Forward- Planning for Sustainable Cities
Forward- Planning for ?Sustainable Cities
????????????????????????????????????? *Jit Kumar Gupta
??????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????**[email protected]
?????
Planet earth is in crisis; crisis of uncontrolled, unregulated and irrational growth and development and is accordingly, under enormous developmental stress. Undergoing rapid changes in its structure, fabric, environment, ecology and bio-diversity, under the impact of addition of large number of human beings and addition of large volume of manmade environment, developmental stresses of planet earth, have genesis in the fast-emerging needs and greed of homo-sapiens living in different typologies of human settlements. In this? global race of growth and? development, cities occupy central space and form the basis and axis, around which the growth story of this planet is being scripted.
Occupying only 3 % of land mass, housing more than half the population, cities are known to consume two-third of global energy and generating 70% of greenhouse gases (UN Habitat Report on Human Settlements,2011). Cities, housing large population and activities in a limited area, are fast emerging, as entities dominating the canvas of planet earth. Cities are known to be major contributor and largely responsible for ozone depletion, global warming and making this planet carbon positive. Considering the entire context of human settlements, cities remain critical and hold the key to make this planet sustainable.
Sustainability of cities largely depends upon the manner adopted and pattern followed in their planning, designing, development, management and governance. Majority of urban ills have their genesis in the way cities are being visualized, planned and developed. Majority of cities on this planet are growing in an unpanned and haphazard manner, having no defined boundaries and no defined framework for their orderly development. Cities are being governed by proxy with no clearly defined ownership and leadership. City development is marked by both multiplicity of agencies operating at local level in case of metropolises and conspicuous absence of such agencies, in case of smaller ticket -size towns. As generators of wealth and economy, cities are known to promote prosperity. But besides prosperity, cities are also known to be places of high concentration of poverty. Cities, accordingly represent a mosaic of colours, patterns and development, which are distinctly marked by dualities and contradictions. These contradictions make cities operationally inefficient, socially exclusive and environmentally unsustainable.
For making cities promoters, role model and embodiment of sustainability, equity and inclusiveness, search for innovative options would be essential and critical. Making cities least consumers of energy and resources besides generators of minimum waste, would require, critically and objectively, relooking at the manner they are planned, developed and managed. City size has to be made rational and limited, to make them more compact, because Compact cities are known for their capacity and capability to be operationally more effective and efficient, cost-effective in development and easy to manage and govern, as compared to cities having? large spread in area.
Making cities sustainable will also require putting in place appropriate policies and options for creating sustainable built environment besides rationalizing and re-ordering the way people are made to travel. Making buildings green and planning for people, could be options which can be used and exercised for making cities energy efficient and carbon neutral. Cutting building energy use by specifying energy saving building code, using low carbon power and promoting clean transportation, can be options which can be leveraged to create low carbon communities. Good governance and good leadership will be most vital to launch cities on the fast trajectory of sustainability and livability.
This e-book on, ‘ Planning for Sustainable Cities’, is a compilation of number of articles written over a period? of time , defining strategies and options to make cities sustainable. Various articles included in the book, remain independent and deal with different aspects of cities focusing on their planning, development, built environment and governance. Each article remains exclusive and self-contained detailing the subject, it relates to. Accordingly, there is a possibility of few repetitions in the contents and ideas reflected in the articles. Repetition of ideas showcase their context, relevance and importance for making cities more livable and sustainable.? Articles included in the eBook , try to connect both town planning and? architecture, while detailing and deliberating on issues and options related to;? smart cities, transportation, housing, slums, disaster, water, green buildings, site and site planning,? urban governance etc. Ebook also includes case study of making Ludhiana a smart city. Though dealing comprehensively with entire gamut of city planning, development and management appears to be beyond the scope of a single book, still attempt has been made to make the book inclusive and self-contained, to the extent possible.
