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.

As seas slowly inch higher, India’s smaller coastal cities face a growing threat of submergence yet remain off the radar of mainstream climate conversations. In Nāgrika’s Climate Change Series, Part 3 reveals the overlooked risks, data gaps, and policy blind spots that could leave hundreds of communities at risk of an advancing shoreline.

India's startup scene is shifting, with Tier-II and Tier-III cities driving a surge in new businesses. Smaller cities now account for 50% of the country’s startups, spurred by local support, skilled talent, and government initiatives. Yet, challenges like funding and infrastructure remain. Could these smaller cities become the next big innovation hubs? Shows like Shark Tank are already putting a spotlight on these rising stars; could they be the key to unlocking their potenti

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.

India’s informal settlements are growing faster than its cities can cope. Born out of housing shortage, migration, and poor planning, sprawling slums face challenges of infrastructure, water, and health. From Sambalpur’s grassroots clinics to edible rooftops in Ahmednagar, communities are stepping in where the system falls short. But can these pockets of resilience become a solution for the deepening crisis of informal urban growth?

भारत की अनौपचारिक बस्तियां इतनी तेजी से बढ़ रही हैं कि शहर उनसे निपटने में असमर्थ हैं। आवास की कमी, पलायन और खराब योजना के कारण बन रही ये फैली हुई झुग्गियां बुनियादी ढांचे, पानी और स्वास्थ्य जैसी समस्याओं का सामना कर रही हैं। संभलपुर के जमीनी स्तर के क्लीनिक से लेकर अहमदनगर की खाने योग्य छतों तक, समुदाय वहीं कदम बढ़ा रहे हैं जहाँ सरकारी व्यवस्था कमजोर पड़ जाती है। लेकिन क्या ये संघर्षशील इलाके अनौपचारिक शहरी विस्तार के बढ़ते संकट का समाधान बन सकते हैं?

Alarms have gone off in cities like Shimla, Visakhapatnam, and Shillong, exposing how underprepared many urban centers are to incidences of fire. While a few have stepped up safety efforts, others struggle with outdated laws, missing fire tenders, and risky buildings. As urban sprawl tightens its grip, can smaller cities ignite a culture of preparedness before the next spark turns into a blaze?

शिमला, विशाखापत्तनम और शिलांग जैसे शहरों में आग लगने की घटनाओं ने ये दिखाया है कि कई शहरी केंद्र आग जैसी आपदाओं के लिए कितने असमर्थ हैं। कुछ शहरों ने सुरक्षा उपायों को सशक्त किया है, लेकिन कई जगहें पुराने कानूनों, अग्निशमन गाड़ियों की कमी और जोखिम भरे भवनों की समस्या से जूझ रही हैं। जैसे-जैसे शहर फैलते जा रहे हैं, क्या छोटे शहर अगली बार आग लगने से पहले तैयारियों की संस्कृति को मजबूत कर पाएंगे?

Who is making it easy for us to move? Behind India’s mobility shift are unlikely partnerships. Governments, CSOs, residents, and even e-bike startups are all co-creating better transport. From Cycle Days to Handlebar Surveys, citizen engagement is no longer symbolic. It’s strategic, sustained, and reshaping the rules of how cities listen, plan, and move forward.

What if the way we move in cities could change everything, from pollution to safety? India's non-motorised transport is on the rise, with walking and cycling reshaping life, promising steps toward a greener, healthier future. What challenges lie ahead, and how could active mobility cut through the urban chaos?

Libraries are more than just collections of books; they’re vital community spaces. In India, however, urban libraries remain scarce, with one library serving 80,000 people on average. As cities grow, public libraries must evolve to foster lifelong learning and community engagement, by reimagining dynamic spaces for social interaction, creativity, and knowledge-sharing. Will investing in libraries help our cities become truly smart?