Issues and challenges for urban development in Indian cities post pandemic: A case of Jaipur

Abstract

The greatest challenge the whole world is facing currently is how urban development can be processed based on COVID -19 pandemic can be addressed. A country like India which has low healthcare resources, large population of poor people, many of whom are already burdened with other health issues, pose challenges on every dimension. Numerous problems like overcrowding, pollution, housing shortage, proliferation of slums, inefficient infrastructure, increased instances of disasters, unhealthy living conditions, shortage of open spaces, etc. are the major cause of concern in most of the Indian cities. As a result, severe outbreaks of major epidemics have been observed in the past, which led to a huge loss of resources and human life. Thus, it is important to understand the appropriateness of present trends of urban planning and development. “COVID-19” has spread ruthlessly in major Indian cities due to the high population densities and shared sanitation facilities, thus affecting millions of people. Considering “Jaipur” as a case study, the 10th largest city of India, known for its trade and commerce has been affected tremendously due to pandemic and has experienced enormous loss of human life and economic resources. Thus, it is imperative to understand the various urban problems faced by cities, which has increased the vulnerability to the pandemic and has facilitated its spread. This paper investigates various urban problems faced by Indian cities in general and specific to the context of Jaipur, which facilitates the spread of Pandemic. Hence, proposing various urban planning measures in order to cope up with the challenges arising in urban development of Indian cities to be able to cater to such situation.