Celebrating Women’s Work: Workforce Participation Insights from Small Cities

Celebrating Women’s Work: Workforce Participation Insights from Small Cities

Women are also participating in varied sectors & opting for unconventional roles according to Apna, a professional networking platform. In 2022, there was a 34% rise in women applicants for labor-intensive roles such as delivery, lab technicians, factory workers & drivers.

Read More

Wildlife within Cityscapes: Managing India’s Human-Animal Conflicts

Wildlife within Cityscapes: Managing India’s Human-Animal Conflicts

An AI-based surveillance system has been utilized in Coimbatore to track elephant presence along railway tracks to avoid accidents. Similarly, drones & thermal cameras have been deployed in the Gadchiroli district to mitigate human-animal conflicts.

Read More

Pedaling Forward: Is Your City Cycling-Friendly?

Pedaling Forward:  Is Your City Cycling-Friendly?

Providing access to bicycles in docking hubs for short-term use, the PBS has intended to be an eco-friendly & affordable choice of transportation. However, Bhopal’s PBS service has faltered due to administrative mismanagement, with bikes in disrepair & cycle tracks encroached on by parked vehicles.

Read More

A New Digital Demographic: Content Creators from Smaller Cities

A New Digital Demographic: Content Creators  from Smaller Cities

Affordable accessibility to smartphones & internet since the last decade led to the proliferation of social media beyond tier 1 cities to tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed people towards online platforms for entertainment & education, along with earning their income when they had no other means during lockdowns.

Read More

World Wetlands Day: Celebrating Conservation & Community Action

World Wetlands Day: Celebrating Conservation & Community Action

Wetlands are intrinsically tied to cities, as they are hosts to diverse life forms and offer ecological services that are vital for sustaining urban communities. This is evident in the case of the East Kolkata Wetlands. As the world's largest natural sewage management system, it treats 60–80% of Kolkata's sewage, saving approximately ₹4680 million annually in purification costs.

Read More

Traversing Time: Knowing Your City Through Heritage Walks & Tours

Traversing Time:  Knowing Your City Through Heritage Walks & Tours

The Heritage Affected Committee’s heritage walk highlighted the residents’ precarious living conditions around Shan heritage awareness. They advocated for amending the Heritage Preservation Act to extend support to the locals in refurbishing homes.

Read More

Riding the Electric Wave: The Rise of E-Rickshaws in India

Riding the Electric Wave: The Rise of E-Rickshaws in India

Considered a part of sustainable development, e-rickshaws also face challenges due to inadequate regulation. While Guwahati grapples with intense traffic due to the unauthorized operation of e-rickshaws, nearly 1 lakh Delhi e-rickshaws are running on old and potentially unsafe lead-acid batteries.

Read More

Transforming Trash: Technological Developments in Waste Management

Transforming Trash: Technological Developments in Waste Management

Community-driven initiatives are also contributing to cleaner environments while providing livelihoods to those in need. Guwahati's Shree Guru Plastics is recycling waste while employing socio-economically disadvantaged women.

Read More

Local Legacies: Industries in India’s Smaller Cities & Towns

Local Legacies:  Industries in India’s  Smaller Cities & Towns

These lesser-known industries are slowly coming to the lime-light. A hub for silverware utensils, Khamgaon houses Shraddha Refinery, which has been recognized for contributing silver-based components for ISRO satellites. Similarly, Meerut is renowned for sports goods manufacturing, with companies like Nelco Pvt. Ltd. supplying for international athletic events since the 80’s.

Read More

Preserving Heritage Homes: Pillars of Tradition amid Urban Transformation

Preserving Heritage Homes: Pillars of Tradition  amid Urban Transformation

Centuries-old structures have been affected by the climate crisis. Frequent rains, humidity, and extreme temperatures are damaging traditional sandstone homes in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Heritage buildings also suffer from encroaching redevelopment and a lack of comprehensive conservation policies.

Read More

Fast Food Frenzy: The spread of Quick Service Restaurants

Fast Food Frenzy:  The spread of  Quick Service Restaurants

The untapped potential and low rental costs in Tier 2 and 3 cities, along with people’s changing lifestyles, have caught the attention of QSRs. By providing dining services and speedy deliveries, QSRs are recognizing the growing need for convenient and hygienic options by marketing themselves as affordable for the young middle class.

Read More

Revolutionizing Transactions: UPI’s Digital Surge into India’s Heartlands

Revolutionizing Transactions: UPI’s Digital Surge  into India’s Heartlands

The surge has been particularly high in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and is driven by improved digital infrastructure, a rise in last-mile delivery, and the growth of online businesses post-pandemic. Notably, nearly 2/3 of Paytm’s (a popular Indian e-wallet) new users are from such cities.

Read More

Surveillance on the Rise: Small Cities in India Embracing CCTV Security

Surveillance on the Rise:  Small Cities in India  Embracing CCTV Security

The exponential rise of surveillance and the associated risk of privacy violations are also concerning. The lack of clear guidelines for installing CCTV cameras in public places creates confusion and leaves room for potential misuse.

Read More

Streamlining Street Vending: Are there Vending Zones in your city?

Streamlining Street Vending: Are there Vending Zones  in your city?

To ease such complexities, diverse stakeholder interests have to be considered during planning. Well-represented Town Vending Committees (TVCs) are vital for enforcing hawker policies. While there are certain guiding principles to set up vending zones, TVCs should survey to estimate local requirements.

Read More

Monitoring India's Air: Quest towards Clearer Skies

Monitoring India's Air: Quest towards Clearer Skies

Recent expansion of the monitoring network beyond major metropolitan cities has shown positive outcomes. The inclusion of previously overlooked smaller towns has democratised fund allocation through initiatives like the National Clean Air Program.

Read More