What Upcoming Smart Cities Can Learn From Gurgaon's Traffic Jam

The near-flood situation that caused an overnight jam along NH 8 in Gurgaon on the night of July 28 was enough for many to get into the judgement mode and start passing verdict. Newspapers and televisions wasted no time before declaring how the city administration had utterly failed in building infrastructure in Gurgaon. It appeared the above-average rains (which had been predicted by the India Meteorological Department) had washed away the memories of those who had earlier written long columns on the swanky malls in Gurgaon and the rocking night life the Millennium City offered.

The Friday turned into a nightmare — this time, in the original sense of the word — for many in the news business, as reaching their plush homes in Gurgaon's premium localities after their late night work shift became a night-long ordeal for many. People from across cities joined in on social media platforms to criticise city planners. To sum it up, it took only an overnight rain to wash away all the glory the Millennium City had earned over the past two decades.

It must be recalled that real estate in Gurgaon is among the costliest in India and the city is often appreciated for providing a world-class infrastructure to its citizens. In fact, the demand for luxury housing here is among the highest in the country. Recently, champions of the city made a plea to the Centre to include Gurgaon in its Smart Cities list, arguing the city was already smarter than most others and a 'smart city' tag will certainly help it grow further. It was implied that there was a lot Gurgaon could teach future smart cities of the country. As a matter of fact, future smart cities can indeed learn a lot from Gurgaon's recent experience. The only difference: It is not what they should emulate, but what they should not. Which city would want to lose its glory in a matter of 24 hours because water flew from all sides, drowning vehicles on its wide roads and even the national highway?

Most smart-cities-to-be have emphasised using technology for easing processes by making everything available in just a click. Quite inspired by the progress smart cities in western countries have made using this tool, Indian cities are also projecting technology as the remedy to all maladies. Their smart city proposals might be missing the point that technological advances thrive on a solid infrastructure. For instance, providing a city-wide Wi-Fi connectivity would be paradoxical in a place where homeless people spend nights on dirty pavements; hi-tech devices that read traffic conditions would be beneficial only if the roads are not full of potholes. To sum it up, the good old logic that the foundation must be strong enough to support the growth would prevail in all circumstances.

Had Gurgaon paid a little more attention to this small detail before authorities ventured into building tall skyscrapers, its citizens would have enjoyed the overnight rain, something that is not a regular occurrence.