Development with Empathy …is that an Oxymoron?

At one end of the spectrum of this discussion is the prediction of how AI is going to take away jobs in the most colossal manner, in the near future. At the other end, are the current growth practices in India, which seem to be ignoring all human factors, while just pursuing “development” that’s deceptive.

Blindly following western patterns of growth is bringing about more pain than development in India, today. Unless, we call elimination of our side-walk vendors as development, in a country where total number of street vendors is estimated at around 10 million! Or, if we call the mass plundering down of houses for road-widening in the very interior and ancient by-lanes of a city, as “growth”. Why does one need 100 feet wide roads in the most interior part of a city, when there is ample development space across the entire outskirts of every developing city in India? Cities are expanding in all directions at the periphery. And, if wide roads were so important, then why are these newly developed areas being planned with roads having low margins for expansion?

There is no planning; just after-thoughts!

Yes, we do need empty, clean sidewalks to help pedestrians walk safely and comfortably, but in contrast to the same, aren’t we simply discouraging pedestrians by building tall, long, uninterrupted road dividers across some of the most treaded-on roads of our cities? Doesn’t the very aim of making footpaths seem to be beaten by creating dividers that block crossing-over for long intervals?

Is this all then, a drive merely to create a frenzy of growth amongst people rather than any real interest in worthwhile development? And for what? For “declaring” the city to be eligible for being labelled a “smart-city”? Really?

True development would mean support for the small road-side vendors, so that their businesses also do not suffer. After all they are such a huge population in our cities. Some studies have estimated that street vendors constitute approximately 2 per cent of the population of a metropolis. Can we afford to make them jobless in an instant?

True development would mean encouraging pedestrians, and making it easier to walk or cycle, rather than drive.

True development would mean planning our new expansions futuristically.

Why can’t development in India be harmonized with its own human problems? Why can’t growth be inclusive?

If road-dividers are required on every main street cutting across a city, then we can make sure they have regular breaks along the way for pedestrians to cross over comfortably. Motored vehicles do not have to speed across busy roads. A dampening of speed is in fact not a bad idea, if that’s what these breaks in dividers will do.

And yes, we need to bring more awareness into motor drivers to give priority to pedestrians, and likewise into pedestrians to look out for the pedestrian crossing before they cross.

There has been a massive road-widening program churning through my city for the past year or two. I have seen roads becoming giants… 4 lanes, even 6 lanes. There are separate routes reserved for Buses too! Then why can’t we think of allocating some road-side space for the road-side vendors? These vendors are a boon not only to the daily office-goers for everyday tea and snacks, but some are so famous that they bring a city on to the country’s food map. I have seen some bring the city on to global food trails too. And yet we do not care to nurture these small entrepreneurs. What these street-vendors bring to the quality of our daily life, is not a discussion feasible to justify in this blog, but I am sure we all know.

Some will surely argue that road-side food vendors spread dirt and make roads unhealthy. Yes, but we are taking steps towards creating awareness in this direction too. There is a visible improvement although we still have a long way to go. Banning is surely not a way forward.

India is vastly different from other countries. I am sure every country has its differentiating factor, but India has many. And the basis of all this is India’s diversity and population. We must treat these as our strength, rather than a threat. It is only intelligible to leverage from them, rather than attempt to do away with them.

A city like London, which is overwhelmingly high on traffic, gives the top most priority to its pedestrians. The busiest roads too break generously throughout their length, making pedestrian movement easy, comfortable, and hence an option at all. Why can’t we? So, while we do adopt wide roads, and clear footpaths from the western world, why isn’t pedestrian priority one of our priorities too? Why do our city roads stand divided so selfishly across their lengths? Do we expect that our cyclists, and pedestrians, who, by the way, are yet the most prominent users of our roads, should have to suffer? Are we justified in cursing people when we see them climbing these tall dividers and jumping over? With no cross-overs or under-passes, are they to blame, or is it the deliberate ignorance of our municipal engineers that should be challenged?

At times, there might be limitations that stop us from giving due importance to some downsides in order to achieve the larger purpose. But not before we have given it our best.

“OUR problems are unique to OUR people.”

We cannot adopt a foreign solution unquestionably or insensitively. Common sense says that superimposing our environment onto these solutions, would surely help solve our own simple problems through our own simple solutions. There are many creative minds in our country who are always ready to help.

But if the government simply wants to make a political statement through a list of developmental initiatives made in its reign, then the obvious answer would be that we the people should not mistake it for what it claims to be. We must decipher development from destruction, and claim thoughtful solutions over thoughtless development. We must seek empathy in growth, rather than being carried away with the tide of fashionable advancement.

I vouch for inclusive development. I urge for compassionate planning. I appeal for people support.