Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Use of Industrial Waste in Road Construction .

Odisha produces 25.307 million tonnes of fly ash and 0.828 million tonnes of slag every year

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik says that utilisation of industrial waste such as fly ash, slag and plastic in road construction should be given a serious thought. Odisha produces 25.307 million tonnes of fly ash and 0.828 million tonnes of slag every year which can be effectively used in road construction. Disposal of these materials is a troublesome task for the producers and a menace for the State.
The Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) is the biggest road sector programme in the world. ... The State Highway Development Project will focus on two-laning of all State highways. ...
Road conditions in Municipal Corporations and Notified Area Councils will improve, projects for the improvement of roads and flyovers in Bhubaneswar will be undertaken, A Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and skywalks in the city are also planned.
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"... The Chief Minister said the Government has set a target to complete 114 roads in rural areas by the end of this year. The Vijayawada-Ranchi corridor, which has been substantially completed, will connect 12 tribal and Left Wing Extremism (LWE)- affected districts.
The Biju Expressway will link industrial cities of Rourkela and Raipur. “To complete construction of bridges at the earliest, engineers of the Works Department have been directed to adopt the quickest methods of construction such as Bailey Bridges,” Naveen added. ..."
"... design and construction technology for roads should be evolved by prioritising life safety and environmental impacts. Road safety is a shared responsibility which requires a holistic view of road transport system, travel speed and vehicles and road users. ..."
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Find this at http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/CM-Bats-for-Use-of-Industrial-Waste-in-Road-Construction/2015/01/20/article2627796.ece .

Lecture On Water And Architecture

Lecture on Water And Architecture

This is old news, but nevertheless, you may read it.
Refer http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Lecture-on-water-and-architecture/articleshow/46114229.cms .
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"... This lecture will focus on the relationship of water and the architecture of India and the many ideas that we find connect water to our land. ..."
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Automated Solutions, 3D Printed Humanoid Robots

India has a 3D-printed humanoid robot

Vaish calls it Manav. Manav weighs 2 kgs. It has in-built vision and sound processing capability so it can talk and act exactly like a human, it is said. Manav is India’s first 3D (three-dimensional) printed humanoid robot. A humanoid robot is defined as one that is shaped to resemble a human. Diwakar Vaish is the inventor.
Manav performs tasks such as walking, talking and dancing “without the help of a laptop, just in response to human voice commands”, and so it is different from other robots.
Vaish has built over 40 robots including football-playing robots, writing robots and shadow robots — a robotic arm that imitates human action. They are also working on a headset that can read brainwaves and when synced with a robot can accordingly direct the robot to perform human tasks without any human intervention.
This entrepreneur has been feted by organisations.
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"... “It also has two degrees of freedom in its head and neck, allowing it to move its head sideways and up and down—a feature that is not seen in other robots in India. Besides, we are also working on adding a grabber to its arms, so that it can lift objects too,” he added.
Vaish took two months to design, fabricate, programme and test Manav, using parts that were all made in India. Manav’s outer frame is made of plastic, and it was 3D-printed ..."
"... “For example, a person in the US could guide the robot in real-time to carry out tasks at nuclear power plants, or a doctor in the US could perform a surgery in real-time on a patient in India, using such a humanoid,” said Vaish.
He and his team at A-SET are also working on a smart home-automated solution using robotic technology that can sense human feelings and perform tasks without being told like opening doors, turning on the air conditioning sensing an increase in body temperature, switching on the TV to a channel of choice. ..."

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Find this at http://www.livemint.com/Industry/rc86Iu7h3rb44087oDts1H/Meet-Manav-Indias-first-3Dprinted-humanoid-robot.html .

Andhra Pradesh has 10 years to build a capital city for itself

Singapore to build the Smart City with area over 7000 sqkm

Telangana got Hyderabad as Capital, and Andhra Pradesh has been given 10 years to build a capital city for itself, and it will be a smart city. The IT led Super City will be backed by Singapore, the world leaders in Technology. The Infrastructure Corporation Of Andhra Pradesh reached an agreement with Singapore Government. Oops, but there is a glitch, and is it a blessing in disguise for Indian Architects, Urban Designers, Urban Planners?!
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"... The city, at 7,235 square kilometres, comes in at over ten times the size of Singapore, which is mindblowing.
The masterplan, which started upon the reached agreement last month, will take six months, with the first phase of construction completed before the end of the decade.
Plenty to be done
The plans include the construction of ports, airports and utilities such as power, water, and sanitation. The Singapore-based and government-funded Centre for Liveable Cities will even take up the training of officials of the state government. ..."

