Mohandas Pai emphasizes need for investing in existing cities over new developments
- Mohandas Pai contended that the focus on developing new cities detracts from urgently needed investments in existing urban areas.
- He pointed out that creating new cities would require 15 to 20 years to provide benefits, while the current urban landscape is suffering from low investment.
- The debate emphasizes the need for integrated urban planning in India, balancing both existing and new developments to address immediate and long-term urban challenges.
In recent discussions on social media platform X, prominent figures Mohandas Pai and Amitabh Kant debated urban development strategies in India. Pai expressed concerns about the government's emphasis on creating new cities, arguing instead for increased investment in existing urban areas to address current problems and facilitate economic growth. He noted that new cities may take 15 to 20 years before yielding any benefits and emphasized the need for investments in the already overburdened urban landscape. In response, Kant acknowledged the significance of building new cities but maintained that both new and existing urban areas should be developed simultaneously to accommodate a projected influx of 500 million people migrating from rural regions over the coming decades. This dialogue reflects a broader tension between immediate urban needs and long-term developmental strategies, highlighting differing perspectives on how to approach India's ongoing urbanization challenges. The conversation has sparked varied reactions among the public, with some supporting Pai's call for prioritizing existing cities, while others advocate for new city development to alleviate overcrowding and facilitate youth growth opportunities in urban environments.