• Inadequate Urban Infrastructure
  • Many cities lack proper housing, clean water, sanitation, and transportation facilities.
  • Infrastructure often fails to keep pace with the growing population, leading to overcrowded slums; around 40% of India’s urban population resides in slum-like conditions.
• Climate Change and Environmental Degradation
  • Indian cities face severe pollution, urban flooding, and “heat island effects.”
  • Climate impacts are particularly intense in India, where rapid urban growth has increased vulnerability to extreme weather events.
  • Among the 10 most polluted cities worldwide, eight are in the National Capital Region (NCR) around Delhi.
• Growing Social Inequality and Segregation
  • Cities cater more to the wealthy through exclusive developments, widening the gap between rich and poor.
  • Basic housing and services remain inaccessible for millions of urban dwellers, increasing socio-economic divides.
• Challenges in Urban Governance
  • The 74th Constitutional Amendment was intended to empower local urban bodies, but in practice, most cities are controlled by undemocratic bodies.
  • Urban planning is often outsourced to parastatals and private entities, limiting the power of elected representatives.
  • Only a few urban governance functions are transferred to city governments, which also receive minimal intergovernmental financial support (0.5% of GDP).
• Outdated Urban Planning Frameworks
  • Many urban plans are outdated and fail to address the actual needs of the population.
  • Post-1980s deindustrialisation has led to job losses in urban areas, forcing workers to live in peri-urban spaces with inadequate infrastructure.

Theme for World Cities Day 2023

• The theme for this year’s World Cities Day, observed on October 31, is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalysing Local Action for Urban Sustainability.’
• This theme emphasizes the role of young people in driving local actions to address urban challenges, particularly those related to climate change and sustainable development.

Factors Behind India’s Rapid Urbanisation

• Poverty-Driven Urbanisation
  • Unlike the Global North, where urbanisation followed industrialisation and economic growth, India’s urbanisation is driven largely by economic distress.
  • Migration to urban areas often stems from limited employment opportunities in rural areas rather than abundant job prospects in cities.
• Rural-to-Urban and Urban-to-Urban Migration
  • India’s urbanisation includes both rural-to-urban and intra-urban migration, as people move within cities seeking better living conditions and jobs.
• Impact of Colonial Economic Extraction
  • Economist Utsa Patnaik highlights that colonial extraction of wealth (over $45 trillion from India) by England deprived India of resources that could have bolstered industrialisation.
  • This legacy of extraction has impacted India’s economic development and its ability to sustain urban growth.
• Gaps Exposed During COVID-19
  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant weaknesses in urban infrastructure, as reverse migration demonstrated the precarious living and working conditions in cities.

Threat of Climate Change and Inequality to Urban Growth

• Climate Change as a Major Urban Challenge
  • Cities are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as extreme heat, rising pollution, and flooding.
  • Urban centers, especially in India, experience intensified “heat island effects,” making them less habitable and increasing energy demands.
• Rising Inequality and Social Disparity
  • Growing inequality limits access to essential services for the urban poor, further marginalising low-income populations.
  • Economic disparity creates segmented urban growth where only a few benefit from infrastructure developments.
• Implications for Sustainable Development
  • Without addressing climate change and inequality, sustainable urban growth remains difficult to achieve.
  • Ensuring equitable development and climate resilience in urban areas is essential to making Indian cities livable and inclusive.

Summary and Call for Comprehensive Interventions

• Despite constitutional provisions like the 74th Amendment, Indian cities struggle with undemocratic governance, inadequate funding, and limited local authority over urban planning.
• As World Cities Day underscores the importance of sustainable urban growth, India’s urban areas need national and local interventions focusing on resilience, equality, and robust infrastructure to support rapid urbanisation and mitigate climate change impacts.