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Refer http://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/2015/01/08/singapore-building-smart-city-in-india-10-times-bigger-than-itself .
Jest: Build The City On Rock And Roll?! No? Then we say "Build The City With Virtual Connections." :-) Can anyone come up with a good one? Write in comments! 'Blessing' for Indian Professionals as we write earlier is an irony actually.

Retaining Wall For Rankala Lake by Kolhapur Municipal Corporation

200 metres long and 12 metres high retaining wall

The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) will construct a 200-meter retaining wall of the historical Rankala Lake. The wall of the lake was constructed in 1883. It's falling down. Grouting was a temporary solution. Here was a stone quarry earlier. Earthquake happened. The lake is 107 hectares. Architects, just visit and see if there is scope for ya! Hmm..? :-)
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"... We have decided to demolish the existing structure and construct a new wall of around 200 meters, which will be 12 feet tall. The total cost for the construction will be around Rs 78 lakh. ... Civic officials said that roots of coconut trees from the garden, which have pushed into the wall, are making the structure weak. The soil around the lake wall has loosened due to the entry of water through small ruptures. ..."
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Refer http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/KMC-to-construct-200m-retaining-wall-for-Rankala/articleshow/45960919.cms .

CSP Solar-Biomass Model In India

Renewable Energy Solar Power Plants. CSP Solar-Biomass Model In India. 

CSP stands for Concentrated Solar Power. [This is not purely Architecture but nevertheless ...]

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"... The solar-biomass model may prove to be optimal solutions when it comes to developing renewable solar energy power plants that can dependably distribute power on an ongoing basis. ..."
"... This hybrid CSP project looks interesting and, if successful, will elevate the fortunes of renewable energy and CSP in India. Called SCOPEBIG (Scalable CSP Optimised Power Plant Engineered with Biomass Integrated Gasification), the hybrid project is being set up under the EU-India Cooperation on Renewable Energy ..."
"... Among the priorities of the project is to use low-cost solar collectors and to localize all of the components, of which the latter would make the power plant a first of its kind in India. ..."
"... Specific to the India project, biomass is abundant in India, especially in Bihar, yet large quantities remain untapped. The MNRE estimates that the country produces 500 million metric tons of biomass annually but 120 to 150 million tons remain unused. ..."

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Refer http://cleantechnica.com/2015/01/19/csp-solar-biomass-model-india .

Smart Cities India Programme Reality Check

India needs to freeze, figure its modus operandi - Smart Cities Programme.

A Reality Check is needed as India embarks on its ambitious Smart Cities programme. The process will have to be both equitable and environmentally sustainable. Within the 'given' of climate change, our cities need to be more humane, resilient, enjoyable and liveable. How? Lessons from Germany >> Germany has made a commitment on energy transition. Its efforts can provide a framework for India.
In fact, with abundant sun and wind, Indian cities are better placed to switch to clean renewable energy and solar or electric transport systems, though natural sources like natural gas and biomass would be needed as well. Energy efficiency and better designed buildings, with more daylight and natural ventilation, can considerably aid this transformation. Cities and buildings consume more than 60 per cent of energy.
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".. Given the environmental risks that lie ahead, China and India will have to “de-carbonise” their cities with clean renewable energies (biomass, solar, wind, etc.) and gradually end their dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Their energy footprint will determine the roadmap to Paris 2015, when countries meet to renegotiate an international climate policy for 2050. ..."
"... In recent years, Germany has become the epicentre of the climate policy discussion. Its ambitious "Energiewende", or energy transformation, outlines a policy for a long-term transition to clean, renewable power sources like solar, biomass and wind by 2050. ..."
"... Urban researchers at the Berlin-based Ecologic Institute say Germany wants 40% of its energy to come from renewable sources by 2025, and 55 per cent of it by 2035. ... Lessons from the Energiewende could shorten the expensive learning curve for Indian cities. ..."
"... India has a unique pluralistic culture of city-building and will eventually have to choose its own indigenous trajectory. There is great resilience in Indian cities, where a large number of people live in challenging conditions in informal settlements. A holistic energy transition of future cities could enable decentralization and equity, much needed for a growing democratic nation. ..."
"... In the Indian context, a smart city would be one with self-sufficient zones of mixed land use, where amenities would be at walkable distance, which would have seamless public transport, green spaces, public spaces for celebration, institutions of learning, cultural spaces of discourse, healthcare and quality housing for all. In a paradigmatic shift, smart cities would have to recycle waste and engender an ecologically-friendly way of life. ..."

