Fpic Indian Cities Report Final Report Web

INDIAN CITIES
Key findings from applying a future proofing approach in Bangalore and Madurai
March 2015
Atkins in partnership with
Notice
WS Atkins International Ltd assumes no responsibility to any other
party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this
document and/or its contents.
This document is an output from a project funded by the UK
Department for International Development (DFID) and the
Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation
(DGIS) for the benefit of developing countries. However, the views
expressed and information contained in it are not necessarily those
of or endorsed by DFID, DGIS or the entities managing the delivery
of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network*, which can
accept no responsibility or liability for such views, completeness or
accuracy of the information or for any reliance placed on them.
2014, All rights reserved
* The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a
project funded by the UK Department for International Development and
the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)
and is led and administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Management
of the delivery of CDKN is undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, and an alliance of organisations including Fundacin Futuro
Latinoamericano, INTRAC, LEAD International, the Overseas Development
Institute, and South South North.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the teams within Madurai Municipal
Corporation for their immense support and assistance without which
this report would not be possible. We would particularly like to
thank Dr. Kathiravan Chinnathambi (IAS), Mr Mathuram (MMC) and
the participants in the workshops held in Chennai and Madurai for
their feedback and support during the development of this report.
We would also like to thank the Mr Phanindra Reddy (IAS) and
participants at the State level round tables held in Chennai August
2013 and November 2014.
This project was financed by the Climate Development Knowledge
Network. The authors wish to thank CDKN and other stakeholders
who were consulted in the preparation of this report for their
comments, suggestion and insights. In Bangalore we would like to
thank H.M. Ravindra Deputy Chief Engineer and S.M. Ramakrishna
Additional Chief Engineer (Revenue) Bangalore Water Supply and
Sewerage Board (BWSSB) as well as participants who agreed to be
interviewed and take part in the roundtable workshop meetings.
INDIAN CITIES
Key findings from applying a future proofing approach in Bangalore and Madurai
March 2015
ii | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
About the project partners
Atkins
Atkins is one of the worlds leading infrastructure and design companies, with the depth
and breadth of technical expertise to respond to the worlds most complex infrastructure
and environmental challenges. These include responding to the increasing rate of
urbanisation and the urgent transition to a low carbon economy. Atkins works with
municipal authorities, national and regional government, development agencies, private
sector companies, and other stakeholders to develop and implement strategic plans
and investment projects to shape and manage the future growth of cities. With over
17,000 employees worldwide, Atkins is able to bring together its technical knowledge
across a wide range of disciplines such as transport, water, energy, design, architecture,
climate science, ecology, planning, and economics to help cities and those investing
in them to act upon the long term opportunities and challenges of resource use and a
changing climate. Our international work spans Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East
and North America. Through our Carbon Critical initiative Atkins has developed a
range of bespoke tools to reduce the carbon emissions associated with major urban
infrastructure programmes including a low carbon masterplanning tool to reduce city
carbon footprints.
University College London (UCL): Development Planning Unit

UCL is one of only three UK universities in the top 20 in the 2011 Shanghai Jiao Tong
world rankings, and in the latest research assessment exercise UCL was rated third
overall in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. The Bartlett Development Planning
Unit (DPU) is internationally recognised for its academic and professional contributions
in relation to city development in the developing world in active collaboration with
partner institutions and researchers in the Global South. It is concerned with promoting
sustainable forms of development, understanding rapid urbanisation and encouraging
innovation in the policy, planning and management responses to the economic, social
and environmental development of urban areas, giving emphasis to social justice,
participatory local governance and poverty reduction. The key distinctive features of
the DPU are its commitment to action research and its focus on rapidly urbanising areas
in the developing world. The DPU maintains a wide network of partner organisations
in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and South and Southeast Asia working on
sustainable cities.
The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)

The IIHS based in Bangalore, is a national education institution committed to the
equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements. IIHS aims to
establish an independently funded and managed National University for Research and
Innovation focused on the challenges and opportunities of Indias urban transition. IIHS
has also been designated a National Resource Centre (NRC) by the Ministry of Housing
and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
DHAN Foundation
The Development of Humane Action (DHAN) Foundation is a professional development
organisation founded in 1997. It brings highly motivated, educated young women
and men to the development sector, to focus on the mission of Building people and
institutions for development innovations and scaling up to enable the poor communities
for poverty reduction and self-reliance. The work of DHAN is rooted in values, such as
Grassroots action, Collaboration, Enabling, Innovation, Excellence, and Self-Regulation.
DHANs purpose includes the promotion of new ideas on development themes such as
microfinance, small scale irrigation, dry land agriculture, and working with Panchayats;
ensuring that quality benefits reach a large number of poor; and providing the
opportunity for young professionals in the development sector to practice and develop
relevant knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for long term work.
00
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | i
Glossary and abbreviations
iii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
vii
Introduction

What did the approach involve?
What are the entry points for applying ans scaling the approach
ix
x
xiv
01 INTRODUCING FUTURE PROOFING

Introduction
03
Future proofing cities
05
Report overview
07
Why these cities?
08
Introduction to Madurai
10
Introduction to Bangalore
13
02 KEY LESSONS: FUTURE PROOFING PROCESS

Lessons from applying a future proofing approach
19
Process for adapting future proofing to a city context
20
03 KEY LESSONS: IMPROVING INTEGRATION USING BLUE-GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

The opportunity: Madurai
30
The opportunity: Bangalore
31
How did the approach work in each city?
36
04 MOVING FROM PLAN TO IMPLEMENTATION
39
05 LESSONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SCALING THE APPROACH

Summary of lessons and implications for scaling the approach

51
Future proofing as a means for shaping smart cities in India
55
What are the entry points for applying and scaling the approach?
57
CONTENTS
Hanoi, Vietnam
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | iii
Glossary and
abbreviations
Glossary of Terms
Adaptation to climate change: Adjustment in natural
or human systems (e.g. cities) in response to actual or
expected climate hazards or their effects. It moderates
harm or exploits beneficial opportunities of climate
change. Various types of adaptation can be distinguished,
including anticipatory, autonomous and planned
adaptation.
Climate change: The United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate
change as a change of climate which is attributed directly
or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition
of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to
natural climate variability observed over comparable time
periods.
Agglomeration economies: Relates to the benefits firms

obtain when locating near each other or agglomerating.
This concept is related to economies of scale and network
effects. As more firms cluster together they usually take
advantage of declining production costs, more suppliers
and more customers. Cities and specifically urbanisation
promote economies of agglomeration.
Compact city: A high density urban settlement with

mixed land uses and access to an efficient public transports
system. The efficient urban layout encourages walking and
cycling, low energy consumption and reduced pollution.
Blue-green infrastructure services: represent the

sum of natural and manmade infrastructure covering
the hydrological cycle (blue infrastructure), natural
habitat, ecosystems and urban greenspace (green
infrastructure). The approach to blue-green infrastructure
adopts a systems view in order to identify the links
and interconnections between issues in order to avoid
disbenefits and help to maximise win-wins. By taking this
approach wider range of socioeconomic and quality of life
benefits can be delivered.
Capacity to act: There is a wide range of definitions
according to the specific context. We define this as a
citys capacity and willingness to respond positively to
environmental risks. This is shaped by the economic
and institutional attributes of a city and its actors, which
determine the degree of its capability to respond to risks.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS): Technology that
attempts to capture carbon dioxide originating from fossil
fuel use (power generation and other industries) and then
pump underground into secure storage in rock formations.
Catalytic Financing: The process whereby official
financing from an agency (often the government)
encourages further financing (often from the private
sector).
Climate hazards: Refers to the risks posed by natural
climatic processes and are often exacerbated by climate
change. For example: flooding, cyclones and landslides.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): A flexible
mechanism that provides for emissions reduction projects
which generate Certified Emission Reduction units.
Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response
(DPSIR): This is a conceptual framework for considering
the interactions between society and the environment
that is used to highlight gaps in knowledge, processes and
linkages between human and environmental systems.
Ecosystem services: The benefits people receive from
ecosystems including products like clean drinking water
and processes such as the decomposition of wastes.
Externalities: An economic term describing a cost or
benefit that is not transmitted through the price of an
action and is incurred by a party who was not involved as
either a buyer or a seller of the action causing the cost or
benefit. An example would a non-car user suffering from
the pollution caused by car users.
Geospatial: A term describing the analysis of data using a
geographical base.
Greenhouse gas emissions: Emissions from the burning
of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement and include
carbon dioxide produced during the consumption of solid,
liquid, and gas fuels and fas flaring.
Green infrastructure: Refers to an interconnected
network of natural and green man-made features, such
as forests, extensive grasslands, wetlands, but in cities also
parks, gardens, cemeteries, trees at streets, green walls
and roofs.
Gini co-efficient: the extent to which the distribution
of income or assets (such as land) among individuals or
households within an economy deviates from a perfectly
equal distribution.
Groundwater table: The level of the water located
beneath the earths surface. Often depleted by wells,
irrigation and poor water management.
iv | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
Informal settlements: Term often used to describe a

slum or shanty town. Often areas where groups of housing
units have been constructed on land that the occupants
have no legal claim to or occupy illegally. They are often
unplanned where the housing is not in a compliance with
current planning and building regulations.
Triple-Win solutions: In the context of this report,

policies and programmes that deliver multiple
environmental benefits by (1) reducing carbon emissions
and energy use; (2) responding to climate hazards; and (3)
reducing pressures on regional support systems such as
water and food systems and natural habitat.
Lock-in: As escalating commitment to an ineffective

course of action that is extremely difficult or impossible to
deviate from.
Urban: Used as a collective term to fit with the different

country specific definitions of cities and towns.
Low carbon urban trajectory: An alternative

development pathway that reduces carbon emissions
versus a business-as-usual trajectory.
Mitigation (to climate change): An anthropogenic
intervention to reduce the anthropogenic forcing of the
climate system. It includes strategies to reduce greenhouse
gas sources and emissions and enhancing greenhouse
gas sinks.
Multi-dimensional poverty (MDP): Measure that
aggregates a range of indicators (e.g. health, education,
income) of human wellbeing to capture the complexity
of poverty.
Natural resources: Naturally occurring resources used by
humans. Natural resources can include, amongst others,
air, water, wood, and fossil fuels.
Peri-urban: Land that is immediately adjoining an
urban area.
Resilience: The ability of a social or ecological system
to absorb disturbances while retaining the same basic
structure and ways of functioning, the capacity for selforganisation and the capacity to adapt to stress
and change.
Risk: There are a wide range of definitions of risk
depending on the context reflecting the very different
approaches to risk management taken in different
approaches to risk management taken in different fields.
In the context of this report, we refer to risk broadly as the
potential that the activities of cities which drive carbon
emission and pressure on natural resources and events in
the form of climate hazards and external pressures on the
resources used by cities will have an undesirable impact.
The Global South: A generic term generally used
to describe countries with a medium or low Human
Development Index score, which is a comparative measure
of life expectancy, literacy, education, standards of living,
and quality of life for countries worldwide.
Urban catchment: Area surrounding a city that supplies

water, food, and other ecosystems services.
Urban densification: Is a term used to describe the
number of people living within an urbanised area. Often
measured in the number of people in a given area.
Concept closely linked to urban sustainability in theories
such as New Urbanism, Transit-oriented development and
smart growth.
Urbanisation: Is the physical growth of urban areas as a
result of rural migration and even suburban concentration
into cities. Often linked with modernisation, development
and industrialisation.
Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect: The increased
temperature of the urban air compared to its rural
surroundings. The difference is particularly stark at night.
Urban sprawl: The outwards spreading of a city through
the expansion of low-density development that increases
car usage.
Vulnerability: A variety of definitions exist according
to the specific context. In the context of this report
we define vulnerability as the degree to which a city
and its inhabitants are susceptible to and are likely to
be detrimentally impacted by the stresses and shocks
associated with climate change, resource scarcities,
and damage to vital ecosystems. The United Nations
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines
vulnerability as the characteristics and circumstances of
a community, system or asset that make it susceptible to
the damaging effects of a hazard. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change defines vulnerability to climate
change as the degree to which a system is susceptible
to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate
change, including climate variability and extremes.
Win-win solutions: In the context of this report, policies
and programmes they deliver multiple environmental
benefits by contribution to two of the three out of the
following objectives: (1) reducing carbon emissions and
energy use; (2) responding to climate hazards; and (3)
reducing pressures on regional support systems such as
water and food systems and natural habitat.
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | v
Abbreviations used
IT Information Technology
BAU Business As Usual
ITS Intelligent Transport System
BEE Bureau of Energy Efficiency
JNNSM Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission
BRT Bus Rapid Transport
JNNURM Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban

Renewable Mission
BWSESMP Bangalore Water Supply and Environmental

Services Master Plan
kWh KiloWatt hour
BWSSB Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
CAC Command and Control
LPA Local Planning Authority
CDM Clean Development Mechanism
LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas
CDP City Development Plan
MLD Million Litres per Day
CER Certified Emission Reduction
MLPA Madurai Local Planning Authority
CGC City Coordination Group
MoEF The Ministry of Environment and Forests
CMA Chennai Management Authority
MMC Madurai Municipal Corporation
CMA Commissionerate of Municipal Administration
MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
CMCs City Municipal Corporations
Mw Mega Watts
CNG Compressed Natural Gas
NAPCC National Action Plan on Climate Change
CO2e CO2 Equivalent (Impact of greenhouse gases

expressed interns of CO2)
NMT Non Motorised Transport

NRW Non-Revenue Water
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
NTAG National Technical Advisory Group
CVTC City Volunteers Technical Corps
PV Photo Voltaics (Solar panels)
CTAG City Technical Advisory Group
PWD Public Works Department
DPR Detailed Project Report
SEZs Special Economic Zones
DTCP Directorate of Town and Country Planning
SPV Special Purpose Vehicle
ECBC Energy Conservation Building Code
TCE Thiyagarajarrajar College of Engineering
EE Energy Efficiency
TERI The Energy and Resources Institute
ESCO Energy Service Company
TMC Thousand Million Cubic Feet
FAR Floor Area Ratio
TNDE Tamil Nadu Department of Environment
FSI Floorspace Index
TNEB Tamil Nadu Electricity Board
GDP Gross Domestic Product
TNHB Tamil Nadu Housing Board
GEF Global Environment Facility
TNSCB Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board
GHG Greenhouse Gases
TNSTA Tamil Nadu State Transport Authority
GRIHA Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment
TNUDF Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund
Ha Hectares
HPEC High Powered Expert Committee
TNUIFSL Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial

Services Limited
ICF International Climate Funds
TNWSB Tamil Nadu Water and Sanitation Board
IDFC Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation
UFW Unaccounted for Water
IGBC Indian Green Building Council
UIDSSMT Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for

Small and Medium Towns
IHSDP Integrated Housing and Slum

Development Programme
INCCA Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment
INR/Rs Indian Rupees
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
UIDSST Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme in

Satellite Towns
ULB Urban Local Body
vi | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | vii
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
viii | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | ix
Introduction
Introduction
Why these cities?
A new approach to future proofing

planning has been piloted in two very
different cities leading to different results
in each. What explains the differences?
And what can we learn for other cities?
Bangalore and Madurai face significant

environmental risks to their future
prosperity, there was strong potential to
build on existing momentum for action,
and the consortium partners have strong
existing relationships1.The two proposed
Indian cities span different urban types
in the Atkins-UCL Future Proofing
report based on the most significant
environmental risks they face. The cities
also differ in their capacity to respond
to risks based on the strength of their
urban economies, governance, planning
and delivery capabilities, providing
opportunities to better understand how
varying capacity shapes policy responses
to future proofing.
The project has helped both cities to

develop an action plan to help them
respond to climate hazards and promote a
transition to a low carbon economy while
reducing poverty and catalysing economic
development.
A process of future proofing cities

was used to engage stakeholders
to review current and future risks
and challenges facing cities and
to develop solutions which chart a
clear way forward. The project has
placed a special emphasis is placed
on supporting and enhancing locally
owned policy processes. The results
of the project and future proofing
approach to enabling integration is
directly relevant to the 100 Smart
Cities programme in India and
possible opportunities and entry
points for other cities considering
integrated approaches to planning for
development.
Other potential options include Surat, Mysore, and

Bhubaneswar which are cities which face a wide
range of environmental risks with strong potential to
build on existing work to initiate a process of future
proofing urban development plans.
x | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
What did the approach

involve?
The project focused on three components:

First, preparing a city diagnostic analysing
the climate and energy risks and the
implications of these risks now and in the
future considering people and patterns
of vulnerability, infrastructure provision
which could help address the risks and
governance capacity of city institutions
and stakeholders. Second, based on the
priorities identified an Action plan was
developed addressing key priorities. Finally
the lessons of piloting the approach
were identified which are summarised in
this report.
The project was undertaken as a
partnership between institutions in each
city and the project team in an ongoing
dialogue. Project partners from both cities
were involved to enable the process of
ongoing engagement.
Key lesssons
Moving from plan to implementation
The report draws together 13 key lessons

drawn from how the process worked in
practice in these two pilots examining
differences between the cities and what
this could mean for future practice in
terms of how the process could be further
developed and refined.
8. Blue-green infrastructure is a useful

focus to prioritise critical system
links and identify issues should
be addressed
Process of applying future proofing

