Urban Planning & Issues

[Krishnamoorthy K]

I have not seen many people using wheel chairs on Indian footpath. Most of handicapped ones use crutches. Ideally we should have footpaths suitable for wheel chairs also. but under current conditions if footpaths becomes safer for people who can walk we should be more than happy. Handicapped ones using crutches will also be happy if footpath is safe for walking. And baby trolleys can easily pass through barricades of pillars which does not permit two wheelers.

The main problem for wheel chairs is frequent ramps from road to garages in hilly terrain like Mangaluru. Otherwise also builders build ground floor below road level and construct ramps from edge of the road itself using entire width of footpath for ramp. We do not know why there is no policy to have footpath without sideway gradients. If a pedestrian slips he will fall on road may be under a vehicle. And there are also buildings having such steep gradient ramps from basement to road that the vehicles are forced to move with high speed terrifying everyone on footpath. Such buildings should not get license.

In Mangaluru there is one road called Balmatta Road. To get into footpath you have to climb two steps. So, none of the vehicles can climb the footpath. But, climbing up and down in too many places is a problem if you want to walk a long distance. We have another road called Old Kent Road were footpath is almost at the right hieght but, vehicles still climb the footpath for parking. We have other examples were continuous ramps are constructed to footpath from road for parking vehicles by building owners. The authorities have constructed footpath with enough width in a few small stretches of roads like Bavutagudde and M G Road but these are often used more for parking vehicles than for walking. When vehicles are parked on footpath and you are walking on side of road behind parked vehicle you will not know when the vehicle will start and move backward. I have faced this problem many times. Even many vehicles attack pedestrians by harsh horning while approaching for parking. The vehicle owners have an attitude that they have the first right on both road and footpath.

If you take the western countries say London there are lot of traffic rule violations but nobody run or park his vehicle on footpath. Also at gates or zebracrossings they halt and wait for pedestrians to cross. We don't know when Indian vehicle owners become civilized like west.

Akash what is your plan on Anna's Jan Lokpal like movement for pedestrians' rights which you had suggested earlier? Anna is now talking about many issues like environment, labour, judicial, electoral, educational, agricultural reforms. But, we do not know whether he is interested pedestrian issues.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Published: Friday, Aug 26, 2011, 19:07 IST
By Rishi Banerji | Place: Surat | Agency: DNA

An independent agency appointed by the Union government will conduct a study on climate change and its effects.

Surat in Gujarat and Haridwar in Uttarakhand are the only two cities from India that have been selected for the study.

The cities' adaptability to climate change will be studied apart from inviting suggestions on how to deal with the phenomenon.

The study 'Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation' is being undertaken under the Climate Resilience for Cities of India programme, a Union ministry of urban development initiative. IRADe (Integrated Research & Action for Development), a fully autonomous advanced research institute, will conduct the study. The Union government will bear the expenditure of the study.

"It'll mainly focus on problems that a developing city like Surat is expected to face because of climate change. For example, if unseasonal heavy rains lead to floods, what are the areas that will be most affected. The study will focus on such issues and suggest remedial measures to SMC," said, Jatin Shah, city engineer, SMC.

Shah further said that the study is different from other climate change studies. Initially, it will give elaborate information about problems caused because of the phenomenon. In addition, it will provide a platform for framing policies to tackle these problems apart from plugging loop-holes in city's development plan, if any.

To make the study more concrete, IRADe will also discuss potential changes in urban planning. The suggestive measures will be in accordance with the city development plan and projects under JNNURM scheme.

Shah said that Surat has been selected because it is the eighth largest city in India with a rapid industrial growth.

The city is facing problems like floods, soil erosion, unexpected rains, rising temperature, among others, because of global warming. The study will help in addressing these problems.

DNA

Chandigarh: City out of room for more parking lots
Pune: JNNURM money can be used for metro
India's urban change to get expert help

[Krishnamoorthy K]

If the current trend of urbanization persists, three of the world's mega-cities will be in India by 2031.

