The Metropolitan Curse

Shanghai is one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of China and the most populous city proper in the world with a population of more than 24 million as of 2014. - Wikipedia

A municipality (simplified Chinese: 直辖市; traditional Chinese: 直轄市; pinyin: zhíxiáshì), also translated as direct-controlled municipality (formally, municipality directly under the central government, or province-level municipality), is the highest level of classification for cities used by the People's Republic of China. These cities have the same rank as provinces, and form part of the first tier of administrative divisions of China. - Wikipedia

 

Rank	City	State or union territory	GDP per capita (nominal)[1]	GDP per capita (PPP)[2]
1	Delhi	National Capital Territory of Delhi	$3,580	$12,747
2	Mumbai	Maharashtra	$1,990	$7,005
3	Chennai	Tamil Nadu	$1,870	$6,469
4	Hyderabad	Telangana	$1,430	$5,063
5	Bangalore	Karnataka	$1,420	$5,051
6	Kolkata	West Bengal	$1,110	$4,036

India has some of the largest cities in the world. Unfortunately their growth and development has been held hostage to:

1. The fact that the politicians who rule them derive their power from the rural hinterland - for many years Maharashtra (and hence Mumbai) was ruled by the sugar lobby from Southern Maharashtra who has little sympathy with and knowledge of urban development.
2. Large scale migration from the poorer states that leads to overcrowding and a strain on urban facilities 

The stark difference between the Per Capita GDP of Delhi vs the other major metros is instructive. Many people will complain that Delhi has been unfairly favoured as it is the seat of the Central Government and hence a lot of money has been pumped in compared with the other cities. That may be partially true. However the main point is that it has been an administrative unit of its own as a Union Territory for a long time prior to becoming a state. That provides a sharp focus on Urban Issues and their resolution.

We would be well advised to study the Chinese model where the four largest cities are designated 'direct controlled municipalities' with the same rank as provinces. Translated into the Indian system this would mean making the largest cities into independent states. Inspite of all the bickering between the LG and the CM of Delhi the focus has remained clearly on urban issues. Recent improvements in Healthcare and Education are a case in point. The Delhi Metro's rapid development is in sharp contrast to the snails pace at which the Mumbai Metro is progressing.

Let us not succumb to 'The Metropolitan Curse' that our major cities are descending into. Over 3000 deaths a year on Mumbai's local trains is a frightening and shameful statistic. It's time that we breathed new life into our major cities by liberating them from the clutches of politicians who have no understanding or stake in their welfare.