Indian cities will not be the same

Just like how technology has changed our lives dramatically, Cities will also change at a pace that we can't imagine. Around the world cities are being shaped to suit the 21 st century and its demands. Today, the top most priority for the world cities is to become climate resilient and inclusive. In the coming 10 years Indian cities will see more and more 'Green Infrastructure' – Energy efficient public transportation, Green Buildings, roof top solar, white top roads, Homes & habitats that are lean will become the norm. Its not just Habitats but its Habits too that will become lean. I doubt if citizens will be tempted to buy cars if they can walk and cycle to work and also if there is public transportation like a Metrorail or Bus Rapid Transit systems efficiently plying them across the city. Not only Smart Sensors but smart and sensible people will preserve ecological assets of a city like water, lakes & tress. Urban gardening will be a norm and every citizen will know how to grow vegetables for his own consumption.

As migration continues unabated Indian cities will see many serviced apartments for the young job seekers. Big buildings, lone houses will disappear giving way to many small tenements. The 'Start Up' ecosystem will be dominated by green enterprises and those that try to bring back ancient practices like Ayurveda & Yoga. Extreme Innovators will set new standards for businesses. Every school will have an Incubator to foster Scientific temper and I will not be surprised if they introduce SANSKRIT classes too. Tradition will co-exist with Modern. As community service gains prominence, every company will have a foundation for charity. Tall buildings will disappear as the lure of BIG vanishes. People will move towards 'frugal and minimalistic living. More closer to nature and more closer to their own traditional practices.

Even with Control Command Centers &cutting-edge tech solutions at their disposal, the police will increasingly depend on citizens for data gathering.

Each citizen will be a walking data source for the police with the smart gadgets they carry and the social network that they are a part of. Technologies like Facial recognition, BIGDATA, Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning will help the cities maintain databases of every potential criminal and the very same cutting-edge technologies will help the disabled & senior citizens lead dignified lives. Cities of future will be ranked not on the infrastructure they have like roads, airports etc but on soft issues like 'Happiness Index' and 'Community Cohesion'.

Indian Cities of future will be at the cross section of Industry 4.0 and the challenges of rapidly changing world. They will very easily balance idealism with realism as every city will have a vision based on its own reality !