India's urban population is likely to double in 30 years. Despite the country constituting just 31% of the total population, urban spaces here will soon be under major pressure due to rise in migration. To address these challenges, the first 'India Urban Conference 2011' will be held to debate on urban transformation issues. It is in Mysore from November 17-21.

Organized by Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy and the South Asian Studies Council at Yale, this conference is an opportunity for students, professionals, activists and experts to speak about their experiences.

TOI

Urban Unemployment Gurantee Scheme

[engineer.akash]

Guys watch this--

http://uk.reuters.com/video/2011/07/...eoId=216968892


Amazing stuff

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

Akash what is your plan on Anna's Jan Lokpal like movement for pedestrians' rights which you had suggested earlier? Anna is now talking about many issues like environment, labour, judicial, electoral, educational, agricultural reforms. But, we do not know whether he is interested pedestrian issues.

Krishnamoorthy,I have written dozens of mails to authorities regarding encroachment of footpaths.

In few cases it has yielded results,especially near bus stand area.I requested in my letter for the need to remove unauthorized shops and move street vendors out of the busy stretch,citing pedestrian movement hindrance as the prime reason.

The authorities acted on it, but they were not fully successful in completely rehabilitating the vendors elsewhere.It resulted in street vendors/mostly fruits-vegetables starting to encroach the road itself.

Read : GOI picks up Surat to evolve a national policy on Street vendors

Coming back to other methods,You are aware of Dr M C Sindhur,who got a road in vidyanagar,Hubli-Dharwad insured with public participation which also made an entry into Limca books of records(the first road to be insured).This method will probably work on footpaths too.Click here

In my experience I have noticed that shop keepers generally don't allow vehicles to park close to their shops i.e. on the footpath area,probably because it might hurt their business prospects due to hindrance in pedestrian movement.Get these guys on board here in insuring the footpath s.This might not owrk out in pure residential areas,but for sure it would be a success in Chaotic CBD areas.Shop keepers will be more than willing to pay the premium.

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

In Mangaluru there is one road called Balmatta Road. To get into footpath you have to climb two steps. So, none of the vehicles can climb the footpath. But, climbing up and down in too many places is a problem if you want to walk a long distance. We have another road called Old Kent Road were footpath is almost at the right hieght but, vehicles still climb the footpath for parking. We have other examples were continuous ramps are constructed to footpath from road for parking vehicles by building owners. The authorities have constructed footpath with enough width in a few small stretches of roads like Bavutagudde and M G Road but these are often used more for parking vehicles than for walking. When vehicles are parked on footpath and you are walking on side of road behind parked vehicle you will not know when the vehicle will start and move backward. I have faced this problem many times. Even many vehicles attack pedestrians by harsh horning while approaching for parking. The vehicle owners have an attitude that they have the first right on both road and footpath.

Authorities don't understand this - We must design Urban systems to move people and not just vehicles.Until the planners understand this nothing much can happen,because it is a technical issue and normally takes social and political turn in many cases(Vendors/slums/encroachment etc).

Krishnamoorthy,If you have been following H-D thread you would have noticed that buildings who have violated basement rules are being served notices, they have also attacked the civil engineers/architects of such buildings which have failed to create basement parking.Such a kind of movement must happen all over the country.Need someone to start it,probably the concerned citizen groups in respective cities must take up this movement.

Having traveled around many Tier two cities in India,I am happy that Mysore is a pretty pedestrian friendly city.It has succeeded in ensuring adequate footpath space along major avenues.Ofcourse nothing can be done in Gallies and bazaar markets- where normally vehicular movement is less.

[engineer.akash]

No drainage facilities for new housing projects in Bangalore

New housing projects in the state will not get any drainage facilities from the state because the government is expecting the developers to set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to reuse treated water.

