India's urban footprint expanded by 2.5 million hectares through unplanned sprawl between 2005-06 and 2022-23, a report by Janaagraha stated. By 2050, 723 million people are projected to live in urban India.
India's largest cities have grown into economic powerhouses, comparable to middle-income economies in both population and output, driving jobs, GDP and private prosperity. However, the lived experience of mobility is worsening for citizens every day.
The report warns that the economic potential of jobs created in urban areas is being undermined because investments in urban India are failing to deliver a corresponding quality of life. This failure is rooted in a systemic governance disconnect as a typical Indian city is overseen by 29 different agencies tasked with handling 11 core urban functions.
India's cities deliver lower returns from increasing urbanisation, with economic productivity increasing by only 12% when an Indian city doubles in size. The report recommends a systemic overhaul of how cities are planned, governed, and funded through five big shifts, including significant investments in walkability and public transport.
