__Malleable cities__

Cities around the world are malleable - they are elastic urban environments that manage emergent needs. But these needs are not permanent as the user and programs change either temporarily or permanently. The flexibility and elasticity of such spaces can be determined only in time. It is necessary that systems are laid in place to account for these changing needs.  

India is rapidly getting urbanized. To look ahead, we will have to study our past and learn from it. Cities and neighbourhoods should be placed under microscope and analysed how they evolved over the past decade, fifty years, after Independence and possibly even hundred years. Sustainable urbanization require buildings and neighbourhoods that can meet future demands, however unpredictable those demands might be.

In 2014, Regional Transport Office (RTO) stated that Mumbai increased its vehicular population by 1.7 lakh in 2013-14 which is 44,000 vehicles more that what was added in the previous financial year. This is 55% increase in seven years . The roads in the fort precinct of Mumbai are wide enough to carry the increased vehicular traffic.But the same cannot be said about the roads in the suburbs. Many factors are into play - from increased human population, politics, delay in infrastructure projects to increased liquidity to buy commodities in market.

An urban planner will have to ensure that cities maintain the elasticity when they are growing so rapidly and also leave scope for further growth and regeneration.