This eBook is the seventh book of the author dedicated to the professions and communities of learned professionals, engaged in architecture, planning, urban development and governance. Earlier six eBooks? by the author focused on, Planning of healthcare facilities; Housing for All in Urban India- Myths and Realities; Architectural Teaching- Learning- Way Forward; Making Cities Great Place to live; Managing Unique Heritage of India- Approaches and Options and? Making and Unmaking of Chandigarh- A City of Two Plans.
It is hoped, this eBook? will help professionals, researchers and readers to understand, appreciate, analyze and? evaluate the entire context, role and importance of making cities sustainable and livable besides? critically evaluating the intent, contents and scope of the book and explore? the validity of number of options and approached detailed in the fifteen articles? included in the book.
?
In making of the eBook I would like to acknowledge with thanks and gratitude, the valuable contribution of my learned co-author Dr Sanjeev Chaddha, Professor MGSIPA in the article on urban governance.
?
In addition, in the making of this eBook a distinct reality, converting various articles into an eBook, I would like to personally acknowledge and put on record my deep appreciation and gratitude for the valuable contribution made by Ar. Yamini Gupta, Assistant professor, Chitkara College of Architecture and Planning, Chitkara University. She has been a constant and invaluable support in my endeavor of compiling articles into eBooks.? Despite her pre-occupation and prior commitments, Ar Yamini has helped me in compiling all the articles; putting them in proper order and giving it the shape of eBook. Her dedication, sincerity and commitment has made this eBook a distinct reality. Her contribution in making this eBook remains both enormous and invaluable.
?
Last but not the least, I would like to dedicate this eBook to the sacred memory of my mother, Late Smt Leela Gupta, who as a teacher made me where I stand today in my life and education, despite all odds and hardships she faced in? my upbringing , making and educating me, and to my Late father Sh Ved Parkash Gupta, whose benevolence I was deprived off, in my early childhood.I would be failing in my duties for not acknowledging the contribution of my wife Alka Gupta and my Children, who have all supported me and encouraged me? all the time, to make this eBook a? distinct reality.
?
Jit Kumar Gupta
Former Advisor, Town Planning,
Punjab, Urban Planning and Urban Development Authority, Chandigarh
March 24, 2021
?
?
领英推荐
????????????????????????????????????? *Jit Kumar Gupta
??????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????**[email protected]
?????
Planet earth is in crisis; crisis of uncontrolled, unregulated and irrational growth and development and is accordingly, under enormous developmental stress. Undergoing rapid changes in its structure, fabric, environment, ecology and bio-diversity, under the impact of addition of large number of human beings and addition of large volume of manmade environment, developmental stresses of planet earth, have genesis in the fast-emerging needs and greed of homo-sapiens living in different typologies of human settlements. In this? global race of growth and? development, cities occupy central space and form the basis and axis, around which the growth story of this planet is being scripted.
Occupying only 3 % of land mass, housing more than half the population, cities are known to consume two-third of global energy and generating 70% of greenhouse gases (UN Habitat Report on Human Settlements,2011). Cities, housing large population and activities in a limited area, are fast emerging, as entities dominating the canvas of planet earth. Cities are known to be major contributor and largely responsible for ozone depletion, global warming and making this planet carbon positive. Considering the entire context of human settlements, cities remain critical and hold the key to make this planet sustainable.
Sustainability of cities largely depends upon the manner adopted and pattern followed in their planning, designing, development, management and governance. Majority of urban ills have their genesis in the way cities are being visualized, planned and developed. Majority of cities on this planet are growing in an unpanned and haphazard manner, having no defined boundaries and no defined framework for their orderly development. Cities are being governed by proxy with no clearly defined ownership and leadership. City development is marked by both multiplicity of agencies operating at local level in case of metropolises and conspicuous absence of such agencies, in case of smaller ticket -size towns. As generators of wealth and economy, cities are known to promote prosperity. But besides prosperity, cities are also known to be places of high concentration of poverty. Cities, accordingly represent a mosaic of colours, patterns and development, which are distinctly marked by dualities and contradictions. These contradictions make cities operationally inefficient, socially exclusive and environmentally unsustainable.