1. Using multi-stakeholder dialogues
to explore the urban diagnostic and
develop action plans is an effective
way of supporting partners to define
shared priorities and goals
2. A flexible approach is needed to adjust
the process and focus of the project to
maximise the impact of engagement
3. Using local actors and language
is important to help create an
active dialogue
9. Establishing partnerships and

processes for co-ordination is a useful
way to bridge between strategy and
implementation
10. Using plans to make the case for
funding and mobilising local resources
represents a key measure of success
for cities
11. Support is needed from state and
national government support to
develop and adopt policy and
regulatory frameworks to help enable
effective action
4. Combining different perspectives

helps to improve understanding of the
problem and develop new solutions
Improving integration using bluegreen infrastructure planning
5. Future proofing concepts can bring a
new frame of reference to
inform planning
6. Evidence used in the right way can
convince and mobilise change
7. Focussing at the city scale is
important to gain support for climate
change action
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | xi
Key conclusions
Role and value of future proofed
planning
The project found that the future

proofing approach has value to both
cities by bringing a new frame of
reference to planning. The benefit
of adopting a long term planning
horizon and recognising problems
and challenges as complex and
interconnected contrasts with a
traditional planning processes which
result in sector focused plans which
do not effectively tackle the issues
because of the narrow focus.
Improved solutions by considering

the interconnections between
issues and focusing on climate risks
and vulnerability. Recognising trends
relating to urbanisation and climate
and resource risks in the context of
patterns of vulnerability to these
risks helped to identify the pathways
through risks were transmitted
(using the concept of blue-green
infrastructure). This brought a focus on
networks and pressure points in those
networks where actions should be
prioritised. This was seen as new and
there was a shared view that this type
of perspective was necessary.
A practical focus was needed for

the value of future proofing to be
recognised. This required a focus on
short and medium term actions which
can deliver the results in parallel with
developing actions to tackle long term
issues. The capacity of government
institutions at local level is limited in
terms of the number of people able to
help drive forward programmes and

the range of appropriately skilled staff
among the second run of technical
cadres able to undertake technical
work and facilitate co-ordination
across sectors and develop solutions.
Additional support is likely to

be required to institutionalise
the approach more widely. As a
new initiative, it is unlikely that an
approach to future proofing would
take place in cities without such
capacity unless support is provided
to help enable such an approach.
Technical expertise along with support
to activate and institutionalise the
process is necessary to support
plan making and plan delivery on a
sustainable basis. Formalised systems
and approaches would be required
for approach to be scaled widely.
Bringing external technical and
academic experts from outside of the
city had the benefit of being able to
challenge existing thinking and help
to identify and activate a stakeholder
engagement process able to support
the development of integrated plans.
would be needed to inform specific

projects. Case studies were used to
explore in more depth the implications
of the diagnostic findings at local level.
Differences between the approach
used to data gathering in both cities
highlighted that fully engaging
knowledge partners through the
data gathering process by discussing
emerging findings and triangulating
between data sources can be a more
effective strategy than viewing the
exercise as a technical exercise. The
importance of presenting findings
visually (through photos and maps/
aerial photographs) was effective in
reaching non-technical audiences.
The lack of locally available climate

data was not a barrier to strategy
development but would be required
to inform the approach to future
planning in the city and potential
options for major capital projects
under consideration. In the context
of uncertainty many of the actions
identified in both plans were focused
on building resilience and addressing
service gaps.
The perspective of blue-green

Data gathering and framing
the problems
In a context of limited data the

future proofing was successful
in building a sufficient picture to
enable strategy development at a
city wide scale, including identifying
key priorities and the opportunities
to tackle these issues in a combined
way. The action plans highlighted
the data gaps where additional work
infrastructure was helpful in

relating issues of local, city wide
and wider significance to one
another and help stakeholders
appreciate their position, and sense
of ownership of the problem and the
potential stake in developing effective
solutions. The level of buy in each city
developed during the process was
critical in defining how the boundaries
to the action plan could be defined.
The focus of the project in Bangalore
xii | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
on the water supply and sewage board

highlighted that the outputs could
be used to inform not only planning
but also possible service delivery and
operational improvements within
the context of competing private
water supply and sanitation services
providers.
Using multi-stakeholder dialogues in
the process of action planning
The project explored the extent to
whether an integrated planning approach
can work in an environment where
institutional structures and mandates
to enable such an approach are not
fully aligned.
Integrated planning processes are

likely to have the greatest impact
where a regulatory framework,
effective governance and
institutional structures, capacity,
working practices and platforms
are in place promote such an
approach. These conditions were
not in fully in place and the project
explored how a process of future
proofing could be used to help create
the conditions to enable such an
approach.
Taking a patient approach is

needed to maximise the impact
of engagement. Without a fully
established and institutionalised
approach, leadership is a critical
resource to align and mobilise
stakeholders and help steer the
process.Changes in the political
environment and senior technical/
administrative leaders meant that
there were variations in the level of
support over the course of the project

leading to lack of traction or loss of
momentum. Strategies to engage
and re-engage key stakeholders were
necessary. Madurai benefitted from
support for the project from State
level officials at the initiation and
completion of the project which was a
critical factor in gaining endorsement
for the plan.
A range of potential strategies

were identified to help enable
an integrated approach where
full leadership and buy in across
stakeholders is not in place
including preliminary activities to
create the conditions for integrated
planning, interlinking sector related
plans, using data as a focus for
mobilising technical stakeholders and
concentrating on building or scaling
community based activities.
The diagnostic process of

gathering and combining data
was helpful in bringing together
partners and stakeholders to
identify shared priorities. This
action planning process was directed
towards overcoming silos among
government stakeholders and to help
create an environment for ongoing
multi-stakeholder action (although
support will be required to assist this
process). In Bangalore, impact of the
approach was more limited as the
conditions were not in place for this
project to forge a partnership across
a wide range of stakeholders at State
and metropolitan level. In addition the
methods used to explore community
scale actions were different in both
cities.
The involvement of a local and

actively engaged civil society partner
able to mobilise and engage nongovernmental stakeholders in Madurai
was critical in building and mobilising
platforms for multi stakeholder
dialogue. The use of social media
and community events such as the
Madurai symposium and water
walks helped to build and maintain
momentum for action. Using local
languages to undertake dialogues was
helpful in creating an active dialogue
among local stakeholders.
Strategy to action
Targeting support to develop

medium and long term actions in
parallel with normal annual and
short term 3-5 year planning and
budget cycles and the assorted
short term project focus would
be necessary to enable a move
towards a more integrated
and long term approach. The
integrated strategies developed for
both cities were multifaceted taking
programmatic view of the actions
necessary to build up over time (taking
a 15-17 year time horizon). The range
of actions within each action plan
incorporated components including
technical feasibility, capacity building
and strengthening social capital
actions along with actions relating to
planning and governance including
regulations. Some of the actions are
new and non-routine and require
capacities to be developed as part
of the project. In addition, the scope
of the plans requires multi-agency
engagement to effectively tackle the
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | xiii
issues (and overcome institutional

silos). Considering the existing
organisational cultures and highly
sector focused approach in place at
present, in both cities a need was
identified to build capacity for coordination and establish an effective
governance framework.
The process used for this project

does not require changes to
regulations in order for the plans
to be effective as the strategy can
be linked to existing statutory
processes of plan making. The
preparation of a Green City Plan
linked to the process of the Madurai
Masterplan review and CDP was seen
as the process to extend the range of
future proofing urban development,
environmental and infrastructure
policies adopted as part of the
plan. BWSSB has responsibilities to
effectively deliver many of the projects
identified but engagement with other
metropolitan and State level bodies
will be needed to plans to gain support
proposals and resourcing will need to
be mobilised.
A programmatic approach
requires that national, state and
international donors view the
needs and proposals of cities
in new ways. For example, it is
unusual for city, state and national
authorities to view the investment
needs of cities taking a long term
perspective. Without breaking
programmes down into much smaller
components a programmatic approach
may be incompatible with the scale
of resources which can be drawn
down. In contrast a key issue which
international donors have reported is

that small to medium sized cities often
approach them with projects which are
too small to be funded by traditional
funding mechanisms. The transaction
cost is too high in comparison with
the value of projects and the scale
of finance sought is not suitable for
a range of typical financial products.
Gaining commitment to a long term
but flexible programme can help to
overcome the problem of continually
justifying projects and accessing
funding rather than focussing on roll
out and delivery.
To deliver major capital projects

there is a need to source external
finance to support investment. The
level and value of revenue which could
be mobilised from local taxes and user
charges in support of loans for capital
investment is limited. As a result,
grants or loans from state or national
government and/or supporting cofinance from the private sector or
multilateral and bi-lateral international
financial institutions donors is required.
The capacity and authority to broker
and guarantee rests at State and
National government and requires
appropriate political support at these
levels in addition to agreement at
urban local body level.
The process for accessing

funding by engaging possible
donors, applying for funding and
potentially taking a project to
financial close is a long process and
requires sustained commitment
and resources. The need for a
funding strategy and support to at
least access initial project preparation
and challenge fund facilities is a key

need for those cities which do not
have a track record in gaining the
support of donors. Enabling State level
bodies to act as sponsors and work
with cities could provide an effective
mechanism to enable take up of the
support which is available.
xiv | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
What are the entry points for

applying and scaling the approach?
What can cities and State level
governments do?
Cities can start to implement a future
proofing approach by considering their
existing position in connection with
policy and plan making, people and
partnerships, finance and key events.
State and national government agencies
also have an important role to play in
guiding and shaping action.
Policy and plan making
Use State Level Climate Change

Action Plans as a starting point for
considering the issues facing the city
and building support.
Review/undertake state urbanisation

reviews and strategies to understand
existing patterns of development.
Use the preparation or review of the

City Development Plan (CDP) as to
build in climate change considerations
into planning. Future proofing can
identify the components and policies
required.
The preparation of a Detailed Project

Report (DPR) can provide a catalyst
for considering opportunities for
addressing climate risks and reducing
impacts on vulnerable communities
in advance of a more comprehensive
strategic planning exercise.
Within established legal and regulatory

frameworks room should be made for
innovation of processes and allow for
new solutions to be piloted.
People and Partnerships
City leaders political and

administrative should create
opportunities for dialogue to
breakdown silos within and between
organisations. This could take the
form of knowledge sharing sessions
and group challenges to promote
collaborative behaviours.
Awareness raising this should be

integral to the process and engage
the whole community providing
opportunities for people to play
an active part. Use of social media,
community sensitisation through city
walks to key problem areas as well as
traditional communication methods
should be used. Local community
based initiatives can be used to build
momentum and support for longer
term projects.
State and Urban local bodies

should understand civil society and
non-governmental projects and
programmes which are active in their
jurisdiction. Scaling the impact of
existing community programmes and
projects could represent an early win
opportunity to scale or broaden quickly
and embed city partnerships.
The national law for larger firms to

contribute 1% of their revenue to CSR
activities represents an opportunity
to engage the private sector and
local Chamber of Indian Industry (CII)
chapters.
Knowledge and learning partnerships

engaging relevant faculties within local
universities and joining city peer to
peer networks provide opportunities
for exchanging information and ideas
on what works.
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | xv
Finance
Budgeting the annual budgeting

process provides an opportunity to
consider how expenditure can be
directed to achieve multiple goals
as well as consider opportunities for
revenue generation to finance plans.
Participatory budgeting processes
and tools could be used as a way of
opening up a discussion of how to
improve the effectiveness of spending.
Grant funds and challenge funds

Many international organisations and
philanthropic organisations have grant
or challenge fund programmes. The
prospect of funding could provide
the impetus to take forward pilot
projects and small scale planning and
community led initiatives.
Climate Finance. The Green Climate

Fund and other international climate
funds are directed towards supporting
loan and grant instruments which are
targeted towards addressing climate
mitigation and or adaptation actions.
By framing infrastructure programmes
to incorporate climate risks at the
same time as addressing existing gaps
and future needs can enable access
to this source of funding to establish
more effective and future proofed
projects.
National governmental programmes

A future proofing action plan can help
to make the case for attracting support
from national programmes and funds
such as those associated with the
National Urban Renewal Mission and
National Sustainable Habitat Mission
for example.
Using events and circumstances

to shift gear
India is subjected to climate related

extreme weather events each year
including flooding. While unfortunate,
these events can often provide
a branching point or catalyst for
mobilising action to develop longer
term actions beyond disaster risk
reduction. Having a focus on particular
vulnerable or problem locations within
cities can also be helpful in developing
early win projects.
The opportunity for major new

development taking place as part of
a new township or rehabilitation of
an existing community can provide
a platform for taking an integrated
approach to tackling issues at a
comprehensive level.
Political change can provide a basis for

shaping plans and projects.
xvi | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
Actions for National and State

Governments
A guiding hand
National and State level governments

should provide leadership and support
for building effective cross sector
co-operation between State and
Urban local bodies for taking action.
Sometimes there could be a need to
help unblock issues and challenges
which may emerge. Higher level
agencies can help to align incentives
and align stakeholders to recognise the
shared value which may be developed
through a collaborative approach to
projects and actions.
Establishing the field of play through

establishing frameworks, regulations
and standards for embedding
processes and procedures can help
to institutionalise best practice.
Knowledge products and other
manuals and toolkits can help support
this process and enable programmes
to be scaled effectively.
National and state level institutions

will be responsible for defining and
administering programmes at city
level. In developing the metrics,
criteria and performance standards
for projects they can incentivise and
channel funding to help achieve smart
city and future proofing goals as well
as monitor and evaluate performance.
Institutional structures and

mechanisms which may be required
to enable implementation are likely
to require the support of national and
state level bodies who are also likely
to be responsible for formulating
and adopting regulations and their
approval.
Land reform is likely to be needed to

fully achieve a planned and sustainable
blue green infrastructure network in
order that goals for safeguarding at
risk areas and a more comprehensive
basis for planning and infrastructure
delivery can take place allowing
for appropriate land assembly and
compensation to take place. This issue
has received significant attention at
national level.
The CDKN website provides an

opportunity to explore the project further
and share your knowledge in how other
cities are tackling the issues.
http://cdkn.org/project/futureproofing-indian-cities/
State level bodies can support cities

in their thrust towards cross sector
working. They can change the terms
of the debate and ensure that all
relevant players are brought to the
table including the inclusion of nongovernmental partners. Through
application of policy at national level
they can ensure that city programmes
and projects are framed to deliver
climate change mitigation and
adaptation goals and alleviate poverty
in their design.
There is a role to play for a wide range
of other partners to enable cities to
take action to address the challenges
faced by meeting development needs
in combination with addressing climate
and resource challenges. Not only does
this include a wide range of actors at
city level including academia and civil
society but also multilateral and bi-lateral
development agencies, and international
philanthropic and non-governmental
organisations.
We hope that this project summary and
sharing our experiences of this project
has been helpful in exploring how
integrated planning approaches can be
used to address climate change at city
level. We would be interested to hear of
your experiences and issues faced and
the opportunities you see for promoting
integrated planning approaches.
01
Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | 01
INTRODUCING
FUTURE
PROOFING
02 | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report
Introduction
Project Rationale
A new approach to future proofing
planning has been piloted in two very
different cities leading to different results
in each. What explains the differences?
And what can we learn for other cities?
The project has helped both cities to
develop an action plan to help them
respond to climate hazards and promote a
transition to a low carbon economy while
reducing poverty and catalysing economic
development.
A process of future proofing cities was
used to engage stakeholders to review
current and future risks and challenges
facing cities and to develop solutions
which chart a clear way forward. The
project has placed a special emphasis
is placed on supporting and enhancing
locally owned policy processes.
In March 2013, Atkins, supported by the
Development Planning Unit of University
College London and the Indian Institute
of Human Settlements (IIHS) embarked on
a process of action planning with the city
authorities of Bangalore and Madurai. The
process, focussed on developing future
proofed urban strategies in both cities.
In Madurai we worked closely with
Madurai Municipal Corporation who has
been the client for the project as well as
Dhan Foundation who were local delivery
partners for the project. In Bangalore the
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage
Board have been the client and shaped
the direction of the project with IIHS.
The project was delivered in three stages.

Stages 1 & 2 were delivered at city
level and align with the future proofing
approach developed by Atkins and UCL.
Stage 3 focused on disseminating the
lessons learned (see Figure 1.1). This
approach was adapted and streamlined to
respond to the resources and timeframes
available for piloting the approach.
The pilots represent the first time the
approach had been applied at the city
level in India.
Why these cities?

prosperity, there was strong potential
to build on existing momentum for
action, and the consortium partners
have strong existing relationships.2 The
two Indian cities span different urban
types in the Atkins-UCL Future Proofing
to future proofing.
2. Other potential options include Surat, Mysore, and

PROJECT STAGE
FUTURE PROOFING METHODOLOGY STAGE
URBAN DIAGNOSTIC
STAGE 1
RISK: URBAN TYPE
URBAN DIAGNOSTIC
VULNERABILITY
CAPACITY TO ACT
Level of poverty and

inequality
Strength of basic
infrastructure and services
Urban form
Economy
Governance
Planning
Finance and delivery
IDENTIFICATION & APPRAISAL OF POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS

1. RISKS
ADDRESSED
2. ABILITY TO TARGET
VULNERABILITIES AND
CATALYSE ECONOMIC
GROWTH
Carbon emissions and

energy use
Urban poor
Climate change hazard risks
STAGE 2
CITY ACTION PLANS ON
SPECIFIC TOPIC AREA
Resource use and

ecosystems (water, food, land
use/agriculture, materials,
natural habitat)
Basic service delivery

Jobs, capital stock,
growth, competitiveness
3. CAPACITY
REQUIRED TO
IMPLEMENT
SOLUTIONS
Affordability (up-front
and lifecycle costs)
Strength and
legitimacy of governance
required
Planning capacity
required
Deliverability
4. IMPACT & COST EFFECTIVENESS
DISSEMINATION OF
KEY FINDINGS
5. ASSEMBLE POLICY PORTFOLIO

Policy complementarity and conflicts
Balance of transformational, transition, and
resilience measures
Sequencing
Figure 1.1 Overall approach to this project
Future proofing cities
This improved understanding can be used

to develop strategies and plans which
are more effective by ensuring that issues
are addressed together and considering
future changes rather than focusing on
individual sector focused interventions or
institutional development and capacity
building initiatives in isolation.
heat events
resource and ecosystem risks within

the city and its wider catchment e.g.
water scarcity, food security, and
damage to vital ecosystems due to
urban growth
energy use and carbon emissions
Rather than considering climate

adaptation, mitigation and resource and
ecosystems as separate issues. Looking at
the issues together to the beginning can
help to open up the potential for new
solutions to emerge which tackle multiple
issues together (refer to Figure 1.2).
The solutions developed through adopting
a Future proofing approach can maximise
the potential of action by responding
to the risks associated with issues such
as climate change, resource scarcities,
and damage to vital ecosystems but in a
way which catalyses broader economic
development, improves access to basic
services, and tackles urban poverty.
e.g. from transport, domestic and

commercial consumption, industry and
waste.
US E
RES
O
E
RC
S
SK
RI
ONS AND E
ISSI
NE
M
E
R
GY
ECOSYST
AND
EM
For example, water supply issues are

generally approached solely from
the perspective of identifying water
engineering solutions, with the potential
impacts on vulnerable groups, patterns
of development, food security and
flooding poorly understood. When
urban problems are approached in this
narrow way, solutions can sometimes be
ineffective, opportunities for generating
wider benefits are missed, or significant
unintended negative consequences
can occur.
climate risks e.g. flooding, extreme
CAR
BO
Future proofing has been developed as

an approach to address the issues and
challenges faced by cities in an integrated
manner to respond to the challenges
of urbanisation and climate change.
It considers the risks facing cities now
and in the future alongside current and
future patterns of vulnerability and the
capacity and potential for stakeholders
to act to address these issues. Figure
1.1 shows the components of a future
proofing approach.
The future proofing approach considers

the growth dynamics of the city in parallel
with the range of potential risks which
may impact its future development.
A future proofing approach involves
considering looking at three groups of
interrelated issues:
CLIM
AT
E
What is different about the

future proofing approach?
KS
IS
Figure 1.2 Future proofing approach: Integrated Assessment Framework

