Townships for Sustainable Cities

Abstract

Cities of emerging economies are their engines of growth, because if villages cater to agriculture and allied activities, then cities to the industry and service sector. The influx of FDI, expansion of markets, international assistance and aid, globalization, etc. all contribute to the rapid urbanisation and simultaneously to the problems associated therewith. With the premature expansion of cities, in the absence of proper planning and preparedness, the challenges and repercussions of this haphazard growth become more evident and serious. The paper deal with the analysis of the problems associated with rapid urbanization, and seeks a possible and practical solution in the form of townships, for such ballooning cities. These townships with “walk to work” concept, built up with public-private-partnership, integrated in nature can be the future of these cities. They will be self-sufficient, self-managed and self-governed units, with well defined and well designed residential, commercial, retail and recreational areas; self owned and created infrastructure, integrated waste management systems, water resource management systems, and other amenities in place thus reducing the pressure on the local governing bodies and the city resources. Understanding and acknowledging the role and importance of these Townships in development of sustainable cities, the emerging economies have Special Township Policies in order. India is one such country where four states, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Rajasthan, have their own Township Policies. The objective is to create intelligent cities, with smarter plans, better built-environment and happier citizens.