Politicians in India are building new cities with emphasis on Tech & Artificial Intelligence. Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad are pioneering this trend, with smaller Indian cities also joining in.
I read a bit of history and recent trends on “new cities”, and I found that results have been rather mixed with more failures than successes. For generations, humans have built new cities as kings and empires sought to expand their kingdoms, so this is nothing new.
In past 30 years, it is estimated that China has built around 300 new cities with some failing spectacularly, and some with decent success. Western media has often termed failures as ‘ghost cities,’ but Chinese media presents the opposite view.
On this topic, I was curious about Hyderabad’s new ‘fourth city,’ and to build it, the state of Telangana is drawing inspiration from South Korea.
The fourth city is inspired by South Korea’s Incheon’s Free Economic Zone. Incheon is divided in 3 cluster cities: Songdo, Yeongjong and Cheongna.
Songdo is the oldest of the three with work starting in the early 2000s as a smart city and international business hub.
It was planned as a pedestrian-friendly city by the urban planners, but it’s rather ironic that Korean politicians insisted on an eight-lane road right in the middle of the city despite strong opposition.
Several parts of the city look like this.
Given our authorities’ obsession with flyovers and wide roads, new Indian cities would likely be no different. Car would be the default way to travel.
I can say this with confidence for all our new cities, because, if you look at the planned layout of proposed KWIN City near Bengaluru, you’ll notice single-zone usage instead of mixed-use development. Notice the clear separation of usage which requires one to travel long distances often with cars.
Over the years, Songdo’s has had its fair share of criticism. These points are common reasons why new cities often fail.
1. Young people are reluctant to move to these new cities due to their lack of vibrancy, as parent cities like Seoul are much more lively and interesting to live in.
2. Since young people tend to avoid living in these cities, they are often populated by older individuals. This issue worsens as a country’s society ages.
3. India is ageing, and by the time these new cities are ready to accommodate people, demographic shifts could become a major factor.
4. These new cities do not have a plan for affordable housing, they are instead built for purely speculative investments. Where will lower-income groups live?
5. Some residents of Songdo describe it as feeling “cold” and “deserted,” due to its over-planned nature.
Even in India, the results have been mixed. Chandigarh, for example, was built from scratch, and despite its car-centric urban planning, I would say it has been a major success in attracting people and ensuring it thrives as a city.
But on the other hand, Dholera in Gujarat is still struggling to attract interested parties even after 14 years of its inception. Same with New Raipur. Will it change in next 10 years? May be, may be not. Some say it can take up to 30 years to declare the result.
Another major risk factor is Indian politics. Incheon was able to conceive and build a new city because both the opposition and ruling parties supported it. China succeeded because there is a single party system. It won’t be so easy in India.
Take a look at the history of the proposed city of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh for example. The tussle between Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Mohan Reddy has already delayed the project by several years, and it will likely take many more years to get the basic infrastructure up and running.
This question was also raised by industry leaders during a recent discussion on Bengaluru’s KWIN City. Deputy CM, DK Shivakumar has argued that the legacy of policies continues in Karnataka irrespective of the governments unlike other states. But, we will have to wait and watch.
Regardless of the outcome of these new cities, the urge to build new ones shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has received 28 proposals from 23 states to develop eight new cities as part of an urban expansion plan. Each city will be granted ₹1,000 crore from the ₹8,000 crore allocated by the 15th Finance Commission.
But is there an alternative to this building spree?
Yes. there is.
1. Densify existing cities to make better use of infrastructure and reduce urban sprawl.
2. Smaller, well-connected satellite towns can absorb growth.
3. Adopt incremental and demand-driven development.
4. Improve small-town economies with better digital connectivity and remote work opportunities.
5. Promote regional industries and decentralized economic hubs.
Japan is a great example of this model. In its recent history, the country has never built a new city. Instead, it has focused on redeveloping and expanding urban regions rather than building completely ones.
Songdo required an investment of around $50 billion to become operational. With several new cities expected to emerge in India, the key question is: Is it worth the substantial investment that will eventually be poured into these projects? or should India focus on more sustainable and cheaper alternatives?
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