Disorganised, ugly and maddening - that is how the future of Gurgaon is being described by a large number of residents who are closely working on various issues that challenge the City today. Unless there is a major course correction, the prognosis for Gurgaon is dark, and the Millennium city could face major challenges due to an ever-expanding population that is putting extreme pressure on a limited infrastructure. For many, Gurgaon is already running in crisis mode, particularly as far as water, power and basic infrastructure issues are concerned. And unless the focus shifts from only a real estate driven ‘plan’ to a more holistic approach that is people and society oriented, the future looks bleak, avers a large majority. The Millennium City no doubt is a magnet for economic growth, jobs and quality real estate, both for the residential and corporate sector, but this development story needs to become inclusive – of the 70 per cent lower middle class and migrant population. Bhawani Shanker Tripathy, an activist and founder member of Mission Gurgaon Development, opines that there are two extremes in Gurgaon - on one side are the ‘posh’ builder colonies, and the other extreme is the growing number of unauthorised colonies. “There is no planned agenda for the City, no cohesive vision, and neither any review of its ‘carrying capacity’. There is no plan on how to accommodate the ongoing influx of migrants, who are attracted by the economic opportunities,” says Tripathy. Another important issue is that governance and politics in Gurgaon are dictated by money power and votes. Till this does not change, it is unlikely that we would see any improvement in the Millennium City, opines Tripathy.
A most pressing civic concern is the water and ecological crisis, which many experts say is going to threaten the very existence of the City. Vivek Kamboj of Hariyali, a City-based NGO that has filed a case in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), says that he has submitted to the court that this City will turn into a dark zone as far as availability of ground water is concerned. “I am a hundred percent sure that ground water will become extinct in Gurgaon by 2017, and unless the government takes immediate measures, the problem could seriously threaten this City”, asserts Kamboj. He adds that the policy of the Haryana government, to treat the green belts as expendable, for say widening the roads, is also deplorable, and will be challenged soon in court. It is because of these shortsighted policies that the City is now staring at a self-made crisis of a diminishing green cover; and this will soon be irreversible, given the pace at which the real estate industry is taking over the forests and farm lands. Kamboj says that the situation could become more alarming once the forest areas in Aravallis are ‘urbanised’, as per the current Haryana government plans. City-based activists like S C Talwar are more worried about the impact of uncontrolled real estate development, and the sheer audacity of the developers to do whatever they want in their constant search for ‘unhealthy’ profits. “The insensitive attitude of the government can be gauged from the fact that while there have been numerous complaints against the builders, most of whom are not following the Apartments Act, there is no action being taken by the Administration. The common areas are encroached, infrastructure is lacking and there are enormous delays, but there is still no action from the authorities,” complains Talwar. His worry is that the uncontrolled increase in population, alongwith no focus on roads, deficient power situation and the lack of drinking water, could turn this City into a concretised ghetto where the rich and
poor would soon battle with each other. The recent decision of the Haryana government to increase the FAR along the Metro Corridor (from 1.75 to 3) is also being criticised by activists, as this would just increase the density, without a commensurate provision of civic facilities. In Talwar’s opinion, unless there is a change of government in Haryana, a focus on ‘equal’ development, and the rooting out of corruption in government departments like HUDA and DTCP, the Gurgaon residents would continue to suffer.
While the Gurgaon growth story is no doubt true, and likely to continue, believe the citizens, they also opine that the lack of inclusive growth, and little social space where citizens could try and forge a common identity and feel proud of being Gurgaonites, is lacking. “A large migrant workers’ population, which accounts for almost half of the City’s population and helps run the large number of factories, malls and businesses, has been excluded from the purview of development,” alleges Prabhat Agarwal, a former IT honcho and now a social worker who is actively involved in helping the working population that is living in the urban villages of Gurgaon. “The migrants living in villages and in unauthorised colonies are uneducated and belong to the weaker sections of society. They are unable to get Voter ID cards and Aadhaar cards, and as a result they cannot get any benefit from the State schemes. The development plans of the State government are based on numbers that do not include this population; they do not exist for the government policy makers. How then can they be given any benefits, or how can healthcare and social infrastructure be planned for them,” says Agarwal. Although the incomes of these individuals could be better compared to what they could earn in their native places, there is no social security for them. Agarwal says that, in comparison, Delhi is far better for the working population as well as for the lower middle class, as people do not reside only in condominium complexes that are safeguarded by private security guards. He says that it should be made easier for migrant workers to get residence proofs, so that they can identify themselves with the City. “Right now Sikanderpur or Nathupur have official populations of 6 to 7 thousand each, while tens of thousands actually live there,” he asserts.
