UPD 2024
Discussions during the 10th edition of UPD will be centred on urban transformation strategies, governance reform, financing of growth-oriented,
resilient infrastructure, land information systems, high performance buildings, social protection, and leveraging sustainability reporting frameworks.
High Performance Buildings in India: Status Paper
India is entering one of the largest construction waves in its history. By 2030, 600 million Indians will live in urban areas, expanding the real estate market to USD 1 trillion — a figure projected to grow sixfold by 2050. Crucially, nearly three-quarters of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are yet to be built. This status paper examines how the next generation of urban stock will shape the country’s economic trajectory, influence climate and resource footprints, and determine the long-term sustainability of Indian cities. It underscores the decisive role of high-performance buildings in guiding this transformation.
Material-Intensive and Globally Entangled Nature of India’s Development Ambitions
India’s post-1991 transformation has powered rapid economic growth, large-scale infrastructure expansion, and accelerating urbanisation — yet stark regional inequalities and rising climate vulnerabilities persist. This brief explores how sustained development depends on inclusive growth and resilient employment generation, supported by reliable, affordable, and secure access to materials. As domestic demand intensifies and pressures from import dependence and resource constraints grow, India faces critical strategic choices. The analysis highlights the need for adaptive, coordinated approaches to balance growth, environmental security, and equity in India’s pursuit of developed country status and long-term prosperity.
The Promise of Urban Land Record Reform: Existing State Models
Urban land record systems in India remain outdated, fragmented, and inadequate for citizens and fast-growing cities, even as rural records have undergone significant modernisation. Against this backdrop, this issue brief examines the urgency and opportunity for systemic reform in urban land and property information systems. Building on earlier work, it reviews the national shift signalled by the NAKSHA pilot (2024–25) and analyses established state-level models in Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. These examples illustrate diverse, practical approaches to improving accessibility and updating urban land records. The brief concludes that reliable, citizen-centric, and frequently updated land records are essential for secure tenure, efficient governance, sound municipal finances, and transparent markets.
The Urban in India’s Recent State Budgets
This brief contains design pathways that will deliver on a shared digital future which aims to incorporate community and shared access as a key facet of technology creation. It responds specifically to the question: Is digital public infrastructure ready to be responsive to the needs of low-resource women users to better women’s earnings and livelihoods? What can the role of women’s associations and worker collectives be in the ecosystems built around digital public infrastructure in livelihoods and skilling?
Plugging the Leaks, Powering the Future: Unlocking Water-Energy Savings for Indian Utilities
Electricity consumption by India’s water and wastewater utilities has risen sharply over the past decade due to increasing demand, ageing systems, and operational inefficiencies. This report demonstrates that behind this surge lies a significant opportunity: by improving operations, upgrading equipment, and reducing losses, utilities can curb escalating energy use and achieve substantial financial savings. Using national datasets, state-level patterns, and examples from leading cities, the analysis shows how rightsizing demand, modernising pumps, and cutting water losses could reverse the rising trajectory of electricity consumption and save up to Rs 5,500 crore annually. With targeted reforms, Indian utilities can stabilise energy use, strengthen financial resilience, and build more efficient and sustainable service delivery systems.