Smart cities - spatial planning and disaster risk reduction of Pune city, India

Smart city mission, India

The urban population of the country is increasing, with approximately 40% of the population residing in urban areas^[21]. The urban areas of the country need to strengthen themselves to provide comprehensive development of physical, institutional, social, and economic infrastructure to absorb the population growth. All of this aims to improve the quality of life of the citizens and attract people and investments to the city. Thus, “Smart Cities” is an approach adopted by the Ministry of Urban Development Government of India, for the development of the urban areas. It is a comprehensive program where the Union Ministry of Urban Development plays the primary role, and the states and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) play a key supportive role in the development of smart cities. It also requires the participation of the residents in making key decisions about the development issues of the city. Figure 1 lists the core infrastructure elements included in the Smart City Mission. The objective of the Smart City Mission is to promote “cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of “Smart” Solutions”^[22].

Figure 1. shows core infrastructure elements in a Smart City. (source-reimaging pune: Mission Smart City, 2016).

As per the Mission, the focus is on sustainable and inclusive development, and the idea is to look at compact areas and create a replicable model that will act as a lighthouse to other aspiring cities. The Smart City Mission promotes area-based development by retrofitting or redeveloping the existing areas in the cities, including the slums, through better planning of spaces. It also encourages the greenfield developments to accommodate the increasing population density. Integrating the technological solutions to collate data and information for improving the delivery of civic services would be the top agenda for the smart solutions, with governance mechanisms strengthened^[23]. The investments in the ICT system promoted by the smart mission can help in many ways for DRR, from early warning to response and recovery^[24].

Smart city initiative - Pune, Maharashtra, India

Pune is a diverse and vibrant city, ranking 8th in the country, located in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is famous for its education, automobile industry, and IT industry and is rated as the most livable city. Pune has ranked second in the top 20 list of 100 smart cities selected by the Ministry of Urban Development Government of India, after Bhubaneswar. The Smart City Initiative of Pune focuses on two approaches: first, retrofitting area-based development, and second, providing pan city solutions. Figure 2 shows the list of 51 projects selected by the Pune Smart Initiative for the area-based development and pan city solutions. The initiative was launched in Pune in 2016, with the highlight being the “citizen engagement programs”. The initiative was welcomed by citizens with huge excitement. The vision and goal for smart city development in Pune are to leverage its rich culture and natural heritage, strong human capital, and robust business environment, aspiring to become one of the most livable cities in India by solving its core infrastructure issues in a future-proof way^[25].

Figure 2. List of Smart City Initiatives in Pune. (source-reimaging pune: Mission Smart City, 2016).

About Pune

Pune city evolves in an organic pattern; it is not a planned city. The decision on the development pattern of the city is made by Pune Municipal Corporation in a consultative process with stakeholders. Over the years, there has been an increase in city limits, with fringe villages getting incorporated in the city limits. The recent introduction of Uniform Development Control Rules 2019 (UDPCR, 2019) has amplified the floor space index (FSI), resulting in an increase in the height and density of buildings^[26]. The road pattern and critical services of the city evolve as per the need generated due to the development of new residential areas. The high demand for residential units makes the real estate market lucrative, pressurizing all the civic services available in the city.

Pune city is situated on the confluence of the rivers Mula and Mutha. It is the second largest city in the state of Maharashtra, with a population of 3.99 million spread over an area of 331.26 sq km located at the elevation of 560 m above MSL in the Sahyadri mountain range. It lies in the Moderate Damage Risk Zone III of an earthquake adjacent to the active seismic zone of Koyna. Though there is no history of earthquakes, except for severe tremors felt during the Latur earthquake on 30 September 1993, the city is highly vulnerable to earthquakes^[27]. Figure 3 shows the map of physical features of Pune.

Figure 3. Map of physical features of Pune. (source: DM Plan 2016, PMC).

