India’s Urban Manifesto: One Vision, One Plan, and One Path: Our City, Our Future

Guiding Principles:

• One City, United Purpose: Local solutions for global goals, embracing citizen-centric holistic neighbourhood planning for a sustainable and thriving future.

• Integrated and Spatial Urbanization: Coherent policies for cooperative federalism, balanced growth across city sizes, and compact development within regional frameworks.

• Balanced Development: Decongest megacities and revitalize smaller towns with targeted infrastructure, incentives, and opportunities.

• Collaborate and Converge: Strengthen frameworks for diverse urban patterns and mainstream sustainability and ensure every voice shapes outcomes.

• Streamline for Results: Enable city readiness, create citizen input and accountability platforms, and focus on measurable goals.

• Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Management: Embrace green buildings, energy-efficient services, low-carbon mobility, innovative waste management, and nature-based solutions.

• Data and Technology-Driven Defence:  Make data-driven urban planning the norm. Urban data systems will power evidence-based decisions, ensuring an inclusive digital economy. Every investment will be guided by the latest climate science, ensuring we protect the right places in the right ways. Data and digital solutions will also be appropriately leveraged to track progress towards sustainability goals.

• Institutions for Sustainable Service Delivery: Empower local institutions to drive resilient development and community well-being—overhaul financing to prioritize green infrastructure and climate-resilient projects.

Need for Change:

1. Inclusive Urban Planning

• Citizen-Led Design: Mandate citizen co-creation in all urban planning, ensuring cities reflect the needs and desires of residents. Flexible incentive-linked development instead of static land use plans—feedback loop with stakeholders with a strong action plan and course correction.

• Space for All: Prioritize compact growth, mixed-use development, and robust public transportation to optimize space and reduce reliance on private vehicles. Promote behavioural change for sustainable mobility. Create capacities for plan facilitation, such as single–window portals, business processes, and monitoring cells.

• Accessibility for Everyone: Invest in universal design for all streets, buildings, and services. Implement training and ongoing improvement for true inclusivity. Develop a clear road map and identify short-term priorities & projects

2.     Sustainable and Environmental Resilience

• Sustainable City-Building: Invest in green buildings, energy efficiency, and a circular economy to reduce your footprint and create a vibrant, livable city.

• Resilient to Disasters: Partner with the private sector and NGOs for innovative disaster response and recovery, ensuring a secure future.

• Go Green, Go Local: Prioritize renewable energy, walkable and bikeable neighbourhoods, and efficient public transport for cleaner air. Empower local communities to tailor solutions.

• Weather-Ready Infrastructure: Upgrade infrastructure for extreme weather, invest in green flood control, and champion sustainable construction.

• Nature in Our City: Expand parks, community gardens, and urban forests for citizen-led environmental action, cleaner air, and biodiversity.

3.     Economic Empowerment

• Cities as Economic Powerhouses: Achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 by prioritizing a circular economy, low-carbon mobility, green buildings, and efficient services. Set ambitious targets, track progress transparently, and become a sustainable growth model.

• Jobs with a Purpose:  The resilience strategy is also an economic engine, creating green jobs and positioning us as a leader in climate adaptation.

• Preparing for the Future: Strengthen infrastructure to withstand climate shocks, invest in green spaces to manage flooding, and incentivize sustainable building practices that make our city adaptable. Data-driven planning will guide our investments, target the most vulnerable areas and build long-term resilience.

4.       Social Equity and Inclusion

• A Place to Call Home: A city where everyone has a home. Continue investing in affordable housing, fair rents, and an end to homelessness.

• Celebrate Diversity: Celebrate the rich diversity that strengthens our city, fostering multilingual services, cultural centres, and community programs. The goal should be a city where everyone feels valued, respected, and connected.

5.      Innovation and Education

• Where Ideas Take Flight: The city should be a magnet for entrepreneurs, dreamers, and problem-solvers. Create a dynamic start-up ecosystem, offering incubation centres, funding, and mentorship to turn ideas into reality – fueling growth and shaping future jobs.

• Human Capital for City Management: Investing in capacity building and skill development programs tailored to the diverse needs of managing smaller towns and cities, ensuring sustainable urban growth nationwide.

• Skills for Tomorrow: Invest in world-class education, vocational training, and reskilling programs aligned with emerging industries and the skills needed to support sustainable businesses and a green economy. Shift to a green economy isn't just about jobs; it's about empowering our citizens to be leaders in shaping a changing world.

6.      Youth Empowerment

• Empowering the Next Generation fosters a new generation of engaged and passionate urban leaders. Mentorship programs will bridge the gap between experience and aspiration, connecting young people with professionals who can guide them. Fund youth-led urban development projects, allowing young people to make a tangible difference in the spaces they inhabit. Could you ensure there are ongoing channels for youth voices to be heard in our city's planning and decision-making processes?

• Universities as Powerhouses: Our city will be a laboratory where ideas become solutions, partnering with universities and research centres to harness their knowledge and talent pools.

7.     Empowering City Institutions

• Integrated Governance: Establish a multi-governance framework to optimize coordination, resource allocation, and expertise sharing across all city-level agencies.

• Fiscal Autonomy: To boost efficiency, cities should be granted more control over revenue generation, budgeting, and project planning.

• Accountable Institutions: Develop regulatory frameworks for service pricing, transparent benchmarks, and rigorous monitoring to drive accountability, quality control, and environmental protection.

• Performance-Driven Culture: Publish regular performance metrics to foster healthy competition and continuous improvement among city institutions.

A Just Transition: Our cities will learn from the best of the world yet be uniquely Indian. We'll channel the wisdom of our past to build sustainable, inclusive cities where tradition and innovation thrive together.