All posts tagged: urban development

PCMC demolishes 12,000 sq ft of illegal structures at hotel

PCMC demolishes 12,000 sq ft of illegal structures at hotel

Published by Webster

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) carried out a major demolition drive in Akurdi on Wednesday, removing nearly 12,000 square feet of unauthorised structures near Hotel Majestic as part of its ongoing action against illegal constructions across the city. The operation was conducted under the direct instructions of PCMC Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi and targeted unauthorised RCC structures and tin-sheet sheds built on Survey No. 7/1/1B in Ward No. 15, which falls under the jurisdiction of the civic body`s ‘A’ Ward Office. According to civic officials, the action forms part of the municipal corporation’s broader efforts to enforce building regulations, prevent illegal construction activities and ensure planned urban development. Planned development Speaking about the demolition drive, PCMC Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi said unauthorised constructions pose a serious threat to the city`s planned and sustainable growth. He said structures built without the approval of the municipal corporation violate building regulations and cannot be allowed to remain. The civic administration is committed to implementing development plans effectively while ensuring public safety and compliance with the law. The …

Haryana administrators pitch for modernising urban area law

Haryana administrators pitch for modernising urban area law

Published by Parlour News

Senior administrators, urban planners and real estate captains on Saturday made a collective pitch for modernising Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, to keep pace with the state’s rapidly expanding urban landscape and evolving developmental needs. Rastogi said that coordinated efforts among government institutions, planners and industry stakeholders were essential to ensure balanced, inclusive and future-ready urban development across Haryana. (HT Photo for representation) A consensus emerged at a high-level roundtable discussion organised by the Institute of Town Planners, India – Haryana Regional Chapter (ITPI–HRC) in Panchkula, to mark 51 years of the landmark legislation that laid the foundation for planned urban development in Haryana through private sector participation. Speaking on the occasion, Haryana chief secretary Anurag Rastogi said urban policies and regulatory frameworks must continuously evolve to address emerging challenges of sustainability, infrastructure resilience, rapid urban expansion and changing citizen expectations. He said the 1975 Act had significantly contributed to planned urban growth, infrastructure creation and economic development in the state over five decades. However, time has come to take it …

Harnessing AI for systemic change: Can India’s startups solve its urban and environmental crises?

Harnessing AI for systemic change: Can India’s startups solve its urban and environmental crises?

Published by Parlour News

Navigating rush hour might soon feel less chaotic. At dozens of intersections, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now analysing traffic patterns, drawing insights from Google Maps data, and suggesting optimised timings for traffic signals. This type of AI-driven solution aims to reduce frustrating stop-and-go traffic, save fuel and cut emissions. It’s a small intervention in a massive system, yet it hints at a larger possibility: Can India harness the potent combination of digital infrastructure, entrepreneurial energy, and rapidly advancing AI to tackle its most complex, systemic challenges? India finds itself in a unique position. Building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – from the Aadhaar identity system to the ubiquitous UPI payments network and emerging data-sharing frameworks – has created unprecedented digital rails. Layered onto this is a vast, young population rapidly embracing digital tools, and a vibrant startup ecosystem teeming with technical talent and ambition. AI represents a technology shift as profound, perhaps, as fire or electricity. An enabler that can accelerate progress across nearly every field, its power demands a bold approach to innovation, pushing boundaries …

How Budget 2025 empowers India’s cities as engines of economic growth | UPSC Current Affairs News

How Budget 2025 empowers India’s cities as engines of economic growth | UPSC Current Affairs News

Published by Parlour News

(The Indian Express has launched a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE. In the following article, Jacob Baby, an urban planner with experience in teaching and research, analyses how the budget aims to strengthen Indian cities as engines of economic growth.) The Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, emphasised urban development as one of the six domains for transformative reforms. This renewed focus on urban areas in the budget points to the government’s commitment to empowering cities as a vital component of India’s economic and social development.  Story continues below this ad Let’s unpack what the budget means for urban areas and how urban local bodies (ULBs) finance urban infrastructure projects in Indian cities. Budget and urban development In the 2025-26 budget, the Ministry of Housing and Urban …

Will bring 1 lakh youth who have no political link into politics: PM

Will bring 1 lakh youth who have no political link into politics: PM

Published by Parlour News

Warning against nepotism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was planning to bring 1 lakh young people, whose families have no political connections, into politics.He was speaking in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, after inaugurated a slew of projects worth over `6,700 crore in the aviation, education, health, sports, and tourism sectors. Varanasi will witness a “new era of development”, he said. Modi congratulated Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath over development in the state, which the PM said was now known as the “Expressway state” while earlier it used to face taunts for condition of its roads. He also said UP has the most number of international airports, and soon another one will be built in Jewar. The state is becoming a major centre of investment and employment, he said. “Ten years ago, news of government scams used to be all over the place. But today, news of the country’s development is a topic of discussion,” he said. Modi urged youths to be cautious of “parivarvad (nepotism)”. “We will bring 1 lakh youth into …

Changing City: Mumbai’s first cable-stayed bridge after Sea Link to become operational in November | Mumbai News

Published by Parlour News

The new Reay Road bridge, the first cable-stayed bridge in Mumbai after the Bandra Worli Sea Link, will become operational in November. Here’s why the road is being built and what the project entails The project The century-old Reay Road bridge is being reconstructed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) to facilitate seamless traffic movement. Why Reay Road bridge had to be reconstructed The old Reay Road bridge was constructed in 1911 with black basalt stones that were majorly used for civil engineering works during that era. However, with changing times, the traffic load on the bridge increased and the structure started corroding. As a result, authorities mooted the idea of reconstructing the bridge. The old structure was demolished in 2022, following which construction of this new bridge began. The new bridge The new bridge is set to be a state-of-the-art structure with four vehicular lanes and is being constructed along the lines of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The new Reay Road bridge will be 220 …