A couple of days ago, I ranted about traffic in Mumbai and how a lack of common sense prevents everyone from enjoying a smooth commute. As if on cue, McKinsey Global Institute has released a report on the increasing urbanization of India and how cities are expected to grow rapidly in the near future.
Here are some excerpts from the report. By 2030, in India:-
* 590 million people will live in cities. This is twice the population of the US today
* 70% of net new employment will be generated in cities
* 68 cities will have population of 1 million plus. The whole of Europe has only 35 such cities today.
* 700-900 million sqmetres of commercial and residential space needs to be built. That is equivalent to building a new Chicago or two Mumbais every year!
* 7400km of metros and subways will need to be constructed, which is 20 times the capacity added in the past decade.
* Five large states – Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Punjab will have more people living in cities than in villages.
* Private car ownership would increase, shortcomings in the transportation infrastructure have the potential to create urban gridlock.
* The road transportation gap will rise from 210 thousand lane kms to 440 thousand lane kms. (Yipee, more traffic jams for the same price)
Yes, India’s cities are growing at a rapid pace, and people are migrating to big cities. The most important question now is whether the government is up to it. Is the government going to create PPP models for developing urban infrastructure? Is it going to go the China way by creating SPVs? Or will it twiddle its thumbs while India wastes away its demographic divided? Profound questions the answers to which will be more profound.
PS. Is it ironic that I’m writing this while I’m stuck in a traffic jam?
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I read the report BTW. McKinsey hasn’t told the conclusion. I will share it with you.
By 2030, All our cities would be full of traffic, pollution, 12hrs power/day, 3-4 hour water supply, no open places, 100′s of beggars and hijras at each traffic junction and over 60% of population staying in Slums.
Looking at how our politicians spend time on important things like “shoaib sania marraige” or “IPL gafla” or “Mayawati Garland case” i doubt if they have time to do anything for the hard working Tax paying junta of this country.
Also our so called “Premier” institutions have over 1000+ faculty vacancies. Must wonder how the “Demographic Dividend” will pan out with this kind of education system
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/Huge-vacancy-of-faculty-in-IITs-IIMs/articleshow/5840494.cms