There are some key issues of concern to the city of London, where I was recently. Let me consider their similarity in nature to problems Indian cities face - but also the differences in approach in dealing with them between the two countries. The strike in the city's metro system, or the Underground, which disrupted public transport to a huge extent; ongoing discussions about the desirability of having a third runway at the city's main airport, Heathrow; the concerns of cyclists who face danger from lorries on the roads; whether metro rail fares are to be increased or brought down; rents becoming high and not all residents being able to afford houses - these are the issues that figure uppermost in discussions about cities.
Since people using the London Underground late at night have almost doubled over a decade, it is now proposed to run the trains overnight on Fridays and Saturdays from later this year. A general pay hike issue has been raised by drivers, and this got linked with the additional payment to be made for running trains extra hours. The Underground's management says the leadership of the unions refused to respond to the proposals it made. The proposed late-night service is projected to create 2,000 new jobs, give a 360-million-pound boost to the economy, and facilitate faster night-time journeys. But the one-day strike was total - no services operated, and those who commute to work using the Underground had to try using buses or just stay at home. Those two days showed how central the regular functioning of the Underground system is to the city.
Saying that Londoners cannot continue to pay through the nose for the most expensive metro rail system in the world, one of the potential candidates for the mayor's post - the present deputy mayor who oversees transport - promises a three per cent cut a year in fares. His claim is based on his performance of cutting council tax year on year. The outgoing chief of Transport for London (TfL) warns that such a move could put services at risk.
The other view is that TfL should sell off 1,000 acres of developable land it owns. The land is worth 20 million pounds an acre; with the windfall, fare cuts and service upgrades could relieve city taxpayers. India's new metros are still struggling to find a workable model for property development to supplement their incomes.
The third runway for Heathrow is a big issue for debate. With the airports commission backing the proposal, the airport authorities have run an ad campaign saying that this will double freight capacity and help get 100,000 more companies trading abroad. But British parliamentarians have decided to investigate whether the commission's plans to curb aviation emissions, and proposals to tackle local air and noise pollution, are realistic and achievable. A poll showed that more people support building a new airport than expanding either Heathrow or Gatwick. Would the proposal for a new airport at Jewar near Delhi find favour with more people, and are we in the direction of an early decision?
Cycling gets encouraged in a big city like London. Work commencing on construction of a new cycling super highway could lead to delays, says an ad from TfL, which is responsible for overseeing all transport issues in the city. But cycling is not easy. A thousand cyclists were injured in hit-and-run accidents last year. Eight cyclists died on London roads this year. Of these, seven were hit by lorries. The London Cycling Campaign is concerned. They called on the mayor urging him to save lives by ending the lorry danger. The demand is that adding mirrors is not enough - there should be mandatory cameras, glass doors and sensors on the lorries.
Rent in every part of London is reported to be unaffordable for low-wage workers. Experts say the city is on the brink of a crisis and the only solution suggested is building thousands of new homes. To fix the housing crisis, which is considered the greatest threat to the capital, it has been suggested that the politicians will have to take a bi-partisan approach - or more powers need to be devolved to London city. There are lessons in all this for our big cities as well, because if affordable housing is nobody's baby, then we will fail to address the issue properly and in time.
The writer was secretary in the Union urban development ministry
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