By Dr. Sanjay Chaturvedi, LLB, PhD.
India today stands at the crossroads of a historic transformation. Population outburst and migratory trends are reshaping the nation at an unprecedented scale. Millions are moving from rural landscapes to urban centers in search of opportunity, livelihood, and lifestyle. The burden on our existing cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru—is becoming unsustainable.
India does not merely need expansion of existing cities.
India urgently needs at least 25 brand-new mega metropolitan cities—designed from the ground up with international-standard infrastructure, planning, and lifestyle.
Urban India: The Inevitable Future
According to census data and multiple research studies, nearly 66% of India’s population will reside in urban centers in the coming decades. This shift is irreversible.
Yet our present urban framework is:
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Overcrowded
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Under-planned
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Infrastructure-deficient
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Environmentally stressed
City outskirts are witnessing mushrooming townships that fill up within no time. This clearly signals that urban India is expanding without direction.
What is required is a national mission to convert Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities into fully planned mega urban centers, supported by:
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Commerce and industry
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Employment hubs
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Education and research zones
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World-class infrastructure
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Long-term town planning
Why Old Cities Cannot Become Global Cities
Cities like Mumbai and Delhi have reached a saturation point.
An international-standard city requires:
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At least 25% of total area dedicated to roads
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Wide arterial corridors
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CBDs (Central Business Districts)
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Zoning for residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational use
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Open spaces for culture, art, and leisure
Our legacy cities simply do not have the physical scope to be redesigned at this scale. There is no room to breathe, expand, or modernize without massive displacement and chaos.
Shall India deprive itself of:
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International-grade cities?
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Ultra-modern amenities?
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Well-planned urban ecosystems?
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Lifestyle, art, culture, nightlife, and nature?
Why must our youth look toward Dubai, New York, or London for a global lifestyle?
Why can we not build such cities in India, for Indians?
Lessons from Navi Mumbai and Chandigarh
India already has proven models:
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Navi Mumbai
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Chandigarh
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Bhubaneswar (planned sectors)
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Gandhinagar
Institutions like CIDCO have demonstrated how future-ready cities can be created with vision and discipline.
Navi Mumbai stands as a role model—a planned city with:
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Sector-based development
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Wide roads
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Dedicated commercial zones
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Open spaces
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Modern infrastructure
Why can’t India have more CIDCO-like institutions across states?
Why not create 25 Navi Mumbais and 25 Chandigarhs?
A National Policy for New Cities
India requires a comprehensive national framework for building new mega cities:
Key Elements of the Policy
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Identification of strategic regions across India
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Land pooling and acquisition models
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Special governance authorities for new cities
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Tax and regulatory incentives for businesses
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Affordable housing for early settlers
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Priority infrastructure funding
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Employment-linked migration incentives
Young Indians must be attracted and empowered to build new cities—not forced to migrate abroad for lifestyle and opportunity.
Let us gift our next generation new-brand international cities—cities that reflect India’s ambition, creativity, and future.
Conclusion: Building New India Through New Cities
The future of India will not be shaped in congested lanes of colonial cities.
It will be shaped in new, bold, futuristic urban centers built with vision.
India must think big.
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25 new mega cities
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World-class urban design
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Global lifestyle within India
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Opportunities at home, not abroad
This is not just urban planning.
This is nation building.