Bhubaneswar as Capital turnes sixty three: Emerging centre of south eastern Megalopolis

As we celebrate our birthday a thousand year city will visualize sixty third years of its foundation as Capital City on 13^th April 2011. The present population of the city is hovering around million. Similarly the city is transforming from a Heritage & retired mans city into a Knowledge based society by attracting many educational institutions, information technology based industries and home to leading corporate houses. So as the city’s civic body transformed into Municipal Corporation from Notified area council in 1952 and introduced Police Commissioner System. The city has transformed itself many times to meet the changing needs of the society. Its time to look back how we moved to this point in history !!!!!!!!!

The Beginning

In 1948 first Prime Minster Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid down the foundation of new capital of Orissa, perhaps the first in Independent India. It was a German Dr. Otto. H. Koensiberger prepared the first Master plan with concept of neighborhood and gridiron pattern. The Master plan prepared covers an area of 16.48km² with a density if 10 to 12 families per acre for 40000 population.

Historically, Bhubaneswar has been influenced by three important religions in its growth Saivism; Buddhism (by king Ashoka) and Jainasim (during king Kharvela’s regime). The city of Bhubaneswar witnessed 261 BC Kalinga War that turned a great warier Ashoka into a peace lover king. Perhaps this city witnessed world’s first peace declaration written as Edicts of Ashoka at the banks of Daya (forgive) River after victory by King Ashoka in response to the Kalinga War. Historical significance assimilated these cultures and earned its name as “Secular City”.

It is believed around five thousand temples were once located in Bhubaneswar. Even today, hundreds of temples that still stand majestically as mute witnesses to its glorious past; one can study the chronological development of temple architecture from the start of the 7th Century AD to its culmination in 13^th Century AD. The area was ruled by several dynasties such as the Guptas, Mauryas and Suryas. Over a span of time, the city has been known by different names such as Kalinga Nagar, Tribhubaneswar, Temple City, Ekamra Kshetra and finally as Bhubaneswar. Bhubaneswar derived its name from the word “Tribhubaneswar” means the God of Universe (Lord Siva).

The Growth

Bhubaneswar was planned as an administrative town with a single nucleus – the Secretariat – and the city being planned as a grid around this central nucleus. The policy intervention for modern Bhubaneswar was for the purpose of Administrative Capital comprising of residential houses and government buildings. As a result the first plan restricted vertical and industrialized growth, which resulted in residential houses than commercial housing for almost three decades of inception. 

Around 1970 growth directions for non polluting industries, institution of national & regional importance were allowed outside core city adjunct to national highway corridors connecting Kolkata – Chennai. However, in 1961-71 Bhubaneswar crossed the forty thousand figures with a record growth of about 176.07 %, which was highest in the country during the period. The present population of the city is over a million with an area of 135 sq. km. giving it a population density of around 7000 persons per sq. km.

The City Planning

This city over the year followed a linear growth over radius leading to horizontal development. The initial growth of the city was fully new built up over a plateau of forests. The upland points were deforested for setting up new township covering 16.42sqkm. The major driver for the initial growth was the rural –urban migration since Bhubaneswar was the first major town, in the state, being developed ab initio sixty two years back. Thus as more people poured into the town, it kept expanding outwards. Availability of land in the suburban areas fueled this centrifugal growth. It has grown in a horizontal manner having various city centers within the city with clearly delineated groups around IT, education and others. The city is now more inclined towards a Multi Nuclei Concept of city planning within a large and expanding Bhubaneswar Development Plan area of 436 Sq Km with a projected population of 2 million by 2030.

The city plan was revisited many times over the year ensuring that it remains lively for all categories of people. It began with the Ebenezer Howard’s Garden city to François Perroux idea of economic Growth Poles in City Planning. The city integrated both concepts in its linear growth over radial. Allowing development of multi nodal growth of cities based on emerging activities i.e Chandrasekharpur as I.T. enabled services, Mancheswar as household industries etc.

The Emerging Centre of Megalopolis

Bhubaneswar is located in the eastern part of India with edge stretching to South Eastern India and past historical links with the countries of South East Asia. The towns of Puri, Cuttack and World Heritage Konark are all located within about 60 kms from Bhubaneswar –and all these places have been in existence for 1000 years or more. Perhaps if one travels from Hyderabad in south to Kolkata one will come across Bhubaneswar at the centre. In between located are some of the emerging cities within hours of distance i.e. Kharagpur, Baleswar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Berhampur, Vishakpatnam. All of these cities are either attracting big investments or in pipelines. This is perhaps the emerging Megalopolis of eastern India in days to come.

The City Shining by Surprise

The city has emerged as hub of industries, education and tourist destination for many. In recent studies of World Bank ranked Bhubaneswar as 3^rd best city in India to do business 2009, Confederation of Indian Industries identified within 37 most livable cities of India and Morgan Stanley recorded emerging market. This all compliments progress that Bhubaneswar has made in last one decade emerging from a disastrous to progressive city of this part of the world.

