An Urban Tour Of New Delhi

As one who grew up in New Delhi, whose father is commemorated for his contributions to its urban development with a street in his name, and as a planner who worked on the first National Capital Regional Plan (1968), I am saddened to see both the condition of the city and the superficiality of the review by Wendell Cox.

New Delhi's history is one of numerous twists and turns - a capital for various kingdoms and empires for more than 3500 years - a city that absorbed nearly its own population in refugees in 1947, and the proud and confused (not to mention confusing) capital of an independent nation seeking to find its way between the past and the future, east and west, tradition and economic development.

Planning for Delhi was both helped and hindered by forces outside the control of the city. Of particular note has been the impact of the pre-1990 regime of licensing of industry, that essentially dictated that CEO's needed to live in Delhi for access to the ministries that controlled licenses, imports and currency. This led to both an unnatural distribution of wealth (in the 1990s, Delhi had about half of all cars registrered in the entire nation), and terrible pressures on land. This was not helped by the local govenment's use of land auctions to raise funds while providing new land for development, driving land prices to levels found only in major western cities. The political issues that revolved around the coordination of the Union Territory with two neighboring states both aspiring to their own development, permitting and encouraging development outside the jurisdiction of the City.

Add to that a continuing stream of economic refugees from the countryside, mostly lacking in skills, education and regular employment, and the chances of making it work are limited. Then, add a heady mixture of new prosperity and motorized traffic on top of a settlement pattern that,with the exception of British New Delhi and some of the newer housing colonies was built around foot and bullock cart traffic, and the chances of making it all work like a nice, orderly western city are nil. Even Baron Hausmann would have thrown up his hands here!

Now comes the issue of public transportation, which Mr. Cox seems to find so vexing. Delhi for years has suffered from both high densities (outside the colonial residential areas of New Delhi)and impossible traffic, consisting of every imaginable conveyance all on the same roads, a poor understanding of maintenance (both vehicles and the roads), religious considerations (Muslim graves left unmoved in the middle of streets, cattle allowed to roam or sit quietly in the middle of main roads while the traffic swirled around them), cultural conflicts between impatient modern drivers and illiterate pedestrians new to the city, a near complete lack of traffic enforcement (repairs on trucks are carried out where they break down), underpaid and consequently often corrupt police, and pressing needs for water, shelter and education competing for every rupee.

There is not now, and never will be room for all the cars that a population of 15 million would like. Mass transit is the only viable alternative for longer distance travel, just as bicycles are the best for shorter trips (I used one all over the city as a teenager myself, and I understand both their value and limitations.) Cell phones have eliminated many trips, and cost much less than land lines. By way of comparison, Manhattan, London, Paris, Moscow all have a balance between the car and transit. Delhi may resemble LA in many ways (I also worked there as a planner) but conditions will never allow the car culture to flourish there as it has in LA. Delhi needs rail, BRT, regular buses, more taxis and other conveyances for hire. Vehicles at the densities of India cannot afford to occupy dead space for much of the day (parking) - but need to be kept in circulation for economic reasons.

Mr. Cox - I enjoyed the photo essay,but would have expected a more reasoned argument from you. I would be glad to extend the debate. It is important that we not continue to perpetuate the errors of excessive privatization on the public realm.

That Delhi even functions is a miracle of human ingenuity in the face of overwhelming problems.