Source: Atkins
Developing a shared vision

In both cities a series of meetings and workshops were used to develop a shared
vision informed by the needs and aspirations expressed by government stakeholders
and communities.
A healthy city with functioning public infrastructures to eliminate incidence of

water and vector borne diseases.
Blue -green networks and ecosystems restored balance achieved between
The role of blue green

infrastructure
In this project the concept of the bluegreen infrastructure emerged as a way of
relating environmental and infrastructure
challenges to patterns of vulnerability at
a tangible level. The approach to bluegreen infrastructure adopts a systems
view in order to identify the links and
interconnections between issues in order
to avoid dis-benefits and help to maximise
win-wins. By taking this approach wider
range of socioeconomic and quality
of life benefits can be delivered. Bluegreen infrastructure services represent
the sum of natural and manmade
infrastructure covering the hydrological
cycle (blue infrastructure), natural habitat,
ecosystems and urban greenspace (green
infrastructure).
natural systems and communities re-establishing and strengthening the strong

historical relationship the city has had with water bodies and networks.
Needs of community addressed and mechanisms in place to support sustainable

growth and expansion of the city.
Better able to respond to the risks which may be presented by climate change by
extending strong partnerships at city scale and local level partnerships aligned with
the issues so they can be more effectively managed.
Benefits of a future
proofing approach
Building a profile or urban diagnostic
- of these key risks, in conjunction with
assessing the vulnerability and capacity
of local institutions and stakeholders
to respond to them can help to identify
implementable solutions which can
deliver multiple economic, social, and
environmental benefits. This differs
from most current approaches to urban
development which tend to focus on
targeting one or a few narrowly defined
objectives (e.g. city competitiveness,
green cities) rather than looking at
packages of complementary policies
which can meet multiple objectives. The
benefits for Madurai of developing this
approach include:
An explicit focus on how the city can

respond to four long run challenges resource security (e.g. water), resilience
to climate impacts, the move to a
low carbon economy, and protection
of ecosystems;
The identification of packages of

complementary policies in these
areas which can generate multiple
environmental, social, and economic
benefits, crucial in the context of
limited financial resources;
A focus on measures which respond to

the needs of the urban poor; and
The identification of measures which

can be implemented and driven
forward by stakeholders within the city
given current capacities.
looking beyond immediate solutions

to current problems by linking short,
medium and long term actions.
Report overview
proofing process to be effective and the

importance of multi-stakeholder
engagement and governance.
Section 4: Highlights how the integration
was approached in each city and how the
concept of the Blue-Green infrastructure
framework was used for identifying
and communicating the interrelated
links between issues to gain traction on
vulnerability and climate change risks
in parallel.
Section 5: Focuses on how implementing
the plan was addressed as part of the
strategy process. The key lessons of
combing and sequencing actions to
maximise benefits, making the case
for resources and forming effective
partnerships are highlighted. The
enabling role which national and
State level governments should play is
also highlighted including policy and
regulatory changes.
This report draws together the key
findings from applying the future proofing
approach in two cities and highlights
the implications for policy makers. It will
be of interest to city leaders in India at
national, state and local level including
technical teams, elected representatives
and civil society. The report will also be
of interest to international donors, city
leaders and others beyond India who wish
to understand the issues and challenges
in tackling climate change at city level
and lessons for implementing integrated
planning approaches.
Section 1: The remainder of this section
describes in more detail the Future
Proofing approach and provides an
overview to Bangalore and Madurai

including a comparison of the context and
issues faced. A summary is provided of
how the process was applied in each city
and the result.
Section 6: The final section draws

together the lessons and implications for
scaling the future proofing approach and
using integrated approaches to tackling
climate change in cities.
Section 2: Highlights the action planning

processes which has been used to develop
future proofing plans for both cities. The
process highlighted the opportunity in
both cities and helped to establish priority
areas to be the focus for future
proofing action.
A separate note has been prepared

which identifies the linkages between
this project and addressing Indias wider
urbanisation challenge including the
Government of India programme for 100
Smart cities. Key recommendations and
entry points for applying the approach are
given. This note can be accessed via the
CDKN and Atkins website.
Section 3: Focuses on the future

proofing process and lessons and key
findings which were drawn including
the conditions necessary for a future
Why these cities?

prosperity, there was strong potential to
build on existing momentum for action,
and the consortium partners have strong
existing relationships.3 The two proposed
Indian cities span different urban types
in the Atkins-UCL Future Proofing
to future proofing.
Criteria
Madurai
Bangalore
Total
population
More than 1m
More than 5m
population 2010
population 2010
Projected population
Projected population
2.2m x 2030
14.7m x 2030
Urban slum
population
24.9% (2011)
8.5% (2011)
Institutional
and
governance
A smaller number of State and

Urban Local Bodies.
Complex large number of

State and Urban Local Bodies.
Entry point
Madurai City Corporation was

the beneficiary and government
actor shaping the action plan
Bangalore Water Sewage

and Sanitation Board was the
leading government actor
shaping the action plan
Key
priorities
shared
Future proofing blue-green

Infrastructure to address climate
risks and build resilience
Lack of effective access to water

is seen as the highest priority
in Bangalore and an issue the
Bangalore Water Supply and
Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
wishes to tackle.
Encompassing:
Water resources management

(surface and ground water)
Water supply
Water quality
Sanitation
Solid waste management
Fluvial and pluvial flooding
Preservation of natural
ecosystems and provision of
greenspace.
Water availability
Water distribution to
reduce transmission and
distribution losses
Water quality and pollution

Surface water management
and water bodies
Long term water security

Pluvial flooding
For BWSSB Wastewater
management, leakage
reduction and proper
accounting for non-domestic
uses.
Source: Census 2011, GO1;

World urbanisation prospects 2014
3. Other potential options include Surat, Mysore, and

Table 1.1 Context for future proofing: Madurai and Bangalore compared
Criteria
Madurai
Bangalore
Governance
Capacity and resources within

Madurai Corporation have not
increased to match the level
of need and rate of growth of
the city.
Capacity and resources within

city institutions have not
increased to match the level of
need and rate of growth of the
city independent land owner
decisions drive the agenda.
Limited locally sourced financial

resources available.
Gaps in coordination between
State and Local Bodies
programmes and funding has led
to gaps in adequate provision.
Fragmentation between
responsibilities between
Tamil Nadu Water Supply and
Drainage, Madurai Corporation
Municipal Administration and
Water Supply Department and
Public Works Departments for
management of water supply
and distribution, groundwater
and surface water drainage, and
waste water and sanitation.
Links between the government
sector and civil society,
higher education and
private sector actors in the
city not fully coordinated to
consolidate action.
Gaps in the formulation and
coordination of plan making
across sectors as well as follow up
and enforcement.
Dependency on external
financial resources for
capital projects.
Mandate for planning and
governance is fractured
No single agency for
governance and planning
Responsibility for climate
change is not part of the official
mandate of Urban Local Bodies.
Conflict between various
institutional bodies hampers
effective planning and a
coordinated approach.
Lack of effective community
participation in planning.
Gaps in the formulation and
coordination of plan making
across sectors as well as follow
up and enforcement.
Introduction
to Madurai
This map is illustrative only and not intended to be

used for reference purposes and is not an authority
on issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction
Madurai is the second largest city in Tamil

Nadu. One of the oldest continuously
inhabited cities in the world, Madurai
developed on the fertile plain of the River
Vaigai and has been a major religious
centre and settlement for two millennia.
Today it is an important educational,
industrial and tourism hub, but retains
many remnants of its historic origins.
The urban diagnostic which was prepared
highlighted that Madurai is faces a wide
range of risks that will hinder future
economic growth and quality of life
unless action is taken soon to futureproof
Madurais development.
Future Stresses on the city

The city is growing rapidly, and is
expected to rise to over two million
people by 2031. This is already leading to
significant to pressures on infrastructure,
housing, and basic services. Currently it
is on track to locking itself into an energy
intensive, high carbon, and sprawled
development path.
The city is likely to be particularly
impacted by climate change. Madurai lies
in a warm-humid climatic zone, which
is hot and dry with intermittent and
irregular rainfall. Madurai sits within the
Vaigai Basin which already experiences
severe water stress. The expected increase
in average temperatures and rainfall
variability will lead to wide ranging effects
on many sectors, including food and
water systems, human health, buildings,
transport, energy and ecosystems.
Potential Impact
The issue of water scarcity affects the
whole city. Increasing demand for water
resources the city combined with poor
Madurai
water distribution infrastructure gives rise

to lack of access, intermittent supply and
falling groundwater reserves. The lack of
adequate sanitation means that existing
supplies are contaminated. Unless there
is investment to enable more efficient
water use and provision of infrastructure
to enable access to clean water and
sanitation this issue could constrain the
capability of Madurai to grow and prosper
in the future.
Climate impacts will have a
disproportionate impact on those living
in multi-dimensional poverty with a
significant proportion of the population
of Madurai living in slum areas. These
slum areas include some which lying
close to the Vaigai River channel which
will be increasingly prone to flooding,
and the lack of effective sanitation in all
slums is likely to lead to the spread of
communicable diseases.
Why it makes sense to focus on

blue green infrastructure
Analysis and consultations with a wide
range of state and city level stakeholders
highlighted that gaps in Madurais bluegreen infrastructure is perhaps the most
pressing challenge the city needs to tackle

safeguard its long term future.
The natural and man-made blue green
systems need to be viewed together
to develop a sustainable long term
solution. This is necessary because of
the interconnectedness of the network
of natural systems comprising rivers,
channel, canals, tanks, wetlands and
groundwater overlaid with water supply,
distribution and collection systems (which
are only partially developed).
Madurai Corporation has been committed
to delivering a universal water supply,
underground sewage system, improving
public health and ensuring the city
becomes slum free. However, the response
has previously focused on sector specific
actions which have been implemented
partially and not been effective in tackling
the problem. The different systems are
planned separately and are not well
adapted to respond to long term water
scarcity exacerbated by population growth
and climate change stresses.
In order to address these issues and
build the long term resilience of the
city, taking a blue-green infrastructure
approach by integrating the issues of

water resources management with the
management of urban growth (including
expansion and improving slum areas).
This meant looking at ground and surface
water management, water supply and
distribution, sanitation, drainage and
storm water management as well as links
to natural habitat, urban development
and energy use - all in the context of a
changing climate.
The stakeholders
The capacity of Madurai to respond to
the environmental risks to its growth and
prosperity is shaped by the strength of its
governance and planning structures, and
its ability to access, mobilise, and structure
financing to respond to identified risks.
The Madurai Municipal Corporation
(MMC) is the key organisation that
manages and/or coordinates most of the
city level services. MMC were the focal
point for the project who played a role in
requesting the technical support which
the project could offer.
The Corporation boundary has recently

been expanded to include a further 28
Wards around the edge of the city and
the Corporation now has responsibility for
meeting the deficit in infrastructure and
services to this area. Unlike many other
larger cities in India, all of the service
provision organisations are managed by
the Corporation. This means that Madurai
Municipal Corporation need to be at the
centre of bringing about action working
with other key stakeholders. However, the
capacity and resources of the city need to
be strengthened to respond to the scale
of the challenge.
Whilst the governance structures within
Madurai are not as fractured as some of
Indias larger cities, there are still a large
number of other agencies involved in
the planning, regulation, management,
funding and delivery of infrastructure and
urban development and a relative lack of
coordination between them on complex
technical issues.
Endorsement by a wide range of

stakeholders and formation of a city
partnership to support implementation.
The outcome in Madurai was an action
plan which was embraced by a diverse
range of city stakeholders. The plan is
now endorsed by both Madurai Municipal
Corporation and at State level.
The Commissioner and Chief engineer
met with the Principal Secretary for
Municipal Administration and Water
Supply Department (Tamil Nadu). The
plan was discussed and a commitment
was made to review progress of the plan
every three months and to use the plan
in conjunction with accessing state and
national funding channels. The plan has
also been discussed and endorsed by local
Corporators within the Municipality to
embed the plan locally.
A key part of the project was

comprehensive consultation with a
range of other stakeholders including
the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board,
the Local Planning Authority, State level
decision makers as well as a range of
local experts, academics, land owners
and other community organisations. This
engagement was used to significantly
strengthen the diagnostic analysis and
shape the development of the action plan.
Absolutely critical was the inclusion of
a local partner, the Dhan Foundation
as part of the project team. As well as
contributing technical knowledge, they
were able to bring together key public
sector stakeholders and connect them
with local community groups.
Commissioner launches the

Action Plan with Stakeholders
The result
The Corporation, working together with

other partners in the city, will form a new
city partnership and will use the plan to
enhance upcoming projects, inform future
plans for the city and use it as a tool to
attract additional resources to address the
needs of Madurai.
Dr Kathiravan Chinnathambi
I.A.S Commissioner
Madurai City Corporation
A local partnership is evolving to

take forward the further shaping and
implementation of proposals. The initial
focus will be on the formalisation of the
partnership and the identification of initial
actions to take forward the proposals
which Dhan Foundation and Madurai
Corporation are exploring together.
The project has led to an improved
understanding of climate change issues
in the city not only among government
stakeholders but also civil society and the
wider public. This was brought about by
coverage of the project in the local media,
social media campaigns and the use of
water walks to highlight the issues on
the ground. The focus on slum areas for
the detailed case studies directly engaged
residents both raising awareness and
galvanizing action through the formation
of local groups. This helped to build
momentum to address the challenges
facing the city.
Policy development and new

ways of working
The action plan and diagnostic report has
also been discussed in conjunction with
the review of the City Development Plan
which the Corporation and Local Planning
Authority (LPA) will take forward over the
coming year.
Bringing together of different types of
information relating to climate change
and infrastructure issues and to explore
this through multi-stakeholder workshops
has helped to strengthen links between
partners and helped to initiate new ways
of working in the city. The Corporation
and other government bodies increasingly
recognise the technical knowledge and
capacity which the local university and
civil society groups can bring. The need to
build capacity and introduce new systems

within the Corporation is also recognised
as part of the solution. This would help
to fully embed the approach so that the
issues can be considered at a greater
level of detail across the whole city and
to provide a basis to formalise the results
into more detailed feasibility work and
project design.
Budgeting and finance

A commitment has been made to
consider the Action plan in conjunction
with budgeting processes for the short,
medium and long term. The current
focus on short term budgeting means
that the initial focus is on what could be
achieved in the next 1-3 years through
normal Corporation budgeting process.
The agreement and support of State
level bodies are critical factor in enabling
Madurai to access funding and support to
take forward plans.
Limited (a national government and

World Bank supported delivery vehicle) as
well as City Development Initiative Asia
(CDIA), Asian Development Bank and
GIZ with a view to mobilising support for
projects identified in the plan. A resolution
has also been made for the city to apply
to participate in the 100 resilient Cities
Programme supported by Rockefeller
Foundation and to explore other
opportunities to access support through
philanthropic organisations.
Madurai Corporation does not receive the

revenues from local taxes and charges to
take forward large scale capital projects.
This is partly due to the level of rates
levied and the effectiveness of collection
from local businesses and residents. The
ability of the Corporation to charge for
local water supply at effective rates is
constrained by the existing poor level of
service and the ability and willingness of
residents to pay. If this issue is tackled
the Corporation could improve its selfsufficiency and enable access to finance.
Engagement with donors who could
support larger scale action has also been
initiated. Opportunities for funding have
been considered within the plan. The plan
has also been shared with a number of
potential funders including Tamil Nadu
Urban Infrastructure Services Finance
Introduction
to Bangalore
This map is illustrative only and not intended to be

used for reference purposes and is not an authority
on issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction
Introduction to Bangalore
Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka.
It has emerged as a global centre
for new service sector economies
such as information technology and
biotechnology. Bangalore has the
highest district income in the state,
contributing approximately 34% to
Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)
(Directorate of Economics and Statistics,
2011). Economic expansion has been
underpinned by investment in large scale
infrastructure projects including elevated
roads, a new metro, a new airport, and
new special economic zones.
This rapid prosperity, and the
opportunities afforded by the new
knowledge economy for which Bangalore
is renowned, have led to a doubling of
the citys physical footprint in the last
decade (Census of India, 2011; Indian
Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS),
2009; Ramachandra and Kumar, 2009).
However, this rapid and unplanned
urbanisation has been at the cost of the
citys resources and liveability In particular,
the growth on the citys peripheries
is placing pressure on Bangalores
natural and economic resources and
infrastructure. This poses environmental
and health risks for the entire city,
especially for low-income and other
vulnerable populations such as women,
children, and the elderly. In addition,
economic and population growth have
led to rising energy intensity and carbon
emissions. The buildings sector and
construction sector have seen the
fastest growth.
Bangalore
Future stresses
Potential impact
As with Madurai, the most severe

and immediate risks to Bangalores
future growth relate to water supply,
sanitation and flooding. The public
health, environmental health and
economic implications of these are
already becoming evident and will
become increasingly severe as the
Indian subcontinent moves into more
unpredictable rainfall regimes associated
with climate change.
Many of Bangalores lakes and surface

water bodies have been seriously
degraded or even built upon reducing the
capability of the city to deal with heavy
rainfall events and to store water. The
combination of increasing demand for
water resources, poor water distribution
infrastructure, and contamination of
existing supplies could constrain the ability
of Bangalore to grow and prosper in the
future as demand in the city and wider
region continues to grow. A significant
proportion of the citys population lives
in slum areas. The city is also growing
rapidly, creating challenges in ensuring
the provision of adequate infrastructure,
housing, and basic services to meet the
growing demands of its residents.
The potential impact of climate change on