The biggest assets of this city its heritage, culture and unique style of growth will take into a new height in days to come. The challenge is how the youths and old joins their voice in engaging themselves with modern city planning and multi level institutions each one its own leadership!!!!!!!!!!!

Japan recovering ! R we learning something ? let’s be prepared

An Indian friend informed me from Tokyo

“Today, those who live in Tokyo, experienced strongest earthquake of their life-time. The good news is: everybody is SAFE. Our offices are mess with books, papers, documents lying everywhere on the floor due to quake!"

Another senior colleagues

“We inside Japan become more Japanese than Indian surviving earthquake as if we r playing soccer”.

Next morning a Indian turned Japanese professor explains

“indeed, the disaster is overwhelming, but possibly this is a test of time, and we need to be calm and targeted to do a good job in immediate rescue, relief and recovery. There was a severe panic, and people started storing food, because the access roads were closed and no food supply from outside Tokyo Yokohama area. We need to wait and see for a while, I do not know how long, one week, two weeks or one month…”. 

I read from another Indian professor in Japan 

“The real image coming out of the disaster zone? The true grit of the Japanese spirit in face of the disaster, the values and ethics that are driving the response and how the community quietly fell into place t help each other. I love this country”.

Perhaps all of them felt everything normal, Why not they feel because they are based in one of the world’s best prepared country / city / citizen on Disaster. But destiny has something in store first severe earthquake of 8.9 followed by Tsunami Wave and now the destruction of Nuclear Reactor leading to Radiation. According to BBC news the number of confirmed dead and missing now stands at nearly 13,000, about 450,000 people have been staying in temporary shelters. Snow has been reported in affected areas - with more freezing weather forecast.

Back home in India lot of debate begun in TV, News Paper, Blogging, Academics etc. on should we need to have Nuclear Plant in India or Not? A great advocacy is on that we should review our Nuclear Energy Programme. It reminds me two things one about a story from Freiburg in Germany and our mushrooming urbanization.

The question how many buildings in urban India are really Earthquake Resistant not just for getting approval but measuring on the scale of 1-9. Perhaps the answer would be where to test or who will hand hold. The bare truth is we are still not learning from reality or from the past. Is it not a time discuss about our response system or health facility to handle such size of Disaster.

Freiburg a city in the wine-growing area of southwest Germany, close to the French border, the upper Rhine and the Black Forest was unfortunately devastated during World War 2, like many cities in Europe. But since then, Freiburg have done something astounding, something green and something to be proud of. In the 1970s, the region of Baden-Württemberg planned to build a nuclear power plant at Wyhl, just 30 km from Freiburg. There was a major protest, with widespread civil disobedience, and in 1975 the plans were defeated. Freiburg developed a reputation as Germany's "ecological capital". In 1986, with the nuclear catastrophe at Chernobyl fresh in their minds, Freiburg's municipal council voted to adopt the guidelines for a future-oriented energy policy which would set the pattern for Freiburg to become Europe's most prominent solar city. What is important of Freiburg is they built their city for people, not for cars. Pedestrianised streets, bike lanes and excellent trams were at the heart of the city’s development. Plus the unique Freiburg Bächle, small canals that run down each central street.

With this two stories I asked myself and to many “R we really prepared ourselves to face worst, does our children knows what they need to do, what about our community rescue centre is it functioning?” At this time I came across of a friend suppose to be in Nepal but back to Japan. He popped in face book to tell me 

“I am at the centre of today’s news Sendai”. For a while I felt he is joking but it was reality. He then answered to my question “Whole Japan is stunned, Nervous, it is likely to take not less than six month for recovery but they are not panic the system hear is very organized even in disaster, I was three days inside the rescue centre and today returned to home. So you believe or not I was part of a History and sorrow but it’s a great learning for being a South Asian”. 

I wonder why we are not advocating for safer cities, safer buildings, safer communities, and safer hospitals beyond just ceremonial event to real life actions. Japan shows the example anything can happen any time. It looks like we are more panic and adopted a culture of opposing everything. Look at the Japanese even workers at the Nuclear Plant showing the bravery to put best effort in reducing the radiation.
So I think it’s not time to debate whether we need Nuclear energy or not, let’s leave that to atomic scientists. Let’s not oppose everything, be it hydro power, thermal or nuclear. End of the day we all need energy to live but more important is that we need to be more prepared and make ourselves ready for such situations.

We need to debate on how our urban planning takes place. If the present approach to our city management is not changed, then perhaps our cities will die much before any N-radiation.

 
Japan has bounced back after WW II and will bounce back this time too. But are we learning something from Japan or are we getting into opposition mode only? 

