe-wielding men of the Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) dig up a well-laid footpath. Government authorities evict vendors from station premises and allow car parking in the space. Who cares for the pedestrian in Mumbai?

What’s behind Delhi’s crazy electricity demand this summer?

July 11, 2018 Down to Earth Staff

Delhi supplies the cheapest electricity compared to most other mega cities. That, combined with badly designed buildings and poor AC standards, is leading to a whopping, unsustainable consumption of energy, finds a CSE analysis.

With SC ruling on AAP vs LG, will these schemes see the light of day in Delhi?

July 9, 2018 Aruna Natarajan

From CCTVs across the city to more mohalla clinics and midday meal interventions, many schemes proposed for Delhi and its people have remained suspended for months, thanks to the turf war between the government and the Lieutenant Governor. Will that change now?

Whose cities are these and how smart will they be?

July 4, 2018 Himanshu Upadhyaya

A new report from policy think tank, Housing and Land Rights Network, has strongly criticised the Smart Cities Mission for neglecting the rights and concerns of the poor and marginalised. A look at what the report recommends for truly inclusive cities.

India’s colonial legacy almost caused Bangalore to run out of water

June 27, 2018 Harini Nagendra

Grand technological schemes, inspired by erstwhile colonial policy, have led to the systematic neglect of natural water sources and traditional water wisdom. The impact on Bengaluru’s water future is there for all to see,

Life without plastic: Mumbaikars prepare to show the way

June 25, 2018 Arathi Manay Yajaman

The Maharashtra plastic and thermocol ban kicks in today. What is banned? What can happen if you violate the ban? And most importantly, what are your alternatives? A look at how the average Mumbaikar is preparing for life without plastic.

How cities turn into heat islands: The Jaipur example

June 20, 2018 Amita Bhaduri

Summers have been known to be cruel in Jaipur, but the rise in average temperatures this summer is clear and perceptible. Studies also indicate that the pink city is likely to experience the worst effects of climate change in the future.

Where does the plastic waste in Indian cities go?

June 2, 2018 Garima Prasher

A reality check on the plastic waste management practices of major Indian cities shows that there has been limited success of anti-plastic policies, even as the country gears up to host World Environment Day 2018, with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”.

Our city governments are very weak, completely at the mercy of the state: Yogendra Yadav

May 10, 2018 Meera K

The Swaraj India Party, founded by social scientist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav is contesting the high profile Karnataka Assembly Elections, slated for May 12. In a candid conversation with Citizen Matters, Yadav talks of the party’s vision.

Looking beyond Red Fort: Is privatisation the only way to save our monuments?

May 8, 2018 Sujit Patwardhan

The adoption of the Red Fort by Dalmia Bharat has drawn flak from various sections of society. But it is not just about the Red Fort; the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme itself raises serious questions concerning preservation of monuments and urban heritage.