Resilience not an option anymore

Like every year, monsoons this year have brought news of destruction and casualties. Collapsing infrastructure, faulty drainage systems, flooded basements and underpasses, the list goes on. One wonders, what went wrong and why we fail to prepare and plan for the predictable calamities. Instead, after every such disaster, a scapegoat will be made and prosecuted. And just like always, we’ll move on to the next season’s calamities.

The importance of building resilient cities has never been more apparent than now. In Bihar, 12 bridges collapsed within just two weeks. These collapses, which have led to the suspension of 15 engineers and raised serious concerns about the state’s infrastructure, highlight a critical need for better planning, monitoring, and construction standards in urban development. The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has responded by ordering the reconstruction of the collapsed bridges and placing the financial burden of these projects on the contractors found guilty of negligence. However, this reactive approach underscores a broader issue: cities need to be resilient to withstand both natural and man-made challenges.

These incidents have not only disrupted transportation and daily life but have also posed significant risks to public safety. Recently, in Delhi three students died by drowning when the basement in a coaching centre was flooded. It is a common practice in the city to utilize the basement for revenue generation by people without ensuring compliance to safety protocols. This suggests that resilience is not just about building strong infrastructure but also about maintaining it through diligent monitoring and regular assessments.

In an era marked by rapid urbanisation and climate change, the resilience of cities has become a critical priority. From hurricanes to heatwaves, cities are increasingly at the forefront of climate-related challenges. According to a report titled ‘Economic Losses, Poverty and Disasters 1998-2017’, compiled by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, economic losses rose by 151% between 1998 to 2017. For cities in developing countries, where resources are already stretched thin, the economic burden can be particularly devastating.

Resilient cities, on the other hand, can mitigate these costs. By investing in infrastructure—such as flood defenses, and robust transportation networks—cities can reduce the economic impact of disasters. By shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach, we can transform our cities into resilient spaces that protect and enhance the lives of their inhabitants.