Smart Growth and Transit-Oriented Development:Overcoming the Financing and Execution Challenges in India

Background/Objectives: Cities in India suffer from haphazard growth, uneconomic extension of boundaries, spotty development, poor quality of infrastructure, and urban mobility problems. The problems are associated with lack of integration between spatial planning and transportation planning, and benign neglect of investment in public transport. In this light, this study explores the theory and international practice of New Urbanism, Smart Growth and Transit Oriented Development. The main aim of this study is to deliver strategic directions for the adoption of TOD as a key paradigm of regional and urban planning to develop efficient, equitable and sustainable cities.

Methods/Statistical Analysis: This study analyzes the existing institutional framework for public transport development and management in Indian cities, and identifies the challenges of financing and execution as the biggest impediments in successful implementation of Transit-Oriented Development.

Findings: The main findings of the paper suggest that the problems of spatial and transport planning in India are deeply ischolar_mained in the master planning model, borrowed from the town planning laws of the United Kingdom. The master planning model has failed to enable cities to exploit the links between agglomeration externalities, transportation and use of land. The synergy between transport and use of land for sustainable urban development is not exploited to full extent.

Improvements/Applications: This study suggests some corrective measures of financing public transit and connectivity infrastructure, and creating an institutional framework to plan, finance, implement and regulate public transport.