29th October, 2025: Expansion of Engagement in Bengaluru on Metropolitan Governance
The Eco-City Regions team has initiated a new engagement in Bengaluru to support the next phase of metropolitan governance reform. Building on WRI India’s earlier technical support to governance reform efforts in the city (2014–18), and subsequent developments culminating in the passage of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act in mid-2025, the current engagement focuses on informing the proposed expansion of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) beyond its existing 721 sq. km jurisdiction.
The work is expected to include assessment of existing urban realities, future growth modelling using relevant datasets and planning parameters, and development of analytical inputs to help define the contours and potential boundary configuration of an expanded GBA. WRI India’s involvement has been sought in view of its prior association, domain expertise, and experience in metropolitan-scale urban analysis.
Further coordination for this engagement is being undertaken with the designated institutional representatives in Bengaluru.
26th November, 2025: Hasiru Dala Onboarded by MCJ under NAMASTE Scheme Following WRI India Workshop
WRI India had conducted a solid waste management (SWM) workshop in November 2024 in Jalandhar under the Thriving Eco-City Regions initiative.
Building on the momentum generated through the workshop—convened in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar (MCJ) and supported by sectoral experts from Saahas and Hasiru Dala—the Municipal Corporation has formally onboarded Hasiru Dala under the Government of India’s NAMASTE Scheme. This engagement authorizes Hasiru Dala to initiate the integration of waste workers in Jalandhar through a structured survey of waste pickers across the city, in coordination with area Sanitary Inspectors and under the direction of the Municipal Commissioner (dated 18 November 2025).
This development represents an institutional step toward recognizing, integrating, and improving the working conditions, safety, and social protection of informal waste workers, while strengthening citywide SWM systems and associated public health outcomes.
WRI India will continue to support MCJ and partner organizations in advancing collaborative, systems-based solutions that contribute to Jalandhar’s transition toward a thriving eco city-region.
Further updates will be shared as implementation progresses.
For more information regarding the solid waste management (SWM) with Municipal Corporation Jalandhar, click here: ECR- Thriving Eco-city Regions
2nd December, 2025: Participation in State Urban Transformation Agenda (SUTRA) Roundtable – Uttar Pradesh
In December 2025, WRI India engaged in coordination meetings and strategic discussions in Lucknow with the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (DULB), Urban Development Department (UDD), and partner institutions as part of ongoing collaboration on urban transformation in Uttar Pradesh.
As part of these engagements, WRI India participated in the State Urban Transformation Agenda (SUTRA) roundtable convened by Janaagraha. The roundtable brought together senior government representatives, knowledge institutions, and sector experts to deliberate on priority reforms for sustainable and inclusive urban development in the state, with discussions spanning economic growth, equitable access to services and livelihoods, environmental resilience, and civic engagement.
Insights from the consultation are expected to inform subsequent dialogues and contribute to shaping a shared roadmap for Uttar Pradesh’s long-term urban transformation.
3rd December, 2025: Consultations with Punjab Development Commission on exploring scaling of Jalandhar Interventions undertaken ECR
The Eco-City Regions team met with the Punjab Development Commission (PDC), the state’s policy think tank chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, to explore potential areas of collaboration and reflection emerging from the Jalandhar engagement. Key discussion points included exploring potential statewide scaling for Jalandhar ECR fellowship model; sharing of technical guidance on national programmes guidelines, including the TULIP programme for leadership and learning, the NAMASTE Scheme for improving livelihood security for informal waste workers, and other relevant Government of India initiatives.
The discussion also highlighted the need for structured methods, directives, and implementation guidance derived from prior WRI India engagements in Jalandhar—particularly on solid waste management and heat mapping—to enable replication. For instance, members from PMU supporting Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development on pond rejuvenation across rural areas, expressed interest to learn from Nurpur pond rejuvenation approach to apply learnings on nature-based solutions for active village-level efforts across 1,300 rural water bodies and Ponds across Punjab. These discussions indicate emerging opportunities for state-level scale and institutional collaboration linked to the Eco-City Regions approach.
4th December, 2025: Release of Teaser for the Bodoland Changemaker Series
The teaser for the upcoming Bodoland Changemaker Series, an initiative that highlights locally rooted leadership and community-driven pathways of change across the Bodoland region was released.
Through multiple episodes, the upcoming series explores how transformation often emerges through incremental, everyday actions led by farmers, artisans, and community stewards who are redefining progress while protecting local ecology, sustaining cultural traditions, and passing forward indigenous knowledge systems. By documenting these lived experiences and voices, the initiative seeks to spotlight local ingenuity and innovation within communities where changemakers are silently and slowly shaping resilient and culturally grounded initiatives across the region.
The teaser marks the beginning of a broader storytelling effort that will share the journeys, perspectives, and practices of these changemakers, contributing to wider awareness, learning, and engagement around locally led transformation in Bodoland.
Link to the Youtube video: Changemakers of Bodoland
Link to the LinkedIn Post: Changemakers of Bodoland
10th December, 2025: Eco-City Regions Team Participates in Viksit UP for Viksit Bharat 2047 Urban Vision Conference
Avirat Inamdar from WRI India participated in the Viksit UP for Viksit Bharat 2047 conference on Urban Vision convened by the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (DULB) in Lucknow, where he moderated a session on Integrated Urban Planning alongside senior representatives from the Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, Asian Development Bank, and Deloitte.
Key thematic reflections from the conference emphasized the importance of aligning regional, city-level, and local planning to balance economic growth, ecological protection, mobility, and people-centric urban design; leveraging analytical tools such as land suitability assessment to support resilient and inclusive urban development; and advancing fit-for-purpose planning approaches responsive to the diverse trajectories of cities across Uttar Pradesh. The engagement contributed to ongoing dialogue on strengthening integrated planning frameworks and evidence-based decision-making for sustainable urban transformation in the state.
12th December, 2025: Work Order Issued for Nurpur Pond Rejuvenation – Phase I
Work order for Phase I of the Nurpur Pond rejuvenation was issued, with development work awarded to the L1 bidder, The Dakoha Co-operative Labour & Construction Society, Jalandhar.This milestone builds on WRI India’s partnership with the Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar (MCJ) and Jalandhar Smart City Limited (JSCL), initiated through a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding to advance ecological restoration and water-sensitive urban design in the city. Within this collaboration, Nurpur Pond was identified as a pilot site for implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS), leading to the current Phase I rejuvenation works.
18th December, 2026: Launch of the Bodoland Blog Series with blog on “Situating Bodoland: An Ecological, Cultural and Urbanization Profile”
The team published its first blog in the Bodoland knowledge series, titled Situating Bodoland, authored by Michael Islary, Paramjeet Chawla and Rejeet Mathews. The blog series draws on field insights, stakeholder engagements and ongoing research to examine Bodoland through varied lenses with focus on highlighting its unique governance, economy, ecology, culture and quality of life.
The inaugural blog provides an overview of Bodoland’s geographical setting, ecological richness, socio-cultural diversity, governance structure and climate vulnerabilities. It highlights the region’s dependence on natural-resource-based livelihoods, emerging development pressures, and the need to balance economic aspirations with ecological stewardship and social inclusion.
17-19th December, 2025: Submission of Small Cities Handbook Draft and Initiation of Workshop Approval – Uttar Pradesh
In December 2025, WRI India submitted the draft English version of the handbook, Principles and Practices for Urban Services in Small Cities of Uttar Pradesh, to the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (DULB) and the Project Management Unit. The submission marked a key milestone in advancing knowledge support for improving urban service delivery in smaller cities across the state.
Subsequent discussions with DULB and partner teams also initiated the formal approval process for organizing the Launch and Capacity Building Workshop for the handbook, while exploring the continuation of institutional collaboration through extension of the WRI India–Urban Development Department MoU.
These steps collectively progressed the transition from knowledge development to capacity building and on-ground implementation support in Uttar Pradesh’s small and aspirational cities.
5th January, 2026: Presentation of Peri-Urban Final Report to the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
The Peri-Urban Final Report prepared by WRI India was presented to the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in January 2026, alongside three additional studies completed by the State Planning Commission over the past year.
Commissioned by the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, the study aimed to map peri-urban areas and develop a sustainable urban management framework. It adopted a holistic, sustainability-focused methodology integrating spatial analysis, policy review, secondary literature assessment, and stakeholder consultations to understand peri-urban transitions. Growth patterns were mapped using GIS and remote sensing, governance and service delivery gaps were assessed through policy analysis and stakeholder engagement, and findings were validated through a pilot application in Coimbatore. Insights from state and local officials informed the development of a context-specific framework, while also highlighting data and administrative boundary limitations that shape peri-urban planning processes.