Bangalore could result in: (i) an increase
in average temperatures and increase in
the number of extreme hot days (with
increased risk of drought); (ii) an increase
in the unpredictability of the summer
monsoon with potential for rainfall
variability, and (iii) an increase in the
frequency of heavy rainfall events (with
increased risk of flooding).
These projected climate hazards are likely
to have wide ranging impacts on a range
of sectors in Bangalore including food
and water systems, health, buildings,
transport, and natural ecosystems and
biodiversity. The impact of these changes
put the future growth and prosperity of
the city at risk and limit improvements on
the quality of life of residents.
The issues associated with rising energy

use and increasing congestion include
limiting the economic potential of the
city (congestion harming economic
productivity) and extended travel times
and air pollution eroding the quality of
life of city. The city could also face rising
energy costs interruption of supplies
if the energy needs of the city are not
addressed. The dependency of the city
on fossil fuels and the impact on global
climate change also remains significant.
Project focus
The severe water stress which Bangalore
and the wider region are already
experiencing, the interconnectedness
of Bangalores blue infrastructure to
other challenges such as managing the
impacts of climate change and spread
of communicable diseases, along with
concerns about the quality of water made
addressing water security the most urgent
system wide priority for Bangalore for the
Action plan to address by this project.
The interest shown by Bangalore Water
Supply and Sewerage Board in exploring
the links between the services they are
responsible for and other influences on
the water supply system informed the
focus of the Action Plan on this range
of issues.
BWSSBs ambitions included increasing
the reuse of wastewater in Bangalore,
reducing leakages, and water loss, and
improving revenue generation. BWSSB
officers expressed interest in participating
in the future proofing and the action
planning process, and were keen to see
examples and a case study of how water
supply and sanitation is currently working,
as well as ways in which their existing
goals and plans could be informed by the
action plan.
Consultations with key stakeholders from
government agencies, NGOs, academic
and research institutions were a core
element of the action planning approach
in Bangalore in order to reflect their
views and to help make the link between
sectors. The project included consultation
with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike
(BBMP) Municipal Corporation, the
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA),
the Bangalore Metropolitan Regional
Development Authority (BMRDA), the

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company
(BESCOM), Bangalore Metro Rail
Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage
Board (BWSSB). The goal was to work
with the stakeholders, especially those
in government agencies, to produce a
realistic plan that would help Bangalore
grow sustainably.
several municipal and state-run agencies,

often leading to contentious decisionmaking as jurisdictions and functions of
the various agencies tend to overlap. The
fragmented governance arrangements
mean that the ability of the municipal
government to tackle local challenges in
a comprehensive fashion and to direct
development in a sustainable direction has
been limited.
Rising energy use and the transport issues

of the city are also recognised. However,
while interest was shown by BESCOM to
consider potential actions in relation to
energy infrastructure and opportunities
for renewable energy. However, other
initiatives such as the Climate Resilient
Green Growth Plan for Karnataka were
already beginning to tackle these issues in
a parallel project.
The opportunity to explore the potential

of a future proofing approach in
conjunction with metropolitan scale
planning processes was explored as part
of the project with a view to bringing
together stakeholders from across all
sectors (similar to Madurai).
The stakeholders
Using a focus on water to consider the
implications and links to other sectors.
This more limited ambition for the project
Action Plan to focus on BWSSB as a basis
to explore linkages to climate change and
development challenges in other sectors
(engaging other government bodies in
the process) was partly a reflection of
the institutional challenges in Bangalore
and the resources and time available for
the project.
The opportunity for the project
to focus at the city scale across all
relevant sectors is more of a challenge
for larger cities.
In the case of Bangalore there is no single
agency at the city level that controls future
urban planning and development. In fact,
this power is dispersed widely among
The potential benefit of a future proofing

approach was recognised, the various
planning agencies with responsibilities
for planning in Bangalore including the
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA),
the Bangalore Metropolitan Regional
Development Agency (BMRDA), and the
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike
(BBMP) (Municipal Corporation). However,
there was a range of views on how the
project could benefit each organisation
and a lack of alignment on how the
project could address the scale and
complexity of the challenges for a large
city like Bangalore within the available
timelines and resources available for
the project.
The electoral cycle and change of
administration at State level during the
diagnostic stage also represented a barrier
to taking this route to apply the future
proofing approach.
The number and range of institutional
and non-governmental stakeholders also
represented a challenge to piloting Future

proofing at Metropolitan scale. One of
the biggest challenges was developing
an understanding of an integrated
approach to dealing with environmental
risks, particularly because most city-level
agencies do not see this as part of their
mandate. The second challenge was inter
agency working. It is a major challenge
to bring officers from different city and
state level agencies together to discuss
challenges within the water and sanitation
sector, since the governance of this sector
in Bangalore is fragmented. With several
agencies responsible for similar issues
tensions can emerge if ownership is
claimed by multiple organisations. There
are also issues which no organisations
wish to take responsibility or ownership
of. The third challenge was the challenge
of bringing government officers and other
non-governmental stakeholders together
in order to build a shared understanding
of issues, and inform the development of
the action plan. This challenge was similar
in Madurai, however the difference in
Bangalore are the range and number of
stakeholders in the city and the politicised
nature of social relations within and
between governmental and civil society
actors. In this environment a multistakeholder approach at the city level
would require considerable leadership
to create the conditions to mobilise
stakeholders which was not available at
the time the project.
The outcome of the consultation process
during the diagnostic stage of the project
was that government stakeholders had
a strong preference for engaging around
a project focused within a particular
sector that could bring in fresh thinking
to tackle wider challenges on sustainable
development and poverty reduction.
Given the urgent challenge around water
supply and sanitation issues, it was agreed

that BWSSB should take the lead for
the project.
The result
After exploring the issues widely at
diagnostic stage the result in Bangalore
was that the preparation of an Action Plan
taking an integrated approach to planning
across all sectors was not achieved by this
project. There were a number of reasons
for this:
The institutional and stakeholder

landscape in large megacities
is complex. As a result, there is a
need for leadership to be in place
to resolve tensions and conflicts
between institutions which need to
be overcome to gain support for an
integrated approach. In Bangalore the
overlapping and blurred mandates
mean that gaining traction on how
and who should take a leading
role proved difficult. The high
level technical and political actors
who could have been a source of
leadership did not fully engage due
to the timing of the project around
the time of elections (and associated
organisational changes). In this
environment officials need to choose
which issues and projects they wish to
champion. A one year project without
an established route to implement
proposals was not seen as sufficient
value to invest time in.
Achieving an integrated approach

for a large city may require a
different approach. To overcome this
problem, either resources need to be
increased for the project in order to
address multiple sectors to be tackled
in parallel and then brought together
to create an integrated approach
aligning with existing planning

processes and structures. Alternatively,
the formation of a wider partnership
with agencies able to provide
downstream support (such as national
Ministries and International donors)
could be established at the outset to
incentivise engagement and activate
leadership to mobilise partners. The
formation and agreement of such
partnerships requires a significant
commitment and investment in
time and may take a year or more
to formalise.
The result which was achieved in
Bangalore is set out below:
The multi-stakeholder engagement
workshop and discussion around the
urban diagnostic increased awareness
and dialogue among stakeholders on the
importance of considering climate change
issues and understanding the potential
impact on vulnerable communities and
infrastructure. However, integrated
action across different agencies through
planning or strengthening co-ordination
has not taken root.
The workshop and meetings held opened
a dialogue between government agencies
and civil society and the academic
sector enabled discussion of the key
issues to take place to build a shared
understanding of the water infrastructure
systems in Bangalore and how these are
likely to be affected by future urbanisation
and climate and resource challenges in
the future. The key institutional gaps
and tensions were highlighted and are
perceived as the major impediment which
needs to be overcome to enable an
integrated approach.
The case studies undertaken on the

ground highlighted the challenges and
responses taken at present at local level
where these are gaps in infrastructure
provision and variability in the level of
service provision and helped to frame
a systems view of the interconnected
actions needed by different institutions.
The Action Plan developed with BWSSB
used this information to develop a plan
which linked together actions which
BWSSB but with support and linkages
to other agencies and how the capital
investment plans of BWSSB could be
enhanced to take account of climate
variability risks.
Engagement took place with relevant city
and parastatal government bodies around
the diagnostic. Bangalore Water Supply
and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) with IIHS
led the development of an action plan.
The opportunities for improved planning,
infrastructure and design were identified
and explored. The action plan provided
a costed plan for combining a range of
solutions embracing water resources,
water supply distribution management,
wastewater and sludge collection
treatment, improved services delivery
and water demand management which
enable a more effective approach to
addressing climate risks.
The first of the projects to move forward
directly linking with this project has been
the indirect potable re-use of water
through storm water harvesting. BWSSB
are also planning to use the plan to
engage to help mobilise resources.
A new chairman has recently been
appointed at BWSSB. The team is
reviewing the proposals of the plan
and results of the project with a view
to deciding the next steps. The project

counterpart at BWSSB sees one of the
next steps as sharing and engaging State
level bodies around the plan including
the Water Resources Department,
Public Works Department and Urban
Development Department. Support from
these stakeholders is required to enable a
joined up approach and for systems and
working arrangements to be put in place
to enable co-ordination.
Initial engagement has taken place
with a range of agencies including the
World Bank, Asian Development Bank
(ADB) and GIZ with a view to mobilising
support for projects identified in the
plan. ADB are reviewing the Action Plan
in conjunction with their Bangalore
City Cluster Development Investment
Project which is looking at an integrated
approach to addressing infrastructure
needs and economic opportunities for
the metropolitan area which is being
taken forward with BBMP. BWSSB had not
been engaged regarding this important
initiative for the city. The results of this
project are providing a basis for BWSSB
to engage with this programme enable
discussion of climate change risks to form
part of the discussion in identifying and
shaping projects.
metropolitan planning, (ii) upgrade key

economic and social infrastructure, and
(iii) enhance urban governance (including
service delivery) to create a better business
and investment climate. The Program
proposes to achieve the above objectives
by: (i) ensuring that multi-stakeholder
demand-based (cluster) infrastructure
development is preceded by metropolitan
economic and sector planning, (ii)
promoting sectoral coordination and
convergence, and (iii) establishing a
strong partnership between public and
private sectors.
The Program will seek to use a number
of innovative financing, capacity
development, and reform instruments.
There is potential for BWSSB to link with
BBMP to align action and explore how
the projects identified by BWSSB with
stakeholders in the Action Plan can be
taken forward. The project also allows the
capacity development to be supported in
conjunction with infrastructure provision.
The multi-finance facility will also enable
Bangalore Metropolitan Region to
implement a structured roadmap on a
programmatic basis which takes into
consideration the economic, social, and
environmental needs together.
The lack of access to water and available

infrastructure has been identified by ADB
as a potential brake on growth and one
of the reasons hampering the productivity
of the city. The diagnostic and action
plan can play a role in identifying how to
tackle governance and the institutional
landscape in Bangalore in to take forward
an integrated approach effectively at a
practical level. The ADB-BBMP program
will provide physical and non-physical
investment in selected clusters within the
BBMP area to: (i) improve regional and
02
02
FUTURE
ACTION
PROOFING
PLANNING
PROCESS
IN MADURAI
The difference a future

proofing process has made:
11 Key lessons
01
Using multi-stakeholder
dialogues to explore the
urban diagnostic and
develop action plans is an
effective way of supporting
partners to define shared
priorities and goals.
02
A flexible approach is
needed to adjust the
process and focus of the
project to maximise the
impact of engagement
03
Using local actors and

language is important
to help create an active
dialogue
04
Combining different
perspectives helps to
improve understanding of
the problem and develop
new solutions
05
Future proofing
concepts can bring a
new frame of reference
to inform planning
06
Evidence used in the

right way can convince
and mobilise change
07
Focussing at the city

scale is important to
gain support for
climate change action
08
Blue-green infrastructure
is a useful focus to prioritise
critical system links and
identify issues should
be addressed
09
Establishing partnerships
and processes for
co-ordination is a useful
way to bridge between
strategy and implementation
10
Using plans to make the

case for funding and
mobilising local resources
represents a key measure
of success for cities
11
Support is needed from

state and national government
support to develop and adopt
policy and regulatory frameworks
to help enable effective action
Figure 2.1
Key lessons from applying a

future proofing approach
This part of the report analyses the key
findings and learning from piloting a
future proofing planning process in the
two cities. It draws together learnings
from how the process worked in practice
examining differences between the cities
and what this could mean for future
practice in terms of how the process could
be further developed and refined.
The key lessons are highlighted
opposite and then explored through
the subsequent 3 sections exploring the
process, how integration was achieved
and how plans were taken from strategy
towards implementation.
Process for adapting future

proofing to a city context
This Section highlights the process used

for adapting a process of future proofing
to a city context and how this worked
out in practice. It contrasts the different
experiences in both cities and highlights
findings which should be recognised in
applying integrated planning approaches
in other cities.
Key Finding 1: Using multistakeholder dialogues to

explore the urban diagnostic
and develop action plans is an
effective way of supporting
partners to define shared
priorities and goals.
Future proofing was pivotal in identifying
needs and exploring what the future
could be like. Discussing the issues
with stakeholders individually and then
bringing different stakeholders together
through meetings and workshops was
key to testing, shaping and strengthening
the diagnostic which was prepared from a
technical perspective. Discussions helped
to identify areas of shared concern and
to identify areas of alignment among
stakeholders.
In Madurai, city partners working together
developed a series of shared priorities
and a basis for joined up action by
establishing a forum which provides a
space for stakeholders to engage outside
of their normal silos. It is expected that
formalised mechanisms will now be
established to institutionalise this way of
working. However ongoing support and
resources will be required in order that
Madurai Corporation can take action with
other stakeholders.
In Bangalore stakeholders came together
to review the urban diagnostic. However,
the conditions were not in place for
this project to forge a partnership
across a wide range of stakeholders at

Metropolitan and State level. Key issues
were the timing of the State elections
and subsequent change in technical
decision makers. The issue of the blurred
responsibilities and subsequent tensions
between different governmental bodies in
the city was another barrier. A committee
has been established in the city to develop
proposals for reform.
had established networks and contacts

was a critical factor in mobilising and
raising awareness to a wider audience
using mechanisms such as the city
symposium and through regular
communication via social media platforms.
In Bangalore, IIHS a respected academic
institution used its convening power to
draw together different stakeholders to
explore the issues.
In both cities at the outset of the process

the various stakeholders were working
independently towards their various
agendas with limited coordinated action.
The future proofing approach helped
stakeholder see where they had shared
issues and objectives and where action
could be aligned. The impetus created by
the project and creating the conditions
whereby dialogue could take place.
This included using initial meetings to
understand perspectives, creating a
diagnostic to explore the issues and then
workshops to bring together different
perspectives and encourage debate.
The approach
Using stakeholder mapping techniques

with stakeholders helped to define who
could potentially be involved in the
process and helped to extend discussions
beyond the usual suspects. Making the
process as inclusive as possible was seen
as the best way to help activate lasting
partnerships and processes and help to
overcome the barriers and silos between
different departments and institutions.
building platforms for engagement
An integral part of the process of

developing the diagnostic and action
plans was to help establish conditions for
implementation of the resulting proposals.
This was not viewed as a one off activity
but part of an ongoing process.
The process of action planning was

used to develop, deepen and share
understanding between different
stakeholders, as well as exploring
and initiating discussion of what the
opportunities could be for each city to
address its existing vulnerabilities and
adapt to climate risks which are expected
to impact both cities.
The process to support engagement
included the following turning points
and milestones:
reviewing the current position and

through the creation of the urban
diagnostic
using the action planning process to

clarify and examine the implications
of the existing situation for
vulnerable communities
bringing together stakeholders to

engage together and consider the
priority issues
exploring and selecting the range

of different actions which can be
mobilised to reduce vulnerability and
adapt to climate risks.
socialising the plan and discussing the

