Skip to main content

Profiling governance, planning, and urban violence in four Indian cities

 

Economic growth is driving population growth in Indian cities, particularly in small and medium-sized centres. This rapid urbanization is fueling conflict over scarce resources, including land, water, and public investment.  With a high proportion of the poor living and working in the informal sector and unplanned settlments, traditional urban planning is failing to keep pace with the needs of India’s burgeoning cities.

Over three years, research led by CEPT University and the Institute for Human Development explored the role of urban planning and governance in deepening or defusing conflict and inequality in four Indian cities: Ahmedabad, Delhi, Guwahati, and Patna.

Teams laid the groundwork in four initial city profiles completed in 2014 and 2015. Part 1 of each profile addresses the history, economy, demographics, urban growth patterns, and governance trends in each city. Part 2 identifies key sources of conflict and exclusion linked to land, planning, and governance. 

Read the city profiles of:

Explore the project Poverty, inequality and violence in urban India: Towards more inclusive urban planning.

Learn more about IDRC’s research support to make cities safer through the Safe and Inclusive Cities partnership with the UK’s Department for International Development.