The growth of urban centers is usually a sign of economic stability and the political maturity of a country. Many urban centers also serve as political or economic capitals. However, the rate of urbanization across the world is a major concern for city planners. Urban centers usually change the natural and social environment irreversibly. This paper explores the urban planning problems in Delhi focusing on its transport system, its natural environment, and its housing needs.
Transport
The population of Delhi is approaching seventeen million people (Ministry of Home Affairs, 2014). This means that the demand for transport is very high. The four main modes of transport used in Delhi include buses, auto-rickshaws, taxis, and cycle rickshaws. The city has over five million vehicles registered in its territory (Ministry of Home Affairs, 2014). The main urban planning problem that Delhi faces concerning transport is how to move its people between the city center and the residential areas every day.
A large number of workers in Delhi live far from their working places. This means that they need a reliable transport system to ferry them in and out of their workstations. The second problem is parking. Delhi has over five million vehicles registered in its territory. This means that every day, the city must provide parking spaces for a large number of vehicles. This results in traffic nightmare every day.
The third problem relating to transport is the need to maintain an adequate capacity for emergency response. Transport is a key aspect of emergency response. First-responders need quick access to disaster areas, hospitals and other disaster relief centers. The transport situation in Delhi can thwart disaster relief efforts. This can lead to an increase in the number of casualties during a disaster.
The consequences arising from the transport situation in Delhi include the following. First, the city loses a lot of money because of traffic jams. The time wasted when workers are in traffic jams trying to get to their workstations is immense.
Traffic problems also lead to the loss of a large quantity of fuel. Vehicles burn millions of liters of fuel in Delhi traffic jams as they try to reach their destinations. Thirdly, the transport situation limits Delhi’s economic growth because it hinders international investments(Harris, 2004). Delhi competes with other Indian cities and with cities across the world for investments. Its transport inefficiencies make it unattractive for business.
The solutions available to Delhi in the area of transport is the full implementation of the passenger rapid transit system, creation of parking zones outside the business areas, and increasing parking rates for private cars. The rapid transit system is a very laudable effort towards decongesting the city.
The city needs to increase the uptake of the rapid transit system to reduce further the number of private vehicles used on a regular basis. The second solution is to create large parking areas in the outskirts of the city on routes served by the metro. Private motorists will find it convenient to park their cars and board the metro. This will reduce the current pressure on Delhi roads. Thirdly, the city authorities should increase the rates charged for parking within the city to decongest the city further.
Environment
The size of the population in Delhi is the driver behind its environmental problems. The high number of cars in the city leads to air pollution on a massive scale(Harris, 2004). Traffic snarl-ups lead to increased emissions from the millions of cars that ply city roads. Delhi’s second cause of environmental concern is the large amount of waste generated by its large population. The city’s main river, the Yamuna carries a lot of waste because of a weak waste management system in the city.
Environmental contaminants also pollute the city’s water sources. This is affecting the city’s capacity to provide clean and sufficient water for its inhabitants(Pereira, Cordery, & Lacovides, 2009). Apart from these concerns, industries and power generation plants in Delhi are major sources of pollutants in the city. The industries release particulate matter into the atmosphere and the power stations burn fossil fuels to power the city.
The consequences of pollution in the city are as follows. First, air pollution is a major public health concern for city authorities(Harris, 2004). The local hospitals are reporting an increasing number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases in the city. This is straining the city’s health budget. Secondly, the city is losing its natural beauty due to the increasing amount of waste dumped by city dwellers. A lot of the waste ends up in the Yamuna River where it causes further environmental harm.
Thirdly, the city is under pressure to find adequate water sources to meet the growing demand for clean water in the city. With increasing pollution, water resources in the city are dwindling. The city is at the risk of becoming water insecure because of environmental pollution(Pereira, Cordery, & Lacovides, 2009).
The effectiveness of the potential solutions to the environmental problems in Delhi varies depending on the commitment of the city authorities. The city’s decision to use buses fuelled by natural gas was a good step forward in reducing emissions related to vehicular traffic. However, the contribution of the metro towards the overall pollution level is not significant enough to eliminate pollution.
Secondly, the city needs to develop large-scale urban waste management systems. The city can use its waste to generate power. Organic waste can produce biogas while inorganic waste can be recycled for industrial uses. The city also needs to enact new laws to reduce pollution in the Yamuna River. The river is the city’s lifeline. If the city does not deal with the current pollution problem, then it is in danger of losing its most important source of fresh water.
Housing
The housing shortage in Delhi is the result of a population explosion coupled with rural-urban migration. In this respect, Delhi is not the only urban city in India growing faster than its ability to adapt(Abdellatif & Othman, 2008). The demand for housing is also due to the growth of Delhi’s economic and political status.
Delhi is the seat of India’s government and it is home to many diplomatic missions. In recent years, Delhi has stood out as one of India’s economic hubs with massive growth in the IT sector, outsourcing business, health services, and education. In this regard, the workers who provide these services need houses. At the same time, the clients who come to Delhi in search of these services also require accommodation.
The consequence of the current housing crisis is pressure on the city’s authorities to expand the capacity of residential areas. This means the Delhi may soon lose all its open spaces because of the need to meet the demand for housing. Another consequence of the current housing problem is that there is an increase in the number of slum dwellers in the city.
Currently, about a fifth of all Delhi residents live in slums. Slums are difficult to manage. They lack proper roads and sanitation facilities. They are also a hotbed of crime and social ills. The third consequence of urban housing limitations in Delhi is the increase in rent and living expenses, which further complicate the socioeconomic situation of the city(Abdellatif & Othman, 2008).
The city authorities have plans to redevelop some of the residential areas to increase the capacity of the areas. The thinking is that building a high-rise flat on a piece of land that had a low lying flat or bungalow increases the number of people who can share that space. Secondly, city authorities also plan to develop new residential areas to cater for the low-income market. This market segment usually lacks options because private developers prefer to build high-end housing facilities because they have better returns.
The consequence is that low-income residents end up living in slums. The authorities also need to consider the development of workers’ dormitories within the city center to eliminate the need for workers to move with their families to the inner city when they get jobs. This will reduce the pressure for housing units within the city. People can leave their families in the suburbs and comfortably sleep in a workers’ dormitory.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Delhi has a number of very difficult urban planning challenges arising from its status as India’s capital. The good news is that the city has several options that it can use to deal with the situation.
References
Abdellatif, M. A., & Othman, A. A. (2008). Improving the Sustainability of Low Income Housing Projects: The Case of Residential Buildings in Musaffah Commercial City in Abu Dhabi. Emirates Journal of Engineering, 11(2), 47-58.
Harris, F. (2004). Global Environmental Issues. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Ministry of Home Affairs. (2014). Population Enumeration Data (Final Population). Web.
Pereira, L. S., Cordery, I., & Lacovides, L. (2009). Coping with Water Scarcity: Addressing the Challenges. New York: Springer.