According to Redseer, one of the leading management consulting firms, India’s gated communities in urban centers are emerging as one of the most important consumption areas, with consumption across gated communities poised to more than double to $500 billion by 2026, with a $20,000 per household spend. The consumption of gated communities in India will be second only to the consumption in the United States. Despite the fact that most of us have probably witnessed the massive construction of gated communities in both metros and rural towns, these figures are staggering and surprising. While independent houses are still available, there is a considerable increase in demand for a flat/apartment in a gated community. People have realized the value of social connection and communal life as a result of the epidemic.
But why………?
Currently, about 32% of the entire population lives in large cities, a figure that is expected to rise as more people relocate to metropolitan areas in search of better prospects. Gated communities are far more common than independent houses/localities. The primary reason for this is the total cost of running a home. These extra costs are incurred as a result of the services supplied, such as power backup, round-the-clock security, recreational facilities, and so on. Having said that, there appears to be a progressive growth in demand for gated communities as a result of the combined benefits that they provide.
Higher living standards have sparked a significant desire for larger homes and a better environment without sacrificing safety and security. Outdoor facilities like parks and jogging/walking tracks guarantee that youngsters do not have to go out for their nightly fun and that seniors may take a morning stroll within a secure perimeter. Many NRIs and HNIs believe investing in a gated community to be a sensible move since they provide a higher resale value and the promise of a better lifestyle.
We’ve seen a tendency among the younger generation to relocate to a place with excellent facilities. The number of buyers of gated community properties is expected to expand in the coming years. Better architecture, services, facilities, aesthetics, and sustainable design would be on show for prospective investors as demand soared. The concept of gated communities fosters a holistic vision that is excellent for the entire family, making it the ideal choice for many homeowners.
Problems Caused in Comfort | Gated Communities
Gated communities are radically transforming the physical and social fabric of Indian cities with their aim of keeping the “unwanted” out. In order to embrace modernism in both architecture and urban planning. Most of the cities are adopting to western planning principles of segregated land-use planning model, which divides a city into different uses of space, such as residential, commercial, and recreation. This planning idea is followed by the majority of American communities. The lack of social mobility of the urban poor is a result of the land-use planning ideas that are still in practice in India.
Old Indian cities, on the other hand, were designed on the concept of integrated land use, with each site serving numerous roles. Streets in historic towns like Jaipur, Agra, and New Delhi, for example, are frequently used as active communal areas rather than merely roadways. Not just historical cities, but even cities with recent origins, such as Mumbai, are examples. The two commercial districts created at quite different times, Ballard Estate and Bandra-Kurla Complex, demonstrate the disparity in planning. However, rather than studying ancient Indian concepts of city planning and modifying them to meet the demands of contemporary India, city planners and policymakers adopted the American way of planning.
Space to Breath
Mumbai is one of India’s most costly cities, with over half of the population living on the streets and in slums. We may find the world’s richest dwelling in and owning massive structures, as well as the world’s lowest residing in the smallest amount of space imaginable. It also has one of the lowest percentages of open areas, at 3.7%. This percentage is pitiful when compared to other megacities such as New York, which has 27%, and Shanghai, which has over 16%.
Many individuals in India may spend less than 10% of their time in public spaces: for example, private transportation transports us to private institutions for employment, recreation, or even medical needs—and we reside in a gated neighbourhood. However, rich Indians’ preferred vacation destinations are cities like London, Singapore, and New York, where this ratio is practically reversed—whether by taking public transportation or visiting public museums, parks and open spaces, and street-side shops rather than shopping malls. The crucial challenge is how to persuade the two most extremities of society to interact with one another in a way that is more than transactional so that they are willing to share space. It will be impossible to sway market forces without changing consumer preferences.
Make the most of what you got | Gated Communities
Indian city planners, architects, and policymakers are in a dilemma in their careers, and maybe they will prefer to broaden their definition of who they believe comprises everyone. As more middle and upper-middle-class families embrace the notion of gated community living, it’s necessary to consider if we can afford to put millions of people outside our gates with little resources to scavenge while we cynically abuse their labour. For individuals imprisoned in rural India’s ancient systems, Indian cities were intended to provide the means of liberation. Instead, they’ve imprisoned them within modern power and exploitation institutions.
Conclusion
Enough of bashing, let me praise the good part, there are many important programs being in process to make our cities more accessible. That may be with improving public recreational spaces in the cities or improving the public transit system across the country. But these policies and programs are not at the speed needed to be in. India has a huge young population and migrating in huge numbers to the cities for their better job and living. We need to catch up with that speed and the responsibilities of each and every person involved in this process may be architects, planners, bureaucrats, policymakers or politicians. In the end, the suggestion is instead of looking at developed countries and implementing the same concept, we must look inside ourselves and improve what needed to be done according to the regional needs. To say in short Modernize yourself don’t Westernize.
References:
- Mukherjee, W. (n.d.). Consumption in gated communities in India poised to grow 2.5 times to touch $500 billion in five years: Report. The Economic Times. [online] Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/consumption-in-gated-communities-in-india-poised-to-grow-2-5-times-to-touch-500-billion-in-five-years-report/articleshow/87619005.cms?from=mdr
- City Beautiful (2019). Are gated communities bad for cities? YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hXLC323FTw
- Raje, A.P. (2015). Who owns the city? [online] mint. Available at: https://www.livemint.com/Politics/5nE5GCIi6ic7lU3DuGKOyO/Who-owns-the-city.html
