Indian cities struggle to get well-formed urbanities; a majority of them are unable to provide the amenities that a citizen body requires to lead a fulfilled life. These amenities include, but are not limited to, housing, public spaces, cultural spaces, education, and basic infrastructure.
An evaluation suggests that Indian cities must expand at a rate of 400% over the next 50 years to accommodate the growing population. It is estimated that by 2020 52.84% of the population will migrate to urban areas - with 47% of the population residing in rural areas.
In Mumbai, the Maximum City, the issues that come with ill-formed urbanity are compounded by the housing problem the city faces; affordable and adequate housing is a near impossibility. 60% of the population of Mumbai lives in slums; homelessness rose by 20% between 2001 and 2011.
Many attempts have been made to address the issue of urbanity - the most recent of which is the Smart Cities Initiative. It focuses on the role technology will play to make government services, and infrastructure development more efficient.
Amongst the various efforts that have been made to address the issue of city planning and urbanity in India, Palava - a 4,500 acre new city in North Bombay, stands apart. This is perhaps the only, and boldest experiment of its kind in the world. Private initiatives adopt the engines of the market economy to design ways of forming new urbanity.
It has taken upon itself the significant responsibility of mapping the way for city planning in areas of mass-housing, public spaces, roads, infrastructure, cultural spaces, schools, sustainability, and the idea of community building in the country.
Palava is a case study in city design, master planning, and the quality of life that a city must be able to offer its citizens through its spaces and amenities. It must be noted that the model is adaptable; replicable.
