When you hear "gig economy," you likely picture food delivery partners, ride-hailing drivers, or Urban Company professionals. You aren't wrong, but you are only seeing the visible tip of a massive economic iceberg. Beyond the branded helmets and traffic jams lies a vast, unseen workforce. In this article, we look past the streets and behind the screens to uncover the full spectrum of India's gig landscape, revealing a quiet truth: how the promise of freedom and flexibility"ha

India’s urban growth is stifled by a systemic fiscal paradox: while cities drive the economy, municipal finances have stagnated at 1% of GDP for decades. This financial condition is doubled by a lack of agency within Urban Local Bodies, which remain tethered to state and central capitals, stripped of the power to tap into productive revenue streams like GST. Reclaiming our cities requires moving beyond passive governance toward active citizen participation in financial planni

From ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ on screen to millions sweating it out on the streets, India has caught the marathon fever! The craze has officially sprinted past the metros, with small cities now hosting full and ultra marathons. But as the 'running economy' booms, one vital question remains: are we merely clearing roads for a single Sunday, or actually designing safer streets for the everyday runner?

In India’s small and mid-sized cities, roads are the most visible face of governance and the most overlooked. This blog reframes roads not as technical projects measured in kilometres and budgets, but as lived infrastructure that shapes daily life, safety, access, and livelihoods. Drawing on insights from Nāgrika Fellow Candidates and reporting from cities across India, it explores the disconnect between how roads are planned and how citizens actually experience them.

Why Animal Welfare Depends on Citizen Engagement and Adoption?

India’s smaller cities face a growing urban flooding crisis driven by outdated drainage systems, unmanaged solid waste, and blocked natural waterways. Frequent waterlogging occurs due to clogged open drains, unchecked waste management, and inadequate pre-monsoon desilting. Some of our smaller cities regularly experience flooding even during moderate rains. Judicial interventions and local innovations, such as trash barriers and river clean-ups, show promise. However, sustaine

In India’s small and mid-sized cities, multi-level car parking (MLCP) projects are increasingly promoted to address growing parking pressures. Yet, most facilities remain underutilised, often lying vacant despite significant investment. This article examines the reasons behind this paradox, including behavioural preferences for on-street parking, accessibility challenges, safety concerns, and inadequate integration with broader urban mobility strategies. It explores how succe

Mumbai’s draft city plan just took a historic turn with a chapter on gender and social equity, thanks to years of advocacy. But women still face barriers in urban governance, especially in smaller cities. While Coimbatore and Tumakuru have made strides, many others lag behind. Can inclusive leadership truly transform India’s urban landscape, or is there more to the story of gender parity in city planning, especially in the smaller ones?