India is acutely in need of urban planners, since there is greater consciousness now than ever before about the need for planned urbanisation, thanks to worsening congestion, pollution, and health issues caused by a sedentary lifestyle, Keshav Varma, chairman of the High-Level Committee on Urban Planning of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) said here on Sunday.
Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of Bodhi 2022 – a national urban development conclave being held here, he said haphazard planning has led to a situation where there are few public spaces, walkways, and footpaths. This is forcing people to remain indoors.
The country urgently needs 10,000 urban planners, who ought to be posted in civic agencies and development authorities. They could even be posted on a contractual basis. Such capacity building is crucial for the effective implementation of urban development projects. Sadly, cadre rules do not permit lateral recruitment of urban planners, with the result that most Indian cities remain unplanned.