Stating that the state will soon introduce a rule in this regard, minister for environment, ecology and ports Krishna Palemar said that all new housing colonies, gated communities and high-rises built on over 50,000 sq ft of carpet area will have to install their own STPs. He said that the government could not go on creating streams of sewage flowing out of every city and village.

Vrishabhavati River was in a poor condition because sewage was allowed to flow into it, Palemar said.

He said the government could not allow another river meet the fate of Vrishabhavati and was thus introducing the rules regarding STPs. Palemar said every city was growing in length and breadth and high-rise buildings seemed to be the future of housing in cities such as Bangalore, Mangalore and Mysore.

He said the urban development authorities of these cities would be directed to modify their rules to ensure that no big housing project was cleared unless it comprises an STP.

The rules will be framed by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, headed by Srinikethan, chief of chemical engineering department at National Institute of Technology, Surathkal. Once the rules are finalised, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and respective cities’ urban development department will have to clear the housing project.

DNA

Good move,I think Surat has implemented this,When I stayed in a housing complex in Magadalla in Surat, I saw these huge housing complexes had their own STP

[engineer.akash]

Vertical expansion in realty: The way to go

The Geographer Yi-Fu called it 'The Vertical Aspiration' – the human desire to defy gravity.

There has always been an inexorable quest for height in architecture through ages. The pyramids and the spiraling towers are instances of man striving to create something aweinspiring in the past. Skyscrapers are always associated with power and grandeur, and they may well become indispensable in future Indian cities.

The recent boom in demand for property in and around big cities in India has given a new dimension to the investment in real estate. India is constantly expanding at a staggering pace with a huge demand for commercial & residential spaces. Rapid development has left town planners hardly any time to assess the situation and give growth a push in the right direction.

What will the urban need for housing lead to? High-rises may be the answer to the rapidly growing inhabitants of the city. This concept has gathered steam in Delhi/ NCR and other parts of the country. Instead of building individual houses, authorities have decided to let the city grow vertically. There is enough demand for high-rises for both, residential and commercial spaces. There is no reason to believe that the demand is short-term and the fact that the topmost floors of apartments command a premium over the other floors shows that there is an increasing appetite for high-rises.

According to a report released in October 2010 by Cushman & Wakefield, 240mn sq. ft. of commercial property and about 4.25mn units of residential property will be required to meet demand over 2010-2014. Residential property has seen increasing demand over Q210 and Q310. However, supply has been relatively low because of reduced construction activity during 2009-2010. Consequently, demand is expected to be three times the supply in 2010-2014.

The high rises are seen as a wealth generating mechanism for our economy. Tall buildings are a solution to the space problem that urban India is facing because a lot of real estate can be done out of a small piece of land. Also, when you compare the population of the cities with the availability of the land, the only solution left with the developers is to build higher. High-rise buildings not only help saving on land costs but also open up wider arenas to operate on. This wider arena can be used for widening roads, adding more parking space and many other things. To be precise, projects will be cheaper on a unit-to-unit basis and also more plentiful in profitable areas, which is good news for developers and investors.

With the advancement in construction technology, the building and maintenance of the high rises has become easier. Most governments are willing to give permission for them and there are not many roadblocks. Height restrictions due to airports in the vicinity may be the only problem that may be difficult to circumvent. However, this is a location specific problem and not pandemic.

For this, the government is also moving in the right direction. Delhi's proposed Master Plan 2021 envisages planned urban development on 27,000 hectares till 2021. It has also approved of private participation in mega construction projects and hi-rise building activity. The higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) permitted by the Plan will allow most houses to go up to four floors. The buildings can be taller—going up to 14 to 16 floors, if builders and developers are able to amalgamate an area of at least 4,000 sq. m. For this, the developer needs to take care of three things —set up an effluent treatment plant so as to not choke up the sewerage system, put up solar panels to generate some power and build underground parking.

