Think before you buy a plot or flat in India!

Since, I came to Oxford, it surprises me to see about an effective and efficient administrative system here. Oxfordshire County Council. Last month, I have expressed my experience on the topic called “ No Horn Campaign – India”. It attracted good public attention; wish that in near future, attitude to avoid “doing unnecessary horn” will grow up in the Indian roads.

This month, I wanted to write about another interesting topic. A topic on the road planning. In regard to this, I made a recent status update in my facebook and expressed that “Indian Prime Ministers & Chief Ministers are enjoying the buildings built by the British colonial. But, why they fail to follow the effective administrative system from the British”. We see that most of the State Secretariat , parliament, railway stations & University buildings are built by the British rulers and they are enjoying it. But, why do they fail to build a safe and convenient administrative system for the public.?

Further, it also raises a question that is there anything good our Indian elders have contributed to this aspect?. Our elders often say that, they had wonderful culture, system, and they followed a system of living. But, it is a shame to see any strong evidence of having contributed to the development of administrative system in India. Except that “Chalta hai” attitude. They promoted corruption, than demanding any good output from the administrative officials. We all could see that retired officers belonged to the public works department, metro development authorities, administrative officers have made themselves huge wealth by accumulating properties and money for self and family than anything done good to the society. Particularly, contributing to the development of living system in India. Most importantly, well planned infrastructure to the society.?

Comparing, the administrative system here in the UK; which is very much developed. Citizens are enjoying the fruits from those seeds, planted by their elders. Specially, the residential layouts, roads, water & drainage system. They have given importance to the convenience of the public, and implemented everything in an efficient manner. Free accessibility to handicapped, children, elders, cyclist, motorist and shopping etc. It is marvellous to see the houses and the roads here in Oxford. Traffic rules, signs, pedestrian provisions and fearless commuting is marvellous. I want to see my country and my cities like this. Will that be possible? Do you have an answer?

Here, one cannot find the difference between one house to another. The model of each house, frontage area of each house. According to the Council rules, you cannot build as you like, you can change the interior, but the structure against the rule and basic plan. Everything that is connected to the housing system is perfect. It is impossible to see any Electrical panels and wires on the roads, telephone lines, TV cables crossing the roads. Gas supply to each house, water, drainage and sewage system, perfectly undergrounded.

I feel shame when I think about our system in Chennai or any other metro city? I doubt, whether any officer In the corporation or Metro City Development authority exist or not? Do they apply standards, which are ever in interest of the common man? or Convenience to human beings. In India, even metro cities doesn’t have complete integrated administrative system to the households.

I would like to ask some fundamental question to the Administrative officers in India.

Does our metro development or other development bodies mention/emphasises about compulsory pedestrian path on both sides of the road?
Does the Development Authority has any law to enforce minimum 30 Feet roads and at least 5 feet allocated on each side for pedestrian crossing?
Does our Development authority has any control or enforcement to allocate ducting/underground provisions for laying telephone cables, water lines, drainage, sewage, rain harvesting lines?
Why there is no co-operation between the Water Body, Road Transport, Cable TV & Telephone lines are not controlled by one authority?
Is there any study, measures taken against every road accident that is happening because there is no pedestrian lane on the roads and fatal deaths?

I think, no one can be independently blamed for these problem, because our system is corrupted in such way. Both from the Public, Private and Government.

Business companies promoting plots and layouts without prior approvals, basic road and drainage facilities. Public, as investors still buy such unapproved plots, and houses where there are no basic amenities.

Firstly,

1) we should not a buy properties which does not have atleast 5 feet pedestrian (raised) from road on both side.

2) Don’t buy plots which is not having atleast 30 to 40 feet road?

3) Don’t buy any flats unless the government/corporation/panchayat does not provide water, drainage, sewage, telephone & roads are not laid with minimum requirements. Don’t take false commitments of the marketing executives and developers, local politicians. Ensure, it is practically available while booking.

Secondly,

Each individual in the respective field they work, should contribute to the society by writing out a suggestions, plans and proposal; which should include, comfort, convenience and safety to every category of the public. Like, children, elder(senior citizens), pedestrian, cyclist, motorist and public transport.

I searched for documents on urban development plan in UK. You might get surprised to see that why and how western countries, the developed nations have good administrative system? 100 years before, the elders have forecasted and made planning and proposals to the road development of the city.

In 1930’s, Committees have been set up to plan the residential layouts, they respectively documented each and every aspect that is connected with the residential layout and common public.

For example.

How many main roads and type of roads a layout should have? And how they are connected with highways?
Where and how the high way turnings should be located?
The size of the roads?
Where and how much park lanes to be provided?
How much is compulsory frontage to be given between each house wall and to the road?
In a large residence layout? On which corner the commercial shops should be allocated?
On which location public facilities shall be located?
Where the bus station or the main road is located?
How distance and how convenient to every one from all the sides of the layout.?
Should there be different lanes for each one? Children, Elders, cyclist, Etc.

Precisely, a committee report and planning proposal submitted 70 years ago is what actually we could see on the UK’s administrative system. Whether it is Oxford or London city.

It is our time that everyone in India, particularly the real estate developers, professional in town planning must promote a standards and rules those equal to the developed nation standards, and public shall not compromise on quality and avail proportionate value for the money we pay!!!

While, I am expecting that, above points will raise some questions here. Personally, I will be addressing to each development authority and emphasis the need; with relevant documents from the UK, which helped them to implement a standard in resident layout and roads.

Note: 5 years of living experience in Chennai Metro City is a disaster. Lived in 2 different residential multi storey flats, developed by established developers. One could see the mess up of drainage system. Human waste is loaded into lorries and disposed in the city surroundings? with no proper drinking water connection from the Chennai City Corporation, or the Sewage system connections. But still these flats are called CMDA approved plots? I wonder what CMDA is doing and do they have something to do with Chennai City Corporation or the local administrative body? Do they?