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Refer http://scroll.in/article/687490/Smart-cities:-What-India-needs-to-learn-from-Berlin .

Mixed Use Tall Building in Delhi

DDA and NBCC to construct a 100 storey building

The Delhi Development Authority has awarded land to the National Buildings Construction Corporation in East Delhi for the construction of a 100 storey tower for housing, commercial and recreational use.
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"... which means mixed use development, designed in a manner that there is access to public transportation such a Metro in the vicinity and has walkable neighbourhoods. ... While Noida and Gurgaon have seen vertical growth, Delhi is not known for highrise buildings. ..."
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Refer http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/dda-nbcc-join-hands-to-build-delhis-first-100-storey-building .

Carbon is browning the Taj Mahal

Carbon particles from fuel combustion, vehicle exhausts, trash burning , brick making are causes

A team of scientists led by Georgia Institute of Technology's Mike Bergin and Sacchichida Tripathi from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur investigated the cause. They used scanning electron microscopy. Culprit >> Carbon Particles. Sources >> fuel combustion, vehicle exhausts, trash burning and brickmaking.
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"... the pristine white exterior of the Taj Mahal's famous dome and minarets started to sport a brown hue. Since the grit is not water soluble, every few years the structure now has to be cleaned by painstakingly applying and removing a layer of clay. ..."
"... researchers began by placing small pieces of pristine white marble at several locations around Taj Mahal's main dome for two months. ..."
"... contained particles of dust, brown organic carbon and black carbon. ..."

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Refer http://www.dogonews.com/2015/1/23/scientists-identify-the-culprits-responsible-for-the-browning-of-indias-taj-mahal .

Largest Solar Panel Factory

4 Billion Dollars Solar Factory

Solar Panels will be manufactured.
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"The Indian state of Gujarat is set to be home to the largest solar panel manufacturing facility in the country. ..."

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Refer http://www.energylivenews.com/2015/01/12/4bn-solar-factory-to-be-built-in-india

Whither Mumbai. Future Of The City.

Prevent the Megapolis from turning into a Necropolis?

Coordination between Centre and State is required. Mumbai. Various projects are pending clearances. This one is a take on Urban Management and the author is concerned about the 'financial' index of the city vis-a-vis rest of the worlds' cities. Multiple Structures must come together.
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"... Two issues are crucial to Mumbai’s development: the provision of affordable housing and planned open spaces within the city. While these two could be hard to achieve, given that the existing per capita open space ratio (area of open space a citizen has access to) is a mere 0.99 square metre, it is the need of the hour. In this context, I am happy to note that the chief minister has announced the increase in the floor space index of up to four for the construction of houses for police and public sector employees. ..."

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Architecture India News notes that the terms "sustainable living" and "stakeholders" are intertwined or linked to each other as if this is a necessity. 'What does that mean', you ask? 'So what', you ask? We'll not comment on that. . . We will. . . >> Paisa Paisa.
It's a given? Capitalist Trader will decide sustainability?
Refer http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-city-is-the-solution-not-the-problem/99 .

Chandigarh City, Le Corbusier

Celebration of Chandigarh City to Commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Le Corbusier

Celebrating Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh is a tribute to the legendary architect on his 50th death anniversary. Chandigarh is a world and living heritage. There were supposed to be a no. of creative, intellectual and spectacular events. Public involvement was the aim.
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"... also keeping in mind that we are seeking UNESCO transnational inscription for the city. ..."
"... This was meant to depict day and night and the engineering department has completed making it, which people can now view on the geometric hill. ..."
"... Corbusier ushered in modernism in India, and his buildings have no Colonial hangover, and nowhere in the world has anyone made a city like Chandigarh. Yes, this is an opportunity for us to look at the heritage of Chandigarh, which is a world and living heritage. So, the Department of Tourism, Chandigarh; Chandigarh College of Architecture; and Department of Urban Planning, Chandigarh, have planned a series of events, with international appeal, to celebrate his legacy with a series of lectures, seminars and other events. ..."
"... The city was designed for five lakh people, and we are almost 12 lakh now, but the city is ..."
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Find this at http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/corbusiers-architecture-is-timeless/
Our inputs: He is known for beton brut - 'naked concrete'.

