Changing Options and Approach ?to Urban Development – by Migrating from Smart Cities to Livable Cities

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Changing Options and Approach ?to Urban Development – by Migrating from Smart Cities to Livable Cities

·?????? Jit Kumar Gupta

·?????? [email protected]

3344/40-A, Chandigarh-160036

Making cities smart, in the ongoing era of massive addition to human population, rapid and uncontrolled urbanization, legal and illegal migration, ?planned, unplanned and sub-standard development and lack of willingness and poor capacity of? parastatal agencies involved in the rational ?urban growth, development and management of cities , appears to be both a fallacy, illusion and mirage , which should never be ?conceptualised, conceived, attempted, ?chased and promoted.

?Smart cities, as a ?distinct category of human settlements, have never existed on this planet earth in the distant past;? nor any city has been able to achieve the goal of becoming smart ?in ?the present century of rapid and massive industrialization and ?urbanization ??nor any such city is likely to become a distinct reality in distant future in the age of universal globalisation.

Looking at the ?pattern of growth , development and operational framework, making cities smart remains a fallacy and an illusion, which should ?never to be chased by planners, professional and administrators involved and engaged with ?planning and management human settlements.

Smart cities ,as a concept, approach and practice, has proved to be a ?fallacy, failure and sheer waste of money and ?valuable resources. How can a city become smart when there is no role of ?physical planners? in the city planning, development and management. How cities can be smart where people donot have? appropriate shelter and? continue to use pavements ?as place for living, and ?where ?poverty and unemployment continue to ?rule and dominate the urban living. What kind of smartness a city can ?offer/provide when large section of population lives on the streets and are compelled to ?source elusive ?food/ employment and meeting day-to-day basic needs of human living.

Smart cities as physical spaces, under the smart city mission, ?remain ?largely technology focused/driven and less human ?oriented/focused physical spaces, where it is envisioned and presumed ?that technology, remains the ?panacea for overcoming all the urban ills/problems/challenges and making cities smart. Being technology-led, smart cities ?attach less role/ importance to human living. Smart cities ??have been hijacked by the corporate sector having ?little knowledge of human living , urban planning and management but have high proficiency in ?sourcing ?and analysing data using ?technology -based on IOT and Information. How can cities ?be mechanized and ?driven by mere ?technology because cities primarily and essentially house human beings and their ?goal should be to make human living more qualitative and productive.

?Technology, without exception, needs to be effectively leveraged to improve the service delivery and promote efficiency in providing services. Technology has little relevance in making human beings better human beings ?and for making ?human living more qualitative and productive. Since human settlements have been created by human beings ,for ?rationalizing improving and human beings ; accordingly, all human settlements have to be made promoter of quality ?human living.

?Accordingly, the entire focus ?and ?approach, embedded in the Smart City Mission launched by the national ?governments ??must change from creating Smart Cities to promoting ?Livable Cities.

?A Livable city shall remain ?inclusive and? will exclusively focus on ?all the ?citizens and communities, living in the city. Livable City shall invariably promise and ?provide ?all citizens following six essentials as a fundamental right ?to make their living ?more ?qualitative and productive. These essentials can be demanded as a matter of right by all citizens ?and providing them to all citizens ,shall remain the primary duty and responsibility of parastatal agencies ??to lead ?a dignified ?life.

The fundamental and basic elements/services, which a city must provide to all its citizens, including poorest of poor irrespective of cast, creed, gender, and ?physical /economic status etc. to make cities Livable Cities, will include and involve;

·?????? Making human living more qualitative and productive.

·?????? Making available adequate and appropriate shelter ?for all

·?????? Making universal access to free education and skilling

·?????? Making universal access to free healthcare

·?????? Making available universal , gainful ?and productive opportunities ?of employment

·?????? Ensuring universal? access to all citizens; basic essentials/ necessities/ services/amenities for ?human living including food and clothing ?