Indian Cities Grapple with a Twin Challenge

Three students drowning in the flooded basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in central Delhi's Rajender Nagar has once again brought to fore the water challenge faced by Indian metros. Most big cities in India, and particularly the metros, keep lurching from water shortage to floods. While this twin water challenge in urban areas, made worse by climate change, makes cities unliveable, it also does not bode well for India's economy.

What is the root of India's urban problem?

• Dysfunctional organisations: The root of India's urban problem is the dysfunctional organisations that characterise urban governance with no clear public accountability, and the nature of master plans of cities.
• No accountability: Instead of blaming the design and planning errors, everyone blames the rising population.
  • As per World Bank, by 2036, India's towns and cities will be home to 600 million people, or 40 percent of the population, up from 31 percent in 2011, with urban areas contributing almost 70 percent to GDP.
• Cramped spaces: The high population density is forced upon people by planning that promotes highly regulated low FSI, resulting in cramped living spaces or pushing people into slums.
• Inequity: Little land is released for urban habitats, leading to extreme inequity in access to land and high unit costs of built-up spaces.
• Waterlogging is caused by expansion of planned and unplanned urban areas without regard for space for circulation; drying up and destruction of lakes, tanks and water bodies due to dumping of construction and demolition waste; and inclusion of areas occupied by lakes and other water bodies in habitation zones.

How does it impact?

• Economic loss: Flooding of urban areas disrupt the economy as vital economic centres, such as Bengaluru, come to a sudden halt.
  • The World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) State of the Climate in Asia 2021 report said that India suffered a loss of $3.2 billion due to flooding that year. Much of this loss can be attributed to urban areas incapacitated by waterlogging.
• Reducing expansion: Over time, it brings down productivity and the scope of future expansion and investment.

How to tackle India's urban explosion?

• Implement and Update Plans: Urban plans like Delhi’s MPD-2041 must be rigorously implemented. This includes integrating blue-green development and efficient waste management systems.
• Improve Drainage Systems: Cities need better drainage plans. For example, resolving waterlogging issues in Delhi’s ITO area requires updating sewage networks to align with water levels.
• Community Engagement: Engage local communities in removing encroachments and maintaining public spaces to ensure effective drainage and sanitation.
• Rainwater Harvesting: Incorporate rainwater harvesting systems in both new and existing buildings to capture and store rainwater.
• Groundwater Recharge: Refurbish and build lakes to help recharge groundwater levels. The government is working on a project to refurbish at least 75 lakes in each district.
• Waste Water Recycling: Increase efforts in wastewater recycling. The government aims to triple the current recycling rate by the end of the decade.
• Investment: A 2022 World Bank report says that India's cities require an estimated capital investment of $840 billion in urban infrastructure and municipal services in the 15 years till 2036 (in 2020 prices), equivalent to 1.18% of estimated GDP.