For making cities promoters, role model and embodiment of sustainability, equity and inclusiveness, search for innovative options would be essential and critical. Making cities least consumers of energy and resources besides generators of minimum waste, would require, critically and objectively, relooking at the manner they are planned, developed and managed. City size has to be made rational and limited, to make them more compact, because Compact cities are known for their capacity and capability to be operationally more effective and efficient, cost-effective in development and easy to manage and govern, as compared to cities having? large spread in area.
Making cities sustainable will also require putting in place appropriate policies and options for creating sustainable built environment besides rationalizing and re-ordering the way people are made to travel. Making buildings green and planning for people, could be options which can be used and exercised for making cities energy efficient and carbon neutral. Cutting building energy use by specifying energy saving building code, using low carbon power and promoting clean transportation, can be options which can be leveraged to create low carbon communities. Good governance and good leadership will be most vital to launch cities on the fast trajectory of sustainability and livability.
This e-book on, ‘ Planning for Sustainable Cities’, is a compilation of number of articles written over a period? of time , defining strategies and options to make cities sustainable. Various articles included in the book, remain independent and deal with different aspects of cities focusing on their planning, development, built environment and governance. Each article remains exclusive and self-contained detailing the subject, it relates to. Accordingly, there is a possibility of few repetitions in the contents and ideas reflected in the articles. Repetition of ideas showcase their context, relevance and importance for making cities more livable and sustainable.? Articles included in the eBook , try to connect both town planning and? architecture, while detailing and deliberating on issues and options related to;? smart cities, transportation, housing, slums, disaster, water, green buildings, site and site planning,? urban governance etc. Ebook also includes case study of making Ludhiana a smart city. Though dealing comprehensively with entire gamut of city planning, development and management appears to be beyond the scope of a single book, still attempt has been made to make the book inclusive and self-contained, to the extent possible.
This eBook is the seventh book of the author dedicated to the professions and communities of learned professionals, engaged in architecture, planning, urban development and governance. Earlier six eBooks? by the author focused on, Planning of healthcare facilities; Housing for All in Urban India- Myths and Realities; Architectural Teaching- Learning- Way Forward; Making Cities Great Place to live; Managing Unique Heritage of India- Approaches and Options and? Making and Unmaking of Chandigarh- A City of Two Plans.
It is hoped, this eBook? will help professionals, researchers and readers to understand, appreciate, analyze and? evaluate the entire context, role and importance of making cities sustainable and livable besides? critically evaluating the intent, contents and scope of the book and explore? the validity of number of options and approached detailed in the fifteen articles? included in the book.
?
In making of the eBook I would like to acknowledge with thanks and gratitude, the valuable contribution of my learned co-author Dr Sanjeev Chaddha, Professor MGSIPA in the article on urban governance.
?
In addition, in the making of this eBook a distinct reality, converting various articles into an eBook, I would like to personally acknowledge and put on record my deep appreciation and gratitude for the valuable contribution made by Ar. Yamini Gupta, Assistant professor, Chitkara College of Architecture and Planning, Chitkara University. She has been a constant and invaluable support in my endeavor of compiling articles into eBooks.? Despite her pre-occupation and prior commitments, Ar Yamini has helped me in compiling all the articles; putting them in proper order and giving it the shape of eBook. Her dedication, sincerity and commitment has made this eBook a distinct reality. Her contribution in making this eBook remains both enormous and invaluable.
?
Last but not the least, I would like to dedicate this eBook to the sacred memory of my mother, Late Smt Leela Gupta, who as a teacher made me where I stand today in my life and education, despite all odds and hardships she faced in? my upbringing , making and educating me, and to my Late father Sh Ved Parkash Gupta, whose benevolence I was deprived off, in my early childhood.I would be failing in my duties for not acknowledging the contribution of my wife Alka Gupta and my Children, who have all supported me and encouraged me? all the time, to make this eBook a? distinct reality.
?
Jit Kumar Gupta
Former Advisor, Town Planning,
Punjab, Urban Planning and Urban Development Authority, Chandigarh
March 24, 2021
?
?