India’s Cities at a Crossroads: Conclave Demands Urgent Governance Reforms to Balance Growth and Liveability
New Delhi – With India’s cities contributing nearly 60 percent of the nation’s GDP and housing an estimated 520 million people, the pressing question is no longer whether they will drive economic growth, but whether they can do so without collapsing under the weight of deteriorating liveability. This was the central theme of the Urban Conclave 2026, convened in the capital by Janaagraha and the Jana Urban Space Foundation, where policymakers and experts called for a fundamental restructuring of urban governance.
‘Viksit Bharat’ Hinges on Urban Rejuvenation
Delivering the keynote address, Rajiv Gauba, Member of NITI Aayog, underscored the urgency of the moment. “Urban transformation and rejuvenation is a pressing need. It is crucial for India to realise the PM’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said, adding that cities require massive upgrades in infrastructure, spatial planning, resource mobilisation, and above all, governance restructuring.
Report Warns of Crisis by Design, Not Default
The conclave served as the launchpad for a critical new report, ‘Shaping Urban India – By Design, Not by Default,’ which argues that economic growth and liveability are interdependent and shaped entirely by city-systems. Presenting the findings, Anita Kumar, Director – Policy and Insights at Janaagraha, warned of the demographic tidal wave ahead. “By 2050, over 723 million Indians could be living in our cities, making the question of urban liveability both urgent and central to India’s future,” she said. “How citizens experience cities is a direct outcome of how they are planned and governed.”
The report proposes five big shifts to catalyse reform, including significant investment in walkability and public transport, adopting differentiated governance models for various city types, and recognizing urban local governments as empowered entities.
Governance Deficit: The Missing ‘Three Fs’
A recurring theme across panels was the governance vacuum at the municipal level. Speaking on a panel about building inclusive cities, Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, highlighted the paralysis in one of India’s key tech hubs. “The absence of an elected city government in Bengaluru for the past several years reflects a deeper governance gap across Indian cities,” he said. “If our cities are to function effectively, they must be meaningfully empowered with the three critical Fs—Funds, Functions, and Functionaries.”
Sarada Muraleedharan, former Chief Secretary of Kerala, echoed the need for systemic, not just incremental, change. “While states like Kerala have made progress in devolving the three Fs, institutional strengthening cannot be a one-time effort. What we now need is a more transformative shift in how our urban institutions are designed, empowered, and supported.”
Beyond Infrastructure: Gender, Data, and Small Cities in Focus
Other sessions at the conclave focused on the intersection of gender and urban planning, where panelists underscored that cities can only be truly inclusive when women actively shape them. Discussions also highlighted the role of data transparency in city finances and the necessity of integrated planning for smaller cities through City Action Plans.
Collaboration Critical as Urbanisation Accelerates
Across the discussions, a consensus emerged that while migration remains essential to economic growth, collaboration between government, the private sector, and citizens is critical to ensure that cities do not become constraints on prosperity. With the clock ticking toward 2047 and a rapidly urbanising population, the conclave made it clear that while India’s urban journey is filled with promise, it requires immediate collective action to ensure that the cities of tomorrow work for everyone.