Building on this work, WRI India continues to engage with state institutions to support improved monitoring of peri-urban growth, strengthen evidence-based planning, and inform future policy, fiscal, and infrastructure decision-making aligned with emerging spatial development patterns in Tamil Nadu.
16th January, 2026: WRI India team signs Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The Eco-City Regions team went to Jalandhar to advance on-ground coordination, identify local partners, and initiate early implementation discussions related to upcoming ecological restoration and livelihoods-linked interventions. Key engagements undertaken during the visit included:
• Engagement with the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) City Livelihood Centre Project Management Unit (PMU), including discussions with Ms. Rehana Parveen on livelihoods convergence and community-level implementation pathways.
• Strategic consultation with the NULM Mission Manager, Ms. Gurdeep Kaur, to explore institutional alignment and programme integration opportunities.
• Interaction with the Self-Help Group (SHG) coordination focal point at the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) to assess mechanisms for community mobilisation and inclusion.
• Meeting with Pehel NGO, an organisation with over three decades of experience working with women and youth, to identify potential collaboration for social outreach and capacity-building.
• Technical review meeting with the Dakoha contractor team, Junior Engineer Mr. Karthik, and Ms. Pooja from Lemnion Solutions to discuss implementation timelines and component-wise design principles.
• Formalisation of partnership through MoU signing with the Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar (MCJ) Commissioner, Mr. Sandeep Rishi, and Mr. Surjit Saini.
The extension of this Memorandum of Understanding supports continued alignment across institutional, technical, and community stakeholders necessary for the next phase of implementation in Jalandhar.
22-23rd January, 2026: Capacity Building Workshop for the Urban Services for Small Cities Handbook – Uttar Pradesh
Under the Uttar Pradesh Aspirational Cities Programme, WRI India, in collaboration with the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (DULB), Government of Uttar Pradesh, initiated the formal introduction of the Urban Services for Small Cities Handbook with planners and practitioners through a state-level capacity building workshop.
Following submission of the executive summary and proposal to the PMU and Scheme Director office, the workshop received the necessary institutional approvals and was scheduled for 6 February 2026. Subsequent stakeholder consultations supported finalization of the workshop agenda, thematic focus areas, and participant outreach, with an emphasis on strengthening capacity and improving urban service delivery in smaller and aspirational cities. In parallel, discussions have commenced on the next phase of engagement, which aims to identify select Urban Local Bodies where handbook principles can be operationalized and demonstrated through a principles-to-practice approach.
28th January, 2026: Consultation with Tamil Nadu State Finance Commission on rural urban transition study
Mr. Raj P Bhagat, from WRI India team member was invited to participate in a discussion convened by the Tamil Nadu State Finance Commission in January 2026. During the meeting, findings from WRI India’s peri-urban report were presented and received positively by the Commission.
The Commission noted that the spatial mapping methodology adopted in the study would be valuable for continuous monitoring of peri-urban growth. Insights from the report are expected to support the Commission in refining the objectives of its forthcoming work on peri-urban areas, particularly in generating practical inputs to better align revenue potential, service delivery expectations, infrastructure provisioning, and fiscal decision-making with observed spatial growth patterns.
30th January, 2026: Biodiversity Mapping and Baseline Environmental Assessment at Nurpur Pond
Post kickoff meetings held in mid-January, Biodiversity mapping and water sampling activities were undertaken at the Nurpur Pond site, with on field support maintained by Vaibhav Ahuja and Tanya Chawla from the WRI India team. Prior to site implementation, the pond and surrounding areas are being systematically documented to support baseline ecological assessment. Accompanying the same, the team is trying to understand the connection of the contiguous areas, villages and communities as well as the social and spatial organisation of settlements and enterprises in and around the neighbourhood. Primary focus was on:
· Identification of a diverse range of flora and fauna species by subject experts, with detailed documentation underway.
· Collection of water samples for baseline water quality assessment.
· Community interactions with villager residents to gather historical insights related to the pond ecosystem.
Preliminary ecological observations indicate the presence of over 35 floral species (with grass sample collection expected within a week), more than 25 bird species—including hoopoe, kingfisher, and black kite—along with 4–5 snake species, including the checkered keelback. Dissolved oxygen detected in all sampled water bodies suggests suitability for aquatic fauna, supported by the collection of zooplankton and phytoplankton samples for laboratory identification. While fish and molluscan communities were not directly observed during this visit, ecological indicators suggest potential presence and scope for restoration following rejuvenation. Soil quality assessment is planned as the next step in establishing the environmental baseline for the site.
