New or Renewed Town: Sustainable Urbanisation in Kolkata

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Abstract

This report assesses the sustainability of urbanisation in Kolkata, by identifying possible investment projects of suitable nature that could be of interest to both public and private local, national and international stakeholders. The comparative analysis of Kolkata and India, South Asia and the World, highlights the eminent and existing lack of sustainable infrastructure and the resulting reduced productivity. It is argued that the strategy to create a sustainable city, is to invest in the modernisation of infrastructures and services paid with effective tax collection on plots and houses. Thus, both compliable land use plans and efficient transport networks are due, to avoid urban sprawling, protect agricultural and ecological lands, and connect the city with the outside world, reinforcing its global centrality. The argument of this paper, being that it is of more use to promote connectivity and have a Renewed Sustainable Town close to the urban centre rather than a New but Unsustainable Town.