Cities of tomorrow

India has several urban redevelopment projects that created lively public spaces. The chapter says such projects need:

• technology;
• citizen participation;
• good infrastructure;
• better city services.

Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Riverfront mixes nature and public use. It has:

• promenades (riverside walks);
• parks and markets;
• boating;
• the Atal Bridge, for walkers and cyclists to cross the river.

Gangtok's Mahatma Gandhi (M.G.) Road in Sikkim is a central shopping street only for people on foot: no vehicles. It is known for being very clean and full of life.

Both share one idea: giving space back to people on foot, not to cars.

The chapter describes cities as "like living organisms that grow, adapt, and transform with time".

Cities are where things are made and bought. But they are also places where ideas are born, tradition meets the modern world, and people from different walks of life build a shared future.

Technology can help city life:

• intelligent traffic systems;
• digital surveillance (cameras for safety);
• online complaint platforms (grievance redressal);
• solar-powered public spaces.

But the chapter ends on responsibility. Fast urbanisation brings pollution, traffic jams, inequality and the loss of green spaces.

These problems affect not only city people, but also the villages connected to the city.

A good city must balance three things:

• growth, while caring for people and Nature;
• opportunity, without leaving out the vulnerable;
• comfort, without using up resources.