Amit Kapoor

Why designing with people in mind is now essential for India's urban future

As urban populations surge, the call is growing for cities built around people's lived realities, not outdated templates or top-down planning

India's urban crisis deepens as states choke city-level governance

Cities are crumbling, but the local bodies that govern them remain powerless

The Finance Commission is key to saving our cities from climate change

Its current horizontal devolution formula is insufficient to prepare cities to deal with floods and droughts caused by climate change

Migration to cities source of urban vitality, shouldn't be pushed away

Migration is not a problem to be managed away-it is the source of urban vitality

Can agglomeration logic still help our people-dense, infra-scarce cities?

Urban agglomeration has long been assumed to lead naturally to growth, but India's failing infrastructure and environmental stress tell a different story

Employers head to Tier-II cities, but governance gaps may pare gains

Employers are betting on smaller cities - but without a governance model that keeps pace with economic change, the gains may not last

Cities must see water as a strategic tool to balance economy, ecology

As India navigates through the complexities of sustainable development, the blue economy offers a compelling strategy to align urban development with social inclusion and environmental resilience

Shedding old habits: Rethinking agricultural practices in India

The government needs to actively push greater cultivation of millets, while encouraging farmers to move away from water-guzzling wheat and rice

India's millet moment: A holistic shift from paddy to sustainability

As of now, paddy has the largest area under cultivation in India, and agricultural input subsidies are skewed towards paddy production

Time to break-free from paddy for sustainable agriculture in India

The government already offers a higher minimum support price (MSP) for millets like Bajra and Jowar compared to paddy

Urban renewal hinges on civic duty, not just infrastructure alone

Projections indicate that by 2036, Indian cities will have close to 600 million inhabitants, i.e. 40 per cent of the country's population

India's green buildings thrive, but its cities remain unsustainable

Indian metropolises need a sustainability reset -green buildings alone won't fix urban planning that forces people to spend hours commuting to get to them

Kumbh's transient city raises lessons in urban planning and resilience

As the temporary metropolis comes to life, it raises profound questions about adaptability, sustainability, and what the cities of tomorrow can learn from one that refuses to stay

Safeguarding groundwater: Sustainable solutions for urban water crises

According to the Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2024 by Central Ground Water Board, 20% of groundwater samples from across India exceeded the safe nitrate concentration limit of 45 mg/litre

Municipal fiscal reforms crucial for addressing urban governance challenges

Decentralising local governance is crucial to empowering municipal bodies with greater administrative autonomy and financial independence

Building cities of the future: Livability, sustainability, and governance

Sustainability is effective when strategies are consciously aimed to create and preserve cities while catering to the needs of the people

Unchecked Urban Growth: How illegal constructions hurt cities and safety

Illegal constructions make cities less liveable and endanger lives, but technology offers a path forward

Restoring river ecosystems vital to ensuring economic stability in India

River basin conservation also strongly influences the attainment of broader goals related to environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development

Budget's inclusive urban development plan could not have been more timely

The economic growth that we envisage for becoming a high-income country cannot be achieved if our cities are not planned in a way to reach their maximum potential

Purvodaya for eastern revival

The Budget's plan for eastern India's growth is crucial, but this isn't going to be a sprint-it's a marathon