Critics have drawn our attention towards a sense of vacuity and a sense of desolation apparent in all areas. The dispersal of buildings no doubt in the name of hygiene, open space, access has destroyed all cohesion. They lack that capacity of ‘resilience’ which effects and is moulded by human contact and is demanded by the Indian way of life. Thus Corbusier’s attempts at zoning the different functions did not match the mixed economy of Indian society with its complex mixed uses. There had been too little regard for human occupation.

Within less affluent districts little attention was paid to buildings which it is said to resemble crude multi-storey car parks set in bleak spaces. This had shocked one of Corbusier’s teammates when he had returned to see how the city had evolved. Moreover, trees had difficulty establishing because of the selection of trees.

The roads were too wide for comfort and it was a city planned for cars. The greatest tragedy was that it was a city planned for cars in a country where many, as yet, lacked a bicycle. It could be argued that the roads were built for the rise of traffic in future but it was not a sustainable approach.