In Madurai, the involvement of Dhan
Foundation grounded in the locality who
initial stages of implementation.
Key Finding 2: A flexible

approach is needed to adjust
the process and focus of the
project to maximise the impact
of engagement.
Although framed as a linear process
established over a fixed period of 12
months, the path of the project in reality
took a less neat iterative process which
flexed and adapted to include new actors,
changes of governmental administrators
and political administrations and
associated changes in the level of
engagement as well as new information
and opportunities which emerged over
the course of the action planning process.
There are significant time implications for
involving and maintaining the network of
actors involved in the project.
To avoid changes in key personnel
derailing the project, the changes in
dynamics were handled by the local teams
in each city (IIHS and Dhan Foundation)
together with the Atkins team in India
tracking changes in local circumstances
on the ground. For each change there
was a need to introduce the project to the
new stakeholder and understand their
needs and agendas at each stage (and to
adapt in response). The changes did lead
to variations in the level of appetite and
engagement during the project reflecting
the views of stakeholders. However, the
main implication was delay of multistakeholder engagement activities during
periods where we were awaiting new
decision makers to be appointed and
bedded in order for them to be in a
position to engage in the project (which
is not seen as an urgent and important
activity).
Involving State level representatives at
an early stage (which was possible in
Tamil Nadu) helped to provide a degree
of continuity and bridge between

changes in Commission/senior decision
makers are local level. Hosting a multi
stakeholder workshop at the British High
Commission was helpful to align State
level representatives who are not easy to
mobilise due to their time pressures and
commitments. This was not possible in
Bangalore to elections and long delays in
senior representatives being appointed.
There was continuity in the day to day
contacts at deputy technical officer level
in both Madurai Municipal Corporation
and BWSSB which ensured the viability
of the project. However, communications
and progress on the project was not
continuous because of partners needing
to deputise and take on additional
responsibilities which reduced the
bandwidth to engage. This is a reflection
of the limited capacities which exist within
urban local bodies among the second
ladder of officials and was particularly
an issue in Madurai as a smaller city
compared with Bangalore.
Bangalore with a population of over 8.42
million3 people has a complex institutional
landscape with agencies being responsible
for different spatial jurisdictions and with
State and Urban Local Bodies having
overlapping responsibilities for sectors and
competing agendas.
The diagnostic and project was explored
with a range of agencies including Great
Bangalore Municipal Corporation known
as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike
(BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority
(BDA) and Bangalore Water Supply and
Sanitation Board (BWSSB) and BESCOM
(electricity). The level of institutional
engagement with multi-stakeholder
workshops to share the findings of the
diagnostic was mixed.
Rather than develop an action plan

through the BBMP or BDA the BWSSB
emerged as the agency which wished to
explore how a future proofing action plan
could help to coordinate action around
water issues and how tailored strategies
could be developed to respond to differing
needs in different parts of the city.
BWSSB used the urban diagnostic and
case studies of to explore how their plans
should be shaped in an environment
where multiple supply chains for
water supply and competing systems
have evolved to address the needs of
consumers. Private players and individual
households have stepped in to compete
with BWSSB but also to bridge the gap
where infrastructure gaps exist. The Action
plan considered how to regulate and
manage such a situation. Making a case
to justify the provision of infrastructure
to areas which are partially is a particular
challenge which proposals respond to.
This contrasted with past proposals which
focused only on BWSSBs role as a supplier
with less recognition and consideration of
how households may interact with other
providers.
For future projects one consideration
would be to consider making further
resources available in order to base a
technical member of the team within the
governmental partner offices at least for
key parts of the project. Even though,
Atkins and IIHS had presence in Bangalore
project meetings were not sufficient to
fully penetrate the client organisation.
The mode of partnership working with
non-governmental representatives in
India is something which is unfamiliar in
the culture of governmental bodies in
India. While existing relationships and
trust had been developed in both cities
over a number of years before the start

of the project there were uncertainties
among some officials of what could really
be achieved by the project and how to
engage as an organisation particularly
in between meetings and workshops.
This perception was apparent for both
consultant, academic and NGO partners
among the project team. Leadership

from client contacts within the partner
organisations and maintaining consistent
messages provided the support needed for
the project.
Case study: Unregulated

supply chains affects how
water resources can be tackled
Tankers supply water to households
and establishments
Given that BWSSB is not able to able to
cater entire water demand for city, both
households and establishments depend on
other multiple sources, as indicated earlier.
There little information on each of supply
chains- whether there are tankers, or
bottled water. Existence of these multiple
chains means that there is a higher
possibility of contamination of potable
water.
Source: IIHS Primary Study, 2014
Category of
Water Sources
Suppliers
Mode of Supply/
Sources
Consumers
Piped water
supply network
Domestic
residual
Water tankers
BWSSB water supply
Neighbourhood
tube wells
both with
electrified and
non-electrified
pump
Surface
Water
Private players
Non-revenue water
consumer
Industrial
establishments
Artisan wells
and tube wells
Ground
Water
Commercial
establishments
Economically
weaker sections
(Non-Revenue)
Self-supply
Directly from surface lakes, ponds,
and canals
3
Unaccounted for
water
consumer
BBMP area, 2011 Census.
Figure 2.2 Conceptual diagram illustrating multiple supply chains in the city
Key Finding 3: Using local

actors and language was
important to create an
active dialogue
A process of action planning involving
civil society and governmental actors
facilitated by international academic and
technical consultants was used to shape
the development of the action plans.
Local actors and facilitators were pivotal
in establishing a platform which could be
used to activate dialogues linked to future
proofing. The processes was framed and
situated in the local debate in a way using
language and images which resonated
with other local stakeholders. The benefit
of this was to increase engagement with a
wider number of people than would have
otherwise been possible and stimulate a
wider of debate of what the future of the
city could be like.
For example in Madurai the dialogue drew
upon the associations the city has as an
important temple city and religious centre.
The pride and identity which citizens have
for the city and the historic traditions
associated linked to the use of water at
the temple were used to highlight the
issue of how the natural and human-made
infrastructure systems providing water to
the city had fallen out of balance. Traction
was gained on how the link between the
natural lake/tank system and drainage
channels could be restored to enhance the
image and identity of the city.
Dhan Foundation were helpful in relating
the potential opportunities presented
by future proofing the city to the wider
local narratives about the past, present
and future of the city using examples of
past events and situations. Situating the
diagnostic and action planning with local
actors helped to inspire a community
Raising awareness and

mobilising the local community
as part of the action planning
process in Madurai
The project team interacted with many
people across a range of social groups
and institutional settings during the
action planning process. More than
100 people in 25 locations across the
city were interviewed as part of Focus
Group Discussions and Multi Stakeholder
workshops. This included the informal
settlement communities living alongside
the river as well as major landowners,
people working in establishments
alongside the river corridor and middle
class residential colonies. This process not
only worked as an awareness campaign
and to mobilise the local community,
but also allowed the research team a
deep access into the lived experience
of people on the history of the river
corridor, its transformation over the years
and witness directly the systemic causes
(for example the sewerage and water
supply infrastructure, and solid waste
management system) and problems faced
by the community on their everyday
life. More than 20 recorded voice files
and other media products like videos,
photographs and maps generated
from this process were used in the
focus group meetings and multi stake
holder workshops.
A Water Walk, was held which helped
the participants to conceptualise bluegreen infrastructure as a fundamental part
of the ecological heritage of Madurai.
More than 50 participants were taken on
a transect tour along the 15 Kilometres of
Kiruthumal river corridor starting at the
origins of the river at Thuvariman tank
to the Samanatham tank end, stopping
along specific locations where there is
evidence of:
Wastewater being used for vegetable

cultivation
Areas experiencing severe pollution

from multiple sources (including
households, factories, corporation
sewage pumping stations, manholes,
garages, cattle rearing, public
institutions etc.)
Encroachment from development

Links and associations with other tanks
and water channels; and
How the river supports informal

settlements
This process has had a significant impact
on the participants. Many participants
directly witnessed the importance of the
blue-green infrastructure in Madurai for
the first time.
I have never seen these parts of the
city before this experience has made
me see Madurai in a new light and
the connections along the Kiruthumal
between Thideer Nagar and other areas.
Local resident.
The participants learned how the river
corridor changes its form along diverse
locations in the city from its origins,
its various interconnections with other
water channels and water tanks, the
layers of land uses and old village
settlements alongside, the impact of the
bed concreting, the forms of pollution
(including the role of the Corporations
pumping stations and private septic tank
cleaning contractors in polluting the river),
the impact of waste water agriculture and
the multiple vulnerabilities that the people
living alongside are exposed to.
based approach to tackling the issues

identified using bottom up solutions. This
was not confined to existing initiatives but
also helped to mobilise those not already
engaged and new project ideas.
Facilitating community meetings/surveys in
Bangalore and Madurai in local Kannada/
Tamil where appropriate with the process
led by locally based team members
helped to maximise understanding and
engagement among stakeholders. In
Madurai the multi-stakeholder workshops
were also held predominantly in Tamil
rather than English.
While there was an active dialogue
about the project particularly in Madurai
(including a community symposium and
social media campaign), with additional
time and resources preparing additional
tailored knowledge management products
in local languages could have helped to
further embed and raise awareness about
the project among the community.
Key Finding 4 - Combining

different perspectives helps
to improve understanding of
the problem and develop new
solutions
A key ingredient to helping to frame the
issues and challenges of both cities was
to inspire a discussion and debate about
what the future of the city could be like.
A key part of this was to highlight how
the issues were interconnected and linked
at each scale from the local, city as well
as greater than city scales for trends and
drivers relating to climate change. This
was enabled and enriched by mobilising
and combining ideas drawn from different
types of knowledge. This included:
local tacit knowledge from residents

and citizens including knowledge from
local expert advisors
local technical/academic expertise

engineering and technical expertise
from urban local bodies involved in
planning and managing infrastructure
networks on a day to day basis
local private sector perspectives
international perspectives from

Indian and outside academics
and technical experts in planning,
social development, climate and
environment and infrastructure
experts. These experts brought the
lens of climate change and helped to
conceptualise and develop a shared
understanding which synthesised the
contributions made by all actors.
The involvement of external academic
and technical experts working with
Governmental and civil society actors
helped to reframe the debate and
provide external challenge and present a
branching point which provided the space
and opportunity for local actors to shape
an alternative path to business as usual
approach. The involvement of technical
and academic experts helped to introduce
the concept to blue-green infrastructure
and use this as a basis for
integrating proposals.
The concept of blue-green infrastructure
highlighted how natural and human-made
systems were networked and impacted on
one another helped to highlight how more
coordinated action would be needed. The
concept also helped to provide a vision for
restoring and remaking the natural life
support systems of the city. The diagnostic
was used to provide reference points to
situate local debates and discussions and
provide information which could be used
to help define priorities and where action
could be taken.
In Madurai to show how blue-green
networks interact on the ground the
example of one river corridor (selected
using the diagnostic) was used to explore
in more detail the implications of how
risks and challenges were interlinked and
to engage stakeholders in identifying the
range of actions which could be deployed
to solve the range of interconnected issues
(refer to box 4).
areas were chosen the first an older area

close to the centre of Bangalore and a
second in a rapidly expanding area. Both
areas experienced gaps in infrastructure
provision and level of service and were
vulnerable to climate risks. However, how
these patterns manifested themselves and
the responses and implications for how
BWSSB and other stakeholders should
respond are very different (refer to box 5).
Drawing firm conclusions by comparing
the methods and process used in both
cities is not straight forward given that
the lead client, context and level and type
of engagement is different. However, the
process followed in Madurai was more
open with a wider range of stakeholders
involved. It was possible to bring different
types of stakeholder together sooner
the involvement of Dhan who used their
networks to raise awareness of the project
had the effect of increasing the profile of
the project and placed pressure on public
bodies which was partly responsible for
increasing engagement and accountability
as the project progressed.
In Bangalore, the reluctance of BWSSB to
engage as closely with other stakeholders
(taking a more hands off role) it would
have been counter-productive to pursue a
similar strategy for engagement. However
the case studies were helpful in bringing
additional insight to BWSSB in terms of
how to adapt their approach to addressing
gaps in service delivery to respond to
the needs of users and what range of
interventions could be effective.
In Bangalore a contrasting approach

was used using the knowledge of IIHS
and the findings of the diagnostic case
studies were selected in consultation
with BWSSB which represent the range
of challenges faced in the city in terms of
water infrastructure. Two very different
How using a case study

approach assisted action
planning in Madurai
Madurai region is dotted with hundreds
of small and large water tanks that are
networked with its main river Vaigai and
minor river Kiruthumal with the help
of many distributor channels. Currently
this blue-green infrastructure is severely
disrupted due to the fragmented pattern
of decision-making and practices of
urbanisation. Identification of this network
resulted in the proposition that any path
that promotes sustainable urbanisation
of Madurai should move beyond a
geography bounded by administrative
areas to one which addresses risk and
vulnerabilities caused by the actual impact
of development on the water systems.
As a result, it was agreed that the study
team should focus on a case study of a
river corridor in the city to understand
how the complex relationships between
water supply, sanitation, development and
poverty interact. This case study focused
on the Kiruthumal river corridor, which is a
tributary of the River Vaigai.
The research process involved detailed
documentation (mapping, photo and
video) of 15 kilometres of the corridor,
interviews with a wide range of people
who live alongside the river, and three
focus group meetings (two meetings with
communities living along its edges and
one with experts, government officials,
major land owners along the edges, etc).
This primary fieldwork and action research
process lasted for about four weeks in
November 2013.
The way the river corridor transforms
from its natural spring origins to various
locations across the city was documented
in detail to understand the socio-spatialBox 4
ecological interactions and governance

issues. This process revealed the complex
risks and vulnerabilities that many people
in Madurai are exposed to as a result of
the state of blue-green infrastructure,
as well as the challenges that lie ahead
for Madurais sustainable growth. This
documentation produced a range of
analytical materials that was used later
for the focus group discussions and
multi stakeholder workshop. The study
examined the following in detail to
understand the risk, vulnerabilities and the
capacities to act:
origin and the way Kiruthumal corridor

integrates with the network
heritage importance - cultural and

ecological
relationship with pattern of land use;

impacts of the institutional
goverance setup
impacts of existing projects

and programs
imagining the possible futures and key

reflections on methods and process
of restoration.
In Madurai, the network view of
infrastructure and systemic opportunities
for transformation was explored by
stakeholders by examining the issues and
challenges and opportunities by taking a
transect view along a particular corridor
(the Kiruthumal River) from close to its
source through the city.
A series of water walks were made to
highlight existing practices in the city
showing where the corridor is impacted
from lack of solid waste management,
pollution and discharges from leaks and
gaps in the waste water networks, water
extraction and contamination of water
supplies used for drinking and food

production. It illustrated that localised
action in isolation at a Ward level would
be ineffective in providing a sustainable
solution and that to achieve a more
transformational solution a platform for
coordinating action would be required.
Since the initial walks Dhan Foundation
extended this approach to explore other
corridors throughout the city. The walks
have been well supported and have
helped to supplement the understanding
and diagnosis of issues in the city and help
to raise awareness of how the networks
of blue and green infrastructure in the city
are connected and the implications which
pollution has for communities in other
parts of the city.
The field study and its

contribution to action planning
in Bangalore
The action planning process in Bangalore
included a validation exercise conducted
by IIHS in two locations. These site case
studies provided a grounded illustration of
water supply and sanitation opportunities
to address the issues experienced by
communities and establishments in the
context of local realities of land use and
planning. The case studies helped in the
framing of what the potential solutions
could be and what they might look like
at the local level to enable BWSSB take
forward actions within its own planning,
budgeting regulatory frame (and reach
out to other stakeholders whose support
is needed to make action effective). The
aim of the field study was threefold:
first, to validate the issues that were
raised in the urban diagnostic study
including issues related to disparities in
access to water and sanitation services
in Bangalore; the lack of good quality
water, groundwater contamination,
and the impact of this on vulnerable,
especially poor, populations in the city;
second, to understand issues at household
and neighbourhood level; and finally, to
validate action plan components at the
local scale. The first site is located close
to the centre of Bangalore, in the older
colonial Cantonment area. The site has a
range of land uses including residential,
institutional and smaller commercial
establishments. The second site is
located on the south eastern periphery of
Bangalore, and is representative of newer
forms of development in the city including
large gated communities, information
technology parks, and large commercial
establishments such as malls.
The case of a vulnerable household

in Lingarajapuram
M, a middle aged woman, lives with her
one son and four daughters in a single
room house in Lingarajapuram, close to
the Banaswadi railway line. They have
been living in this house for the last 12
years. M lost her husband eight years ago
and does not work, her son being the
primary earning member of the family he
works as an unskilled construction worker
for approximately eight months in a year,
and in other work for rest of the year. As
a construction worker, his earns about
Rs. 10,000 monthly. His eldest sister also
brings home about Rs.3,500 monthly
working as a domestic worker. Both have
been educated only up to high school.
The other two sisters are still enrolled in
school. The family has minimal assets
only a TV, and is heavily dependent on the
PDS system both for food and cooking
fuel. They have access to BWSSB water
through a tap located immediately outside
their house. This water is used for both
potable and non-potable users, and is
stored in pots at home. The water is not
treated in any way before being used for
drinking. At the time of interview, they
claimed that they had not received water
from the tap for the last 10 days. Such
disruptions are fairly common. In such
instances, the family procures water from
the nearby Sulabh public toilet complex
by paying Rs.1 per pot. The family does
not have a toilet, and relies on the public
toilet complex, which charges Rs.2 per
use. The house is built over a drain, and
is susceptible to flooding. The case of
M and her family highlight a range of
concerns which were used to inform the
action plan:
There is a need for greater focus on

the poor and vulnerable households
because of lower level of service
delivery to them. Households source
water from multiple sources rather
than rely on one provider to cope with
intermittent supply which can increase
lead to health risks.
BWSSB could use emergency tankers

to provide clean water during outage
periods. In addition increasing efforts
to conserve resources (e.g. through
rainwater harvesting) and tackling
maintenance of distribution networks
to reduce leakages could help to
improve the resiliency of supply.
The lack of comprehensive records on

the infrastructure assets which BWSSB
owns and the condition of networks,
and lack of adequate systems for
combining information from users
makes prioritising and targeting action
a significant challenge and leads to a
reactive approach to tackle the issues
which arise.
Box 5
02
03
IMPROVING
INTEGRATION
USING
ACTION
BLUE-GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE
PLANNING
PLANNING
IN MADURAI
Improving integration using bluegreen infrastructure planning
Key Finding 5: Future proofing

concepts can bring a new
frame of reference to inform
planning.
The normal processes of preparing city
development plans and sector plans
(for example for water supply, mobility,
poverty reduction etc.) do not provide
a process for systematically considering
issues facing the city together or to
consider the choices which may need to
be made of where to focus.
Introduction
This section highlights how the technical
approach to explore integration of
different issues was adapted in the context
of both cities. It highlights how a longer
term perspective to planning incorporating
consideration of climate change and
reducing vulnerability was achieved at
different stages. Issues regarding the
information available to plan and how a
coherent strategy was developed which
reflected the level of ownership available
in each city.
The planning cycle for City Development

plans takes a 5 year view and are limited
to budget cycles. With constrained
capacity and resources there is no
requirement or incentive for urban local
bodies to take a long term planning
approach. The exception is land use
planning whereby a 15 year planning
horizon is typically considered. However,
the issue is that sectors which are
required to make land use masterplans
successful may not be considered (for
example by linking development with the
provision of infrastructure or avoiding
development on land which is subject to
environmental risks).
The future proofing process brought
information together regarding long term
development and environmental trends
and related these to current problems.
It encouraged discussion of the kind
of approach which may be needed to
establish a development path which
addresses todays immediate concerns
in parallel with providing a sustainable
basis for meeting long terms needs and
challenges.
The opportunity:
Madurai
The action planning process identified a
range of opportunities to improve bluegreen infrastructure in Madurai.
There is a major opportunity

to improve the sewer network,
ensuring it collects all wastewater
and is delivered to the treatment
works without contamination of
the environment. This also needs to
take into account future changes
from population growth and the
implications of increased rainfall from
climate change.
Whilst sanitation programmes are

