Gasping for air? Indian cities struggle to breathe amid green space crisis

By A Representative

India's urban centers are gasping for air—both literally and figuratively. Green spaces in metropolitan areas like Mumbai and Delhi have plummeted to a shocking 3%, a far cry from the 30% in global counterparts like London. This stark disparity highlights the urgent need for sustainable urban planning as Indian cities face deteriorating living conditions, environmental risks, and reduced life expectancy by as much as five years.

On the latest episode of the What India Needs! podcast, media entrepreneur and author Shutapa Paul hosted Ashish Kukreja, CEO and Founder of Homesfy, India's first listed real estate brokerage firm. Together, they discussed the critical balance between rapid infrastructure development and sustainability, calling for smarter urban planning and greater citizen advocacy.

India is embarking on an ambitious $1.4 trillion infrastructure journey, with ₹10 lakh crore allocated in the 2023-24 Union Budget. Kukreja, however, sounded a cautionary note: “Infrastructure accounts for nearly a quarter of carbon emissions. Without smarter planning, we risk repeating the mistakes of other nations.”

He highlighted that integrating green technologies and renewable energy into urban infrastructure could reduce India’s carbon footprint by up to 35% by 2030. Kukreja emphasized decentralizing development to promote growth in Tier-2 cities like Indore and Surat, which are already emerging as sustainable economic hubs.

Kukreja underscored the dire state of green spaces in Indian metros: “A city with such minimal green cover isn’t just inconvenient; it’s unliveable.” He called for stricter accountability for developers and the inclusion of public spaces in urban planning.

Shutapa Paul echoed this sentiment: “Citizens, consumers, and individuals must demand green and open spaces for our collective well-being and the future of our cities.”

While initiatives like the Smart Cities Mission are a step forward, achieving even modest targets, such as 8-9% green coverage, will require strong public-private partnerships and community advocacy.

Kukreja stressed the importance of infrastructure with intent, highlighting the need to build for future generations. “We’re not just building for today but for decades ahead. This requires intent, continuity in policies, and swift execution—elements often missing in governance,” he said.

India’s urban challenges demand immediate attention. As Kukreja concluded, “With the world watching, India has the chance to set a global benchmark by integrating advanced technologies, green infrastructure, and sustainable practices.”

The episode underscores the critical need for collaboration among governments, businesses, and citizens to create cities that are not just livable but thrive for decades to come.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/z4oE4wG6O68

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog