Towards a new paradigm of urbanism in Himalayas

Their future will not be secured by building faster or higher, but by how wisely we build, and by how much we choose not to build at all

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The Himalayas are a living landscape of rivers, forests, glaciers, and communities that have adapted over centuries to the mountain range’s fragile environment. Nearly 210 million people across seven countries depend on these landscapes for their livelihoods, with more than 50 million in India alone. Yet, this region is under extraordinary stress.

Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed repeated catastrophes across the Himalayan belt: Uttarkashi’s Dharali village devastated by a flash flood, landslides burying parts of Mandi, and heavy rains triggering floods and devastation in parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

These are not isolated events, but warnings that reckless development in fragile terrain can multiply disasters.

They underline a critical truth: The Himalayas are not only ecologically fragile, they are urbanistically vulnerable. Our planning has ignored the terrain, hydrology, and the culture of the mountains. The result is towns expanding without direction, concrete spreading across springs and waterheads, and infrastructure built as if the land beneath were inert. It is clear that the path forward requires a multi-pronged approach, with each aspect demanding urgent attention.

Terrain-sensitive urban planning: In the Himalayas, a road is never just a road. It is a cut across a slope, a change in water flow, and often the first trigger for erosion.

Nearly half of the Indian Himalayan Region is classified as highly susceptible to landslides; yet, large-scale road widening and hotel construction continue without serious geological studies.

Most Himalayan towns have grown without comprehensive planning, resulting in ribbon-like sprawls along highways. When a single road is blocked, entire settlements are paralysed. Many major centres, including Shimla and Nainital, sit on waterheads.