SMALL SATELLITE CITIES ARE A BETTER SOLUTION TO URBAN CONGESTION

QUIETLY but surely, a string of satellite cities have come up dotting India's urbanscape in recent decades. These offer affordable housing and jobs that help decongest the old, creaking megalopolises. Gurugram and Navi Mumbai come to mind first.

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But in more recent times, there are also the quiet successes of Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, Shendra-Bidkin in Maharashtra, Hosur in Tamil Nadu and Manesar in Haryana. These new industrial hubs have taken the pressure off the mother megalopolis, allowing the older cities to rebuild infrastructure without having to accommodate an endless stream of immigrants. Perhaps the biggest success of the new cities has been creating planned townships without shanties, and maintaining a decent level of civic services.