This update covers Jana Urban Space Foundation’s recent engagements — a panel discussion on municipal governance, participation in an Expert Advisory Committee on urban redevelopment, media commentary on urban infrastructure challenges in Delhi and Bengaluru, and a roundtable on transitioning phases of governance in Pune.
Municipal Governance in Federal Systems: Municipal Leadership
On 8 April 2026, Janaagraha’s V R Vachana, Associate Director – Policy, Janaagraha and Jana Urban Space Foundation, participated in a panel discussion as part of the India Habitat Forum (INHAF) Rethinking City Webinar Series #145.
The session examined how governance structures shape city outcomes, with a focus on institutional design, leadership models, and the comparative functioning of single-tier and multi-tier municipal systems across global and Indian contexts.
The discussion brought together experts from academia, governance, and policy practice to reflect on accountability, coordination, and effective service delivery in cities.
The webinar highlighted the importance of strengthening municipal leadership frameworks to enable better urban management and policy outcomes, while fostering alignment across different levels of government in federal systems.
Watch the recording: Link
Expert Advisory Committee: Creative Redevelopment of Cities Program
Meghamala C, Associate Manager at Jana Urban Space Foundation , was part of the 5-Member Expert Advisory Committee constituted to review and strengthen the Creative Redevelopment of Cities program for different target groups.
As a member of the Financing Working Group, headed by Raja Gopal Sunkara, IAS, JS, Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, along with members including Matt Glasser, Sujatha Sreekumar, and Chetan Nandani, she participated in initial discussions focused on refining the program’s structure and content.
The deliberations covered:
- Identifying priority components for future sessions
- Contextualising content for diverse participant cohorts
- Addressing knowledge gaps
- Strengthening the urban infrastructure investment pipeline perspective
Her participation contributed to shaping a practitioner-oriented approach to urban redevelopment financing, aligned with emerging policy directions and implementation needs in the urban sector.
In Delhi, 55% of Groundwater Samples Not Fit for Drinking; Jal Board Ineffective: CAG Report
In an article published by The Wire, Surjyatapa Ray, Associate Manager – Urban Policy at Jana Urban Space Foundation, highlights critical governance and enforcement gaps affecting urban infrastructure in Indian cities, particularly Delhi.
She points out that a significant proportion, nearly 30–40%, of positions in government agencies such as the Delhi Jal Board remain vacant, creating systemic capacity constraints. These staffing shortages force agencies to prioritise selectively, undermining consistent enforcement and effective service delivery. She notes that the current monitoring system operates in a vacuum, limiting accountability and oversight. She further emphasises that given Delhi’s large population, water pollution has become a pressing concern, and addressing it requires stronger enforcement mechanisms. Without adequate institutional capacity and robust monitoring frameworks, efforts to tackle urban environmental challenges will remain insufficient.
Read More: Link
Bengaluru’s GBA 15% deviation proposal explained: Relief for lakhs of homeowners or a push to legalise violations
In an article published by Hindustan Times, Pravalika Sarvadevabhatla, Associate Manager – Urban Policy at Jana Urban Space, highlights the proposal to increase permissible building deviation from 5% to 15% as a structural shift in governance in Bengaluru.
She notes that this change could enable the regularisation of buildings exceeding sanctioned plans across parameters such as setbacks, floor area ratio (FAR), and plot coverage, without requiring structural re-certification or assessment of infrastructure impacts.
The article draws attention to the existing stress on Bengaluru’s drainage systems, pointing out that increasing the deviation limit could further exacerbate these challenges by reducing setbacks and increasing impervious surfaces, without corresponding upgrades to urban infrastructure.
Read More: Link
Roundtable conference on “Transitioning Phases of Governance”, Pune
Meghamala C, Associate Manager at Jana Urban Space, participated in a roundtable conference on “Transitioning Phases of Governance,” convened by Pune International Centre (PIC) in collaboration with Transform Rural India (TRI), Janaagraha, Praja Foundation, and Teesari Sarkar Abhiyan on 13th April.
The roundtable brought together 13 experts and representatives from participating organisations to share progress on ongoing studies and reflect on emerging findings from a national research initiative examining transitions from Rural Local Governments (RLGs) to Urban Local Governments (ULGs). The discussion highlighted how such transitions impact institutional functioning, service delivery, fiscal arrangements, and citizen participation, while underscoring that these are systemic shifts rather than merely administrative changes.
