To mark David Cameron's trip to Bangalore, ePolitix.com takes a look at a publication from the Legatum Institute 'Making sense of Bangalore'.
'Making Sense of Bangalore', by Edward Glaeser is an insightful study about one of India's most distinguished cities. It considers the historical path that brought Bangalore from a small urban agglomeration during the 1900s to the bustling centre of industry and commerce that it is today. Through its careful analysis of the key drivers of Bangalore's success, Making Sense of Bangalore draws important conclusions about the city's future and lessons for other metropolitan areas in today's rapidly urbanising world.
Bangalore is among the most successful cities in India and the developing world. Its population growth has been dramatic and it has generated vast amounts of wealth and prosperity. Bangalore's economic success reflects the ability of cities to connect smart people who then work together and learn from one another. In the developing world, places like Bangalore also serve as conduits for knowledge and capital and services across continents. The vitality of Bangalore contrasts vividly with the continuing poverty of rural India. That contrast reminds us that cities are a crucial part of economic development.
The report's author, Harvard University's Ed Glaeser, asserts that investment in education is the most important factor in making Bangalore one of the most successful cities in the developing world. He goes on to warn that problems of congestion, clean water and sewage need to be addressed in order for Bangalore to thrive.
Because of the importance of the city in India's development, Glaeser argues that it makes more sense to directly address the challenges of urban growth, such as unclean water and congestion, rather than to artificially constrain the expansion of mega-cities like Bangalore.
View the full report here.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd