|
Interview with Karuna Gopal
President,Foundation for
Futuristic Cities
Q .Hyderabad
has become Greater Hyderabad last year and now it is a
Metropolis . Should we celebrate ?
Yes , we have a
reason to celebrate . We also have a reason to stay alert and
cautious. Let me get frank here …Growth is a Double
Edged sword that inspires awe and instills fear at the same .
This Mammoth size
bestows not only more Opportunity & Mindshare but also
paradoxically, more challenges. Competing in the global
marketplace Greater cities have greater challenges. They
attract investments just as they do terrorist attacks. Demands
on the Infrastructure and services will go up dramatically.
While the poor and the rich share the same space but never the
same quality of life, Equity and Inclusion will morph into non-
negotiables . Old rules will not apply, business as usual spells
peril . Archaic Civic agencies will need a makeover. Scale of
services will increase exponentially just as expectations on
quality do …..
You seem to focus
more on the demands ?
I am a realist. Over the years Hyderabad has evolved into a
living breathing organism with its own vibrant vivacious
personality. As an engine of growth , incubator of Innovation
and ideas, it also has the potential to morph into a place of
exploitation, disease, violent crime unemployment and extreme
poverty. We experienced the most horrific bomb blasts last year
, our prominent flyover under construction came crashing down
while the city lost the stamina to withstand 7 cm rain ! Growth
as I mentioned earlier , is like a pendulum that swings both
ways . This piece has to be kept in mind when we envision to
make Hyderabad a World Class Wi Max Metropolis
At the launch of HMDA ( Hyderabad Metropolitan
Development Authority ) our CM announced that he will make
Hyderabad a Model metropolis . Is this realistic ?
Our City Administrators want to transform Hyderabad into a
Global World Class City, a haven for the investors and the
inhabitants . Adorning her with fancy flyovers, expressways
Viaducts and with a maze of arterial, radial and 8 lane roads
they want to seamlessly integrate the old with the new. 24/ 7
piped water, housing for the poor , affordable public
transport, integrated solid waste management and a GIS based
drain management system are planned - throw in a slew of other
initiatives to build a formidable social infrastructure , voila
we have a Poly Nucleated City with mint fresh townships in the
constellation. A stellar plan no doubt . . But
right now we are facing Structural,
Environmental, Social and Economic problems. We experienced
very chaotic uneven development ..
Picture this ..
While 2.2 million vehicles jostle for space on our streets ,
every single day close to 900 new vehicles get licensed to
create chaos. Collectively they emit 3.5 million tones of
carbon dioxide a day . Garbage generated in the city is 3500MT
per day, while collection efficiency is not even 60% of that .
For 8 Million people we have a mere 143 Public toilets . 50%
of the 400 lakes ran dry or are polluted. 1/3 of city lives
in 1000 odd slums while Low cost housing projects have no
takers..
Vehicular bridges
get passed off as flyovers and parks as Urban Forestry .
Rainwater get washed away while the city stays flooded but
paradoxically parched.
.
We
notice that Mumbai, Delhi , for that matter all metros have
similar problems!!!
I am only saying that there is a vast difference between a Dream
and a Vision, A vision will have viable strategies worked out. A
vision is always rooted in reality. Let me just give you one
example here,
Among priorities articulated for the city,, the
focus is on giving 24/7 water supply to the city . Right now the
city gets just 2 hrs of piped supply. This plan is possible only
if we pump water from hundreds of miles .. Approximately 120
million gallons a day from Godavari
will have to pumped to meet the demand. Consider this , Our
water board is paying 14 crores per month as electricity bills
for pumping water from closer Krishna river. Forget the crores
of capital investment needed for future plans, the board is not
able to withstand the pressure of current O&M costs. Added to
that recently there have been pipe bursts inundating entire
villages and acres of crop land causing crores of loss. Do you
call that a viable solution ?
