Why India Needs a National Plan for Building New Cities

The Union government's investment in the development of Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, affirms a national interest in promoting the development of new cities, but the pursuit of greenfield urbanization and its role in national development receives scant public attention.

- Jagan Shah

This may partly be the impact of missions and schemes currently at play, which focus on improving the quality of life in existing cities through investment in water and sanitation, energy, housing, transportation, waste management and urban livelihoods. The recently announced Urban Challenge Fund and the "creative redevelopment" approach reinforce commitment to the brownfield. What, then, is the role and status of the greenfield city in India?

While 12 fledgling industrial smart cities were announced in 2024, India already has a panoply of greenfield cities and townships at various states of evolution between land acquisition, plan preparation, infrastructure installation and investment promotion. Some, like Aamby Valley, Lavasa and Naya Raipur, have become desolate landscapes of unfulfilled desire. Several seem to only fuel speculation in land values without economic output. Others, like the Sri City special economic zone, continue to attract investment. The Jewar and Navi Mumbai aerotropolises are linked to national infrastructure investments and likely to grow rapidly. All these cities are satellites of older cities but without the tethering plans.