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Speeding up urban development

Urban India is enjoying the benefits of rapid economic growth but State and city governments are increasingly overwhelmed by the sharp rise in demand for services. The weak state of urban infrastructure and services is nothing new; massive annual investments in roads, public facilities and transport networks continue to achieve poor outcomes in terms of quality and reliability. But what comes as a surprise is the poor compliance by the States with the United Progressive Al liance government’s framework for funding, guidance and capacity building in urban services. The agenda priorities of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and the National Urban Transport Policy — decentralisation of functions to local bodies, affordable housing, tax reform, community facilities, convergence of health, education and social security for the poor and modernised transport — require administrative changes in the States. Even in basic infrastructure, fundamental problems threaten growth. The Highways Secretary of Tamil Nadu, one of the more advanced States, admitted with remarkable candour recently that new roads could not be developed in the fast-growing Chennai Metropolitan Area because of various obstacles. The barriers include shortage of contractors, use of outdated technology, land acquisition problems and slow pace of work in the few ongoing projects.

This story is not unique and is probably true for most of the 63 cities and towns covered by the JNNURM’s first phase of activity. What it highlights is the need for speedy remedial measures particularly in the critical area of transport if cities are to remain equitable high growth centres. But few States appear to have changed their business-as-usual approach. The Ministry of Urban Development wrote to all Chief Secretaries in the States and Union Territories in August this year urging that a nodal department be created along with a unified mass transit authority for much-needed transport modernisation. Regrettably, the cities seem to have done neither; congestion-hit Chennai has not opened an extended section of the MRTS rail line. The slow pace of work on a good public transport backbone is also certain to add to the burden of less affluent residents if oil prices continue to rise. If basic reform is difficult, the broader NUTP objectives of making cities genuinely people-friendly will be even more remote. Delayed urban development reform can only lead to lost productivity and wasted resources.

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