Those scouting around for a high-rise home know that they will be spoilt for choice when it comes to the number and styles of high-rise residential projects on offer. When a real estate developer decides on creating a high-rise, infrastructure is of primary importance, needless to say. The foundation too needs to be strong and sustainable. The concept of high rise construction is highly location specific and has a lot to do with available Floor Space Indices (FSI) at any given location. However, the availability of necessary infrastructure such as fire department, sewage, etc.to support high-rise buildings in a given area, at all times, must be taken into consideration and must be upgraded on an urgent basis.

About FSI and FAR – the ultimate combination

For those acquainted with real estate development requirements, the term Floor Space Indices (FSI) and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) has considerable bearing. Whether FSI is low or high, one can still go for vertical development. More the number of floors, greater will be the space left open resulting in better environment, more greenery and parks. This will also help in ensuring adequate place around the building, which will take care of the light and ventilation needs of residents.

ET

You build a 70 storey building in old congested areas,then probably the sewage system/water supply system may not take up the load,ensure that sewage/water systems i.e. pipes will be able carry the load.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

In my experience I have noticed that shop keepers generally don't allow vehicles to park close to their shops i.e. on the footpath area,probably because it might hurt their business prospects due to hindrance in pedestrian movement.Get these guys on board here in insuring the footpath s.This might not owrk out in pure residential areas,but for sure it would be a success in Chaotic CBD areas.Shop keepers will be more than willing to pay the premium.

That is not the case in cities like Mangaluru. Here the customers do not like to walk even a few feet. If allowed they may even like to park vehicles inside shop itslef and finish shopping extending their hand from window of car itself.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

I do not know which type of projects are accepted for JNNURM funding but, I feel JNNURM should have these compulsory components

• Pedestrian Infrastructure
• Public Transportation
• Waste Management includinmg drainage and public toilets
• Drinking water supply
• Houses for poor (Slum redevelopment)

Further, JNNURM should not fund any other type of project unless these basic neccessities are met in every city of India. For example, parking complex, instead of government funding such projects it should force building owners to come up with adequate parking area, even old building owners should be forced to construct parking complexes nearby in shared mode.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

x-post.

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

Wonder whether the GPS can be used to find out whether police vehicles are parked properly or illegally on footpath. If GPS has enough space resolution ability then this may be possible. In Mangaluru, the Police in competition with the others violate the parking rule on footpath.

On the other hand Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is also used for detecting overspeeding, illegal parking, congestion pricing, etc in countries which have well developed ITS (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc). But, I think in Mysuru ITS will be used only for buses with features like Operational and Maintenance Specification Fleet Management System (Route Planning, etc), Automatic Vehicle tracking system, Electronic Fare Collection, Real-time Passenger Information System, Traffic Management (ATCS), Incident and Emergency Management System, etc. In Bengaluru metro will have many ITS features and a few buses are already having some display elements but how well ITS of metro will be integrated with ITS of bus transportation is not known to me. It looks neither in Mysuru nor in Bengaluru personal vehicles are part of ITS. No idea whether police vehicles form a part of Incident and Emergency Management System. What is more important is how easily the ITS systems, currently under installation, could be enhanced to incorporate other features and modes of transportation. Ultimately we need super integration of ITS in cities with each other and also with highways. A driver should be able to run his vehicle in any city and in any highway with the same ITS gadgets mounted in it and the same type of keyboard/display should be available everywhere. Mostly so called service-oriented architecture could enable this.

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

Further, JNNURM should not fund any other type of project unless these basic neccessities are met in every city of India.

Krishnamoorthy, JNNURM is a powerful tool if used properly as it empowers the local bodies of the cities to decide what kind of projects to take up in their cities keeping the JNNURM objectives in mind.But local bodies along with urban ministry just failed the entire mission.

Read their objectives:

Objectives

The Government of India launched the JNNURM on 3rd December 2005. The mission aims to create ‘economically productive, efficient, equitable and responsive cities’. The main thrust of the mission is to:

Improve and augment the economic and social infrastructure of cities

Ensure basic services to the urban poor including security of tenure at affordable prices

Initiate wide-ranging urban sector reforms to eliminate legal, institutional and financial constraints that have impeded investment in urban infrastructure and services

Strengthen municipal governments and their functioning in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution (seventy-fourth) Amendment Act, 1992.

