General Considerations for Infrastructure Planning

General considerations for the preparation of the infrastructure development plan, including communication, energy, transport, and water conservancy reconstruction are set out. This note complements the more specific recommendations provided in the urban development note. Planning for and implementation of the reconstruction of infrastructure should be based on recognizing the rapidly changing socioeconomic conditions in the province of Sichuan: (i) increasing urbanization and densification; (i) rising income levels and social aspirations; and (iii) unpredictable extremes in climatic and geotechnical conditions. These changes are partially offset by improved technical knowledge and understanding of possible responses and outcomes. Natural disasters are occurring more frequently; hence reconstruction planning and programs should be firmly based on policies that have disaster mitigation and response at their core.