Rural areas have been ignored and left out from the smart cities program which we can’t do being a nation of villages. Chapter 8 is the crux of overall studies and focused in translating Indian smart cities to be built across India. Masdar in Abu Dhabi shows sustainable concept of walled city and using ultra modern technologies to achieve a zero carbon and zero waste community in the deserts.
Chapter 7 describes an integrated planning strategies of most powerful business enabler cities like GIFT, Dholera SIR in Gujarat which is pioneer initiator state in India. So it is very important to have integrated approach. Most of our cities are having uncontrolled urban sprawl where land use and density are being compromised. Chapter 6 deals with Intermodality & last mile connectivity which is key in achieving self contained connected neighbourhoods.
Chapter 5 is a depiction of his extensive work in creating the green neighbourhood and connecting each other to create walkable and pedestrian friendly Jamshedpur. It is just inverse of central park idea and conceived as "town within park within city". Keeping the Industry aside, core is the community in planning of Jamshedpur. Shah implemented above these findings and interwoven concept of nature in designing the Jamshedpur 2057 plan which he designed in association with Fredric Schwartz associates ,United States.
With the perfect blend of academics and professional practice of architecture, Prof. Chapter 4 takes us to proven passive strategies and concepts used in the planning of ancient Jaipur city and contemporary Chandigarh city. The deteriorating environmental and living issues are minutely examined and author eloquently proposes mitigation and remedies at micro level. The challenges it faces over a period of time and why it is one of the least sustainable cities of the globe. Chapter 3 describes the transformation of 1000 years old Indian capital Delhi. Chapter 2 briefs the concepts used in global green cities like London, Paris, and Barcelona with measures taken to make it more walkable, cyclable and livable cities in the world. As title suggest, Chapter 1 states Evolution of human settlement right from the prehistoric period to till date journey travelled through early civilizations. The book is divided into eight chapters: Evolution of Human Settlements, Global Green Walkable Cities, Transformation of National Capital of India, Existing Sustainable Indian Cities, Futuristic, Smart and Sustainable Cities, Intermodality and Last Mile Connectivity, New Smart Cities and Sustainable Indian Smart Cities. The purpose of the book is to explore study and then recommend futuristic Indian smart & sustainable cities. The more you respect mother earth more you learn to design organic built form and try to be associated with nature. In the Indian context with smart city program launched in 2015, there lies much hypes and referred to cities to be technologically advanced and smart in information & communications.Īs author says sustainability as such has no benchmark. The book demonstrates changing definitions of architecture and town planning with understanding the complexities of the city design. Most of developing nations are approaching 0.7 HDI which is considered "high human development", the bench mark given by United Nations.
We are probably in the most peaceful and advance stage of development since the beginning of human evolution on the earth. Initially, cities evolved in response to natural boundaries then adopted trade, war & industry and now days based on environmental & sustainable concepts to offer better quality of life. It is a purely technical book designed for the noble profession of Architecture and Planning but it widens its wings to invite casual readers too for understanding human history, settlements & evolution of cities. It is a delightful journey of reading human evolution and its continuous progress and advancement in human development and settlements. Charanjit Singh Shah makes a simple yet bold intent of writing the book "Redefining Indian Smart & Sustainable Cities". "Cities are manifestations of human civilization" Prof.