4D Living Housing Unit by IDC Bombay

IIT-Bombay Industrial Design Centre (IDC) comes up with shared serviced homes

Dedensification will allow upward mobility. Resources will be shared. Ownership and rental are mixed. Housing is a product?, or a service? :-)
The Housing unit displays how spaces and facilities may be shared. T'is called 4D.
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"... After four years of planning and design, and visiting slums across the country, the centre came up with the two variants of 3D and 4D living spaces which are both affordable and sustainable.
The 3D home, designed by three IIT-B students, is fit for a family with stowaway couches, chairs and movable walls. ... their project allows people to make optimum use of every inch of the space. The idea can be incorporated to accommodate a family of six in a 100 sqft space, ..."
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Refer http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/IIT-B-centre-designs-affordable-shared-serviced-homes/articleshow/45916407.cms .

Water Smart City

Technology is what makes a Smart City? Here is Water Smart City now.

A water smart city should be about a water-literate community.
Refer http://www.thehindu.com/features/homes-and-gardens/design-watersmart-cities/article6793872.ece .
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"... These groups are community groups and not the traditional NGOs. They champion a local lake as a resource as they are closely affiliated to it in the sense of geography and take great pride in it as a community property. They work closely with authorities and institutions ..."

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ANI says in jest, Water Smart City?, or a Smart "Water City"?

This Smart - Equitable City Makes More Sense.

The powerful and the political even change the policy

The World Bank said that 'natural' migration from rural areas to urban centres 'should not' be stopped. "Deprivation due to disparity" may have been acknowledged but the various forces at play have not been interpreted correctly in the context of time, place, locale. The powerful and the political class fulfill their nefarious agenda by even 'changing' policy, which is a criminality. All rural schemes seem to be 'mechanisms' of giving away rural land to the builders. Centralisation of basic services is desired.
Refer http://www.indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/city-must-be-equitable-not-smart .
‪Medha Patkar, founding member of Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan says...
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"... Why can’t lakhs of people in a megalopolis afford a house? Urban planners are invariably biased against poor dwellers. Land distribution and allocation is tilted against the masses. With no limits to houses per family and thousands of cars (each requiring space at home, the office and on the road), new infrastructure is created for the rich, usurping large chunks of land.
The majority of the population, including construction workers, who are the real builders, is left without even a small piece of land to erect shelters. Instead of a right to shelter, housing schemes further distort the priority and allocation.
Hiranandani Gardens in Mumbai is the worst example of how concessions under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976, were misused. The holder of the power of attorney during the purchase of land later taken over by the government at the cheapest rate got it back in the name of a development scheme at the same rate, 40 paise per acre. The condition that it would be used for low-cost housing stands violated and the Bombay High Court’s order to build 3,144 houses for the needy, before any further construction, has not been obeyed either.
The Adarsh Society and Lavasa cases being fought by us are indicative of how the politically influential get hold of the desired land in violation of all laws and regulations, even by changing policy. But the poor struggle against eviction and “illegality” throughout their lives. Legal workers and legal voters they may be, yet they are treated as illegal residents.
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The answer lies in a housing policy that includes low-cost rental and dormitory accommodation for temporary migrants, reserving land for “site and service” schemes for the poor. No free houses, but self-reliant, participatory community or cooperative housing schemes by and for the poor that lease out land on a long-term basis, are a solution. The land in the hands of a few landlords, individual and corporations, should be requisitioned and redistributed.
The goal of minimising uncontrolled migration can be attained not through aggressive and divisive regional politics but through rural development. Ensuring adequate livelihood sources developed in the neighbourhood, based on the natural and human resources available within a local unit, should be the priority. This will not exclude industrialisation; on the contrary, it will promote it.
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Above all, no urbanisation that exploits the working classes within should be acceptable. We have to think of ways to evolve equitable and sustainable alternatives in each sector of urban planning, be it water, energy, waste management or housing. Smart cities are not the answer, as those will only replicate an anti-poor bias. Shanghai, Singapore or even Curitiba, an example of sustainable urban planning, cannot be taken as readymade models. India needs to evolve a new, truly indigenous paradigm based on the constitutional values of equity and justice."

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