As smog thickens and PM2.5 soars, small cities are gasping for breath, yet many remain invisible on pollution maps. In Nāgrika’s Climate Change Series, Part 4 unpacks how climate change fuels toxic air, why monitoring falls short, and what’s at stake when the country’s most polluted places go unnoticed in policy response.

भारत में कभी आम जनता के मनोरंजन के केंद्र रहे सिंगल-स्क्रीन थिएटर तेजी से खत्म हो रहे हैं। आज देश में 6,000 से भी कम थिएटर बचे हैं, जिनमें से केवल 1,000 ही संचालित हो रहे हैं। मल्टीप्लेक्स का उदय, महामारी की बाधाएं और बढ़ते कर दरों ने कई प्रतिष्ठित थिएटरों को बंद करने पर मजबूर कर दिया है। लेकिन क्या इस कहानी में कोई मोड़ आ सकता है? कुछ थिएटर अपनी इनोवेटिव रणनीतियों और सरकारी समर्थन के चलते बचाव कर रहे हैं, और हाल की ब्लॉकबस्टर फिल्मों की सफलता इस उद्योग के पुनरुद्धार का संकेत

Single-screen theatres in India, once an entertainment hub for the masses, are rapidly disappearing, with fewer than 6,000 still standing and only 1,000 operating. The rise of multiplexes, pandemic disruptions, and unsustainable tax rates have forced iconic theatres to close their doors. But could there be a twist in this tale? Some theatres are defying the odds through innovative strategies and government support, while recent blockbuster successes hint at a possible revival

Cities are both culprits and casualties in the climate crisis. But what about the ones we rarely hear about? In Nāgrika’s Climate Change Series, Part 1 zooms in on India’s small and midsized cities, revealing overlooked risks, urgent gaps in data, and why ignoring them could mean missing the bigger climate picture entirely.

In July, Lucknow faced road cave-ins, frustrating residents. The culprits? Erratic road digging by Jal Nigam for sewer line work, done without coordination with the local municipal corporation. While such incidents are not rare, they often expose gaps in how cities manage road digging and repairs. Some cities have adopted tech-driven solutions to improve coordination. Will roadworks in smaller cities be effectively planned and monitored in the near future? 20 feet wide c

As Indian cities struggle with plastic waste, a new path is being laid quite literally. Roads infused with discarded plastic are gaining traction, promising durability and cost savings. But while innovation meets infrastructure, questions around health and environmental risks linger. Could this waste-to-road shift be the sustainable fix urban India needs, or just a detour?

Turning rubble into resources, cities are reimagining construction waste. Trichy’s revived recycling program is one such effort, transforming construction waste into usable materials while boosting revenue. Yet, despite regulations and ambitious plans, India recycles just a fraction of its C&D waste - only 1%! As demand for urban infrastructure soars, will more cities follow suit, or will landfills keep piling up with unprocessed debris?

What exactly is Fare Free Public Transport, and can it really solve India’s urban mobility challenges? While some have embraced free rides, especially to ease travel for women, the pandemic’s impact on transit finances raises tough questions. Can such policies thrive amid budget crises and changing travel habits? This complex idea holds promise but also presents surprising trade-offs ahead.