The capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, is known for its green ambitions and bicycles. What is not as well known about the green city is the social and economic benefits of the city's approach to urban planning. How does a city improve quality of life, expand, and at the same time reduce car usage and CO2 emissions? Intelligent urban planning is part of the answer.
Through strategic urban planning and a history of environmental ambition, Copenhagen has created swarms of cyclists, large recreational areas, pedestrian streets, clean water in the harbor and world-class integrated public transport.
Case story from Aarhus Vand & Udaipur
- Increased mobility through integrated transport and cycling solutions has reduced congestion significantly and improved health of the citizens. Since 2005 one billion DKK have been invested in bike lanes and super cycle highways and 45 % of the Copenhageners are biking to work or school every day.
- Cleaning the harbor has lead to attractive urban areas with better quality of life, improved local business life, created jobs and generated revenue in the area. The harbour is now so clean that Copenhageners swim in it.
- A very efficient district heating system where 98 % of all households are connected.
- A new district cooling system where cold is taken of the harbor water. It saves 70% of the energy compared to traditional air-conditioning.
In 2001, about 286 Million were living in urban areas across India. It had the second largest urban population in the world. As per the Indian Census, 2011, the urban population had increased to 377 Million, thereby registering a growth of around 32%. As per recent estimates, nearly 590 Million people will live in Indian cities by 2030. Present levels of urban infrastructure are inadequate to meet the demands of the existing urban population. There is need for re-generation of urban areas in existing cities and the creation of new, inclusive smart cities to meet the demands of increasing population and migration from rural to urban areas. Future cities of India will require smart real estate and urban infrastructure.
The Government of India is in the process of launching a new urban development mission. This will help develop 500 cities, which include cities with a population of more than 100,000 and some cities of religious and tourist importance. These cities will be supported and encouraged to harness private capital and expertise through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), to holster their infrastructure and services in the next 10 years.
To provide quality urban services on a sustainable basis in Indian cities, the need of the hour is that urban local bodies (ULBs) enter partnership agreements with foreign players, either through joint ventures, private sector partners or through other models.
50% of the demand for construction activity in India comes from the infrastructure sector, the rest comes from industrial activities, residential and commercial development etc. The Indian construction industry is valued at over USD 126 Billion. An investment of USD 1 Trillion has been projected for the infrastructure sector until 2017, 40% of which is to be funded by the private sector. 45% of infrastructure investment will be funnelled into construction activity and 20% set to modernize the construction industry.
Danish architects and contractors are exporting groundbreaking green design and solutions like never before. Since 1980, the Danish economy has grown by 78%, while energy consumption has remained largely unchanged. The government of Denmark has furthermore stated a goal of making the country completely fossil fuel-free by 2050, a quest in which the building industry plays a vital part.
Denmark is hence the ideal location for companies that wish to benefit from a large number of cutting-edge construction projects that push the limits for what is possible in aesthetics, functionality, efficiency and sustainability.
The construction sector in India will remain buoyant due to increased demand from real estate and infrastructure projects. The construction sector is the second largest employer and contributor to economic activity, after agriculture sector. The construction sector accounts for second highest inflow of FDI after the services sector and employs more than 35 Million people.
Maintenance and administration of infrastructure in Denmark is world-class. This is primarily due to a historical focus on maintenance and inspection of roads, tunnels and bridges, as well as a political determination to develop the technologies in cooperation with private actors.
In January 2014, a broad majority in the Danish parliament adopted a proposed agreement regarding the railway foundation “Togfonden DK”, the largest infrastructure deal since the Great Belt Bridge connecting Zealand and Funen. The deal is worth approximately EUR 4 billion and is to bring the Danish railway system into the 21st century. The investment is one of the largest ever made in the Danish public transportation system. Cornerstones in the project are electrifying the majority of the railroads in order to allow for faster trains emitting less CO2, and ensuring a travel time of no more than one hour between each of the four largest Danish cities. The majority of the railway modernization is to be financed through income from oil extraction in the North Sea.
The railway sector in India runs 22,300 train carrying over 23 million passengers daily and connecting more than 7137 stations. Indian Railways runs more than 9202 freight trains, carrying about 3 million tons of freight every day. The sector total track length is 117,996 Km. It also comprises 68,558 coaches, more than 2,54,006 wagons and 1.3 million employees. Increasing urbanization coupled with rising incomes (both urban and rural) is driving growth in the passenger segment. Growing industrialization across the country has increased freight traffic over the last decade.
The long-term strategic plan of the Ministry of Railways is to construct six high-capacity, high-speed dedicated freight corridors along the Golden Quadrilateral and its diagonals. Indian Railways envisages a prospective investment of USD 130.76 billion in the next five years. The sector aims to boost passenger amenities by involving Public Private Partnership (PPP) investments in provision of foot-over bridges, escalators and lifts at all major stations.
Private investment in railway logistics is to be encouraged. Indian Railways proposes to modernize its logistics operations by setting up logistic parks that provide for warehousing, packaging, labelling, distribution, door-to-door delivery and consignment tracking to achieve better efficiency; mechanization of loading and unloading will be given top priority.
100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the railway infrastructure segment has been allowed recently which has opened up opportunities for participation in infrastructure projects such as high-speed railways, railway lines to and from coal mines and ports, projects relating to electrification, high-speed tracks and suburban corridors. 85% Indians are solely dependent on public transport. 70 million passengers use State Road Transport Undertaking buses on a daily basis.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) aims to expand the National Highway network to 0.2 million kms’ over the next 4-5 years. USD 650 Billion investments in urban infrastructure is estimated over next 20 years. 100 Smart Cities and 500 AMRUT Cities will invite investment of 2 Trillion Rupees in the next five years
Rail tourism is on the anvil, with emphasis on the introduction of eco-tourism and education tourism in the North-eastern states, the identification of special pilgrim circuits such as the Devi Circuit, the Jyotirling Circuit, the Jain Circuit, the Christian Circuit, the Sufi Circuit, the Sikh Circuit, the Buddhist Circuit and the Temple Circuit. Specially packaged trains for these circuits have been proposed and private participation will be encouraged.
Danish architecture has a long and fine history and world-famous architectural buildings can be seen right across the globe. From the iconic Sydney Opera House designed by Jørn Utzon to the world's best residential house in 2011 designed by Bjarke Ingels for '8 House' in Copenhagen.
A new Chancellery for the Danish Embassy in New Delhi will open in 2018. It is designed by Vilhelm Lauritzen - a Danish architecture firm. The building is envisioned as an attractive and vibrant working environment that is innovative and economically feasible in a timeless architectural design. We will keep you updated on the opening of the embassy.