Indian cities should embrace skyscrapers
Local rules prevent their construction. Hyderabad shows why that’s silly
Donald Trump's popularity may be waning in America and abroad, yet India's fascination with buildings bearing his name remains steadfast. A local developer recently announced plans for the country's largest Trump-branded property, consisting of two 65-story towers, promising an array of comforts and conveniences.
However, those anticipating this Trump landmark in bustling Mumbai, brand-conscious Delhi, or innovative Bangalore will likely be mistaken. The newest Trump towers are found in Hyderabad, an unexpected city in India's south. Known for its distinct culture, delectable cuisine, and burgeoning tech industry, Hyderabad is not typically associated with towering skyscrapers.
Despite its lack of skyscrapers, Hyderabad boasts more high-rise buildings than any Indian city except Mumbai. This urban development can be attributed to Hyderabad's decision to abolish the "floor space index" (FSI), a restriction on permissible built-up area to land area. In comparison to Asia's successful cities like Singapore, where FSI can reach 25, India's local authorities had set the limit as low as 2, rarely exceeding 4.
The central government's economic survey deems restrictive FSI as a reason for urban low-rise sprawl, while finance ministry economists argue it creates artificial scarcity and raises land values in core urban areas.
Hyderabad's abolition of FSI in 2006 paved the way for rapid urban growth. High-rise residential buildings line the highways in the city's western suburbs, and traffic remains faster than in most major Indian cities. Additionally, dozens of new towers, including the Trump structures, are sprouting in Kokapet, a former orchard area now dominated by construction cranes.
Hyderabad's success in high-rise development can be attributed to two key factors. Firstly, the 160km-long orbital motorway, opened in 2008, serves as an arterial road for the new skyscraper belt. Secondly, Hyderabad did not abandon all regulations upon abolishing FSI. Minimum street widths, required setbacks, and aviation restrictions around air-traffic funnels still apply, ensuring that developers can only build tall if they have sufficient land, proximity to wide streets, and adequate distance from airports.
Market forces determine the final height of the buildings based on construction costs and potential buyers' willingness to pay.
The takeaway for other Indian cities is not simply abolishing FSI, but rather for civic administrators to consider the purpose of their cherished rules and explore better-designed policies to achieve similar goals. Hyderabad's administrators, spanning various political parties and decades, demonstrated uncommon foresight in anticipating both the problems and opportunities that rapid growth would bring, thus planning accordingly.
As a result, Hyderabad now stands out as a sleek, modern city that resembles Bangalore's tech hub potential. In contrast, Mumbai is undergoing an infrastructure boom, Delhi's metro transformed the city, but both cities continue to struggle with poor roads, congested commutes, and an overall lack of meticulous planning.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
