Understanding planning processes: Concept Note

Unlike most contemporary approaches to urban governance in India, this project documents the differences between planning processes on paper and in reality from a micro level. We hope to understand with this work how the incentives of individual actors in cities are shaped in a way that contributes to large scale outcome failures.

In India, the logical system envisioned by planning laws, the city would grow through a slow aggregation of planned colonies, which are provided infrastructure before they are settled, and which provide adequate shelter and work spaces for all city residents. In practice, Indian cities are largely made up of unauthorized constructions, illegal land use, and ad hoc infrastructure provision. How do we explain or understand this divergence in a way that leads to good policy recommendations that will improve the quality of life in cities and access to infrastructure? Unlike most contemporary approaches to urban governance in India, this project documents the differences between planning processes on paper and in reality from a micro level.  We start with the assumption that outcome failures in urban management stems from the actions of individuals making decisions that affect larger processes. We hope to understand with this work how the incentives of individual actors in cities are shaped in a way that contributes to large scale outcome failures.

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