A U.K. government-sponsored urban planning strategy for Mysore and Madurai promises to significantly cut the carbon footprint of the two growing cities.
Upcoming neighbourhoods in Mysore, for instance, can enjoy around 36 per cent energy benefits and 13 per cent lower commuting time, among others, by adopting certain low-carbon techniques, it was said at a workshop on low-cost master-planning organised by the British High Commission on Thursday.
Techniques
U.K. Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change Gregory Barker released the techniques, which were put together as “Draft source book” for the Mysore study by the U.K. firm WS Atkins International and the All India Institute for Local Self-Governments. Atkins International says its results show that a city using this approach can be 33 per cent more carbon efficient with 30 per cent less land expansion, all at 45 per cent lower investment. Mr. Barker said that expanding Indian cities can benefit from including low carbon or environmentally sustainable strategies in their long-term growth plans.
The upcoming Ballahalli Layout on the outskirts of Mysore was chosen for the pilot project, said Jitesh Brahmkshatriya, Head of Urban Design and Planning at WS Atkins (India) P Ltd.
The pilot initiated in 2011 is among 36 low carbon projects funded by the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office under a Prosperity Fund that supports U.K. companies.
An integrated design, mid-rises of three or four storeys; a mix of residential, commercial properties and parks, public transport woven with safe, green walking streets with bus stops 800 m apart, solar power and good waste management — these are some of the ingredients of the low carbon plan, he said.
Mysore Urban Development Authority Commissioner C.G. Bethsurmath said that the authority was finalising a 2031 master plan and it may consider weaving in some of the low carbon elements into its plan.