The city experiences low to moderate flooding every year due to instances of high precipitation or release of water from the four upstream dams. The Panshet dam burst (12 July 1961) and the cloud burst on 25 September 2019 are major flooding events in the history of the city. Each year during the monsoon, there are events of riverine flooding and flash flooding in the city, disrupting its normal functioning.

The smart city initiative has boosted the development pattern of the city. All the initiatives proposed in the Smart City mission of Pune have a strong linkage to the spatial planning of the city. The development pattern of the city shall be further elevated with the introduction of the Metro for mass transportation and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) (an area within a radius of 5 kms of metro stations with dense and compact development, enjoying an FSI of five for residential and commercial landuse).

Selection of spatial planning components

Urban planning in India comprises six key components: population density, landuse, open spaces, roads, physical infrastructure, and critical infrastructure, modulated through two key instruments: development plan and building codes. Hence, these spatial planning components were selected in this study as they play an important role in DRR^[28]. These components form the basis of spatial planning and are impacted directly and indirectly by any developmental decision taken by the local government^[29]. Table 1 shows the spatial planning components, subcomponents, and description of the perceptions gathered in the survey from participants on smart city initiatives from a disaster risk perspective.

Method

Pune city is selected for this study as a case. This method helped us to conduct a comprehensive study of the city, smart city initiatives, and its implications from a disaster perspective. The study focuses on understanding the perceptions of citizens of Pune on DRR for spatially relevant hazards, earthquakes, and floods. We selected a questionnaire survey method^[30]. An articulated questionnaire was distributed in 15 wards of the city through the volunteers of a non-profit organization. The questionnaires were circulated to almost 2,000 citizens, and with gender equality, we received back almost 1,350 questionnaires, out of which 800 (400 men and 400 women) were used in the study for analysis as they had answers and comments. Most of these participants were also part of the city engagement program conducted by the smart city initiative (as per the question answered). The rest were incomplete or vaguely answered.

The participants of the survey were qualified adults of different age groups and educational and economic backgrounds. The survey was conducted in September 2022, six years after the launch of the smart city initiative. During this time, the citizens experienced two extremely heavy precipitation events in 2019 and 2021. The questionnaire comprised of open-ended questions in the local language, focusing on each spatial planning subcomponent. The questions framed were as follows: “Do you think the population will increase due to the initiatives like local area development and metro”, “Does the storm water enter your building during heavy rains?” and “Can the fire engine easily reach your building in case of emergency? If not, comment why?” The participants had to mark their answers as “Yes, No, or Not Sure” and provide their understanding of each answer in the comment column from a disaster scenario perspective. Additionally, the participants had to rate the disaster risk on a Likert scale based on their perception of whether the spatial planning component will increase the disaster risk due to the smart city initiative. This method of “survey” is selected as it aligns itself with the citizen engagement program of smart city initiatives. This method allowed us to reach a good number of people and helped in gathering individual perceptions, which were not influenced by others. Secondly, the questionnaire was in the local language, “Marathi”, so participants could understand better and share their opinions openly in the comment section. Newer initiatives, such as smart cities, are valuable for the development of the city. This study examines it from a different perspective, offering a fresh insight for further studies. However, there are limitations to this study. The answers and comments given by participants are their individual perceptions based on their understanding. In some instances, we had to adopt different methods, such as interviews and field visits, to validate the received data.

