India's urbanization is a pivotal engine for economic growth, poverty alleviation, and human development, with over 800 million citizens expected in cities by 2050. However, this rapid  growth, if unplanned, risks locking cities into sprawl, inefficiency, and inequity.

A critical challenge is that India's cities are not uniform in their growth stories or economic  capabilities, yet they are often governed by a one-size-fits-all approach, particularly  concerning regulations like Development Control Regulations (DCRs) and Master Plans. This  uniform approach fails to address unique urban contexts, leading to three critical issues:

1. Stifled economic potential - Lack of adequate land, high property prices, and poor  city-level infrastructure inhibit agglomeration economies in even the largest cities. 2. Compromised quality of life - Unplanned growth leads to congestion, inadequate  housing, and strained basic services, impacting liveability.

3. Inadequate climate preparedness- Current planning frameworks are not well  equipped to address climate stress and resilience needs.

Without integrated, flexible, and modern planning tools, that allow for a place-based  approach, India’s urbanization remains reactive and inefficient, undermining both economic  productivity and liveability. This session aims to bridge this gap, offering a practitioner's  perspective on how context-responsive planning tools, particularly around unlocking land,  localised planning tools, and relaxed regulations, can drive sustainable and equitable urban  futures.

III. Key Questions for the Session

This session will explore the following critical questions:

∙ How can DCRs be effectively implemented to promote inclusive zoning for affordable  housing and sustainable real estate development across diverse city typologies and  within cities - innercity and peripheral areas? And how can promote economic  growth, be equitable and protect natural assets?

∙ What innovative mechanisms and policy reforms are needed to unlock underutilized  land in inner-cities for rejuvenation, ensuring equitable access and benefits? ∙ How can Neighbourhood Improvement Plans (NIPs) be scaled and integrated into  broader urban planning frameworks? How can Development Control Regulations  (DCRs) and spatial planning complement NIPs to ensure citywide implementation? ∙ What are the critical governance and regulatory reforms required to move beyond a  "one-size-fits-all" planning approach and enable more agile, context-responsive  urban development?

∙ How can private sector involvement in land development be streamlined and  incentivized to align with sustainability goals, while addressing existing regulatory  and planning challenges?

IV. Session Format

This session will follow a Panel: Practice–Policy Dialogue / Practitioner Exchange format.  Designed to explore meaningful peer-to-peer engagement, the session will bring together  diverse stakeholders to share insights, discuss challenges, and collaboratively explore  innovative solutions to urban land issues and urban planning concepts.

Experts will have the opportunity to present their work or speak about their ideas. JUSF will  moderate the discussion, commencing with a context-setting presentation that frames the  core challenges and opportunities. Throughout the dialogue, JUSF will document key  takeaways and compile the outcomes into an actionable roadmap.

This roadmap will be shared with relevant authorities to advocate for necessary reforms and  will serve as a foundation for continued engagement and future collaboration with all  participating experts.

V. Outcomes of the Session

This session aims to deliver high quality, concrete insights and actionable pathways for  sustainable urban development in Indian cities.

∙ An actionable roadmap for place-based development: A concise document  outlining key strategies and reforms discussed during the session. This roadmap will  serve as a targeted advocacy agenda for driving change with national and state  policymakers.

JUSF will lead ongoing engagement with the panelists and aim to reconvene within  4–6 months to review progress and share updates on the initiatives undertaken. ∙ Strategic land use framework: Identification of practical strategies to unlock urban  land for affordable housing and inner-city rejuvenation.