Chandigarh at the Cross Roads Going the Bangalore way

 

Topic: Chandigarh at the Crossroads! Will we avoid the Bangalore like mess?

Loud disjointed thoughts by a member (Dinesh K Kapila) laid low by viral fever !!

 

The context here seems to be the problems being faced by Bengaluru in terms of traffic, mobility, the inability of civic services to cope up, the failure of urban planning to decide appropriate land use etc. This actually confronts most urban settlements.

In Chandigarh the challenge seems to be within and then outward too. The within is the conflict between those who would preserve the essential character of the city as conceived and those who say that appropriate changes to cater to evolving demands, services and the growth in population need to be factored in. This is best exemplified by the Metro issue, while the traditional lobby may be right in saying it’s not in consonance with the character of the city but the fact remains the city requires an alternative viable transportation system which could be tramlines, surface based rapid train lines, utilising the train tracks between Mohali and Panchkula etc. We have the sheer challenge for appropriate land and physical space, the class divide between the northern and southern sectors etc.

Without, well the city has to be perceived as an integrated part of the Chandigarh Capital Region with Panchkula and Mohali and Zirakpur along with New Chandigarh. It’s too late to bemoan the haphazardness etc, it’s there. Now it has to be coordinated with the respective State Governments by a formal organisational structure. Particularly for law and order, mobility and infrastructure for industry and services. The institutions are there to provide knowledge and perspective, but the right direction has to come from entrepreneurs and governments.

As regards the comparison with Bengaluru, well it seems we need to reach that scale first. Bengaluru has the Corporate HQs of large scale companies, foreign high technology companies invested in research labs and back end services, a huge push and recognition of entrepreneurship and the benefits of investments by companies, it’s a flourishing eco system even if stretched to the limits. This we lack as mostly it is evolving and we lack the presence of major corporates. A vibrant company, or rather a number of them, with their corporate HQs here, would be of major benefit.

The issues may be common between Bengaluru and Chandigarh but they are varied in scale.

One final point, the cream of our educated youth seek employment in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. It’s high time we had a revolution to bring a part of this talent home.