Density of population

Smart city initiatives shall be instrumental in attracting a larger population for better opportunities. The density and composition of the population are cardinal in disaster scenarios. According to 80% of the participants, the population density will increase as an indirect impact of smart city initiatives, while 15% participants feel that the population growth is not attributed to smart city initiatives. Additionally, 5% participants are unsure about the relation, implying high-risk exposure due to population concentration. The floating population in the city will increase, according to 80% participants, primarily due to better transport facilities. This increase in the floating population can result in high exposure to disaster risks, while 10% participants disagree with this view, and another 10% participants are unsure. Over the decades, Pune city has been witnessing an increase in the migrant population, with almost 65% of the participants believing that migrant population density will be influenced, leading to more migration in the future. Furthermore, 20% participants disagree with this perspective, while 15% participants are unsure of their opinion on the migrant population. Pune city has effectively integrated migrant populations, resulting in a medium level of risk during disasters. Only 30% participants feel that the increase in population density might influence the cultural stability of the city, 50% participants believe there is no threat to cultural stability, and 20% are not sure. Cultural differences can be hindrances in disaster scenarios; however, in a homogenous and stable society, cultural differences pose a low-risk factor. Despite this, the overall risk factor for this component has been rated high.

Landuse

The city is growing in its spatial boundaries and population. The development plan over the years has shown an increase in residential and allied landuse. According to the survey participants, 75% opined that residential landuse will increase to accommodate the growing population, especially attracted due to smarter developments in the city, while 25% feel that smart city initiatives may not contribute to the landuse pattern. Almost 75% participants also feel that the commercial landuse will increase in the city in response to the growing residential use, while 20% participants disagree, and 5% participants are unsure. Additionally, almost 80% of the participants feel that mixed landuse will increase as proposed by smart city initiatives, 15% participants disagree, and 5% participants are skeptical about the impact of smart city initiatives on mixed landuse. The real estate market in the city is experiencing exponential growth with high property rates for residential and commercial landuse. This forces the poor communities to occupy hazardous and illegal locations, such as low-lying areas, steep hill slopes, and river banks, as they have no affordable and safe options in the city. The participants have rated this component high for disaster risks.

Roads

The smart city initiative intends to beautify the city by extending the pedestrian pathways and furnishing it with street accessories, resulting in a reduction of carriageways of roads and roadside parking. Pune city is famous for the number of private vehicles on the road. Fifty percent of participants feel the carriage width of the roads has reduced the traffic carrying capacity of the roads, while 40% feel beautification has added value, so it is justified, and 10% participants are unsure about the reduction of carriageways. The traffic jams and travel time on roads make the participants dubious, and they have rated the risk as medium for this indicator. Nearly 50% participants feel positive about the beautification of the walkways, while 25% participants are skeptical about the vendor encroachments, and another 25% are not sure if it actually helps pedestrians. Most of the surveyed participants, 90%, feel traffic density on roads will increase, while only 7% participants disagree, and 3% are skeptical. The risk due to traffic density is rated high by the participants, especially considering their experiences of traffic jams, longer travel times, and road accidents. Nearly 70% of participants agree that surface drainage systems are inadequate, causing water logging in the monsoon months, while 20% blame the issue on heavy precipitation, and 10% participants are unsure about the risk it creates. The citizens are aware of the past two heavy precipitation events that flooded the city, resulting in disruptions to normal functioning and loss of life. Water logging is a common phenomenon during the monsoons, which prompts citizens to demand appropriate surface drainage systems. The disaster risk from urban flooding is high. Almost 50% of participants feel that road safety will be compromised due to the beautification of roads resulting in blind spots and accidents, while 20% participants disagree, and 30% participants have an ambiguous response to this indicator. According to some participants, the smart city initiatives, along with other road development works, have focused on beautifying roads instead of safety on roads. As a result, the overall risk factor of this component is high.

Open spaces

The rapid built development and increasing land prices in the city have stressed the open spaces. Citizens acknowledge the scarcity of the open spaces in the form of public gardens and playgrounds available and accessible to all. Hence, 60% participants feel there are no adequate public gardens, 20% participants disagree, and 20% participants are not sure about the importance of public gardens. The inadequacy of open spaces can worsen the impact of disasters. The green cover and biodiversity contributed by the open spaces are important for the sustenance of the city; the lack of open spaces would make the city more vulnerable to hazards, marking it as medium on the risk scale. Open spaces in the form of playgrounds are non-negotiable resources for the city; however, these resources are currently only available to a few organizations and individuals in their personal domains. Almost 80% participants feel there are negligible public playgrounds for the children, while 15% participants feel there are paid sports facilities available, and 5% are not sure about the availability of public playgrounds, rating it high risk. The stress on land is high, with very few open land parcels remaining; hence, 30% participants feel there are limited undeveloped public open spaces for future use, 60% participants feel undeveloped space in public and private sectors could be converted to public use, while 10% participants are not sure. The lack of open spaces can be an encumbrance in disaster response and recovery. However, the survey participants rated the risk for this indicator as medium.

