By Amartya Raj
Putting people at the center of urban transformation. That’s the idea at the center of
scientist, Carlos Moreno’s 15 Minute City concept. Most of us have gotten used to the cities
we live in but it’s time to demand more from our urban planners. We are forced to use cars to
access even the most basic amenities such as healthcare and education. Not only is this
practice environmentally unsustainable but also financially draining. By putting people at the
center of urban design, the 15 Minute City Concept brings together communities.
Accessibility is at the heart of this concept and it’s reliant on four key characteristics:
• Proximity (places must be close to each other)
• Diversity (a wide variety of urban amenities must be available)
• Density (a dense population is required to support a diversity of businesses)
• Ubiquity (neighborhoods must be abundant so that they are affordable)
It is easy to treat this concept as a new trend amongst urban designers but many
cities have taken serious interest. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, introduced the 15-
minute city concept in her 2020 re-election campaign and has committed towards smarter
development. Scientist Carlos Moreno also received the 2021 Obel Award, an international
prize for architecture that honors recent and outstanding architectural contributions to human
development all over the world.
Through this article I hope to spread awareness and encourage you to make
yourselves familiar with this concept. To convince you of the benefits of this concept, here
are 4 reasons why you should care:
Accessibility
Every single day we’re spending hours trying to get to work or basic facilities such as
schools and grocery shops. By accepting our daily routine, we fail to recognize the time
wasted on commuting. One can argue that we have lesser options when it comes to choosing
our place of work, however, why should we have to waste time in order to access grocery
shops or places of entertainment? Due to mindless urban planning we are reducing
accessibility to those without the means to afford vehicles. Why should financial standing
have an effect on how quickly a person can access medical facilities during emergencies?
Our complete disregard for those without access to vehicles is creating a power imbalance
that, if unchecked, is only going get worse. We’re forcing a segment of society to be
dependent on the already underprovided public transport or expensive ride sharing apps.
Urbanization should be aimed towards the bringing together and empowerment of people but
our infrastructure projects are only catering to the already empowered upper class.
A Healthier Lifestyle
What does your day look like? You get out of the house and sit in the car on your way
to work. Then? You sit in your office chair for the whole working day and sit in the car on
your way back home. The average commute time in Mumbai is over an hour and the average
Mumbaikar spends over 11 days in traffic annually. A city that encourages and incentivizes
walking and cycling can make a healthier community lifestyle possible. There are studies
which emphasize upon the importance of daily movement in order to stay fit and healthy. As
per the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, obesity is on the rise in Indian
cities with nearly 30% of men in urban areas being overweight. Acting against this rising
epidemic could be an added benefit of promoting vehicle-free movement.
Apart from personal health benefits, lesser vehicles on the road would also contribute
towards having cleaner air. Air pollution contributed to over 1.67 million annual deaths from
stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases and neonatal diseases in
India in 2019, according to the State of Global Air 2020 by the U.S.-based Health Effects
Institute. Air pollution is now the largest risk factor for death among all health risks in India.
By making a commitment towards making our cities smarter, we’re bringing ourselves closer
to a cleaner, greener society for all.
Financially Feasible
Every single day thousands of cars are being registered with the Regional Transport
Office (RTO) and our current infrastructure is clearly insufficient for the influx of these
vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers are making their products available to the public at all price
points but buying a vehicle still requires a significant amount of money that a large portion of
the population cannot afford. Apart from that, fuel prices have reached an all time high.
While some of us can sit and complain about the fuel prices, many families have been forced
to reduce vehicle usage just because they can’t afford this form of transportation anymore.
These families are then deprived of time-efficient travel methods. A long-term solution
would be to reduce our dependence on these vehicles and this can be achieved by committing
to making our city a 15-minute city. Road infrastructure projects are time consuming and will
continue to play catch-up with the steep increase in cars on the road. We need lasting and
sustainable solutions.
Equality of Opportunity
Want to drive a car? There are steps. You need a license and for that you need to be
atleast 18 years old. So, how do the children in our society commute? What about the older
citizens who cannot drive? By eliminating the need for cars, we essentially provide the
children of our society with the independence to travel freely amongst their community. On
the other hand, we’re reducing their dependence on buses or even their parents. Senior
citizens who walk around their communities can feel like they belong in a society as they
walk past familiar faces to access facilities like grocery shops or public parks. Apart from
financial considerations, even age plays a significant role in enabling the people of our
current urban landscapes. It’s time that the “dependent” portion of our demographic is given
an equal opportunity to be included into our idea of an urban environment.
Amartya Raj is an Intern at Mumbai International Byke Fair and student of Emory University, Atlanta.