An Indian man living in the US has sparked a conversation online after sharing a video on how urban roads in developed countries are designed with trees and shade in mind. Taking to Instagram, the man, identified as Sachin Sindhu, shared a clip showing streets lined with dense greenery, parked cars under trees and pedestrian friendly spaces covered by shade.
In the video, Sindhu said, “Look at this entire road. See how cars are parked under the shade of trees. And it's not just this road; I'll show you more ahead. Look here, a bicycle track, and right alongside it, trees are planted. See this? So many trees have been planted that there's no question of sunlight hitting the road. All the cars and people walking, they all move under the shade of the trees. Let me show you another street.”
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As the video continued, he pointed to another road surrounded by thick greenery and said, “Look at this, see how many trees have been planted? It’s turned into a complete forest. There are trees everywhere here as well. This is how cities are designed.”
‘Trees are planted, not cut down’
{{/usCountry}}As the video continued, he pointed to another road surrounded by thick greenery and said, “Look at this, see how many trees have been planted? It’s turned into a complete forest. There are trees everywhere here as well. This is how cities are designed.”
‘Trees are planted, not cut down’
{{/usCountry}}Sindhu further said that urban development should not come at the cost of nature. “Look at this... see here. You don't even need a sunshade on the windows. I don’t know when we’ll understand that to develop a city, trees aren't cut down; they are planted. If trees had to be cut down in the name of development, they would have been cut down first in these most developed countries. But they have planted trees everywhere. Look at this... look here. I don't know when we will understand,” he said in the clip.
The video was shared with the caption, “Development cannot be done at the cost of nature.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts to video
The clip has drawn several reactions from social media users, with many agreeing with Sindhu’s observation. One user wrote, “This is what real urban planning looks like.” Another said, “Indian cities need to learn this before it is too late.” A third commented, “Trees are not obstacles to development, they are part of development.” Another user wrote, “This is the reason their streets remain cooler and walkable.”
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Several others also shared similar views. One comment read, “In India, we cut trees first and then complain about heat.” Another said, “Every city should have this kind of green cover.” A user added, “Development should mean better living, not just concrete everywhere.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)