Business Standard 25.11.2009

At a time when cities are looking at improving transport and residential properties for urban development, the Asian Planning Schools' Association (APSA) concluded on the first day of its 10th International Congress held at Centre for Environment Planning and Technology (CEPT) University that the key lies in reducing number of slums as well.

"In 1991, Thailand had 20 per cent of its population living in slums. Today it is reduced to two per cent. India should take a cue from it if it wants to improve its urban infrastructure," said Dinesh Mehta, emeritus professor at CEPT University during a lecture at the International APSA Congress.

Being held for the first time in Ahmedabad, the biennial APSA Congress series initiated in 1993 provides institutes, professionals, academicians, individuals and students working in the various sectors of planning and development, a common platform for the exchange of ideas, sharing of experiences and results from research studies, furthering networks and exploring future opportunities of working together, carrying out joint studios, exchange programmes and academic exercises.

Mehta added that the transport system in the country will also have to move from being vehicle oriented to people oriented.

The last three Congress’ were held at Colombo (2007), Penang (2005) and Hanoi (2003); the overarching planning themes addressed at these being “Towards an Asian Approach to Planning for Millennium Development”, “Cities for People” and “Creating better cities in the 21st Century” respectively. "The theme proposed for the APSA 2009 Congress is “FUTURE OF ASIAN CITIES”; the objective being, understanding the various issues that fall within this broad premise, providing opportunities for scholars and planners to discuss the related issues, exchange opinions and understand development-related problems of Asian countries and fostering a more informed generation of academics and professional planners in Asia," said Utpal Sharma, director of CEPT University in a release.

A total of 148 papers discussing Asian cities and the problems they face in terms of infrastructure, planning, increasing population and sustainability are part of the three-day event. "We have received more than 100 international papers on different sub-themes, addressing a variety of global and Asian planning issues. Conference participants from Asian countries like Japan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Indonesia will address the Congress. These participants include senior executives from private sector, public sectors, academicians and research scholars from India and abroad," Sharma added.

The themes to be embraced during the Congress include sustainability of Asian cities, economic boom and crisis: impact on Asian cities, maintaining harmony: traditional and modern, infrastructure services in Asian cities, planning education in changing times, and housing in development.