EP-332 | Floods, Traffic, Garbage: Why Indian Cities Are Collapsing | Suhel Seth & Omesh Saigal

Suhel Seth is a brand guru, author, columnist, and television pundit who can speak without pause on almost any topic. Omesh Saigal is an IITian who joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1964. He has served at every level of governance, from Block Development Officer to Chief Secretary of Delhi and Secretary in the Central Government.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the real reasons behind the crumbling infrastructure in Indian cities. Floods, traffic, garbage, and pollution have become the new normal. India’s crown jewels, Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, face these issues year after year.

What needs to change? And how do images of waterlogged roads and piles of garbage harm the 'Brand India' image?

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – Urban Apathy

08:16 – Lack of Urban Planning

16:17 – Bureaucracy & Urban Planning Gaps

20:44 – Media Coverage of Urban Issues

22:18 – Tech Impact on City Planning

25:19 – Infrastructure Gap in Metro Cities

26:49 – Bangalore’s Traffic Problem

30:20 – Environmental Damage in Hill Stations

33:44 – Influx of Migrants into Cities

35:54 – Community Action on Urban Problems

40:42 – Stray Dog Attacks

47:03 – Problem with RWAs

48:35 – Who’s Accountable for Urban Decay?

51:43 – Rahul & Trump’s Economy Jab

58:50 – New Wave of Emigration

1:02:47 – Stray Dog Care and Colony Policies