By 2036, urban areas are expected to contribute 75 per cent to the country's GDP, highlighting the need for effective solutions. In its new report, Primus Partners looks back at the urban planning practices of the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) to address these modern-day town planning and infrastructure development issues.
The IVC cities, like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, utilised grid-based systems for planning layouts, advanced water management systems, multi-functional public spaces, and climate-conscious building practices. These strategies could help solve current urban challenges, and the report recommends integrating them into today's urban planning. The authors urge a shift in policy to create more sustainable and liveable urban spaces inspired by these time-tested methods.
The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) featured cities like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, organised into grid layouts covering approximately 3.5 km². These cities housed tens of thousands of residents and demonstrated effective urban planning and management.
The IVC had advanced water management systems, with a significant number of common wells for each cluster of houses while connecting each house with an underground drainage network channelling drainage to a trunk network, emphasising the need for modern infrastructure to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6, which aims for universal access to clean water and sanitation.
Implementing standardised benchmarks can improve urban governance; for instance, cities with clear regulatory frameworks have shown a 30 per cent increase in compliance with urban planning standards. According to the Global Climate Risk Index, India ranks 7th among countries most affected by climate change, underscoring the urgency of cities adopting climate-resilient strategies to mitigate risks.
With India's urban population projected to reach 600 million by 2036, effective urban planning inspired by the IVC could help manage this growth sustainably, potentially reducing urban sprawl by 25 per cent through integrated planning approaches.
Despite India's urban growth, its cities still face major hurdles. No Indian city ranks in the top 100 of the Global Liveability Index, and even Bangalore, India's top city, scored only 66.7 on the Ease of Living Index developed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, emphasises the need to revisit how we plan, develop and manage our cities. The IVC's approach, focusing on planned layouts, sustainability, advanced infrastructure, climate resiliency and public spaces, offers valuable lessons for overcoming today's challenges.
Practical recommendations from the IVC include adopting well-planned layouts for better traffic flow, upgrading sewer systems for improved sanitation, increasing green spaces to enhance quality of life, and using climate-appropriate approaches and materials to reduce energy consumption. These strategies can help cities become more resilient and prepared for future needs.
Aarti Harbhajanka, co-author of the study, emphasised, "To truly move forward, we need to take a moment and look back. The urban planning practices of the Indus Valley Civilisation offer insights that are relevant today. By understanding how these ancient cities were built, we can create more sustainable, liveable urban spaces that meet the needs of our growing population."
