Urban Living In Rural Setting: A New Way Of Life

After excessive commercialisation and concretisation of cities, people are turning to village-like residential spaces, to make life healthier and livable. The manifestation of such a phenomenon is visible through farmhouses built on peripheries of cities in Pakistan. While bourgeoisie sets up these farmhouses for their pleasure and recreation, common people get little to benefit from them.

The modern concept of urban villages maybe a good alternative to farmhouses owned by the rich. An urban village is a space established through a joint body while catering to the needs of wealthy and not so wealthy. It is aimed at reversing modernisation and industrialisation of city spaces.

An urban village is like a small city established mainly within a half-mile radius of the city centre. All the daily activities can be done on foot or electric-driven scooters. The local markets do not require spaces for parking.

An urban village is a space established through a joint body while catering to the needs of wealthy and not so wealthy. It is aimed at reversing modernisation and industrialisation of city spaces.

In an urban village, houses are constructed in clusters, leaving more open green areas for residents to enjoy. Such villages contribute to deconcentrating human population and living spaces. The fewer human beings inhabit such areas, the fresher and cleaner the environment is. Urban villages cannot be 100 percent pollution-free but can help achieve better air quality, and minimize dependence on precious water and oil. This can also increase the health standards of human beings by improving the quality of their food.

Humans are experimental in nature, and are always striving to modify lifestyles. But their quality of life gets affected when capitalist tendencies of undue profiteering and hoarding of money become rampant. However, urban villages are not the only solution for a better living environment. Though, we cannot do away with the industrialised progress for manufacturing and production and the research in both, the need of the hour is to revamp the working of the industry and agriculture, and make it follow the environmental protection rules and regulations along with planning for more urban villages. The advanced nations have already taken the initiative and are gradually increasing the number of urban villages.

It is high time Pakistan takes a similar initiative -- to make peoples’ future of people nature friendly. We must make this world more livable for our next generations.