The potential of digital technology to transform urban India, the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and municipal bonds as financing instruments for cities and effective urban transportation planning are some of the key issues highlighted by the India Infrastructure Report 2023.
The report, a collaborative effort of the IDFC Foundation, Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Ltd. (iDeCK) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), also focuses on floor space and land price regulation in India as as pivotal component of effective urban governance.
On the transformative potential of digital technology in shaping the urban landscape of India, the focus areas include the concept of ‘smart cities’ and the significance of performance ranking criteria, while the examination of financial dimensions of urban development emphasise on PPPs, the financial sustainability of urban local bodies, and the efficacy of municipal bonds.
The report noted that while India has led in PPPs, especially in roads, ports, airports and energy, few PPPs have happened in the urban sector.
Housing and migration
The document also delves on housing and migration. “It is only the vast movements that took place during Covid-19 that brought home to governments both Central and states the very large role of migrant labour in India,” it said.
A feature of the report, which merited the attention of planners and policy-makers, is the road map laid out in it on how to improve the existing cities through urban redevelopment, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said, while releasing the report on Monday.
He pointed out that the report covered a wide range of various complex issues related to urban planning and development. “Importantly, it also provides solutions to make Indian cities sustainable. As all of us know sustainability is not just a buzzword, it is the need of the hour if we are to save this planet from complete destruction”.
