Re-envisioning India’s Silicon Valley as a Water-Sensitive City: Bengaluru
摘要
India’s urban area is home to over 500 million people (36% of the total population) and is growing rapidly. During the past five decades, the Bengaluru region has attracted 13 million people, leading to the rapid transformation of its LULC pattern and becoming one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Due to this, there has been a change in drainage patterns, an increase in impervious surfaces, and encroachment on catchment areas. Improper management and the continued trend in the city’s growth will lead to higher demand, causing water scarcity, inadequate drainage systems, frequent floods, etc. Water-sensitive city provides various ecological, social, and economic benefits. It includes water security by efficiently using diverse resources, mitigating flood risk and damages, and improving and protecting the health of wetlands, river basins, etc. This chapter focuses on the city’s long-term viability, sustainability, liveability, and resilience. A detailed analysis of the city’s existing situation, including the existing demand and supply, urban floods, water drainage network, urban sprawl, etc. The aspects of water availability, accessibility, safety, efficiency, and affordability are assessed in the study. A prediction of urban growth for two different scenarios was carried out to identify the rate of encroachment and the relation between urban sprawl and waterbodies. The prediction was carried out for three periods, 2031, 2041, and 2047, using the CA-Markov method in IDRISI software. With the help of SWOT, a water-sensitive master plan has been created to resolve the current challenges and the future demand for resources and infrastructure. The recommendations contain plans to effectively manage its water resources, enhance water quality, and promote resilience in changing hydrological conditions while maintaining a high quality of life for its residents to make Bengaluru a water-sensitive city by 2047.