City Story: Public Space Shapeing Our Future !

City Story: Public Space Shapeing Our Future !: "'We shape our public spaces, thereafter, our public spaces shape us.' - Winston Churchill. Win..."

Public Space Shapeing Our Future !

"We shape our public spaces, thereafter, our public spaces shape us." - Winston Churchill. 

Winston Churchill statement long a go is today more focused than ever before on the human dimension in city planning and the need for quality in the public realm of our cities. Cities all over the world are rediscovering their public spaces and a general awareness has been awakened regarding the need for dignified, high quality city environments for people. People are invited to repossess their cities and restrictions are being made to reduce parking, vending and traffic in central city areas in order to make room for more people oriented activities.

Two opposite directions in city planning can presently be identified. In some cities walking and public life are disappearing, emphasizing that life is becoming more and more privatized. In other cities public life is carefully supported by the introduction of good pedestrian environments in order to supplement the private life spheres with a well functioning public domain offering a wide range of attractive public activities. The fact that people in all parts of the world respond eagerly and enthusiastically to these new opportunities for walking and participating in public life in public spaces, indicates that walking environments and other types of public spaces where people can meet are important assets in present day society (possibly even more so than 20,30 or 50 years ago). In a world being steadily privatized public spaces are gaining in importance.

Public space is one of the vital component of modern urban planning, because access to these spaces have becoming more and more conflicting in nature. The rich believe public space is for their vehicle parking, for the poor it is economic opportunity or livelihood and for a common man enjoy nature. Perhaps the last one enjoying the nature through public space is vital but over the year most of cities urban planning left these without touching, The result our cities are choked with parking, vending, garbage and a paradise of criminals. But improving these public space for the common man is certainly a necessity in Quality of Living Standards.

Picture taken in Stockholm, Sweden

According to UN-HABITAT (2008), “improvement in transport and communication infrastructure not only contributes to the growth of cities especially in the developing world, but it can also help promote balanced urban and regional development”. Increasing evidence has shown that compact urban form, well-planned and proper land use pattern, organized informal vending and well defined pedestrian paths help reduce the negative environmental impacts of urbanization and make cities more sustainable. It is a common sense to all development professionals that access to public space should be integrated to enhance inclusiveness and welfare of the urban population. However, there is a lack of consensus about how this integration could be implemented.

During the last few decades, urban areas in India have witnessed significant population increase and economic development. The region is expected to continue with its high rates of GDP growth to achieve significant economic growth to create employment, alleviate poverty, make resources available for infrastructure, increase access to basic amenities and also led to increased demand for better access to public space. A city on the east of India is reinventing itself by organizing public spaces for better access to pedestrians.

Picture taken in Bhubaneswar, India

Bhubaneswar, located on the east coast is one of the fastest growing cities of India. Bhubaneswar is the Capital of Orissa state in India, popularly known as the “temple city” of India. The city was planned by Otto H. Königsberger in 1948 for a area of 16.48 sqkm with a population of 40000 is now covers an area 135 Sq km with more than million population. Bhubaneswar, located on the east coast is one of the fastest growing cities of India. Bhubaneswar is the Capital of Orissa state in India, popularly known as the “temple city” of India. The city was planned by Otto H. Königsberger in 1948 for a area of 16.48 sqkm with a population of 40000 is now covers an area 135 Sq km with more than million population.

In past the city had tried various options to keep public space free from ugly posters, unauthorized wall-posters and urinals etc. However, the results were not very sound. Very often visitors found it’s strange to imagine a city of heritage importance have all such nuisance in its street walls.But gone are those days most of these spaces are now history with restoration of public spaces from street vendors. After organised form of vending zones these spaces are now used for pedestrian paths or greenery. Today these pedestrian paths were transformed into living heritage with paintings reflecting ancient history, heritage, culture and tradition of Orissa. These street painting sites have become an important destination for tourists of the city and it also acts as an instant tourist guide or pedestrian paradise.

 How many city do realizes the statement of Winston Churchill today will perhaps reflect in our  future !

Bubbling South Asia

At any one time, some natural disaster has just struck or about to strike somewhere in the worlds cities taking a toll of human lives and material losses. The world no more lives in rural nor the disaster; urbanization has surpassed rural population. For the first time in the history of mankind, more people live in an urban environment than a rural one and in just 20 years, over 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities and towns (UN HABITAT)

A fortunate individual will live in places like Amsterdam, Tokyo or Singapore having better access to clean water inside the home, lifting of garbage on time, connected to sewerage and good mobility. Same time if you faced a disaster like situation i.e fire, earth quake or floods, you can call for emergency assistance and also get post insurance coverage. But everyone may not be fortunate to have all this with living in cities not given propriety of understanding disaster cycle or lives in war zones (slums), where every day survival is a struggle.

