IE THINC: Our Cities | ‘Technology should be accessible and affordable’ India news

On the potential of technology in urban planning

Keshav Verma: India has immense potential, which is untapped, by taking full advantage of urbanisation. Since the 1990s, the challenges have been increasing. To achieve a $10 trillion economy, we must transform the urban youth profile and create jobs. Urbanization in India is about 50 percent, much lower than in developed nations where the rate is over 75 percent.

30 million people in Delhi-NCR are exposed to toxic air, which reflects the failure of governance. Vehicular pollution, especially two-wheelers, thermal plants, dust, factories and degradation of Aravalli are major contributors. Municipal commissioners must spend 70 percent of their time on the streets. It is important to professionalize municipal systems that require MBAs, chartered accountants, environmental and civil engineers. Municipal corporations are often insulated and disconnected from the public. In Ahmedabad, we professionalized the property tax system, increasing the revenue to 67 percent. The municipal budget is less than one percent of the city’s gross domestic product, leaving no room for significant revenue.

Traffic has become a major problem. AI can revolutionize parking systems and traffic management. For example, New York earns $546 million from traffic, while India earns nothing. Technology enables transparency and good governance, turning administration towards public needs. Lidar technology helps understand water systems and brownfield development potential, while social infrastructure impacts area marketing.

Key recommendations include filling up 27 percent of sanctioned posts, creating an All India Urban Planning Service, and updating outdated urban planning functions to address environmental sustainability, climate change and water vulnerability. Transformative change requires nurturing world-class planners, national authorities and city-specific skills. Enhancing economic geography and coastal city potential is imperative. We should improve good governance by including business, industry, businessmen and organizations in local government.

On the role of technology in India’s urbanization

Jagan Shah: One thing we must understand about technology, especially digital technology, is that it forms the backbone of many changes in Indian cities. Much of this technology is dematerialized, almost invisible due to its digital nature. Currently, we are using various technologies, including data science for ICT applications, materials science for waste recovery and advanced methods for water recycling.

Technologies such as remote sensing and GIS-based planning are integral to urban development. Cities, especially under the Smart Cities Mission, are using these technologies for data collection, efficient transportation and citizen engagement. A successful example is Srinagar, a smart city using these innovations.

However, challenges remain. First, cities must measure their “metabolism” efficiently, monitoring activities such as air quality and traffic flow through sensing technologies and data analytics. Second, platforms such as effective mobility in national logistics management should be adapted to the macro view of urban systems. With over 8,000 cities, understanding their economic interactions is critical to development.

Third, scaling up these technologies requires market forces and private sector involvement. Currently, projects like Srinagar serve as lighthouses but wider implementation is needed. Governments should enable cities to partner with the private sector, fostering competition and innovation.

While progress is promising, many silos remain. A tipping point is near where the impact of technology will significantly improve urban life. Continued efforts are needed to make these advances more visible and measurable in the urban landscape.

On major concerns in the path of urbanization

Anupam Kumar Singh: When we look at the challenges in the urban context, it is not only the challenges related to urban planning or urban governance. There are also challenges in construction management and construction technology. When we look at the overall urbanization perspective, construction technology plays an important role. Therefore, the challenges in this particular field of construction technology are related to the large number of construction projects taking place at the city level.

Techniques are available to overcome this particular challenge. There are challenges associated with sustainable construction practices. We have more than a few lakh square meters of space, which has been identified as a site for green buildings. But when we look at the overall landscape of buildings, not just greenfields but also brownfield projects, we find less than optimal use of technology. It can align with sustainable construction practices. There is dust and air pollution from construction. We still depend on the traditional practices – the aggregate mix of sand and cement. The challenge is how to bring sustainable construction practices into the urbanization framework.

On the reasons why we get sub-optimal results

Shalini Aggarwal : India has set an ambitious goal of becoming a $30 trillion economy in the world by 2047. Cities will play the biggest role in achieving this goal. Today, 65 percent of India’s GDP comes from cities and you will be surprised that they occupy 3 percent of our total land area. Thus, 65 percent of GDP is coming from 3 percent of the country, which is expected to increase to 85 percent by 2047.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one of his speeches mentioned that the fate of Indian cities is determined by urban planning and the fate of cities determines the fate of India. Therefore, urban planning will be one of the most important pivots of urbanization.

Now when it comes to urban governance, technology plays three roles, planning, implementation and monitoring. Second, we must think about people. Therefore, technology should be placed in a way that is accessible to people and works for their convenience. A third aspect is the way urban local bodies function. Are their employees equipped with technology? Without technology, you cannot accelerate your growth the way cities are growing. Therefore, technology and urban governance must go hand in hand.

Reluctance to use technology

Keshav Verma: There is excitement about the potential of using the technology. However, due to the lack of professionals in the city administration, that enthusiasm has decreased. We don’t have professionals and we hire them on contract. There is a whole neighborhood of businessmen who have got contracts from one city to another. Therefore, there is a lack of intention to create internal capabilities, which is extremely important. For technology to become real, you need a professional platform that is in-house, to make it relevant to people.

If the Prime Minister says that urban planning stimulates economic development, where are the urban planners? We have to put them in place.

In technology-related solutions

Jagan Shah: Many solutions to urban challenges are being implemented. Wastewater reuse is a national priority, with Surat leading the way in supplying recycled wastewater to industries in Hazira and Panipat. Cities along the Ganges are enhancing these efforts by combining biotechnology and water transport technologies. Remote sensing supports transportation systems, while renewable energy, such as solar and compressed biogas, is gaining traction. Building information modeling code is embedded in public contracts, paving the way for digital twins—data-rich simulations used for complex systems, initially developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Cities have started adopting digital twins for urban management.

Command and control centers in smart cities became important during COVID-19, acting as war rooms where data, AI and machine learning were used to understand the viral spread. Municipal portals now provide services, address complaints and collect taxes, all powered by this technology. Miniaturization is increasing reliance on handheld devices, from point-of-sale machines on buses to mobile navigation and payments.

Technology is no longer optional; It is necessary to improve urbanization and quality of life. However, its inefficient use has become a challenge. Cities must converge and integrate technologies, develop decision-support systems to analyze data and prioritize actions. Surveillance cameras promote safety and traffic management, while early warning systems help flood control.

Technology must become ubiquitous, accessible and affordable, because there is no alternative path to progress. Integrating and scaling these solutions is critical to ensuring sustainable urban growth and prosperity for all.