India
India Comes to Grips With the Challenges of Urbanization
In the first entry in an eight-part series, Aparna Piramal Raje explores the challenges facing an urbanizing India that lacks sufficient planning to ease the country's transition from a nation of villages.
Building Storm Defenses While Turning a Profit
The Rockefeller Foundation unveils its innovative plan to incentivize private investors to provide the infrastructure solutions for eight U.S. cities most vulnerable to extreme storms and rising seas.
The Tokyo Model: From Post-War Slum to Superpower
In this compelling essay, authors Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava take a look at Tokyo's post-war development and explore how lessons learned from its unplanned growth may be useful for other rapidly urbanizing Asian cities today.
India's Energy and Resources Institute Taking the LEED
India’s foremost environmental think tank is touting a recently developed sustainable building certification program "Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment" (GRIHA) as more holistic than LEED. Could it also help enforce labor laws?
Rich Seedlings for the Urban Revolution
Over the next few decades, half of global economic growth is predicted to come from the slums of developing world cities. Gaia Vince believes the key to the coming urban revolution is how these shantytowns evolve.
Largest Gathering in History Attracts Researchers
When the Kumbh Mela, a 48-day Hindu festival held every four years, starts this week in northern India it will be the largest gathering in history. Researchers are using the opportunity to study the formation and inner-workings of a pop-up mega city.
Is Safety on Public Transit Just an Indian Problem?
The case of a fatal bus rape in India, and subsequent protests, has captivated the world. But, argues Sarah Goodyear, the incident should serve as a larger reminder of the threat of violence and harassment towards women on transit systems worldwide.
Growing Pains Cloud New Delhi's Future
Delhi’s unpleasant pollution predicament, and its ensuing health consequences, are causing environmentalists, doctors and local officials to grow increasingly alarmed.
Commercial Building Boom Predicted for India
A dearth of high quality retail spaces in India's largest cities and the growing attraction of large foreign retailers to the country have analysts predicting a boom in commercial development.
As Economies Return, So Does Frightening Asian Air Pollution
New studies are raising alarms about the growing threat of harmful air in Asia's cities. One recent report warns that air pollution could become the biggest environmental cause of premature death by 2050 if action is not taken.
Bring Your Own Bag in Delhi
Every year, Delhi produces 250,000 tons of plastic waste. Starting on November 23, the city government "will begin enforcing a ban on the manufacture, import, sale, storage and use of plastic bags, sheets, films or tubs," reports Raksha Kumar.
Selling the Importance of Street Vending
In the latest entry in a series on informal urban livelihoods, Sally Roever of WIEGO provides insight into how planners can better understand, acknowledge and manage street vending through the development of appropriate policies and best practices.
Less Plans on Paper, More Practical Thinking Needed for Mumbai
Every 20 years, the Municipal Corporation of Great Mumbai (MCGM) publishes a Development Plan. Kristen Teutonico argues that past and current plans have been too grand for implementation and that the City should focus more on smaller-scale projects.
In a Victory for People Over Cars, Indian Court Upholds BRT
In a landmark ruling issued last week, the Delhi High Court upheld the use of New Delhi's streets for a 5.6-kilometer bus rapid transit corridor, in a blow to auto owners seeking have it removed for use by all traffic, including private vehicles.
An Informal Model of Waste Management Blossoms in Bangalore
Without the wealth for recycling, Indian cities like Bangalore rely on informal traders to collect and sell recyclable materials. Could this tech hub provide a model of trash disposal for cities in the developing and developed world alike?
India's 'Census Towns' Struggle to Keep Up with Growth
As rural areas urbanize, India's land classification system leaves many without power to implement services.
Together, Urban Design and Planning Can Brighten the Future of Indian Cities
Rapid urbanization in India will create unplanned cities with poor quality of life unless steps are taken to integrate urban design and planning with governance structures, and primitive planning methods are revamped with the latest technology.
A Plea for Proper Water Management in India's Cities
Indian cities boast of huge GDP contributions, but cannot fulfill the basic needs of their citizens, such as providing safe drinking water. Central government funding has enabled some improvements in the urban water sector, but much more is needed.
Areas for Fresh Air Rare in Mumbai
A new study documents exactly how deprived of access to open space the 13 million residents of Mumbai are. The numbers are grim, especially when compared to other cities around the world, and even in India, reports Neha Thirani.
Step One to Untangling Delhi's Roads: Untangle the Governance Structure
Delhi attempts to cut its self-imposed red tape with a unified transportation agency.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research