The third largest city in China, Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, is a city of about 8 million & is similar in population /size to Bangalore. It lies at a distance of a mere 2 hours (by road or rail) from Hong-Kong, in southern China.
During my previous visit here (2004), I had noticed some chaotic conditions on the streets, mainly due to the presence of two-wheelers (motorcycles). However, now with the removal of the tens of thousands of motor cycles & with only 4 wheelers on the scene, the roads are much more orderly.
Car parking is not permitted on most roads. There are private parking lots & multi-level or underground parking facilities that charge about 5 Yuans (Appx Rs.40) for two hours. Thus, there are less cluttered streets, though congestion levels are very high during peak hours.
Apart from the four metro lines in operation now (with another four lines under construction), the city operates the world's largest fleet of about 7000 CNG & electric trolley buses. Thus, air pollution is well controlled. Almost all buses are low floored, with rear mounted engines - Japanese & Korean models are the most popular.
A lot of other developments have also been carried out – see pictures below :
Excellent pedestrian & bicycle facilities, resembles Singapore in many respects
Well marked street lanes & pedestrian crossings
Open, but clean storm drain through CBDs that joins Pearl river (which empties into China sea).
Metro access well marked & runs below the largest mall (“Teemall”).
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Guangzhou – Many lessons for Bangalore
Thanks for providing detailed informations.
Salecha
Naveen - thanks for the pics
Coincidentally GZ was the first city that I visited outside of India. This was in Jan 1997. Those days there were more cycles than cars, but the city still had a neat and organized look to it.
Then I went in 2001, 2002 and 2003. More cars, more expressways, the Metro, the new airport opened 3 years back I think.
Some things stand out for me in Naveen's pics
a. The lovely sidewalk with tactile tiles.
b. The neat steel railings along the entrance to the underpass. Contrast that to what we churn out here.
c. The cycle stand and what looks like a cycle lane.
d. The pedestrian bridge with flowers (seems to have taken a page from Singapore)
e. The overall organized look about things.
Funny that a communist government which does not care about getting reelected seems to care more for its citizens than a democratically elected govt here that actually has to get reelected. Wonder why.
Is it because they so heavily depend(ed) on FDI that they had to make the place look attractive to foreigners? Or is it because they can be ruthless because there are no vote banks to be pandered to (and so can e.g. ban motorbikes).
Srivathsa
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
Also need to remember
a. That migration into Chinese cities is controlled.
b. One has practically no recourse against any injustice by the State against you. What we are seeing here is the pretty end picture. Who knows what went into making it. It might sound like a case of sour grapes... I am sure the Metro would have been built double quick as there would have been no litigation to deal with. For us sacrifice is good as long as someone else is making it :)
What lessons for Bangalore?
a. Executional excellence. There really is no excuse for not having this. Building a proper pavement or a proper underpass can be learnt.
b. While litigations are a part of life here (we also get the benefits of them when things go too wrong), they can be avoided by doing groundwork and having a proper policy around acquisition and compensation. in some ways the Metro has done a decent job of this.
Srivathsa
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
I think the main difference
I think the main difference between a city like Guangzhou and Bangalore is effective policing. There also seems to be some thought being given towards the development - as opposed to Bangalore where the only thought is being done on sites like Praja.
One likes to think it is that our Indian culture which prevents us from keeping public things well or clean, maintaining order etc. Thats far from being true. The basic problem is that there are no rules - government laws are merely suggestive.
For example, traffice chaos. On many, or most instances much of the chaos is caused by a few inconsiderate sons of bachelors who decide to either stop in the middle of the road to read the newpaper or wait for a client. Or decided to take a U-turn or go the wrong way on a one way road. Drivers believe that if they are in the vehicle they wan stop anywhere - since if a cop comes along they can use those miracle words `Next time'.
On the footpaths in commerical areas - Malleswaram Sampige road for example - a third of the foot path is occupied by hawkers and another third is encroached by shopkeepers who decide to display thier wares on the foot path, leaving only a third for the hapless pedestrian - who has to share this space with other pedestrians who have decided to stop to shop.
On footpaths in non-commercial areas - well, here the encroacment is done by either construction materials or by motorbikes/scooters and the occasion Bescom / Airtel box. Added to this there are badly planted trees and the whole path is essentially an obstacle course - which makes it impossible for anyone who is above the age of 45 to use.
The new infrastructure projects which have been `completed' are far from being complete. Yeswantpur flyover - inagurated 4 months ago - is still incomplete. The side roads are not made - there is total chaos below the flyover as it has become a free for all. People dont seem to know that we drive to the left in this country.
Malleswaram underpass is also incomplete and is a disaster and is not clear if it has had any beneficial effect. The point is that `they' whoever they may be, dont take a wholistic aproach to the problem and do these patchwork solutions which work for a few months and then fail - after which they throw up their hands and say nothing can be done.
What are the solutions ?
1. Effective policing.
2. Accountabilty for public infrastructure projects.
Great pictures!
Hi Naveen
Reference is made to your picture of the open drain:-
“Open, but clean storm drain through CBDs that joins Pearl River (which empties into China Sea).”
This