India Infrastructure Report 2023

India’s urban population has increased rapidly over the past decade and this rapid urbanization is set to continue in the future. It is expected that by 2025, half of the India’s population will be urban. The urbanization process has created myriad problems such as transportation, poverty, unemployment, unauthorized housing colonies, slums and squatter settlements. Adding to this, the issues of climate change, health and pandemic outbreaks makes the urban life even more daunting. The criticality of the urban problems has not been fully understood and it requires a multidisciplinary approach and expertise. With the introduction of centrally sponsored schemes such as; Smart City, PMAY, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission etc., it is even more important for the policy makers, city managers, urban development professionals and students to develop the required skills and understanding on urban development, governance, management in addition to the classical knowledge of City and Infrastructure Planning.

In India, the urban planning machinery has not grown at the pace with the demands posed by urbanization and global technological advancements. Urban local bodies face a massive shortage of skilled and trained human resources as well as financial challenges. Furthermore, poor quality of planning is a huge limiting factor to realize the true economic potentials of urbanization. Realising the centrality of urban planning and development, IDFC Foundation has compiled the India Infrastructure Report 2023 highlighting infrastructure planning, finance and governance requirements, to support the urbanisation process in the country.

The Report analyses the patterns of urban expansion and the challenges of urban growth in the country, and recommends possible pathways to transform disorderly growth into better planned and inclusive cities.
The research, data, knowledge, practice and experience of iDeCK and NIUA have facilitated the production of the Report. Committed to the idea that infrastructure is the backbone of the nation, crucial for social and economic growth, iDeCK offers advisory, planning and design, engineering, and legal, policy and institution strengthening services for infrastructure development. Over the years, iDeCK has contributed actively to nearly 1000 infrastructure projects, supporting in all areas of the infrastructure value chain from planning or development to governance, finance and implementation. On the other hand, NIUA has been directing India’s urban narrative, bridging the vital gap between policy and practice at the central, state and city levels. Particularly amidst the challenges posed by rising population densities, massive industrial and economic shifts, and impacts of climate change, NIUA has been at the forefront of developing new tools and research paradigms that respond to the dynamic nature of cities and needs of their populace. IDFC Foundation’s collaboration with iDeCK and NIUA has been instrumental in delivering a comprehensive and insightful Report. The relentless pursuit for urban and infrastructure development shared by both the institutions is reflected throughout IIR 2023, offering a futuristic perspective to foster sustainable growth and development in Indian urban landscape.