Ladakh: The meltdown in the cold desert as people fast for nature
The 21-day fast by engineer, educator and activist Sonam Wangchuk in March drew attention to the fragile ecology of Leh-Ladakh…
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From nature in cities to imagining cities in nature, for our future
Nature shapes and defines cities, but the prevailing model of city-making equates development with construction at the cost of ecology, purely for profit. This has led to a serious rupture in nature and segregation of nature from people. As the…
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‘By leaves we live, the world is mainly a vast leaf colony’
They are everywhere, although hidden sometimes, but provide a layer of comfort amidst the grey concrete. Lush green landscapes not only soothe the eyes but allow people-nature bonds to form in cities. As a business place for hawkers, resting place…
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Streets are sutradhars of people’s lives, first units of neighbourhoods
Streets, as living and meeting spaces for people, are more than roads. Street-based neighbourhoods reflect social cohesion and inclusiveness in cities but streets are being transformed into roads where people’s presence matters the least. Shop-fronted roads, built for consumptive economy…
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‘We are scared that the polluted Mithi might flood again’
As Mumbai’s most prominent river and natural drainage channel, the Mithi has mostly been struggling to flow despite the restoration work after the destructive 2005 floods. The pollution, concretisation and encroachment that led to Mithi’s pathetic state have also impacted…
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Dharavi makeover: Public loss, private gain in this mother of all redevelopment projects
Among the largest informal settlements in the world, Dharavi in Mumbai, is finally set to undergo redevelopment. Aptly called an informal city within a city, the vibrant settlement, though lacking in basic amenities, is home to nearly a million people…
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Jaga: Odisha’s land title to slum dwellers worthy of emulation
In a landmark move, pushed by slum dwellers’ movements, the Odisha government introduced a law which made the Jaga Mission possible. Instead of evicting slum dwellers from nearly 3,000 slums in its cities, including from prime areas in the capital…
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Dharavi makeover: Public loss, private gain in this mother of all redevelopment projects
Among the largest informal settlements in the world, Dharavi in Mumbai, is finally set to undergo redevelopment. Aptly called an informal city within a city, the vibrant settlement, though lacking in basic amenities, is home to nearly a million people…
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Jane Jacobs for generations: Protester, urban thinker, people’s planner
Streets and sidewalks – often regarded as mundane — have immense significance in Jane Jacobs’ urban design vocabulary. Living and working in New York and Toronto, Jacobs (1916-2006) observed, scrutinised, and engaged with cities to emphasise people-centric planning. She is…
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Planning and building gender-inclusive cities is the need of the hour
Women and other genders interact differently with the city from the way men do. What work they do, where they live, how they commute, and how they spend leisure hours are determined by what the city offers them – and…
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Water in the city: A matter of ecology, public health, and livelihoods
The importance of wetlands and waterbodies in urban planning has come to the fore after the devastating floods in India’s Bengaluru. They absorb and distribute rainwater and the runoff. As the sceptre of capitalist growth continues to affect the waterbodies,…
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Bhubaneswar’s urbanisation caught between old temple town and new city
The new city of Bhubaneswar was built from scratch but in the frenzy of building Odisha’s capital, the existing Old Town was pushed into the background. Inclusion and integration were crucial while the new city was being built but there…
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Traditional urban planning fails women; make them visible in planning to transform cities
Do women feel safe in cities? Do they get equal job opportunities and amenities as men? A woman’s experience of…
Techno-fixes for flood risk mitigation in Mumbai: An ecological critique
Monsoon has displayed its fury this year once again, spreading havoc and flooding cities such as Guwahati, Nashik, Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Hyderabad. The grim situation has put the focus on systemic and structural causes, and on how we build our…
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A tall order: Housing as part of the ‘Right to the City’ is long, hard work
The Delhi High Court’s judgment in the Shakur Basti petition in 2019 foregrounded the Right to the City for slum…
