At a time when physical distancing and opting for non-motorable transport (NMT) is largely becoming the norm, it is time that cities in India go back and revisit their urban planning rulebooks which propagated pedestrian oriented and walkability enhanced planning of city cores.
‘
The 15-minute city’ has become a buzz word in urban planning domain since the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo made it her re-election agenda. An innovative idea, aimed at establishing hyper proximity infrastructure — this concept is not new on the urbanism contours, specifically in the Indian context. But in order to transcend the Indian cities into resilient ones, inducing walkability and accessibility in the planning process at the micro level such as wards and neighbourhoods becomes vital.
An innovative idea, aimed at establishing hyper proximity infrastructure — this concept is not new on the urbanism contours, specifically in the Indian context.
The idea that Parisians should be able to meet their shopping, work, recreational and cultural needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride gave rise to the “
la ville du quart d’heure” (15-minute city) concept. A 15-minute city is an urban planning tool, aimed at improving the quality of life for city-dwellers. The common purposes like work, education, healthcare, shopping, leisure etc. are the root causes behind vehicular trips. The 15-minute city concept focuses on giving residents
access to everything they could need within a 15-minute radius of their home so that the vehicular trips get reduced. The
philosophy that the cities should be planned for citizens and pedestrians, not for cars and motors is the driving factor behind the development of the 15-minute city concept. In short, everything possible, within a 15-minute walkable distance.
The endorsement of mixed-use development, installment of the pedestrian infrastructure, non-motorised transport zones, enhancing the principles like walkability, improving the public transport and allied infrastructure are some of the key
principles involved in the concept. With the motivation that the streets belong more to the pedestrians and less to the cars, the concept endorses widening of pedestrian walkways by narrowing the right of way for cars.
In short, everything possible, within a 15-minute walkable distance.
Given the interrelationship between green and grey infrastructure, the concept can play a major role in improving the livelihood and city environment. The hope that this concept can turn out to be an exciting prospect in today’s urge of
de-carbonising cities, has attracted several city governments across the globe. This has made this concept to become a new global movement to reject traditional urbanism and uphold optimism. The global alliance of world’s 96 cities which took oath to battle climate change and enhance sustainability in there functioning is called the
C40 Cities group. This group, has now declared ‘15-minute city’ its prime agenda to ensure ‘
green and just’ in the cities.
There are
5 Indian cities, namely, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCT, Jaipur and Kolkata who are a part of this group. As the concept aims to enhance a framework for mixed use development, robust public spaces, the understanding of the common code in context of these 5 cities becomes necessary. Cities like Delhi, Pune, Kolkata have developed circularly over the years. Mixed use development is predominant in the city core of these cities. Indian cities have a legacy of mixed land-use characteristics with the mix of commercial and residential uses being maximum. As the mixed use development suits the agenda of reduction of motor trips, the Indian cities have been developed on right track. The robust nature of city cores, their fringe areas of the city core have already made all these cities the 15-minute city. Historically speaking,
The Walled City of Jaipur is already an outstanding example of this concept developed around 294 years ago. The essential services and recreational facilities along with workplaces in the walled city are accessible within 15 minutes from housing. Further, the citizens in these cities have a tendency to dedicate the ground floor for commercial and upper floors for residential uses. Hence, the enhancement of mixed use and ultimately the ‘15-minute city’ concept has already been in Indian roots.
Cities like Delhi, Pune, Kolkata have developed circularly over the years. Mixed use development is predominant in the city core of these cities.
Not just in the history, but the modern planning tools associated with the planning process in India have focused on self-sustained, walkable neighbourhoods. The editions of masterplans of cities like
Banglore,
Jaipur,
Bhopal have accessibility and inclusive growth as their fundamental principles. Whereas the compact city development concept has also been the principle behind planning of cities like
Nagpur, clearly having the planning norms in synergy with the concept.
The foresightedness of Indian planning process with regards to the aspects related to ‘15-minute city’ is evident from the ‘Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation Guidelines’ (
URDPFI Guidelines). This apex set of standards behind masterplan preparation, has a separate set of norms for the urban residential setups with population up to 5,000, called the ‘housing area level’. Interestingly, there is a separate set of norms for the neighbourhood level (5,000 to 15,000 population). These guidelines involve norms and standards for amenities ranging from ATMs to milk booths, parks and playfields to schools and dispensaries. This shows that Indian cities have been already marching towards establishing self-sustainable neighbourhoods right from 16
th century, just that they did not specify it into a fancy term like ‘15-minute city’.
This apex set of standards behind masterplan preparation, has a separate set of norms for the urban residential setups with population up to 5,000, called the ‘housing area level’.
There is no doubt that despite of having a legacy of walkability oriented and accessibility enhanced planning of city cores, the ever-expanding Indian cities need micro-mobility strategies. The area-based planning models can be very vital in attaining the required resilience in these cities. The peripheral areas, where the commuters reside, need the planning interventions of a scale less than that of the masterplan. The cities like Pune, Mumbai and Ahmadabad have adopted the ‘
Town Planning Scheme’ model of development. This model is focused essentially on the pooling of amenities and residential pockets in proximity. This model has been successful in case of greenfield developments as the public consultation has been its integral part. In case of brownfield development, however, management is required more, than planning. The preparation of
local area plans, prepared for an area equivalent to the administrative ward of a municipal corporation can help in establishing accessible amenities. The land use zoning, density, allowed building uses and self-sustainability related aspects are incorporated in such micro-plans. Such experiments and initiatives have already been started by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, that has launched the LAP and TPS schemes in
25 smart city corporations across India.
Although the planning norms, masterplans and the planning initiatives do not lack foresightedness with respect to accessibility in cities, there is a need to endorse more micro level planning approaches. That way, the legacy of Indian planning, to which the ‘15-minute city’ concept resembles can sustain and the urban complexities in cities be resolved.
The author is a research intern at ORF.
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