Vijay Phanshikar 

 

 

 

THE city is changing rapidly -- so much so that many major landmarks have become almost unrecognisable in this wave of change. Though change is inevitable and every city does go through metamorphosis from time to time, the change Nagpur is being forced into appears rather undesirable. For, it threatens to alter the very personality of the city known for its calmness and its old-time neighbourhood cast. The question, therefore, is whether such a change is to be allowed even at the cost of the city’s identity in the name of modern design. For, even a blind person can sense the disaster of urban design evereywhere in the city. That is the main concern. When the authorities allow exceptionally tall buildings even on small plots -- in the name of development -- they do not realise the damage they are causing to the city’s skyline and its environment.

 

When a very tall building comes up on a small plot -- protected by the (un)constitutional arrangement of Transferable Developmental Rights (TDRs) -- then the city’s systems are unduly burdened, and become vulnerable to various design affectations. Not only does air-circulation get affected but also sunlight. Water-supply and drainage systems, too, get unduly burdened and lead to various problems including unhealthy leakages that affect human heath in the long run. In the name of inevitability of development, a city, therefore, must not allow raucous change to overtake sensibility and sanity. In Nagpur, unfortunately, that appears to be the case. For, the brazenness with which the city is being pounded down is very frightening, to say the least. Of course, those who are masterminding all the change will never accept the truth as it is.

 

For, in that case, they will have to admit to damaging the city’s original persona beyond recognition. Should the city allow that to happen? Of course, a lot of bad change has already been allowed to take place. So, in such a condition, all the people can hope and expect that the civic authorities and their political masters must apply brakes to this madness in the name of development, and ensure that the city’s original identity is protected at least to some extent. For, if this tide of change is allowed to escalate unchecked, then the city will be in a great urban mess that we will never be able to correct after a certain stage. The loosefooter is aware fully that his voice is not going to be heard by right people. Yet, duty it is for him to keep raising his voice against the raucous change that is being imposed upon the city of Nagpur. This is done in sheer belief that someday, the right idea will gain back its importance -- if backed by some support from general public.