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Showing posts from 2014

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING CONCERNS OF THE COUNTRY - a letter to the New Prime Minister

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This letter was sent to the new Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, from my father who has been a Professor of Urban Planning at the School of Planning and Architecture. He lists seven aspects about urbanization and development in India that he believes the Modi government should closely consider : - Re: DEVELOPMENT PLANNING CONCERNS OF THE COUNTRY Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, As Team Leader of the project Perspective Plan for Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), of the Central Government, I visited Gujarat Government in 2010, seeking its approval. I was pleasantly surprised to be told that the proposals were in line with the vision of the Hon’ble CM and I should make a presentation before him. However, due to preoccupation he could not spare time for the presentation. But eventually the proposals were approved and I felt greatly honoured and professionally satisfied. With such personal experience and encouraged by your determined pro-active instance,

Raahgiri Day - Taking Back Streets from Cars ....by Car Owners?

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Mid-November last year Raahgiri day opened in Gurgaon. A core group of socially minded institutions and individuals active in the Millennium City were successful in convincing the government agencies that manage Gurgaon (the municipal corporation and the the police, which are mutually exclusive) to organize a Sunday activity wherein they would shut down select streets for cars, and have residents free reign to walk, jog, cycle and pretty much do any activity that didn't include a car or motorized vehicle. Their objective is to expose the car-owning residents to the necessity for pedestrian/bike infrastructure in Gurgaon.  This is probably the first Ciclovia type event organised in India (if you don't count the wedding seasons' random blocking of streets for dancing). While this is commendable for any city on either side of the North-South divide, it was particularly astonishing to me that it was happening in Gurgaon. I have often, (and relatively accurately) visualized muc