having positive impacts in the city,
there is still much work to be done.
There is an opportunity to ensure
the whole population of Madurai
understand the benefits of sanitation
and makes use of toilets (both private
and community).
There is an opportunity for local

communities to become more
engaged in the protection and
channels and tanks and to benefit
from them for local supply, amenity
and tourism.
Flooding can be addressed, particularly

in the most vulnerable areas, through
the separation of sewers and storm
drains, construction of adequate
surface drainage, flood storage and
green infrastructure improvements.
There is potential to improve the

effectiveness of the water supply
system through the re-use of waste
water, improvements to the capacity
and efficiency of local water treatment
facilities, as well as upgrades to mains
water infrastructure.
Structures to improve the coordination

of stakeholders and the planning for
blue-green infrastructure should
be considered.
A Green City masterplan should

be developed to provide policies to
enable the effective management of
development to protect communities
and maintain and enhance blue-green
infrastructure and the associated
benefits to the community. The
plan would be institutionalised and
formalised through the update of the
statutory City Development plan and
land use masterplan (further details
are provided in Project 13 within the
Action Plan).
The collection and disposal of solid

waste can be improved in the city,
in particular to ensure the citys
waterways are not used as dumping
grounds. This needs effort both to
improve waste collection systems and
infrastructure, as well as education to
ensure the dangers of waste disposal
in rivers are well understood.
Channels and tanks should be restored

to their previous intended function,
enabling better storage of drinking
water and acting as balance ponds to
prevent flooding.
Legislation and management

of channels and tanks should
be improved to prevent future
encroachment, manage abstraction
and establish operational rules.
The opportunity:
Bangalore
The action planning process identified a
range of opportunities to improve bluegreen infrastructure in Bangalore.
Addressing contamination of potable

water. Due to uncontrolled faecal
contamination and multiplicity of
household water supply sources, all
households are potentially exposed to
this hazard, especially poor who may
not have access to BWSSB supply or
effective water treatment at home.
Improving consistency of water supply,

as waste is only supplied for four-five
hours every alternate day or once in
three days depending on the location.
In some locations, public supply also
tends to unreliable at times. Other
supply via ground or tanker may not
be in the households control.
Improving the affordability and

valuation of water. The absence of
tariff revisions has perhaps conveyed
to households that water is cheap,
even though BWSSB tariffs are among
the highest in India. Rich and middle
income households are hence not
valuing and sustainably using water
whereas poor households are paying
higher prices for water.
or permanent, poses a risk for the

entire city in two ways: a. long term
depletion and unavailability; and
b. temporary disruptions arising
out of climate, environmental,
socioeconomic, and other reasons.
Unregulated supply chains can be

addressed. Since BWSSB does not
cater to entire water needs of the
city, the households and industry
are dependent on a range of other
options. There is no information, and
monitoring of these multiple chains
resulting in the hazards of a. poor
quality of water and b. unregulated
withdrawal from ground sources.
Preventing the depletion of lakes

and other water bodies. Lakes are
steadily depleting due to blockages in
natural drainage channels, and also
dumping of sewage, solid waste, and
industrial wastes.
Preventing the disruption of

natural drainage channels and their
contamination. Natural drainage
channels are getting blocked due
to unplanned development and
untreated sewerage and industrial
wastes are released into them.
Potential to improve sanitation.

Some households, especially on
the periphery are dependent on
unimproved options like pit latrines.
A small proportion of households
depends on open defecation. This
poses health hazards.
Addressing the issue of high

dependence on a single source. The
biggest hazard that the water supply
system the city faces is near total
dependence on Cauvery River. Any
disruption in this source, temporary
The processes explored to institutionalise

the plan in Bangalore were different.
BWSSB is linking the Action plans with
its own programmes and initiatives as
they come forward and using the plan to
promote co-ordinated action with BBMP,
BDA and State level bodies in Karnataka.
Across both cities the process used to

identify and develop the actions blended
together perspectives from international
technical and academic experts and
bottom up views from on the ground
discussions and meetings.
The international experts considered
the range of future proofing options
which could be used to address the
issues identified in the diagnostic this
drew upon consideration of the range
of existing practices and opportunities
which represent best practice including
options which may not typically be used in
an Indian context (e.g sustainable urban
drainage). This was developed as a long
list of possible options.
Partners in both cities highlighted that

they would have liked the project to focus
on all of the significant risks identified in
each city during the diagnostic phase. In
Bangalore BESCOM the local electricity
supply company were willing to engage
around energy intensity and low carbon
issues. In Madurai there was appetite to
widen the project to include a focus on
low carbon planning, waste management
and transport and air quality issues. The
timeframes and resources available for

the project meant that the action plan
focused on the highest priority issues for
the purposes of the pilot. The approach
to implementing the plan in Madurai
(through establishing a local partnership)
enables other issues to be added to
expand the focus). In Bangalore other
programmes at a metropolitan level are
also helping to enable action.
In parallel a process for gathering options

and ideas from local actors was initiated in
case study areas were elicited facilitated by
Dhan foundation and UCL in the case of
Madurai and IIHS in the case of Bangalore
this took the form of small meetings in
Madurai and household interviews and
street surveys. The initial materials were
reviewed to identify interconnections
and broad themes which technical
issues. This process was used to highlight
discussion topics and themes to explore in
a workshop environment. Care was taken
to avoid narrow sector oriented categories
which aligned with institutional silos to
open up debate between actors.
Key Finding 6 - Evidence used

in the right way can convince
and mobilise change
Using the diagnostic to build an
evidence base to develop strategy
in a data poor environment.
The range of available data in each
both cities was fragmented and
patchy. Information tended to be held
in institutional silos and are not often
published online or available. Those
documents which exist are published
according to statutory and regulatory
requirements and often appear to
go through the motions of strategy
ingredients without going into detail
(possibly in response to lack of data on
relevant issues).
Institutions in both cities hold incomplete
information about the water distribution,
sewerage and drainage infrastructure
(as well as other information necessary
to develop and plans and strategies in
detail). The information which exists
is not necessarily up to date so the
understanding of what infrastructure
exists, where and its condition is often
uncertain and can present a barrier to
setting priorities leading to a fire fighting
approach responding to service outrages
and blockages/incidents.
In order to manage uncertainties and gaps
in data there is a need for hypothesis,
professional judgement and a process of
triangulation/validation using multiple data
sources to build a picture which is good
enough to shape strategies and action
plans. However, this is not a substitute
for more detailed data collection and prefeasibility required to support key decisions
and concept and detailed design.
The urban diagnostic assembled in each

city by the technical experts was used
as a basis to bring together and engage
stakeholders. The process of developing
and reviewing the diagnostic was helpful
in synthesising a shared understanding
of the range of issues and to explore
interconnections between existing pattern
of vulnerability in the city (reflected by
incidence of vector borne diseases and
lack of piped water and wastewater
network coverage and the areas most
affected by existing climate events such as
floods and storm events).
In Madurai, data was not held in centrally
and was more limited. In Bangalore,
gaining access to data was easier and
was relatively more extensive and better
organised. IIHS through undertaking
previous projects in the city were also able
to use their knowledge and information.
However, what was less effective in
Bangalore was the lesser engagement
with individual issue and data holders
during the initial consultation process. In
Madurai this process was used as a way of
getting support and buy in for the project
as well as yielding insights and qualitative
information and recruiting supporters
for the project.
For example in the case of slum mapping
in Bangalore academic sources and
surveys were used to collect information
drawing upon previous profiling work
undertaken by IIHS to assess vulnerability
taking a top down perspective. In Madurai
data, both official slum profiling surveys
were available from the Basic Services for
the Urban Poor Programme team and
community based mapping and surveys
undertaken by Dhan which in both cases
had the benefit of recent engagement of
the community on the ground.
The information gained from these

vulnerability assessments was sufficient
to provide a high level profile and help
to inform the major issues the strategy
should address including spatial priorities
at a broad level and the opportunities to
tackle the issues identified. However, the
level of data collected from this approach
did not provide the type of survey
information required to select and design
interventions (at a concept or detailed
design level). The benefit of the diagnostic
has been to support pre-feasibility
including to identify what action may be
required where, where the priority areas
and pressures lie within each city to enable
further investigation.
For both cities the Action plan identified
what additional data and feasibility
studies might be needed to inform
plans for individual projects in order
that this can be developed into a more
detailed specification. The Action Plan
provides a document which can be used
to engage a range of government and
international funding organisations who
have programmes which can provide the
support needed.
Partners in both cities would have liked
a project such as this one to be more
ambitious not only identify data gaps but
also to support work to address these
gaps. This was not possible within the time
and resources available.
Benefits of taking a network

view - understanding water
as a blue-green infrastructure
system helped to identify
vulnerability in both cities
The issues highlighted in the urban
diagnostic in both cities were identified as
being complex and systemic in nature. The
problems and vulnerabilities experienced
within communities were often traceable
and linked with natural river and drainage
system networks as well as physical
infrastructure.
For example:
Rehabilitation of tanks and channels

provides multiple benefits: cleaner
water, enhanced capacity to deal with
flood risk, biodiversity and amenity,
with secondary benefits in terms of
incomes and health
Dealing with the sewerage system

and having appropriate sanitation
ensures channels are not polluted, and
provides a resource via re-use; with
secondary benefits in terms of health,
resource re-use.
This way of seeing was powerful to

stakeholders in the discussions and
interactions because it help to link local
challenges with the systems and risks
operating at city and regional scale.
Solutions would only be effective if
Water is a system it flows through cities,

it is used for drinking, cooking, washing,
fishing, agriculture and industry and then
discharged. Seeing cities through this
lens has been key to re-framing the issues
and solutions which could be adopted.
The water flowing into the system of
natural lakes in Madurai and Bangalore
also impacts on the natural habitat and
biodiversity of the city (particularly in
wetland areas)
Integrated solutions taking blue-green

infrastructure together will underpin
poverty reduction through avoiding illness
(and medical costs) and lost working
time, reducing the risk of extreme events
(e.g. flood, drought) as well as indirectly
boosting the attractiveness and quality
of life in each city. The solutions would
help to build capacity in infrastructure,
governance and the resilience of
communities to respond to changes in
climate and resource scarcity and possible
price increases relating to food and energy.
Considering the systemic nature of water

and blue-green systems, it is vital to have
holistic solutions. This was emphasised
in the workshops and discussions.
they involve the communities who

live alongside channels, as well as
the institutions who are charged
with managing different parts of the
system.
Blue-green infrastructure:
a way of seeing, a way of
integrating
Understanding water as a system
has helped to identify Madurais
vulnerability
The historical sustainable relationship with
water has become stressed.
Madurai has historically had a sustainable
relationship with water, but this has
become stressed due to over-abstraction,
sand mining of the Vaigai River, and
pollution.
Patterns of vulnerability including areas of
uncontrolled development were viewed
in relation to the pattern of existing
water bodies to identify the link between
encroachment, fly-tipping and pollution of
water sources. Discussions with residents
and local farmers identified a link between
the water bodies, food production and
health as polluted water is used for
irrigating crops.
The problem is a reflection that the periurban areas are particularly vulnerable
areas. The infrastructure of the city has
either not been extended or developed
in an effective way to serve these
areas. Problems have intensified as the
population moving to the city
has increased.
Existing development
Water body without water
Water body with water
LPA boundary
Corporation boundary
Figure 4.1 Impact of development of Madurais water bodies
How did the approach

work in each city?
The concept of blue-green
infrastructure was appreciated and
understood by actors in both cities.
In Madurai, how the role and condition of
tanks and drainage channels interacted
with malfunctioning of sewerage and
sanitation infrastructure emerged as a
key concern. This was explored through
a case study of communities along the
Kiruthumal River and how these two
issues were intrinsically intertwined and
linked to a third issue of water resources.
Pollution of the river and groundwater
means that communities in many areas
cannot access clean water, causing a range
of health issues. Among stakeholders,
the potential health benefits were highly
valued. Promotion of these benefits could
be used to build support for other linked
initiatives where the benefits may be less
visible (or accrue to communities in other
parts of the city).
In Bangalore, BWSSB were reluctant to use
the green element as this implied and
linked with responsibilities held by BBMP
and the Karnataka Forest Department.
This is despite the issue and linkage to
natural drainage and lake systems was
equally important in both cities. While the
concept was seen as a powerful as a way
of understanding the city. It did not have
the same resonance in mobilising action
among stakeholders in Bangalore. This
was partly due to a reluctance of BWSSB
to fully champion the whole problem
for fear of extending beyond their
organisational remit. In addition, it was
not possible for the project in Bangalore to
engage civil society actors in the same way
as Madurai.
What are the challenges of taking

network action?
Taking a network view is an effective way
of exploring and framing problems at a
city scale. The diagnostics can be used at
identifying the critical issues at city level
and identify the broad actions required
linking across sectors.
The focus is helpful in identifying possible
network pressure points where the
interaction of multiple issues can be linked
with patterns of vulnerability can be used
to scope out where action should be
focused. However, it should be noted that
geographical location of issues may not
directly be correlated e.g. contamination
of water supplies may occur upstream.
A challenge is that there are likely to be
a large number of areas identified which
require action. Further prioritisation is likely
to be required to decide where to start.
This could be informed by the number
of people affected, their vulnerability or
potential scale of impact.
While key actions at a city level can be
identified there is a need for significant
resources and support to identify and
develop programmes of specific action
and to mobilise the capacity and support
needed to deliver them.
What potential is there for using

the blue-green infrastructure
more widely?
The approach of using blue-green
infrastructure as a lens is likely to have
widespread replicability as a holistic
systems view is likely to be relevant to
all cities especially those which are subject
to significant climate impacts, are subject
to short term or long term risks to their
water resources where the level of needs
exceeds resources. However, the balance
and significance of particular issues will be
specific to each city and so the relevance
and type of opportunities and solutions
will also be different.
Where is the approach likely to be
most effective?
The greatest impact is likely to be in cities
where the conditions for multi-stakeholder
dialogue are on place or can easily be
activated. Contrasting the experiences of
Madurai and Bangalore the implication
is that future projects attempting an
integrated approach to climate change
issues should be centred on organisations
who have the official mandate or
convening power to mobilise institutions
and stakeholders across a broad spectrum
so that the approach can be promoted
from the outset.
A range of alternative strategies could

be used in other cities.
In the common situation where the ideal
conditions do not exist for development of
a fully integrated strategy to be developed
from the outset a number of other options
could be considered.
a pivotal role in mobilising cross sector

action could be used as a preparatory
stage to establishing a multi-stakeholder
dialogue process. However, this initial
catalyst needs to be seen as part of a wider
process of organisational/cultural change
for the impact to be sustained long term.
Use a focus on data gaps as a catalyst.
Interlinking sector strategies.

This approach would develop a
comprehensive urban diagnostic to
identify the issues and then individual
sectoral strategies for different institutions
to bring about effective action. This
approach could be effective if it is
accompanied by a process for socialising
and linking the strategies (to identify
potential synergies and
linked actions).
There would need to be sufficient dialogue
and cross sector learning at key stages
in the process. The approach could lead
to greater early stage ownership by
institutions. However, it is likely to cost
more in terms of the financial resources
required and is likely to be more wasteful
in terms of duplicated efforts (and might
avoid resolving possible tensions and
conflicts which could be a barrier to the
benefits of integrated action being fully
delivered). This approach would also be
unlikely to lead to the kind of dynamic that
a multi-stakeholder dialogue can bring
in terms of increased levels trust, interagency collaboration and mutual learning.
Creating the environment for multistakeholder dialogue.
This focus would help create the
conditions where multi-stakeholder
working can become effective (and
removing barriers which prevent such an
approach). Targeting leaders, potential
leaders and change agents who can play
A further alternative entry point could be

to focus initially on data gaps where there
was common agreement in both cities
that this should be a priority for action.
Co-operation could be built at a technical
level if permission to engage can be
secured from senior technical/political
stakeholders. Establishing collaboration
platforms centred on data has the
potential to foster collaboration and
promote greater data sharing (combining
an emphasis on social/organisational
discussion forums as well as technological
systems in parallel). Knowledge
partnerships can be established which
combine and value information from
across government, the academic sector
and civil society. Such platforms could also
be used to engage the public through
open data portals and social
media strategies.
Focus instead on building community

based action. Where strategies to
engender engagement at city wide
level are likely to be ineffective. Efforts
could focus on scaling community based
approaches until conditions exist for wider
engagement. Where the circumstances
for city scale action are limited (where the
support of city/sub-national government
is likely to be needed as a driving force)
greater emphasis could be placed on
scaling localised community based action
where there is a base to build from.
This could focus on developing further
community led partnerships and pilot
projects. However, it is uncertain whether
this would be effective in bringing about
the transformational change needed to
address the complex nature of the issues.
There could also be challenges of having
adequate structures of accountability to
direct resources effectively.
Key Finding 7 - Focussing at

the city scale is important
to gain support for climate
change action
While the issue is recognised the issue
of climate change is not form part of the
responsibility or mandate of urban local
bodies. This means that plans would
not normally consider this issue and the
implications for strategy development.
The importance of focusing at the city
scale is widely referenced in the literature.
The rationale is that it is only when
dropping down to the local level do
problems become tangible and linked to
individual people and institutions who
have the real incentive to act as they will
be directly impacted. At higher State
and national scales have a role to play in
establishing the governance and policy
framework and mobilising resources.
Approach to evidence on climate risks
Using the urban diagnostic to explore
the future of the city and fast moving
urbanisation trends affecting vulnerability
together with climate change trends
impacts which evolve over longer
timeframes was helpful in relating current
day to day priorities to future risks.
While no detailed modelling of climate
change risks and impacts had been
previously undertaken at the city level
in either city (e.g. through downscaling
of global or national climate models).
Mobilising and utilising data from existing
sources including national/State level
assessments and relating information to
the local situation helped stakeholders
envisage how slower onset issues would
impact on vulnerable areas and how
solutions could be built into interventions
and projects already being considered.
It also helped to look at medium and

