Changes in the urban scene

In India urban areas are growing bigger and bigger--metropolis growing into megalopolis.Bigger funds are allocated for them--materialising into flyovers and malls.There are plans for greater urbanisation. Development is carried on as per needs of the rich. For example, roads are "car friendly" and not "pedestrian friendly". For a person walking, to cross the big roads is impossible. A city is inhabited by the rich and the poor. The poor are an integral part of the workforce, but their needs are never considered while planning.From the view point of the planners, trained as per experience of  urbanised western countries, the middle class and the poor do not exist. Non-motorised vehicles like cycles, rickshaws and cycle-cum-carts are present in the urban scene but are given no spaces. Although the Supreme Court ruling on this issue says that roads are public spaces for all to use; but the poor are ignored at planning stage itself.Inclusive growth is just a phrase with no meaning. Road planners care for the aesthetic appeal and not concerned with the normal uses of the public spaces. Public transport like buses and metro trains take a long time to materialise; the commuters (for whom they were meant for) would have already made other arrangements for travelling to their workplaces daily. The poor cannot afford the high costs of bus tickets and cannot cycle to work as the roads do not have a safe track for non-motorised vehicles. They are pushed to extreme pains to travel to workplace.
Similarly, road side sellers, cart vendors are not allowed by police to sell. They live in fear and have a very difficult time in making a living.

Before urbanising, we had nice community living: there were cobblers,vegetable vendors tailors in every neighbourhood selling in small size shops. There was no stress-- no unknown elements, as all knew all.Now these helpers are being removed by police as the streets have to "look good" But this "good look" is alien to the average Indian mind which is now full of tension... with unknown persons zipping past....what would happen in the next corner...there may be a criminal....a cobbler or a vendor who had no way of making a living and had turned to a life of crime.....walking down is frightening....ultimately the state has to spend much more on rehabilitating criminals. This could be avoided if we spend little on helping them make a decent living now.