Peri-urban ecosystems: The potential for a planned approach in India

This policy brief examines the critical role of peri-urban ecosystems in India, highlighting how rapid urbanisation and ambiguous administrative boundaries lead to the neglect of these areas. It argues that preserving peri-urban ecosystems is essential for city resilience, food security, and climate adaptation, and recommends integrated, participatory planning to bridge the rural-urban divide.

• Peri-urban areas in India are transition zones between rural and urban environments characterized by diverse land-use patterns and migration. Due to unclear administrative boundaries and governance challenges, these areas and their ecosystems are frequently neglected, increasing their vulnerability to climate change and limiting access to clean water and sanitation.
• Peri-urban ecosystems provide essential services that benefit both the local population and adjacent cities. These include flood control via wetlands that act as buffers and recharge aquifers, sustainable livelihoods through agriculture, and improved food security by reducing the distance food travels to reach urban centers. Additionally, these green spaces regulate microclimates and prevent the formation of 'heat islands'.
• Unregulated development in peri-urban areas often leads to the loss of critical natural infrastructure. For example, a 2013 study by the Delhi School of Economics found that the conversion of forests (36% loss) and shrubs (22% loss) into settlements could leave Delhi's satellite towns vulnerable to floodwater.
• The National Urban Policy Framework (2020) places the responsibility on states to plan for urban and peri-urban development. The brief recommends that states move away from viewing ecosystems as monetizable resources and instead adopt land-utilisation policies—such as the draft National Land Utilisation Policy 2013—that protect agricultural lands and natural environments to ensure food security and regional resilience.
• Rigid rural-urban boundaries hinder effective planning. The brief suggests integrated, flexible planning to bridge this divide, citing the RURBAN platform used in Vijayawada and Solapur to collaborate between rural and city administrations. It also notes that while District and Metropolitan Planning Committees are constitutionally mandated for integrated planning, they remain non-functional in most states.
• Inclusive, participatory planning involving civil society and local communities is necessary to prevent 'elite capture' and token participation in initiatives like the Rurban Mission. A successful example is found in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, where the DHAN Foundation and the municipal corporation created a 'Zonal Council' to restore rivers using local knowledge.

APA

Verma, S. (2021). Peri-urban ecosystems: The potential for a planned approach in India. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN-PB-Peri-urban-ecosystems-India_Web.pdf

Chicago

Verma, Simant. Peri-urban ecosystems: The potential for a planned approach in India. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2021. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN-PB-Peri-urban-ecosystems-India_Web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Verma |first1=Simant |title=Peri-urban ecosystems: The potential for a planned approach in India |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=February 2021 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN-PB-Peri-urban-ecosystems-India_Web.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{verma2021periurban, author = {Verma, Simant}, title = {{Peri-urban ecosystems: The potential for a planned approach in India}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN-PB-Peri-urban-ecosystems-India_Web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }