Urban Planning | Development and design of urban landscapes

Why cities must reconnect with their rivers, renew river-people relationship

Rivers are slowly being erased from people’s lives and imagination in cities. Seen as water sources, as dumping yards for waste, and their floodplains as developable land, they remain disconnected from the rhythms of urban life. Rivers are, can be,…

Vrishabhavathi: A river’s struggle in Bengaluru’s landscape

Our imagination of rivers often contrasts with what we see in our cities. They are integrated into urban systems as stormwater drains,…

To rekindle Delhi’s relationship with the Yamuna, clean it up

The Yamuna has been Delhi’s lifeline for centuries but the city now has a severed, mostly utilitarian, relationship with it. Only two…

‘Rivers have emotions, like human beings. Their waters rise’

As the plan to develop the Mula-Mutha riverfront in Pune gathers momentum, many residents and environmental activists believe it’s a death knell…

Giving rivers room to move: Rethinking flood management for nature and people

The idea of allowing rivers to reclaim space on their floodplains is not new. There have been programmes such as the ‘Room…

Overtourism has led to touristified destinations, unsustainable ecology, and angry locals

What was once pleasurable travel has turned into a massive global industry of tourism. While its place in the economy of a…

Community-based tourism offers hope and sustainability in the Northeast

Away from the colour and clamour of mega festivals, in a few towns and villages of Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya, community-based tourism…

Why annoyed locals are pushing back on tourists
in India

The sheer number of tourists descending into Goa, clogging up roads, raising property prices, disrupting daily lives of locals has taken a turn for the worse in two heritage wards in Panaji where some residents turned resentful. In other sought-after…

International tourist hotspots, hit by protests, seek to reduce footfalls

Overtourism in some of the world's most popular destinations such as Barcelona, Mallorca, Venice, and Bali has led to a series of…

Community gardens redefine green, help combat heat

Collectively created and managed by communities in their neighbourhoods, community gardens, more than public or private parks, not only make the space…