5 Best Urban Planning Practices Indian Cities Can Learn From The West [Infographic]

American financial historian Peter L Bernstein once wrote that “the Lombard Street derived its name from the bankers and money changers, who came to London centuries ago and who were as artistic in the creation of instruments of finance as their compatriots were creative with the instruments of fine art”. This goes on to tell how cities are made of people whose work is often not visible to the naked eye. But, people would not have been able to create, invent and produce without entities that are visible. Real estate is one of them. Advanced cities would not have been built without real estate and infrastructure that attract the finest of minds.

A look at what Indian cities may learn from the best cities of the West:

New York's 'The Greatest Grid'

The street grid in Manhattan, New York City, was designed in 1811 to allow the built up area of the island to rise seven fold. This rectangular grid was designed by an engineer, John Randel Jr, after he surveyed the island and estimated the prospective population growth. From 1790 to 1810, Manhattan's population had tripled, suggesting that the numbers may grow many fold in future. Despite New York being a large city at that time, urban-local authorities were able to establish the grid because it was not too late for such planning. Along the grid, real estate prices rose manifold, accommodating New York's growing population. Growing Indian cities such as Noida and Gurgaon have much to learn from the grid.

London's underground railway & congestion pricing

When UK capital London introduced the underground rail system in the 19th century, it became an instant success. The network made it convenient for people to live farther from the central city. This is one of the reasons why London real estate is still attractive among wealthy home buyers across the world. The city also adopted congestion pricing in 2003, which made commuting easier. Within two weeks of introducing this model, London saw a decline of 20 per cent in traffic congestion; it went down by 30 per cent in the next two years. Even cities like New York have much to learn from London, where the subway system was introduced in 1904 and congestion pricing still faces political opposition.

Paris's historical preservation

Many famous 20th century writers lived in the French capital Paris at some point in their lives. Popular Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov lived in the city when he was a penniless immigrant. American novelists Gertrude Stein and Scott Fitzgerald and British novelist George Orwell also lived here. However, the authorities' attempt to preserve 19th century buildings made homes in Paris highly expensive and unaffordable to such artists. Even today, the expensive Paris real estate will not be affordable for such writers. When India attempts to preserve historical buildings in Delhi's Lutyens' Zone and many other similar expensive areas across cities, it is important to remember that while historical preservation is important, affordability is also crucial.

Keeping it cool with air conditioning

Till the World War-II, air conditioners were not common even in prosperous countries like the US. Harvard economist David S Landes points out that American cities like Atlanta, Houston and New Orleans would still have been sleepy towns, if it were not for the air conditioning. As air conditioning (indirectly) enhances productivity, it can be very useful for a tropical country such as India. By attracting more foreign investments and raising wages to global levels, the Indian government can ensure affordable air conditioning to most of its citizens.

Texas' transportation networks

In the past one decade, the population of Houston in Texas, US, increased by around 1,25,000 people a year. When compared to American cities such as New York, wages in Houston are lower. In spite of its hot climate, Houston attracts people in huge numbers. The reason is simple: middle income households that can't afford homes in New York and other mega cities can do so in Houston. The Texas State Constitution of 1876 ensured that there are no state or city income taxes within the state. As a result, property prices in Houston are only moderately high. Another added advantage of living in Houston's is that the road networks of this car-based city are so good that the average commute is merely 26.4 minutes.