According to World Disasters Report (WDR) 2010 “2.57 billion urban dwellers living in low and middle income nations are exposed to unacceptable levels of risk fuelled by rapid urbanization, poor local governance, population growth, poor health services and, in many instances, the rising tide of urban violence, much of this urban population is also particularly exposed to climate change.”

South Asia is experiencing a major demographic transition. During the last fifty years, India's total population more than doubled, while the urban population grew by more than five times. In 1996, the urban population in Bangladesh was 23 million. By 2020, it will increase to 58 million. The urban population in Nepal, during the same period, will grow from 2.6 million to 7.7 million, and in Sri Lanka it will double to more than 8 million. A cyclone striking, large scale inundation of dense urban population, or the wiping out of a poor houses due to heavy rain fall or storm surge or a earthquake in waiting are parts of serious simulation exercises of South Asia.

"I call for the need of world leaders to address climate change and reduce the increasing risk of disasters- and world leaders must include Mayors, townships and community leaders" UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the opening of the Incheon Conference "Building an Alliance of Local Governments for Disaster Risk Reduction", August 2009

The indications from the region’s history of disasters are a grim reminder of what could be in store. South Asia is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. From Orissa (India) super cyclone in 1999, Gujarat (India) Earthquake in 2001, the 2004 tsunami in India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives to devastating earthquakes in Pakistan to recurring floods in Bangladesh making South Asia Bubbling over Disasters.

A South Asian city Bhubaneswar despite being located at one of the poorest states in India has been teetering from one extreme weather condition to another: from heat waves to cyclones, and from drought to floods. Since 1965, these calamities have not only become more frequent, they have struck areas that have never experienced such conditions before. A heat wave killed around 2,200 people in 1998 -- most of the casualties were from coastal Orissa, a region known for its moderate climate. In 1999, a cyclone passing through Orissa left 20,000 people dead including 20 million people homeless, 5 million farmers out of work and hectares of cropland destroyed amounting to a total loss of £1.5 Billion.

By 2030, India can expect a 1 to 1.5 degree Celsius rise in temperature and more intense spells of rain Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Bhubaneswar city is not exceptional the change in temperature pattern reflects, as every summer is getting hotter surpassing mid of monsoon, night temperature is getting hotter; winter is becoming colder and reduction in rainy days with more rainfall due to cyclone than monsoon. Similarly the city is under Seismic Zone III similar to that of Latur and Ahmedabad, which has already seen earthquakes in past.

This City is highly becoming vulnerable to disasters induced by natural hazards & climatic factors with frequent and severe during the last decades. Like heat wave in 1998, super cyclone 1999 and catastrophic flooding in 2001 took the city by surprise. The Times of India in its 4^th Nov 1999 issues described Bhubaneswar as Ghost City - Streets were deserted as a thick blanket of darkness descends added to the gloom of the shocked citizens. There is a say in this part of the world is that 

“we move five steps then one disasters pushes back ten steps”.

The outcomes of risk assessment become very important component for all developmental activities of the city. The risk assessment realized that even a good infrastructure might not be good always, until unless a backup system. The first step city took was updated Master Plan along with revisited the regulatory mechanisms for building byelaws, integration of risk assessment with land use mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) database. Second, the city undertook massive awareness & capacity building programmes with support of national, state and bilateral agencies. Third, upgrading its infrastructure i.e. road, sewerage, fire safety, drainage, sanitation and introduced public transport system. Fourth, being the capital city received appropriate institutional mechanism support from both state & national government for setting actions both for mitigation as well as for post disaster situation.

The message is clear to the world that despite its location in a poorest state of India has emerged as the hub of industries, education and tourist destination for many. In recent studies World Bank ranked Bhubaneswar as 3^rd best city in India to do business 2009 and Confederation of Indian Industries identified within 37 most livable cities in India. This all compliments progress that Bhubaneswar has made last one decade emerging from a disastrous to progressive city of this part of the world.

Source: UNISDR, My city is Getting Ready Campaign

The Mayors of South Asia are also committing themselves making their cities more resilient to multiple hazards, by signing up to the UNISDR “Making Cities Resilient” campaign to monitor building construction by-laws, raising awareness on the need to safeguard the environment and enhancing school and hospital safety. Similarly, Local Governance Network and City Managers’ Association Orissa in India initiated joint local campaign to support UNISDR effort, as “We are Getting Ready, How about you?” The actions include investing more in disaster reduction, preparing & sharing risk assessments, ensuring early warning systems are in place and protecting ecosystems to reduce floods, cyclones and storm surge impacts. Today South Asian cities are Bubbling in addressing all odds in making their cities march towards development from Post recovery to mainstreaming DRR.

Views expressed in this paper are of the Author and not that of organisation he represents or belongs.piyushbbsr@yahoo.com