Citizen behaviour in public systems key to shaping urbanisation: CEA

Economic Survey flags behaviour, not culture, as key to urban order, showing how rule-based metro systems shape civic discipline better than laws alone

Getting India’s urbanisation right is no longer just about expanding infrastructure or drafting better policies, but about how citizens behave within public systems, Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran said during a press conference while highlighting the Economic Survey’s focus on behavioural dynamics.

 

Despite the rapid expansion of metro rail networks across Indian cities over the past decade, several urban challenges persist, including last-mile connectivity, solid waste management, and fragmented governance across multiple agencies, the CEA said.

 

He noted that a stark contrast lies in civic behaviour, as the same citizens who queue patiently, follow signage, and maintain order inside metro stations often display very different conduct on city roads and open public spaces.

 

 

The Economic Survey argues that this contrast is not cultural but contextual. It says that behaviour towards the commons changes with the design and functioning of public systems, and better outcomes emerge when rules, incentives, and social norms align. Metro rail systems are used in the Survey as a case study to illustrate how structured environments transform behaviour.

 

Metro systems are designed to minimise ambiguity about acceptable conduct. Clear entry and exit points, barriers, marked queues, and platform doors convert undifferentiated public spaces into rule-guided environments. When the environment signals order, people tend to follow it.

 

The Survey notes that there is a credible expectation of enforcement in the metro. The presence of staff, surveillance, and fines creates a background “shadow of authority”. Crucially, enforcement is consistent and impersonal, unlike in many other public settings where rules are negotiable or unevenly applied. Where rules are perceived as fair and predictable, compliance becomes easier to internalise.

 

The Survey highlights the role of service reliability inside the metro. Regular train intervals reduce uncertainty and eliminate incentives to push or jump queues. In contrast, irregular services and unpredictable delays in other urban systems encourage opportunistic behaviour, as citizens cannot trust patience to be rewarded.

 

It emphasised repeated interaction among strangers within a stable system that allows cooperative social norms to develop. Over time, queuing and giving space become shared social scripts, reinforced not just by authorities but also by peer disapproval. Deviation attracts social sanction, nudging behaviour towards order rather than disorder.

 

Finally, metro systems carry a degree of status and civic pride. They symbolise modernity and efficiency, encouraging users to treat them as valuable shared assets. Where public spaces appear poorly maintained or captured by vested interests, the Survey notes, citizens feel less moral obligation to care for them.

 

The Economic Survey argues that better civic behaviour does not come only from stricter laws or repeated awareness campaigns; it comes from systems that are easy to understand, reliable to use, and fair in how rules are applied.

 

When citizens see that public services work predictably and that rules are the same for everyone, cooperation becomes natural rather than forced. The Survey argues that governments can improve urban life by focusing on clear design, consistent enforcement, and dependable services, instead of relying only on penalties or appeals.

 

Behavioural governance offers a practical and low-cost way to make cities work better by encouraging people to do the right thing without being constantly told to do so, the Survey said.