Challenges in Urban Development in India: Balancing Social Good and Religious Projects

Context 

This editorial is based on the news “A new sense of urbanisation that is dominating” which was published in the Hindu. There are questions whether religious cities are the new paradigm of urban development in India, rather than traditional pillars such as work, industry, and modernism.

State Intervention in City Development: Background

The inauguration of two very important institutions, i.e the new Parliament building, which is a political institution, and the Ram temple, a religious institution have raised pertinent issues about the role of the State in the development of Cities.

Challenges in Urban Development in India: Issues Pointed Out in the Article by the Writer

Over the last two centuries, Cities and urban development have been primarily influenced by the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas, driven by the need to support industrialization and economic growth.

• Significance of building New Towns: Building New Towns met several needs such as:
  • Providing jobs and homes for refugees,
  • Absorbing excess population from the older urban areas,
  • To generating economic development in the local region,
  • Serving as symbols of the new modern India that was emerging.
• Change in Trends: However, the current phase of urbanisation challenges the traditional role of cities as centres of enlightenment and workplaces, advocating for cities to also serve as pilgrimage centres and religious hubs.
• New form of Urbanisation: A new revivalism of the faith where the cities and towns and where the system should be aligned to the religion of the majority, and not separate from it.
• Concerns about Allocation of resources to certain projects  without a clear plan for investment in other regional cities. 
  • The writer cites examples of – Central Vista project, Sardar Patel statue, high-speed bullet train project, and the Ayodhya Ram temple, etc. 
  • The writer argues that the expenditure seems arbitrary and lacks justification.
• Role of the state and social good: The writer argues that in a democratic society, the focus should be on using capital and surplus for social good rather than religious purposes. 
  • Social good refers to using resources to build modern institutions, improve education, healthcare, and social infrastructure.

Conclusion

Decentralisation of Finances, democratisation with respect to decision making  and fostering a dynamic coexistence among citizens with equal rights and responsibilities are some of the solutions.

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