longer term time horizons (beyond 3-5
year planning cycles) to help stakeholders
look beyond current challenges and
immediate concerns and how future
climate variability could impact the city.
Issues such as how slow onset climate
change could impact water scarcity and
influence the way peri-urban areas were
planned and managed was a discussion
which took place as a result in relation
to Madurai. The opportunity to develop
these areas following a new plan led
model rather than zoning/developing
property first and waiting for infrastructure
to follow later was championed by the
Chamber of commerce and Corporation
in relation to the Avaniapuram area which
had been added to the city.
Similar discussions took place in relation
to the Bellandur-Sarajapur Road area in
Bangalore where new development areas
are developed off-grid from water supply
and sanitation networks (with private
operators delivering water and collecting
septage by road).
Recognising the importance of taking
action in cities needs to be coupled
with developing local capacity.
The expert roundtables held with city

stakeholders in Chennai and Bangalore
also concluded that the city scale is the
right scale to gain traction on the issues
relating to climate change. However,
there was a feeling at both workshops
that the lack of institutional capacity
and mechanisms for developing and
coordinating plans could present a
challenge in taking the action necessary.
An example given was the lack of
enforcement over the sinking of borewells
to source groundwater.
Workshops in both cities highlighted that
it was a shared responsibility of citizens,
civil society and the private sector and not
only government to address the issues
(for example monitoring and reporting
problems) but that initiatives to raise
awareness and change behaviours would
be needed.
Developing a sense of trusteeship and
ownership of the problems through
developing local partnerships was
something which was emphasised many
times. However the project in Bangalore
made less progress in moving towards this
goal in the context of this project.
In this project the importance of the city

scale of intervention was voiced by the
Department of Environment Tamil Nadu at
the State level roundtable. She saw how
the Action Plan prepared by stakeholders
at city level could play in important role
in delivering the objectives of the State
level Climate change action plan. A key
opportunity highlighted has been for the
project to mainstream the issue of climate
change into the planning processes for
infrastructure programmes and urban
development. It was not possible to hold a
similar event in Karnataka due to the
State elections.
04
MOVING
FROM PLAN TO
IMPLEMENATION
This section highlights how the project

identified potential pathways for
implementing the proposals identified
in the action plan contrasting the
experiences of both cities. It highlights the
tensions in balancing short term and long
term requirements and the opportunities
presented by partnership working to assist
co-ordination and bridge implementation
gaps. In addition, the challenges of
funding an integrated plan are considered
along with the support required from
national and State governments to provide
an effective policy and regulatory frame
work to improve the effectiveness of
action at local level.
Key finding 8 - Blue-green

infrastructure is a useful focus
to prioritise critical system
links and identify how issues
should be addressed
A key lesson from the project in both
cities was to identify the implementation
pathways and trajectory of actions needed
to deliver a sustainable approach. In
developing the approach there is a need
to balance and make trade-offs between
ease of implementation, complexity,
vulnerability and impact which required
a pragmatic approach to be taken. In
Bangalore some more complex projects
were included earlier where institutional
capacity, resources and political appetite
were already mobilising where these
feature lower down the list of priorities
in Madurai.
The pathway in Madurai best reflects the
position of many small to medium sized
cities where there is a need to build up
momentum over time in stages to achieve
and effective long term approach (and to
move away from a fire fighting approach
focusing on the most pressing issue).
In Madurai the plan covered a 17 year
period to 2031. The first 5 years of the
action plan focussed on strengthening
adaptive capacity focusing on critical
linkages and hotspots which could deliver
the most significant immediate benefits.
Community based organisations play a
role in complementing government driven
initiatives. While capital improvements
take time to be fully delivered,
strengthening social capital was seen as
a way of initiating action and making
an immediate impact to vulnerable
communities. In addition, the preparatory

work to enable future infrastructure is
taken forward by completing feasibility
work and mobilising funding. It should
be recognised that during this period the
Corporation would also follow through on
existing committed projects while building
up its internal capacity.
Governance and future proof planning
is something was also identified as an
area which needed to be strengthened
immediately and was seen as a
necessary enabling factor to unlock and
strengthen infrastructure delivery. The
actions included:
Governance mechanisms and
partnerships for infrastructure
coordination and delivery;
A green city plan linking to the CDP/
masterplan update which can ensure
that policies and safeguarding of land
is in place to reduce exposure to risk.
A series of other policy, legal and
regulatory mechanisms and systems
which are needed to help sustain
change and align incentives between
different interests. Measures ranged
from enforcement of development
permits through to fines and penalties
relating to dumping of waste.
From 2020 onwards the plan has a greater
emphasis on delivery and roll out including
a broader range of projects to enable the
city to future proof city expansion and to
address longer term risks such as climate
impacts within the water basin catchment
of the city as well as flood risk.
Sequencing infrastructure
actions in Madurai following a
phased approach.
Step 1 - Improving sanitation,
including sewer system rehabilitation
within the existing urban area, was the
key issue which needs to be tackled
most urgently because sustainable
change on the other issues cannot be
delivered without it.
Step 2 - Action to address solid waste
management so that channels and
sewerage infrastructure does not
become blocked is to be can be
addressed in parallel.
To accomplish the Action plans for both

cities a need for external support and
capacity was identified. Without this
there is unlikely to be relevant expertise
and bandwidth to start to take forward
planning and governance actions while
still achieving short term goals.
In both cities there serious capacity
constraints within the institutions were
identified including a lack of availability of
trained and competent personnel and a
lack of procedures and systems for projects
to be implemented to high standards.
To ensure sustained changes, it was

identified that support is provided in
order that changes are institutionalised,
instead of a focus on merely implementing
projects (with a risk of a hit and miss
approach). Both action plans identified a
need for support to initiate and sustain
institutional learning and conversion
of project achievements into standard
operating procedures.
Step 3 - As these two actions take

effect for different branches of the
network it will be possible to make
sustained progress in rehabilitating
channels and tanks. Without
separation of sewage, any action will
have a limited impact.
Step 4 - As the channels and tank
system is restored, it will strengthen
drainage systems which will lead to
protection from localised flooding
during the monsoon, as well as less
frequent floods. Action can then shift
towards physical interventions to
address flood risk along the Vaigai.
Step 5 - Actions to directly address
the water resources supply-demand
balance in the Vaigai feature lower
down the list of priorities. This is
because action to address sanitation
and sewer system rehabilitation and
restoration of green infrastructure
corridors will have the effect of
increasing the efficiency and
effectiveness of water supply and
enable the city to improve its resilience
by becoming more self sufficient for its
water resources needs over time.
Involvement of state institutions is critical for mobilising external support
Key Finding 9 - Establishing

partnerships and processes for
co-ordination is a useful way
to bridge between strategy
and implementation
During the workshops the integrated
systemic view of issues and challenges
resonated and was appreciated and
championed by the range of stakeholders
in both cities. The need for interlinked and
transformational projects was also seen
as a high priority. However, there was a
gap between a holistic strategy approach
and what it was felt could be achieved
in practice based upon governance
arrangements.
The solution which emerged in Madurai to
help overcome this issue was to establish
partnership structures. An outline structure
has included in the action plan and is
being explored by Madurai Corporation
and the C-TAG group to enhance and
build upon existing structures.
In Madurai the proposals to establish
a forum to co-ordinate and galvanise
stakeholders was a proposal which was
widely supported. The Action Plan defined
a possible structure for the partnership
and outline terms of reference. The
partnership has several strands:
Coordination
City Administrative Forum - working
across Departments within the
Madurai Corporation and other
local delivery bodies (including
representatives of the local cells of nine
State Level bodies).
Tamil Nadu State Forum - a wider
consultative group embracing seven
further State Level bodies.
Community forum - would play an

advisory and monitoring role and
would include stakeholders such as
City Technical Advisory Group, City
Volunteer Technical Corps, research
and academic institutions, civil society
organisations and private
sector representatives.
work at ground level in developing and

implementing solutions. The formation
of an enhanced partnership which draws
upon the strengths and capabilities of
urban local bodies and other institutions
emerged as a key actionable outcome
of the project.
A core governmental working group

led by Madurai Corporation would be
used to co-ordinate programme/project
management delivery and action which
is likely to meet weekly/fortnightly. State
forum members would be co-opted as
relevant to the agenda.
In order to activate and mobilise the

forums some additional support is likely to
be required. One role identified was for a
programme co-ordinator to be appointed
within the Municipal Corporation to play
an interface role between the different
actors and a champion for initiatives. The
idea of participating in the 100 Resilient
Cities Programme which could help to
enable the appointment of a Chief
Resilience Officer could perform this
type of role.
Access would be widened to Community

forums on a monthly/bi-monthly basis to
provide additional oversight and to link in
the actions and programmes being led by
other non-governmental actors.
Project teams
Drawing from members of the City
Administrative Forum, State Forum and
Community Forum a number of project/
task oriented sub groups would be
established to develop and report back on
particular action plan Projects.
A knowledge management and project
preparation partnership was proposed as a
mechanism to define technical assistance
and capacity building activities, a funding
and resourcing strategies and social capital
building programmes in the city.
The civil society sector through Dhan
Foundation and the Thiyagarajar College
of Engineering represented significant
resources for the city in terms of
knowledge and expertise. Considerable
social capital is vested in these institutions
based within the community and who
In Bangalore other than the multistakeholder workshop it was not

proposed to establish new partnerships
or coordination bodies but to enhance
the support for existing parastatal bodies
such as Bangalore Development Authority
(BDA) to enhance their effectiveness.
In both cities it was felt that once
co-ordination had taken place,
implementation responsibilities for
individual projects should not be spread
too widely to ensure accountability.
Where there were joint or overlapping
responsibilities for particular projects
agencies should work together but with a
lead agency clearly identified to manage
the project.
Key Finding 10 - Using plans

to make the case for funding
and mobilising local resources
represents a key measure of
success for cities.
There was demand from stakeholders at
city level and State level (in Tamil Nadu)
to use the diagnostic and action plans to
mobilise additional support from national
government programmes and donors.
Developing a city scale programme
for action
Developing a strategy and defining
projects as part of the action plan was
seen as a helpful in establishing what
is feasible tackle climate risks in parallel
with development needs (without the
two being seen as separate). The plans
were helpful in providing a strategy and
phasing approach and moving towards
investor ready projects. In both Madurai
and Bangalore the primary project partner
has taken the initial steps to using the
plans to engage potential project partners
who can provide support for feasibility and
project preparation capacity development
and finance.
Achieving this goal as part of the project
was seen as a key benefit and helped to
maintain momentum and an incentive for
stakeholders to engage. This contrasted
with previous attempts at engagement
which had focused on discussing
problems without a more practical focus.
Mobilising the local and international
technical experts enabled a programme
to be framed using technical language
and terms so it could be used by the
Corporation and other stakeholders to
make the case for securing additional
resources for implementation avoiding the
danger of creating a long wish list of
actions without a basis to
enable implementation.
Involvement of technical experts with

knowledge of project and technical
feasibility, funding parameters and the
features of projects which would make
them attractive to potential funders
was helpful in this regard. This helped
to distinguish the approach of future
proofing from a business as usual
approach to stakeholder engagement
and action planning.
Involvement of state institutions is critical for

mobilising external support.
Both cities already had a series of project

priorities and programmes which they
were seeking support for. Some of these
project have been framed as single sector
civil engineering works but without
necessarily articulating how interventions
would help to build resilience to reduce
the vulnerability of communities to
climate risks.
In other cases projects had the potential
to deliver significant co-benefits such
as health benefits (e.g. reduction of
vector borne diseases through improved
sanitation) but these benefits had not
previously been recognised as public
health officials had not been directly
engaged to input to the plan. In other
cases, the supporting soft infrastructure
investments in community awareness
and capacity building programmes were
identified as key requirements to enable
the effectiveness of projects.
new ways. For example, it is unusual for

city, state and national authorities to view
the investment needs of cities taking a
long term perspective. Without breaking
programmes down into much smaller
components this may be incompatible
with the scale of resources which can
be drawn down. In contrast a key issue
which international donors have reported
is that small to medium sized cities often
approach with projects which are too
small to be funded by traditional funding
mechanisms. The transaction cost is too
high in comparison with the value of
projects and the scale of finance sought is
not suitable for a range of typical financial
products. Gaining commitment to a long
term but flexible programme can help
to overcome the problem of continually
justifying projects and accessing funding
rather than focussing on roll out
and delivery.
Mobilising funding
Re-framing projects to adopt a more
integrated and comprehensive approach
to tackling the issues can help to unblock
stalled projects and maximise the potential
benefits which can be delivered through
enhanced project design to maximise the
positive impact.
A programmatic approach to developing
a series of sequenced, interlinked projects
highlighted the potential for Madurai to
make a transformational leap forward
which could not otherwise be achieved
through incremental and disjointed
action. In Bangalore the plan provided an
important building block to show how
other institutions can work with BWSSB to
help enable a more integrated approach.
A programmatic approach requires that
national, state and international donors
view the needs and proposals of cities in
To deliver major capital projects there

is a need to source external finance to
support investment. The level and value
of revenue which could be mobilised
from local taxes and user charges which
could be used to support loans for capital
investment is limited. As a result, grants or
loans from state or national government
and or supporting co-finance from the
private sector or multilateral and bi-lateral
international financial institutions donors
are required. The capacity and authority
to broker and guarantee rests at State
and National government and requires
appropriate political support at these levels
in addition to agreement at urban local
body level.
Although the Action Plans identify a
range of sources of funding which could
be mobilised. The process for accessing
funding by engaging possible donors,
applying for funding and potentially taking

a project to financial close is a long process
and requires sustained commitment and
resources. The need for a funding strategy
and support to at least access initial project
preparation and challenge fund facilities
is a key need for those cities which do not
have a track record in gaining the support of
donors. Enabling State level bodies to act as
sponsors and work with cities could provide
an effective mechanism to enable take up of
the support which is available.
In the future Madurai Corporation and
BWSSB would have liked a project such
as this to have a wider remit in order that
feasibility and project preparation work
could be undertaken and support provided
to work alongside their teams in developing
Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for each
project in order that these can be directly
used to source national funding. This type
of support and the level resources available
to enable this activity do not align with the
current CDKN programme focus.
Key Finding 11 - Support

is needed from state and
national government support
to develop and adopt policy
and regulatory frameworks to
help enable effective action
While the city scale was highlighted as
the right scale for mobilising action urban
local bodies and other locally based
institutions require the support and buy
in from State and national level agencies
to make the change. The introduction of

the 74th constitutional amendment in
1992 devolved planning regulation and
development authority to Urban Local
Bodies (ULBs). However, resources and
much of the power over development in
terms of finance and approval rests with
State and national government.
Strengthened local byelaws and
institutional structures could provide a
starting point for some early wins in both
cities. However, State level support is

required for major regulatory and policy
changes identified within the action plans
to be introduced.
Table 4.1 below highlights some common
themes featured in each of the action
plans and contrasts the pathways
identified for taking forward the proposed
measures.
Table 4.1 Comparison of proposed policy and regulation mechanisms
Theme/Issue
Proposed mechanism: Bangalore
Proposed mechanism: Madurai
Comments
Proposed
mechanisms for
formally adopting
making the plan
proposals effective.
BWSSB has the responsibility for

implementing many of the specific
proposals identified and can
integrate proposals within its working
practices. Additional capacity and
support is likely to be required to
institutionalise the proposals.
A new green city plan would

be prepared linking to the City
Development Plan and masterplan
(which would provide the basis for
adoption). The specific components
which would be included which
vary from the prescribed approach
include:
The Bangalore approach is

for BWSSB to take forward
those proposals which it
has responsibility for and
to contribute to wider
metropolitan and State
processes to help facilitate
integration.
However, the support of other city

level bodies (BBMP, BDA) and State
level Departments need to formalise
into their own plans. These include:
Policies on channel and

tank protection
BDA Masterplan
A regional Comprehensive water
resource management plan for
the BMRDA area.
City Sanitation Plan for
BBMP including Ward and
neighbourhood
components.
A new metropolitan water policy
for managing water resources by
increasing self sufficiency through
demand management measures.
Identification of zoned areas/

overlays for flood protection
areas and supporting policies.
Identification and planning of
urban green space with design
and management standards
This approach could have

limited impact without further
resources to support a process
of enhanced inter agency and
multi-stakeholder working.
Planning policies and design

standards for new communities/
Eco neighbourhoods
The Madurai proposals have

the opportunity to directly link
into the revision of the City
Development Plan and 2031
masterplan.
Land consolidation and

management measures to enable Town Planning schemes.
However, support may be

required to enable special
attention to be paid to the
topics identified.
In addition compensation and

incentive structures to enable
effective protection of safeguarded
land and appropriate management
and stewardship would also
be required.
All of these measures require
support of State level Department
of Town and Country Planning.
In addition in addition to the
Corporation, the State level Public
Works Department and Water and
Drainage Board would also need to
feed in.
Some actions require a lead

and additional actions to be
taken at State level by the
Department of Town and
Country Planning. This is
because proposals differ from
the standard approach (the
proposals are more prescriptive)
and may require adoption as a
supplement the State Planning
regulations or through
local byelaw.
Theme/Issue
Comments
Co-ordination
mechanisms
BWSSB will be consulted on plans

and can feed in to Bangalore wide coordination forums which have been
established to inform the review of
the City Development Plan.
City partnership with nested forums

and working arrangements to be to
be used as the primary basis for coordinating action at city level (refer
to further details on p 43).
No new mechanisms identified to

engage non-governmental actors.
Common infrastructure standards

and co-ordination procedures were
identified to align the actions of
public bodies (e.g. phasing action in
relation to new development).
Madurai did not have existing

mechanisms in place for
bringing together government
and non-governmental
stakeholders to co-ordinate
action (a situation which is
common for many mid size
cities). State level bodies
play an important role in
decision making.
Helping to activate such a
mechanism can help to create
a greater focus for action at
city level.
Bangalore does have
established mechanisms
but the urban diagnostic
highlighted that these
arrangements are not
wholly effective due to the
responsibilities and resources
of key institutions and
political factors.
Improved
governance of the
lake/tank system.
Establishing clear ownership and

custodianship of lakes within BBMP.
A system for controlling tanks

was identified as the approach is
fragmented. Key needs:
Establishment and refinement of
operational rules
Abstraction management
and enforcement
Discharge regulation
and management
Encroachment management.
A common priority likely to be

a common problem in other
cities/states.
Requires the co-ordination
of 5 local and State bodies in
both cities.
Effective partnership working
is required to establish a shared
approach and resolving local
issues.
Theme/Issue
Comments
Improving network
performance and
service delivery.
A range of actions were identified

which BWSSB wish to phase in
over time. This includes use of tariff
and pricing mechanisms to enable
water conservation.
Initially, the focus on Madurai

was on taking action to improve
the effectiveness of water supply
and sanitation measures through
taking remedial action to improve
infrastructure. This would enable
the Corporation to move towards
increased cost recovery.
The two cities are not directly

comparable in drawing
comparisons
Similar measures identified in

Madurai.
Similar measures required

in both cities requiring the
support of State level bodies.
Incentives are required to enable

