City profile: Pune, India

In 2014, the United Nations (UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs reported that more than 54% of the world's population lives in cities. According to the report, while all regions around the world are urbanizing at a fast rate, cities in Asia and Africa are expected to grow even faster. By 2050, countries such as India, China, and Nigeria are projected to add more than 404 million, 292 million, and 212 million urban dwellers, respectively (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2014). Given the rapidity of this urbanization, by 2030 cities such as Pune (formerly known as Poona) are expected to grow into megacities with approximately 10 million urban dwellers (Sankhe et al., 2010).

The massive urbanization of Pune and its suburbs can be attributed to its proximity to Mumbai.¹ With a population of 5.4 million, Pune is the second largest city in the state of Maharashtra and the eighth largest urban agglomeration in India (Census of India, 2011). The city is known for its educational (e.g., research institutions and world class universities) and industrial (e.g., automobile and information technology (IT) companies) sectors that have attracted people from India and other parts of the world (Jaybhaye, Mundhe, & Dorik, 2014). According to the Mercer 2015 Quality of Living Ranking (which evaluated living conditions in 440 cities around the world), Pune ranks 145 for quality living, higher than Mumbai (152) and New Delhi (154) (PTI, 2015a). The growth of Pune as an education hub has resulted in students from all over India and the world coming to the city (Bhailume, 2012), and the growth of industry has contributed to massive migration from rural areas (Van Kampen & Van Naerssen, 2008).

While Pune city administrators are making efforts to develop the city's urban sphere, it is critical to understand: (1) the key challenges facing Pune in terms of transforming it into an economic hub that is efficient, livable, healthy, and sustainable and (2) the measures taken by the city to manage inclusive growth and development. In this profile, we discuss the efforts undertaken by the city of Pune to leverage IT to transform itself into a smart city. We highlight various policy and governance initiatives undertaken by the city administration in collaboration with businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and citizens to manage and develop its critical infrastructures. Specifically, we emphasize the key challenges faced by the city of Pune to manage uneven development and ensure inclusive growth. The city also faces several challenges in terms of managing the strain on its critical infrastructures relating to water, land, and energy.

Discussing the efforts undertaken by Pune to transform itself into an economic hub is important for several reasons. First, many cities in the developing world, especially secondary cities,² are experiencing unprecedented population growth that includes massive migration from rural areas. Second, many cities are struggling to manage inclusive growth, as developing countries like India have clusters of low-income people living in slums. Third, cities are facing the challenge of managing transportation, energy, and water infrastructures due to massive population growth. Secondary cities are urbanizing at a fast rate but lack the capacity to manage urban growth and development (Bolay and Rabinovich, 2004, Roberts, 2014a). While secondary cities are gaining prominence as economic hubs, there has been little systematic research about the major obstacles they face, especially cities in developing countries (Bolay & Rabinovich, 2004). Thus, it is critical to understand how cities like Pune are leveraging technology, building partnerships, and managing inclusive growth to develop into economic hubs that are efficient, livable, and sustainable.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. The next section briefly discusses the urban history of Pune with respect to its social, economic, administrative, and environmental context. We then discuss the current challenges faced by the city and its habitants. Next, we critically examine the various efforts undertaken by the city administrators in terms of management and governance to address these urban challenges. We conclude with a discussion of a way forward to help urban planners effectively navigate the challenges of managing and governing secondary cities.

Background: overview of urban growth

Critical evalution

The urban transformation in cities in developing countries such as Pune presents several challenges. Scholars have long argued that as cities grow, managing resources and infrastructures become complex (Cohen, 2006, Roy, 2009). Massive urbanization creates stress on the environment, basic amenities, and social cohesion (Cohen, 2006). Issues such as providing adequate supply of water and managing planned development become major concern (Montgomery, 2008). Put simply, massive inflow of migrant

A way forward: policy implications for the future

In this paper, we have highlighted the administrative, infrastructure, environmental, and urban challenges faced by the city of Pune. While Pune's urban planners have proposed several policy measures to tackle growing urban challenges (e.g., traffic congestion, inclusive growth), the city still faces obstacles. To effectively navigate pressing urban challenges, we identify policy areas that require the attention of urban planners. We argue that while Pune is moving towards becoming a megacity,

Conclusion

In this profile, we highlighted several challenges and opportunities faced by the city of Pune. Over the years, the city of Pune has emerged as a prominent industrial and educational hub. Several manufacturing and IT companies and educational institutions are expanding their bases in Pune. Due to the presence of a diverse industrial and educational base, the city has attracted a massive migrant population from other parts of India and from foreign counties. It has also attracted unskilled