"I
believe that the greatest challenge to a city’s administrator is to maintain
and create self-esteem within the citizens, the feeling
of love for what is local and lives here. The cities live a reality of
demographic growth. Migration exists due to the search for opportunities. When
there are no opportunities where people live, they search for alternatives. In
this changing process, the existing problem is the citizen’s lack of identity
with his or her new local dwelling. It is up to the mayors to win the
challenge, making all citizens feel like the legitimate owners of the town,
making everyone feel at home."
- Cassio Taniguchi
Mayor of Curitiba
Curitiba, for the uninitiated, is a city in Brazil, with about 1.8 million people and covering 435 sq km (about the size of Ahmedabad). Brazilian cities share a lot with their Indian counter parts - rapid rates of urbanization, socioeconomic disparities, unemployment rates and as a result, slums in the city.
But the difference in Brazil has been powerful local leadership. Curitiba has a Mayoral system of local urban governance, where the Mayor is directly elected by the members of the public. A Mayor directly accountable to the citizens of the city, with the power to change, and most importantly, with a vision and will to bring about a change in the city.
This has made a difference to the planning scenario of Curitiba. The Mayor led the city authorities to Plan for a robust and equitable transport network way back in the 1970's along with spatial plans for the city. He envisioned a city where employment is generated and quality of life improves. And the backbone of this level of urban regeneration, he realised early, is a sound transport system.
If someone had the vision, the power and the will to bring about a similar change in Indian cities, our cities wouldn't have grown in a haphazard and unchecked manner. Planning would have been more formalized, and organized. And we would have had happier cities to live in.
This has made a difference to the planning scenario of Curitiba. The Mayor led the city authorities to Plan for a robust and equitable transport network way back in the 1970's along with spatial plans for the city. He envisioned a city where employment is generated and quality of life improves. And the backbone of this level of urban regeneration, he realised early, is a sound transport system.
If someone had the vision, the power and the will to bring about a similar change in Indian cities, our cities wouldn't have grown in a haphazard and unchecked manner. Planning would have been more formalized, and organized. And we would have had happier cities to live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment