The Unassuming Economist

From ET Edge Insights:

“India’s Industrial Park development is an important driver of economic development, but its importance goes beyond financial growth. It can change the urban environment to be a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive ecosystem, directly contributing to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Embedding sustainability, smart planning, and green practices, industrial parks can harmonize industrial activity with urban well-being.

Urban growth through planned industrial parks

One of the key means by which industrial parks help support SDG 11 is planned urbanization. Aggregating industries prevents it from all haphazard sprawls and prevents much stress on the built-up infrastructure of a city or town. For instance, the Dahej PCPIR region located in the state of Gujarat covers nearly 450 square kilometres that have been well planned into an industrial cluster to keep maximum use of the land on the one hand, which would cause minimum displacement on the lands adjacent to the industry cluster.

Industrial Park integrates urban planning by providing residential zones, green spaces, and the services to be provided for workers. This planned approach goes along with SDG 11.3 and is dedicated to sustainable urbanization, in which participatory planning aims for harmonious coexistence between the industrial and the urban.

Inclusive growth and social development

An Industrial Park is more than just industries – it’s an ecosystem. This will foster inclusive development; these entities will actually be producing jobs, developing entrepreneurs, and upgrading living standards within a region.

Furthermore, Industrial Parks generally trigger the growth of supportive infrastructures like schools, hospitals, and houses. Industrial parks have witnessed the establishment of educational and health facilities for the benefit of the local people. The infrastructure developments support SDG 11.1 by giving access to basic and affordable housing and services.”

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