BENGALURU: Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar remarked on Thursday that urbanization has become a pressing issue due to the swift increase in city populations. The Centre has initiated regional meetings to tackle various urban development challenges.
“Urbanization is a significant concern these days as urban populations continue to grow,” Khattar informed reporters following a regional meeting with representatives from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs mentioned that the discussions covered topics such as road infrastructure, drainage systems, mobility, and metro rail projects, incorporating demands and suggestions from the involved states.
“The meeting was productive,” he noted, mentioning that the Centre is planning to host an Urban Conclave in New Delhi soon, inviting key figures such as ministers, secretaries, and mayors from significant corporations.
Emphasizing the principle of cooperative federalism, Khattar stated, “Political parties may differ, but for effective cooperative federalism, we must support one another to foster the nation’s growth, ensuring no state is overlooked.”
When questioned about alleged delays in central fund disbursement, he explained that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all policy as many issues are specific to individual states.
He clarified that funding for metro and urban projects comes from a combination of central-state partnerships, public-private initiatives, and international entities, including those from Japan and the World Bank.
Commenting on the controversy surrounding the Bengaluru tunnel road project involving Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, Khattar mentioned that urban challenges vary by city, and therefore a ‘common solution’ is not feasible.
“Each city presents its unique challenges. Metro systems can be constructed underground or above ground,” he noted.
Khattar highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s metro network, which currently spans 1,100 km, with an additional 900 km under construction.
“We rank third globally in metro rail network size, and once we reach 2,000 km, we will surpass the United States,” he stated.
He concluded that metro rail projects are underway in five cities and are expected to extend to 29 cities nationwide.
Regarding the Bihar elections, he expressed confidence that his party’s alliance would prevail.
An official statement indicated that the regional discussions occurred in two phases, with the first concentrating on Bengaluru’s urban issues and the second assessing the progress of central initiatives across the involved states and Union Territories.
Khattar reviewed initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), metro projects, and the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme.
“The union minister addressed implementation challenges and proposed actionable steps to enhance on-ground results,” the statement added.
It was mentioned that these regional meetings will be organized regularly in other regions to determine shared priorities, regional opportunities, and reform pathways for collaborative learning aimed at accelerating the urban transformation journey in India.
All participating states were invited to the upcoming National Urban Conclave scheduled for November 8 and 9 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
