Urban Planning and Infrastructure: Noida vs. Gurgaon

Two neighboring cities of Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, present contrasting experiences in terms of urban infrastructure and planning, especially during heavy rainfall events.

Gurgaon: Challenges in Urban Planning

• Gurgaon witnessed severe traffic jams due to waterlogging after just 100 mm of rain.
• Urban planning and development in Gurgaon are frequently criticized for failing to handle even moderate rainfall.
• Developed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, resulting in irregular land acquisition and planning.
• Private developers like DLF played a significant role in city's development but lacked integration with public infrastructure.
• Natural drainage channels have vanished due to unplanned urban expansion ignoring topographic realities, such as the flow of rainwater from the Aravalli ridge south to Najafgarh Jheel.
• The road network is poorly organized, contributing to congestion and exacerbating waterlogging issues.

Noida: A Model of Planned Development

• Noida experiences fewer problems with waterlogging and traffic snarls during heavy rains.
• Established in 1975 as an industrial township governed by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA).
• Developed as a planned "greenfield" city, with infrastructure such as roads, sewers, and drains laid out systematically by the development authority.
• Initially covered 50 villages and expanded to 81 villages, now spanning over 20,316 hectares.
• The development model ensured a proportionate drainage and road network well-integrated with the built environment.

Expert Opinions

• PSN Rao, Professor of Housing, emphasizes the systematic integration of infrastructure in Noida after land acquisition.
• Mukta Naik, urban researcher, highlights the problems arising from Gurgaon's disjointed infrastructure efforts.