I believe that
Flying Blind is not an option.Vision
documents cannot be a cut and paste job of consultants while
aspirations of citizens stay confined to their bosom
Hyderabad
saw some fund
flow for Urban Infrastructure development. Will it solve our
infrastructure problems ?
We are 8 Million people not huddled anymore in 174 sq km The
city is 7000 sq km and we need huge infrastructure for
connectivity and semblance of quality of life. We need huge
amount of funds for that. Yes We received funds under
JNNURM
( Jawahar lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission ),
the mother of all reform projects infusing life into Indian
cities , granted nearly 1000 crores to Hyderabad – the first
city out of the 63 Mission cities in India to attract this
funding. More funds will not just pour into the city . First of
all the city has to identify its priorities . Does it want to
lay roads or build water supply infrastructure . Then it has to
prepare viable and robust project proposals based on which the
centre will release the money. Most importantly , this funding
is contingent on driving institutional reforms in the city
agencies. They have to demonstrate performance thru accounting
and citizen services reforms.. It’s a tough game . City agencies
should become agile, accountable and service oriented to get
more funds.
What do you think about Hyderabad's progress ?
No city can progress on its own . It has to be navigated with a
clear roadmap .
I believe that it has to be
a Three Way Street . Give Good Services , Get support , Give
better services.. Most importantly , the city should have a
vision that represents the dream of the citizens. Let me explain
this …
CRITICAL Missing
Piece
– Most of us confuse CMP -Comprehensive
Master Plan with the Vision of the city. Vision is much more
than that . It is a reflection of Citizens aspirations. The
city administration should look beyond the Computer Models,
performance indices and lure the hidden plan for the city from
the hearts of people
City
administration can regulate, provide security, enforce property
rights and promote the strategic interests of the city. But
that’s as far as it should go. Not more .Citizens should be
given a chance to become architects of the city . Citizens
should partner in the true sense
Like in a
CITIZENS’ CITY ??
Yes . Here the citizens along with their privileges will also
know their responsibilities. Constant blaming cripples the City
administration. It cannot function if it is criticized or
challenged at every step. Unlike Singapore which is rated as the
best managed city in the world , Hyderabad is not a CITY-STATE
Hyderabad has to engage in shuttle negotiations with the state
for its development . That’s a challenge. Glory or Gallows all
actors are responsible
I
strongly believe that Imagineering is what the city needs now.
The wisdom locked up in the minds of Hyderabadis has to be
accessed. . It has to be weaved into the Policy . Incorporating
external wisdom has pushed cities like Vancouver and New York,
Tokyo ahead despite their challenges
Citizens should be coaxed to commit for city development .People
who resonate to reason and those who pulsate with passion for
the city have to be made our Vision Ambassadors. City can rock
to the strums of guitar at city festivals . Art can reach the
heart faster than the brilliant logic book while poetry can
rouse passion for the city. Many such events should be dedicated
for the city.
Competitions to
find solutions for city problems had Vancouver flooded with
viable solutions. Just the way hospitatlity defines Cape Town,
Murals Mexico and silk the Ho Chi Minh City , we have to
identify the one thing that is Unique and Defining about
Hyderabad and flood Hyderabad streets
with City Merchandise – symbols of Pride for Hyderabad
Are you working
on this ?
YES !!! Innovating constantly and Inspiring change is our forte
!!
Micheal Bloomberg
the Mayor of New York is soliciting people’s support to
navigate his Plan NYC .
Chandragupta Maurya incorporated the wisdom of people in policy
while Akbar their aspirations .. That was statecraft .. Here We
need City Craft – We are working tirelessly to Converts
Ideas into Action , Energy into Culture, Dead matter into Living
Symbols of Art, Diversity into Social Creativity .. THAT IS
CITY CRAFT.
I know from my
work experience that Imagination is more important than
knowledge so is Resourcefulness than Resources - important piece
of wisdom I believe for pole vaulting Hyderabad into the
future!.
-MK
Reachout's News Bureau
September'
2008
More
Newsmakers...
|