The Mission has three basic elements

Integrated development of infrastructure services by providing adequate funds to meet the deficiencies in urban infrastructure services. This includes funding infrastructure projects relating to water supply and sanitation, sewerage, solid waste management, road network, urban transport, and redevelopment of old city areas. The programme lays special emphasis on urban renewal programme for the old city areas to reduce congestion. It also attempts to ensure planned development of cities including peri-urban areas, outgrowths and urban corridors leading to dispersed urbanisation.

Provision of basic services to the urban poor by up scaling the delivery of civic amenities and provision of utilities. The emphasis is on universal access and includes security of tenure at affordable prices, improved housing, water supply and sanitation, and delivery of other existing services of the government for education, health and social security.

Adoption of wide ranging urban sector reforms, which will facilitate establishment of linkages between asset-creation and asset-management and ensure long-term project sustainability. The thrust is to ensure improvement in urban governance and service delivery so that ULBs become financially sound and sustainable for undertaking new programmes. A set of thirteen mandatory reforms at State and Central level and ten optional reforms at the level of State and local level is listed in the Toolkit. All the twenty-three reforms need to be implemented in the mission period. Cities have the freedom to opt for any two reforms from the optional category in each year of implementation of JNNURM.

I don't know how many cities actually saw improvement in urban governance?How many cities went for property mapping using GIS/satellite?

All what we saw was buying of buses to bail out few bus companies in the name of urban transport.Indian urban planners in ULBs are creating infrastructure for moving vehicles but not people.The link is missing here.Pedestrian infrastructure is sad in India.

Look at Pune they(corporation) is looking at JNNURM for Metro funding and center also seems to be ok with it.

JNNU "Renewal Mission" Planners have forgotten that this is a renewal mission

The programme lays special emphasis on urban renewal programme for the old city areas to reduce congestion.

I bet Pune would not have done anything to reduce congestion in old areas but it wants to create new infrastructure i.e. Metro for which JNNURM is not the right scheme.They should have approached the SUTP.

Nobody has understood what JNNURM actually meant.They conveniently forgot that it is a renewal mission with great emphasis on rehabilitating urban poor.

Now Urban ministry is planning to extend the mission for another year,and the reason cited-to keep the quality intact.

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

That is not the case in cities like Mangaluru. Here the customers do not like to walk even a few feet. If allowed they may even like to park vehicles inside shop itslef and finish shopping extending their hand from window of car itself.

If we can build encroachment free footpaths ,then any class of customers would love to walk in the open and shop.I really admire DevRaj Urs road in Mysore,which hosts a lot of branded shops on its 1 km stretch and has neatly laid footpaths with absolutely no encroachments of any sorts.

It is a delight to walk and shop on this street.



Copyright PBKDNAP

[SSCaddict]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

Nobody has understood what JNNURM actually meant.They conveniently forgot that it is a renewal mission with great emphasis on rehabilitating urban poor.

Now Urban ministry is planning to extend the mission for another year,and the reason cited-to keep the quality intact.

actually the big projects are highlighted by media.

The basic purpose of JNNURM was to reform the municipalities, here is the progress list on page 2.

Here is the project list, you can see that so many projects which are for sewage treatment or water supply.

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by SSCaddict

actually the big projects are highlighted by media.

The basic purpose of JNNURM was to reform the municipalities, here is the progress list on page 2.

Here is the project list, you can see that so many projects which are for sewage treatment or water supply.

Thanks for the list, progress looks beautiful only on paper , idiots have dug up whole of mysore city in the name of 24*7 water supply,water sewage lines etc.There is no coordination and rehab package to patch up the roads and footpaths.Mysore has degraded further in the name of JNNURM,I hope the story is good in other cities implementing JNNURM programs.And Bangalore don't ask....