Physical infrastructure

The population increase has led to growth of physical infrastructure and the built environment. The demand for housing and aligned facilities is high, creating dense built footprint; hence, 75% of survey participants feel the increasing density of buildings will add to the threat of disasters, while 20% disagree, and 5% participants are unsure of the growing risk. In earthquakes and floods, the probability of damage for such a dense built footprint is high. This was also evident from the past two urban flooding experiences caused by heavy precipitation, which rated the risk as high. The dense built area makes 55% of participants feel that additional FSI will impact the disaster safety of the occupants negatively, while 30% participants feel there is a need for extra FSI, and 15% are unsure if disaster safety is compromised, rating the risk as medium. Furthermore, 60% of the participants feel the side margins, as per building regulations to accommodate the compact planning, will have negative impacts on the built environment and building safety. Meanwhile, 20% disagree with this view, and 20% participants are unsure about the importance of side margins. The squeezing of side margins can be an impediment in disaster scenarios, marking a high risk to occupants. The increased height of the buildings will require energy intensive evacuation mechanisms; 75% participants feel that it is a high risk from a disaster perspective, while 20% feel increasing building height is required for a growing population, and 5% are not sure. The overall rating on the risk scale is high.

Critical infrastructure and services

Critical infrastructure is important for DRR and early recovery. Hospitals with appropriate healthcare facilities for emergency scenarios are assets; 70% of participants feel healthcare systems are quantitatively adequate, while 15% participants disagree, and 15% participants feel there is a dire need to enhance the healthcare system for DRR, rating the risk as medium. Similarly, 50% of participants experience that the police stations are inadequate in comparison to population, while 25% participants disagree, and 25% participants are not sure about police stations quantitatively, rating the risk as medium. The critical facilities, such as fire stations, are of prime importance in disaster scenarios; 50% participants feel they are inadequate, 25% participants feel they are quantitatively adequate, and 25% feel they are not equipped appropriately to face disaster scenarios based on their past experiences. The easy movement and accessibility of a fire engine in dense areas make the risk high. However, the overall risk from critical infrastructure is rated as medium.

Pune, though it enjoys good water supply from four upstream dams, has lacunas in its water distribution system, according to 65% participants. Meanwhile, 15% disagree, and 20% participants feel there is a need to enhance the water management system, rating the risk as medium. Furthermore, 75% of the participants are incredulous about the sewage management and treatment, 20% participants feel the sewage system is fair, and 5% participants feel sewage system failure in disaster scenarios will add risk, especially during heavy precipitation, marking the risk as high. According to 85% of the participants, the waste management system in the city is inadequate, while 10% participants feel it is appropriate, and 5% population is skeptical about it, rating it as high on the risk scale. The critical services are crucial for the sustenance of urban life. Failure of these systems can hamper the recovery process in post-disaster scenarios. The overall risk for critical services is rated high. The enhancement of these systems needs to be aligned for their performance in emergency scenarios.

The results show most of the participants feel that the developmental decisions and planning along with smart city initiatives may be appropriate in normal conditions but may not be efficient in disaster events. This will expose populations to more risk and slow down the response and recovery process, as expressed in Figure 4.

Figure 4. The risk perception of participants for spatial planning components. Risk perception of density (A), landuse (B), roads (C), open spaces (D), physical infrastructure (E), critical facilities (F), critical services (G).