World Urban Forum

Local governments have to take up planning in a decentralised manner that is a consultative process of bottom up planning .In this regard India has started a system of Area Sabhas at polling booth level to send representatives to ward committees which will deliberate on local plan for onward submission.Local govt. consolidates these plans for a city level plan.It brings ownership at grass root level and also ensures better implimentation and upkeep of assets.Capetown city has similar initiatives of consultation. This needs further cosultation for suitable adaptation.

Dear Prof. Pandey,
Indeed Local governments have to take up planning in a decentralised manner and adopt participatory planning approach to planning right away from the grassroot. One hiccup and challenge, mostly in sub saharan Africa, might be the quality of planning as a result of unqualified personnel, or people placed in positions without the requisite qualifications, or better still the influence of politicians, again at the grassroots, who are of very low qualifications and yet are meant to make critical decisions in as far as the trend of developments.
In the wake of increasing flux of people to urban centres for various factors, we are seeing an increase in informal settlements, sprawl developments, limited capacity to regulate developments, political intrigue with 'technical' staff, just a few; might we have to rethink of the delegation of urban planning responsibilities to local governments? what approach needs to be taken to divert the seemingly plummeting trend of urban developments to match the rate of global developments? do you think the perceptions of decision makers in these local governments have a big contribution to what is happening ?

I also agree with your observations.We in India also have a similar context.Local governments are not well equipped with necessary technical skills to handhold grass roots planning.Similarly decision makers too need suitable orientation.
However,We have started bottom up planning with the concept of Area Sabha(committee) at grass roots level to be a plateform to deliberate and plan in a bottom up manner.This is followed by ward committee and town hall.
This experience is gradually emerging.It promotes participation,sense of belongingness and ownership amon local community for speedy implimentation and upkeep of assets.

One of the active menaces of Cities today is land subdivision for Housing. the supposedly lack of synchrony between agencies involved in land registration, revenue and development authorities is catalysing the illegal subdivision.

Yes,inter agency coordination is a big issue.Multiplicity of agencies has raised a question Who is in charge of city?In such a scenario on the absense of a formal option people take up their plannine by themselves.meanwhile , due to pressure group politics ,this illegal process get political and administrative patronage.

I think the original thinking, of providing for balances and checks, was good. It would breed a corruption ground if all activities were put under one house, i.e. land registration, revenue collection thereof, planning&development guiding, etc.
However, as KK puts it, the whole process gets politicised and who loses at the end of the day, it is the local/common man, who just needs a better environment/neighbourhood for good living.
In Uganda, the Town and Country planning Act provides for individual lands development proposals (subdivisions for different land uses) but this has to be in line with the area master plan. Again, the powers that be can never let this to happen and on the other hand, the common man, the land owner, does not have the expertise and or the money to hire the services for subdivision

I agree with AAT that the process needs to be diversified.However,there is be enough scope for flexibility and participation including self help and increamental approach along with suitable facilitation for infrasructure.therefore pulic sector role is more enabler than builder.i have seen the city of kampala which reminds me the similar patterns in India.We have to do two things ;one to regulate the existing layouts with adequate services and infrastructure and two operate a system which bring planning first than development.