India’s Urban Sustainability Challenges and SDG 11 Progress
India’s ranking in the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 improved to 99th among 167 countries. Yet, urban sustainability under Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) remains a major challenge. SDG 11 aims for cities that are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. India’s progress on key urban indicators has been slow or negative. This marks persistent issues in urban living conditions, infrastructure and governance.
India’s Performance on SDG 11 Indicators
- SDG 11 covers four major urban indicators – slum population proportion, PM 2.5 pollution levels, access to improved piped water, and public transport availability.
- India’s scores for slum population and air pollution have stagnated.
- Access to piped water declined in 2025.
- Only about 65% of urban households had improved piped water in 2022.
- Water supply is irregular and often of poor quality. For example, Mumbai’s average water supply lasts just over five hours daily.
- Many urban households treat water before use, indicating contamination risks.
Living Conditions in Urban Slums
- Slums face the worst urban conditions with poor housing and services.
- Nearly half of slum households live in inadequate, non-pucca homes.
- Water availability in slums is far below government norms.
- Mumbai slums receive only 45 litres per capita per day compared to the norm of 135 litres.
- Slum residents pay up to thirty times more for water from tankers.
- Informal tenure and overcrowding add to vulnerabilities.
These conditions deepen socio-economic inequalities and marginalisation.
Environmental and Disaster Vulnerabilities
Urban poor face high exposure to pollution and climate risks. Cities suffer from flooding and landslides during monsoons. Poor infrastructure and lack of amenities worsen impacts. Loss of income and health issues hit the urban poor hardest. Resilience building remains inadequate, increasing their vulnerability to extreme weather events.
Urban Governance and Financial Constraints
Urban development is a state subject with limited city autonomy. States control urban policies and funds. Despite increased budgets, service deficits persist. Cities lack revenue powers and struggle financially. Over half of municipal corporations fail to cover half of their expenses from own revenues. Smaller cities face severe financial challenges and cannot attract private investment or access capital markets.
Urban Development Programmes and Inclusivity
Major urban schemes like JNNURM and Smart City Mission prioritise larger cities and commercial areas. Water, sanitation and health projects form less than 20% of completed Smart City projects. Housing affordability remains a key issue for low-income groups. PMAY-U offers subsidies but excludes many due to creditworthiness criteria. Recent efforts under PMAY-U 2.0 include credit risk guarantees to improve inclusiveness.
Participation
The 74th Constitutional Amendment mandates Ward Committees for local participation. However, most cities lack active or regular committees. This limits community input in city planning. Smart City initiatives often reflect elite interests through online engagement. Without effective participation, urban plans risk being unresponsive to the needs of the poor.
Policy Recommendations
Public investment must increase to reduce urban service gaps. Cities should gain financial autonomy and accountability. Local plans must be responsive and inclusive. Private financing should be regulated to protect vulnerable groups. Incorporating local knowledge and people’s participation at ward level is essential. A people-centric approach can promote fairer and more equal urban futures.
| Related | |
|---|---|
