City authorities cautioned about urban challenges

■ CITIES CAN become the victims of their own success.

As populations grow, a range of urban challenges can make cities the victims of their own success. Municipal institutions like the GHMC and the HMDA have to create radical changes in the city, in terms of infrastructure and urban development.

Ms Karuna Gopal, president of Futuristic Cities, said, "Hyderabad should be more prepared before we celebrate the result. A megacity should provide mega opportunities to its citizens. With just 90 lakh people, we have inadequate water supply, traffic problems and air pollution. With an expected population of 1.2 crore, we should work on public transportation especially modes that are nonmotorised like cycling, and figure out means to reduce garbage.”

Vital issues that citizens face on a day-to-day basis are overcrowding, high vehicular traffic, air pollution, and could worsen if the infrastructures is not upgraded to meet increased population demand. “The city should work on uplifting local governance, improve its finances. Critical infrastructure shortages and major service deficiencies that include erratic water and power supply, and woefully inadequate transportation systems and deteriorating environment should be the focus,” said Mr Yashwanth Gowda, an expert in urban development.

Another crucial factor is law and order. On this ground Hyderabad is better placed with a police officer for every 500 residents.