Finding the Road Ahead by Looking Back

India stands at a crucial juncture in its urban journey.

- AVINASH KUMAR AND ARIJIT DASH

In the next two decades, over 400 million people are expected to move into cities, pushing the total urban population beyond 900 million by 2050. This moment demands a clear-eyed assessment of our urban trajectory and a re-engagement with the lessons from our past to the future.

While modern India has embraced diverse models of urban development—from master-planned capitals to retrofitted smart cities—it is worth remembering that India has a vibrant tradition of urban planning, one that predates many Western counterparts. Rooted in climate sensitivity, geography, and culture, this tradition offers valuable insights at a time when many of our cities are under severe stress.

Urban Wisdom from the Past: Long before the advent of urban design manuals or satellite-based planning tools, ancient Indian cities demonstrated remarkable foresight in integrating built environments with ecological systems. The cities of the Indus Valley—Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, and Dholavira—exemplified urban sophistication as early as 2600 BCE. Dholavira, located in the arid Rann of Kachchh, pioneered water conservation through massive reservoirs and an underground drainage system, all finely attuned to seasonal rainfall and water scarcity.

Pataliputra, once the capital of the Mauryan Empire, offers another example of early planning acumen. The Greek ambassador Megasthenes, who visited the city in the 4th century BCE, described its broad avenues, fortified walls, and spatial zoning. The Arthashastra of Kautilya laid out detailed protocols for urban layouts: specifying road widths, drainage systems, fire safety infrastructure, and the organization of trade and residential quarters.