Urban Planning in India Needs a Paradigm Shift: From Land-Use to People-Centric Cities.

Introduction

India’s cities are the country’s main hubs for economic expansion and the forefront of efforts to achieve sustainability. However, a recent editorial in the Indian Express argues that rather than being focused on people, climate resilience, and integrated development, urban planning in India is still mired in an antiquated paradigm of land-use zoning and regulatory control.

Cities must change from being merely growth containers to becoming facilitators of human and environmental well-being, especially as India aims to reach a US$30 trillion GDP by 2047 and strengthens its commitments under the Paris Climate Accord.

Why this is important

• By 2040, India’s urban population is predicted to surpass 600 million, increasing the country’s needs for housing, transportation, energy, water, and infrastructure.
• Although urbanisation presents opportunities for social mobility, productivity, and innovation, it may also exacerbate inequality, environmental degradation, and infrastructural deficiencies if it is not properly managed.
• Informal settlements, climate shocks, the digital economy, and mobility-first lifestyles are some of the dynamics that the existing planning paradigm is unable to address because it is primarily dependent on land-use zoning, large-scale projects, and regulatory permissioning.
• The commentary signals a change from reactive to strategic urban administration by advocating for “cities that proactively enable growth” as opposed to merely “accommodate growth.”

Important themes Raised

• Land-use planning’s dominance: Residential, commercial, and industrial zoning are given priority in current municipal master plans, while mixed-use projects, the unorganised sector, and shifting mobility patterns are frequently overlooked.
• The necessity of planning with people in mind: Accessibility, equity, public areas, cheap housing, and the inclusion of women, children, and migrants must all be considered in urban planning.
• Climate and the environment at the centre: Urban designs must incorporate green infrastructure, drainage resilience, and nature-based solutions because cities are the primary source of emissions and heat-stress hazards.
• Coherence of governance and policy: Planning and execution are fragmented as a result of the siloed actions of several agencies (housing, transportation, urban development, and environment). There are not enough coherent frameworks.
• Delivery innovation: To keep up with the rate of change, we need outcome-oriented indicators, flexible standards, participatory planning, and digitally empowered government.

Obstacles to come

• Ambitious planning changes are frequently thwarted by institutional inertia and opposition to change.
• Large-scale transformation is hard to finance, particularly when cities have inadequate revenue sources and conflicting demands.
• Planning inclusively is made more difficult by the frequent disregard of the informal urban economy and settlements.
• Traditional models are not built to address the hazards posed by climate change, extreme weather, and unexpected growth.
• Evidence-based planning is compromised by incomplete data, inadequate monitoring, and low citizen participation.

The Way Ahead

• Instead of using spread zoning, reorient urban master plans to include compact, walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods.
• By instituting gender-responsive planning, affordable housing, migrant integration, and participatory methods, inclusive urban government can be strengthened.
• Incorporate flood-adaptive infrastructure, urban trees, green corridors, and low-carbon transportation to foster climate resilience.
• Encourage governance reform by bringing together the departments of housing, transportation, the environment, and urban planning under city-level strategic plans that include result measures.
• Utilise data and digital tools: implement citizen feedback applications, smart dashboards, geographical monitoring, and recurring audits to monitor urban results.

Building high-rises and extending road networks must not be the exclusive goals of India’s urban destiny. Designing cities where people flourish, ecosystems endure, and growth is resilient and inclusive must be the goal. It is imperative that land-use regulation give way to people-centered, climate-smart planning. India’s cities will become the real motors of the 2047 vision if this is done correctly.

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About the Author: Jyoti Verma