Lack of parks, social spaces and playing grounds further compound the problem, as Gurgaon has grown into a very ‘segmented‘ city, where even the upper and middle class never meet. Their playing grounds are different, their parks are different, and the shopping areas invariably are separate. The consumer culture prevailing in the City also puts a premium on the display of wealth. Amina Sherwani, an activist, says that civil society here will have to work towards creating social spaces that are equal. “I think Gurgaon is a blessed city, and the creation of opportunities and wealth is nowhere better than here, but we need to have inclusiveness in our growth and development,” she says. In her opinion it is only the citizens of Gurgaon who can bring about change if any, because the government and its institutions consider this City only as a milch cow that earns them major revenue. There needs to be a focus on sustainability and a control on the runaway urbanization, which could spell disaster in the near future. Anju Arora, a resident of Sector 23, who launched a movement for bringing the Metro to ‘old ‘Gurgaon, laments that real estate development has overtaken every aspect of this City. She points to the new apartment complexes that are being developed in Gurgaon II (Sectors 58 to 115). “The new population will put further pressure on water, power and roads, which are already stretched today. There is no proper public transport facility in the City. In Udyog Vihar and Dundahera many workers have to walk back in the dark to their homes,” asserts Arora. She also points to the huge sanitation and sewerage crisis that the City is facing, as there is a multiplicity of agencies, with none able to deliver the goods. The botched operation at the Bandhwari Waste Treatment Plant, say activists, is symptomatic of the failure of the government and the administrative machinery . They suggest a major course correction, starting with a common vision, and setting up of a governance platform like the Noida Development Authority. The uncontrolled expansion needs to be immediately checked.
The majority of the people with whom Friday Gurgaon interacted, have asserted that the City is now perched precariously, and unless the polity, administration and citizenry act in unison, the City can't be saved. They agree that Gurgaon has immense potential, but its roots first need to be nurtured - otherwise the tree will wither and the birds will fly away to distant horizons… leaving the City barren.
A Plan for a Sustainable Gurgaon
A majority of the civil society activists and NGO leaders opine that MCG should be empowered, and should be the organisation that takes all the decisions for the development and maintenance of Gurgaon. Anju Arora says that elections for wards were held to ensure that the voice of the people could reach the government through councillors, and development could get decentralized – and this must happen. Bhawani Shanker Tripathy suggests that MCG should be vested with solid responsibility and powers to perform all functions that are there in the 74th amendment to the Constitution. All functions of HUDA should be transferred to the municipal body. Prabhat Agarwal says that there is need to work on improving the health facilities for weaker sections, setting up schools, securing the City and improving the quality of life for marginal sections as well as the middle class. He adds that housing for the poor and economically weaker sections is the need of the hour. Most EWS apartments are lying unused for a decade now.
He also wants a proper monitoring of these multiple issues. Dr S C Talwar says that the unabated real estate development as per the Master Plan(s) should be reviewed critically. As this ‘document’ has been changed thrice in a short period, and outlines more the concern of the real estate industry than what is actually required on the ground, it needs to be thought through again. There is also a need to assess the needs of Gurgaon in a scientific manner, to know what exactly the city needs in terms of social and physical infrastructure. Tripathy suggests that this should go to the ward level. This information would be realistic and ensure that resources are put to the right use, and not wasted away for ‘ambitious’ projects that cater to just a few. This will also help engage civil society with the MCG and other government agencies. It is also being suggested that land management, development and redevelopment should be controlled by the local government agency such as the MCG. There is need for creating more green zones, open spaces, social spaces, parks, and residential areas for all categories. It is also being suggested that government, civil society and residents of Gurgaon will have to come together to ensure water safety in the City. The control of water should be given to a single agency, preferably MCG, which needs to carry out water audits for the entire City and prepare a plan for the next at least 10 years. Another important step would be to stop water wastage, and to recycle every drop by setting up recycling plants in commercial and residential areas. Vivek Kamboj of Hariyali says that there is a need to revive traditional ponds and water bodies, and to create new and artificial ones, as normal rainwater harvesting measures are unlikely to be a sufficient measure. There is also a need to check the pilferage of water and its (illegal) use in construction.
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