EP-332 | Floods, Traffic, Garbage: Why Indian Cities Are Collapsing | Suhel Seth & Omesh Saigal

04/08/2025 1h 4min

Listen "EP-332 | Floods, Traffic, Garbage: Why Indian Cities Are Collapsing | Suhel Seth & Omesh Saigal"

Episode Synopsis

Suhel Seth is a brand guru, author, columnist, and television pundit who can speak without pause on almost any topic. Omesh Saigal is an IITian who joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1964. He has served at every level of governance, from Block Development Officer to Chief Secretary of Delhi and Secretary in the Central Government.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the real reasons behind the crumbling infrastructure in Indian cities. Floods, traffic, garbage, and pollution have become the new normal. India’s crown jewels, Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, face these issues year after year.What needs to change? And how do images of waterlogged roads and piles of garbage harm the 'Brand India' image?00:00 – Introduction 01:00 – Urban Apathy 08:16 – Lack of Urban Planning 16:17 – Bureaucracy & Urban Planning Gaps 20:44 – Media Coverage of Urban Issues 22:18 – Tech Impact on City Planning 25:19 – Infrastructure Gap in Metro Cities 26:49 – Bangalore’s Traffic Problem 30:20 – Environmental Damage in Hill Stations 33:44 – Influx of Migrants into Cities 35:54 – Community Action on Urban Problems 40:42 – Stray Dog Attacks 47:03 – Problem with RWAs 48:35 – Who’s Accountable for Urban Decay? 51:43 – Rahul & Trump’s Economy Jab 58:50 – New Wave of Emigration 1:02:47 – Stray Dog Care and Colony Policies

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