This week’s topic is an age-old one. Cities - the catalysts for growth in the world. I will zoom out and look at how cities help growth and zoom in to the case of Mumbai.
I think the topic deserves attention, looking at what’s happening in Delhi right now.
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⚡Random fact of the week
Most of the books published sell less than 250 copies. Alarming, right?
Cities - the catalyst for growth
We know it. Cities are an indicator of the development of a country. The better the cities, the better the chances of a country being developed.
They bring together a large share of the population, with infrastructure and opportunities that help catalyze the growth of a country. Usually, cities are well connected with the rest of the world, which leads to rapid industrialization, a growing population and thus, a thriving economy.
Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash
Zooming out
Late last year, a study stated that 17 out of 20 fastest growing cities in the world are in India. That is a testament to the country’s high growth rate, though it is bringing its own set of challenges.
Not just India, take any rapidly developing country in the world. Chances are high that its cities are growing fast.
The power of cities comes from people staying close together and forming communities that solve problems for everyone else. For example, a public transit authority solving transit problems for everyone in the city. Solving such common problems helps people focus on their interests and find newer sources of income.
But rapid growth has its own pains.
Bangalore is facing severe traffic issues, Mumbai is facing population issues, Delhi is facing pollution issues.
As I think about it more, it concerns me that our cities might no longer be liveable. But, I see this as a huge opportunity for us to solve city-specific problems.
Zooming in
Take the case of Mumbai — a city home to almost 20 million (2 crore) people. Mumbai is one of the densest cities in the world.
All the benefits of cities that I described above are possible because of population density. Higher density leads to larger communities, thus helping people solve problems for one another and thus growing the economy.
Take the case of mIndicator - an app that notifies people about bus and train timings. The android app has almost 400k downloads, which is a number that many modern companies would envy.
But, density, Mumbai’s biggest strength, is turning into its weakness. The city’s infrastructure is not able to handle the population, thus depriving people of the basic benefits of a city.
Mumbai’s transportation infrastructure needs massive improvement. The government is improving the metro infrastructure, planning as many as 11 lines to complement the current rail infrastructure. Yet, these changes are going to take a long time to take effect. Politics, funding, elections, government changes, etc. — there are too many variables here.
While the government works on its own timeline, we should focus on solving some problems ourselves. Again, mIndicator comes to mind. Citizen-led products and services that solve real problems are much more required today than ever before.
Closing note
Let us not expect the government to solve all city-related problems. We have opportunities to solve problems and maybe, even make money in the process.
I’ll end today’s article with this thought. Think deeper about it. Next week, let’s look deeper into what transit-oriented development means and how cities like Tokyo thrive despite huge populations.
Is anyone interested in researching city-specific problems and brainstorm solutions? I’d love to talk to you!
Cool photo of the week -
The Advisory Board is now available on Amazon across the world. Buy it now!
Thanks for reading :)
Hemant