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

No drainage facilities for new housing projects in Bangalore



DNA

Good move,I think Surat has implemented this,When I stayed in a housing complex in Magadalla in Surat, I saw these huge housing complexes had their own STP

Karnataka government enforcing rain water harvesting, solar heater, trees, and now STPs. If they enforce a few more things then every building in future will be a green building.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

Vertical expansion in realty: The way to go



ET

You build a 70 storey building in old congested areas,then probably the sewage system/water supply system may not take up the load,ensure that sewage/water systems i.e. pipes will be able carry the load.

In addition

• The setback rules should become more strict. Increased FAR means more population density hence increased traffic so front or roadside setback rules should be more strict to allow expansion of roads. In other words increased FAR should not lead to usage of entire land for constructing building without leaving enough space including for greenery.
• As I said in other SSC threads highrises should be accompanied by mass transportation system. The government can make a rule that wherever highrises are allowed there should be good mass transportation facility.
• Green buildings should be encouraged through increased FAR. In case of TDR exchange for road expansion, bus bays, waste collection sheds, public toilets, play grounds, etc TDR should be more for Green Buildings.
• Earth quake precautions & fire safety measures.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Originally Posted by SSCaddict

actually the big projects are highlighted by media.

The basic purpose of JNNURM was to reform the municipalities, here is the progress list on page 2.

Here is the project list, you can see that so many projects which are for sewage treatment or water supply.

Thanks for the links. I will go through them.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Published: Tuesday, Aug 30, 2011, 16:07 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: DNA

It is a well-known fact the transport sector is the largest source of climate change emissions. And at a time when India is witnessing surge in public transport projects, experts gathered in the city on Monday emphasised that the action plan for the transport sector must focus on low- carbon transport system.

The experts gathered for a one-day workshop on 'Indicators for Sustainable Transport' under the project 'Promoting Low Carbon Transport in India'. The meet aimed at discussing indicators or suggestions for the transport action plan at national level and low carbon mobility plans for around four cities to showcase a low carbon transport pathway for India.

The project aims to achieve low carbon transitions by adapting sustainability approach as defined in India's National Climate Action Plan, said Dr Subash Dhar and Dr Jorge Rogat of UNEP Risoe Centre on Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development at Technical University of Denmark.

In the project, the UNEP centre, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) and Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept) University are working together. Centre for Urban Equity from Cept and Prof Darshini Mahadevia and Prof Rutul Joshi, IIM-A's Prof PR Shukla and Prof Prem Pangotra and Prof Geetam Tiwari from IIT-D presented papers.

Experts gathered at the workshop believed that to be truly sustainable the plan must support other strategic planning objectives.

"For example, transport emission reduction strategies should also help support national economic development such as increased employment, wages, business activity, property value and tax revenue,," stated experts.

DNA

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

Krishnamoorthy,If you have been following H-D thread you would have noticed that buildings who have violated basement rules are being served notices, they have also attacked the civil engineers/architects of such buildings which have failed to create basement parking.Such a kind of movement must happen all over the country.Need someone to start it,probably the concerned citizen groups in respective cities must take up this movement.

Yes Akash, you are doing good work. The struggle of liberating footpath is to be done in a bigger way and require leaders like Anna Hazare & Team.

I searched in internet for a copy of "IRC:103-1988 Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities". But, could not find one. I think we should have a better policy on footpath, busstops, autobays, etc. In Mangaluru since last few months there is some improvement in bus shelter designs. They are allowing for smooth movement of pedestrians by cutting down the width of advertisement boards on sides of busshelter, also now they are ensuring that floor height of bus shelter is same as the rest of footpath. Earlier floor height used to be so high that old people used to find it difficult to get down to climb the buses which generally can not stop exactly touching the busstop floor. Anyway in future low floor buses will have floor level almost at footpath level only hopefully.