BWSSB to achieve national service
level benchmarks.
Effective regulation
of private sector
suppliers
State level support is required for

byelaw to licence tankers and control
rights of way.
Uncontrolled groundwater
abstraction is also an issue in
Madurai. However the issue has not
reached the extreme situation which
Bangalore experiences.
Enforcement of
existing regulations
A key issue the view of BWSSB

was that additional resources would
enable this to be tackled.
The need to establish operating
procedures for enforcing the
Karnataka Ground Water Act was
highlighted as a key issue.
In addition to resources for

enforcement.
It was felt that this would only be
effective where alternative options
are made possible.
The political dimension

of enforcing unpopular
regulations or increasing
penalties was seen as unjust
unless a feasible alternative
was established/made
available.
Engagement with affected

stakeholders and developing
partnerships was seen as a way to
establish acceptable solutions.
This chapter has summarised and contrasted the approach and learnings from both cities in terms of the governance mechanisms and
support required to move from plan to implementation. The next section considers how the lessons from the project can be translated
to other cities and how the approach can be scaled.
05
LESSONS AND
IMPLICATIONS
FOR
SCALING THE
APPROACH
Summary of lessons and

implications for scaling
the approach
Key conclusions
This project has piloted the approach at
local level in two cities over a year and
a half. The project has shown how the
approach of combining an integrated
urban diagnostics with an action planning
process to develop a plan can be useful
for cities to tackle their climate change
issues and vulnerability together.
This section provides a summary of the
conclusions to the project. It also considers
the wider relevance of the project for
other cities. In India the approach is
directly relevant to the 100 Smart Cities
programme and National Urban Renewal
Mission which seek to tackle issues in a
holistic manner and to establish a model
for urban development to tackle the
interlinked issues facing Indias cities.
Role and value of future

proofed planning
The project found that the future
proofing approach has value to
both cities by bringing a new
frame of reference to planning.
The benefit of adopting a long term
planning horizon, and recognising
problems and challenges as complex
and interconnected contrasts with
a traditional planning processes
resulting in sector focused plans which
do not effectively tackle the issues
because of the narrow focus.
Improved solutions by considering

the interconnections between
issues and focusing on climate
risks and vulnerability. Recognising
trends relating to urbanisation and
climate and resource risks in the
context of patterns of vulnerability to
these risks in Madurai and Bangalore
helped to identify the pathways
through risks were transmitted
(using the concept of blue-green
infrastructure). This brought a focus
on networks and pressure points in
those networks where actions should
be prioritised. This was seen as new
and there was a shared view that this
type of perspective was necessary.
A practical focus including

developing necessary capacities to
deliver. A practical focus was needed
for the value of future proofing to be
recognised. This required a focus on
short and medium term actions which
can deliver the results in parallel with
developing actions to tackle long term
issues. The capacity of government
institutions at local level is limited in
terms of the number of people able to
help drive forward programmes and
the range of appropriately skilled staff
among the second run of technical
cadres able to undertake technical
work and facilitate co-ordination

across sectors and develop solutions.
Additional support is likely to

be required to institutionalise
the approach more widely. As a
new initiative, it is unlikely that an
approach to future proofing would
take place in cities without such
capacity unless support is provided
to help enable such an approach.
Technical expertise along with support
to activate and institutionalise the
process is necessary to support
plan making and plan delivery on a
sustainable basis. Formalised systems
and approaches would be required
for approach to be scaled widely.
Bringing external technical and
academic experts from outside of the
city had the benefit of being able to
challenge existing thinking and help
to identify and activate a stakeholder
engagement process able to support
the development of integrated plans.
Data gathering and framing

the problems
In a context of limited data the
future proofing was successful
in building a sufficient picture to
enable strategy development at a
city wide scale, including identifying
key priorities and the opportunities to
tackle these issues in a combined way.
The action plans highlighted the data
gaps where additional work would
be needed to inform specific projects.
Case studies were used to explore
in more depth the implications of
the diagnostic findings at local level.
Differences between the approach
used to data gathering in both cities
highlighted that fully engaging
knowledge partners through the
data gathering process by discussing
emerging findings and triangulating

between data sources can be a more
effective strategy than viewing the
exercise as a technical exercise. The
importance of presenting findings
visually (through photos and maps/
aerial photographs) was effective in
reaching non-technical audiences.
It is important to focus resources on
relevant topics and avoid collecting
too much information which does
not directly relate to key issues and
is unrelated or purely contextual in
nature. Making sure there is a focus
on the future as well as existing needs
is paramount. Not using evidence to
inform planning is likely to lead to
ineffective projects and a waste of
financial resources.
The lack of locally available

climate data was not a barrier to
strategy development but would
be required to inform the approach
to future planning in the city and
potential options for major capital
projects under consideration. In the
context of uncertainty many of the
actions identified in both plans were
focused on building resilience and
addressing service gaps.
The perspective of blue-green

infrastructure was helpful in
relating issues of local, city wide
and wider significance to one
another and help stakeholders
appreciate their position, and sense
of ownership of the problem and the
potential stake in developing effective
solutions. The level of buy in each
city developed during the process
was critical in defining how the
boundaries to the action plan could
be defined. The focus of the project
in Bangalore on the water supply
and sewage board highlighted that
the outputs could be used to inform
not only planning but also possible

service delivery and operational
improvements within the context of
competing private water supply and
sanitation services providers.
Using multi-stakeholder
dialogues in the process of
action planning
The project explored the extent to whether
an integrated planning approach can work
in an environment where institutional
structures and mandates to enable such an
approach are not fully aligned.
Integrated planning processes

are likely to have the greatest
impact whether there a regulatory
framework, effective governance
and institutional structures,
capacity, working practices
and platforms are in place to
promote such an approach. These
conditions were not in fully in place
in Bangalore and Madurai and the
project explored how a process of
future proofing could be used to help
create the conditions to enable such
an approach.
Taking a patient approach is

needed to maximise the impact
of engagement. Without a fully
established and institutionalised
approach leadership is a critical
resource to align and mobilise
stakeholders and help steer the
process.
Changes in the political environment and
senior technical/administrative leaders
mean that there were variations in the
level of support over the course of the
project leading to lack of traction or loss of
momentum. Strategies to engage and reengage key stakeholders were necessary.
Madurai benefitted from support for the
project from State level officials at the

initiation and completion of the project
which was a critical factor in gaining
endorsement for the plan.
for action. Using local languages to

undertake dialogues was helpful in
creating an active dialogue among
local stakeholders.
A range of potential strategies
It could be more time consuming and

challenging to develop an integrated and
inclusive process to support plan making.
The cost of such plans is also likely to
be greater than at present given the
broader scope of issues addressed and
time required to engage stakeholders in a
meaningful way. Up front investment to
actively engage stakeholders in developing
proposals will be helpful in eliciting areas
of alignment as well as sensitive topics
early in the process so that issues can be
addressed. The benefit should be reduced
delays later in the process and in gaining
support for approvals.
were identified to help enable

an integrated approach where
full leadership and buy in across
stakeholders is not in place
including preliminary activities to
create the conditions for integrated
planning, interlinking sector related
plans, using data as a focus for
mobilising technical stakeholders and
concentrating on building or scaling
community based activities.
The diagnostic process of

gathering and combining data
was helpful in bringing together
partners and stakeholders to
identify shared priorities. This
action planning process was directed
towards overcoming silos among
government stakeholders and to help
create an environment for ongoing
multi-stakeholder action (although
support will be required to assist
this process).
In Bangalore, impact of the approach was
more limited as the conditions were not in
place for this project to forge a partnership
across a wide range of stakeholders at
State and metropolitan level. In addition
the methods used to explore community
scale actions were different in both cities.
The involvement of a local and actively
engaged civil society partner able to
mobilise and engage non-governmental
stakeholders in Madurai was critical in
building and mobilising platforms for multi
stakeholder dialogue. The use of social
media and community events such as
the Madurai symposium and water walks
helped to build and maintain momentum
Strategy to action
Targeting support to develop
medium and long term actions in
parallel with one normal annual
and short term project focus
would be necessary to enable a
move towards a more integrated
and long term approach. The
integrated strategies developed for
both cities were multifaceted taking
programmatic view of the actions
necessary to build up over time (taking
a 15-17 year time horizon). The range
of actions within each action plan
incorporated components including
technical feasibility, capacity building
and strengthening social capital
actions along with actions relating to
planning and governance including
regulations. Some of the actions are
new and non-routine and require
capacities to be developed as
part of the project. In addition, the
scope of the plans requires multiagency engagement to effectively
tackle the issues (and overcome

institutional silos). Considering the
existing organisational cultures and
highly sector focused approach in
place at present, in both cities a need
was identified to build capacity for coordination and establish an effective
governance framework.
The approach of linking relating

water focused actions to other sectors
through a wider metropolitan and
state-wide process was seen as the
best way forward in Bangalore to
enable an integrated approach with
other agencies. In Madurai, the plan
was endorsed at State level during
the project with support among
stakeholders for a city partnership to
be formalised anchored by Madurai
Corporation but linking with State
and non-governmental civil society
stakeholders.
The process used for this project

does not require changes to
regulations in order for the plans
to be effective as the strategy can
be linked to existing statutory
processes of plan making. The
preparation of a Green City Plan
linked to the process of the Madurai
Masterplan review and CDP was
seen as the process to extend the
range of future proofing urban
development, environmental and
infrastructure policies adopted as part
of the plan. BWSSB has responsibilities
to effectively deliver many of the
projects identified but engagement
with other metropolitan and State
level bodies will be needed to plans to
gain support proposals and resourcing
will need to be mobilised.
A programmatic approach to
developing a series of sequenced,
interlinked projects highlighted the
potential for Madurai to make a
transformational leap forward which

could not otherwise be achieved
through incremental and disjointed
action. In Bangalore the plan provided
an important building block to show
how other institutions can work
with BWSSB to help enable a more
integrated approach.
A programmatic approach
requires that national, state and
international donors view the
needs and proposals of cities in
new ways. For example, it is unusual
for city, state and national authorities
to view the investment needs of
cities taking a long term perspective.
Without breaking programmes
down into much smaller components
a programmatic approach may
be incompatible with the scale
of resources which can be drawn
down. In contrast a key issue which
international donors including ADB
have reported is that small to medium
sized cities often approach them with
projects which are too small to be
funded by traditional mechanisms.
The transaction cost is too high in
comparison with the value of projects
and the scale of finance sought is not
suitable for a range of typical financial
products. Gaining commitment to
a long term but flexible programme
can help to overcome the problem
of continually justifying projects
and accessing funding rather than
focussing on roll out and delivery.
To deliver major capital projects

there is a need to source external
finance to support investment. The
level and value of revenue which could
be mobilised from local taxes and user
charges in support of loans for capital
investment is limited. As a result,
grants or loans from state or national
government and/or supporting cofinance from the private sector or
multilateral and bi-lateral international

financial institutions donors is
required. The capacity and authority
to broker and guarantee rests at State
and National government and requires
appropriate political support at these
levels in addition to agreement at
urban local body level.
The process for accessing

funding by engaging possible
donors, applying for funding
and potentially taking a project
to financial close is a long
process and requires sustained
commitment and resources. The
need for a funding strategy and
support to at least access initial
project preparation and challenge
fund facilities is a key need for those
cities which do not have a track record
in gaining the support of donors.
Enabling State level bodies to act as
sponsors and work with cities could
provide an effective mechanism to
enable take up of the support which is
available.
The challenge posed by a future

proofing approach is to gear the
level of ambition for the approach
to what can be achieved while at
the same time using the process
to develop plans which have the
potential to deliver transformational
change. In situations where there
is not support to embark on such a
process incremental changes focused
on individual sectors can still deliver
benefits. However, in India and
internationally the direction of travel
is for plan making to become more
integrated as evidenced by reviews
such as the reviews of the JNNURM
programme and the Global Report
on Human Settlements 20094 future
proofing provides a practical way to
take on this challenge incorporating a
response to climate and resource risks.
4. Grant Thornton (2011) Appraisal of Jawaharal Nehru National Urban renewal Mission. Grant Thornton, Delhi. http://jnnurm.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Appraisal-ofJnNURM-Final-Report-Volume-I-.pdf

UN Habitat (2009) Planning Sustainable Cities: Global Report on Human Settlements 2009. UN Habitat, Nairobi.
Future proofing as a means for shaping

smart cities in India
The integrated approach followed by
future proofing is directly relevant to the
100 Smart Cities programme in India.
While the concept and definition of
the programme is being developed the
concept note published in October 2014
provides an indication of the direction of
travel.5 The importance of governance and
institutional infrastructure is highlighted
as a critical factor in identifying and
framing the type of instruments required
to support cities and determining how
appropriate solutions can be developed
and implemented along with finance and
a means to strengthen capacities.
The focus of the smart cities framework
is on addressing infrastructure gaps in
order to meet service delivery benchmarks
for a range of smart cities indicators
across transport, spatial planning,
water supply, sewerage and sanitation,
solid waste management, storm
water drainage, electricity, telephone
connections, wi-fi connectivity, healthcare
facilities, education, fire-fighting and
others (including green buildings and
renewables). The focus is on the quantity
and level of service/access criteria rather
than the quality of provision.
The role which a future

proofing cities approach
can play
The future proofing approach is relevant
to achieving progress to delivering smart
cities as it provides a framework for
working through and setting priorities
for achieving the level of service
goals identified. A summary of how
the future proofing approach can be
applied to support decision making is
provided below.
Firstly, the added value Future Proofing
can bring is that the issues of climate risk
and resource availability are considered in
the context of setting and meeting goals.
This enables cities to better manage their
long term growth and urbanisation in
the context of environmental change in
addition to addressing immediate short
term needs.
The second benefit from future proofing
is integration. It provides a basis for
considering issues and opportunities
together so that action can be coordinated
on a cross sector basis. This can be used to
link interventions and projects to achieve
multiple goals and maximise the ability of
actions to catalyse growth.
The third benefit is that the future
proofing approach considers the capacity
required to implement solutions. The costs
of particular solutions are considered in
the context of what is required to support
effective delivery considering governance,
planning and deliverability.
5. Ministry of Urban Development (2014) draft Concept

Note on Smart City Scheme. http://indiansmartcities.
in/downloads/CONCEPT_NOTE_-3.12.2014__
REVISED_AND_LATEST_.pdf
Smart and future proofed

The experience of applying the future
proofing approach with stakeholders in
two of Indias cities has highlighted some
key components which could support
the development of the Indian Smart
Cities programme.
Not only about supply side of

infrastructure. The future proofing
approach highlighted that for existing
challenges in both cities to be
tackled effectively, a combination of
infrastructure enabling actions as well
as policy reforms and social capital
building activities were required.
Tacking this approach can tackle both
existing infrastructure shortfalls as well
as provide a sustainable basis for city
growth and expansion.
Infrastructure for development

- The future proofing process
highlighted how a programmatic
approach to defining projects to
address multiple interlinked issues
can be effective in delivering wider
co-benefits at the same time. For
example, some of these benefits such
as the health benefits from reducing
water borne diseases were seen as
among the most important issues for
vulnerable households. Alleviating
flood risk through establishing a green
space network can enable space for
water on a temporary basis whilst
addressing deficiencies in urban
green space.
Undertaking diagnostic
assessments covering energy
and low carbon assessments for
climate change mitigation; climate
change adaptation; resources; and
vulnerability at the same time as
considering future development and
infrastructure needs enables effective
policy integration and increases the

likely effectiveness of the plan.
Addressing climate change risks

while tackling vulnerabilities
should be viewed as an ongoing
process rather than a one off activity.
Dynamic data needs - in order to

manage uncertainty there is a need for
hypothesis, professional judgement
and a process of triangulation/
validation using multiple data sources
to build a picture which is good
enough to shape strategies and
action plans. However, this is not
a substitute for more detailed data
collection and pre-feasibility required
to support key decisions and concept
and detailed design.
Stakeholder engagement - The

process of developing an integrated
plan needs to actively involve and
engage the community, private sector
and other knowledge partners as
active participants in the process
beginning at an early stage.
Forming city level partnerships

can be a critical factor in making
integration a reality - Establishing
knowledge and learning partnerships
with educational institutions, civil
society partners and technical
expertise at an early stage can bring
different kinds of knowledge to build
a picture of the issues. Until the net
is cast wide there is a risk important
issues may be overlooked.
Plans should be transformational

but implementable - responding to
the scale and pace of change cities
face. This recognises that plans should
take a long term perspective but
combining the need for flexibility to
be built in to enable revisions to be
built in in response to economic cycles
and enhanced information on climate
risks for example. The approach to
implementation should be considered
from the outset. Early win projects can
help build support for the plan.
No one size fits all - While the

process can be the same in every
city, the process for planning and
engagement needs to be created
around the dynamics in the city in
terms of institutions and stakeholders.
The process for future proofing took
time to establish and embed. A
continuous process of engagement
and alignment are needed to keep the
process on track.
Regulations and standards are

required to make implementation
effective - New instruments for
governance are likely to be needed
including platforms for coordination,
as well as policies, standards
and regulation.
What are the entry points for applying

and scaling the approach?
What can cities and State level governments do?
Cities can start to implement a future

proofing approach by considering their
existing position in connection with
policy and plan making, people and
partnerships, finance and key events.
State and national government agencies
also have an important role to play in
guiding and shaping action.
Policy and plan making
Use State Level Climate Change

Action Plans as a starting point for
considering the issues facing the city
and building support.
Review/undertake state urbanisation

reviews and strategies to understand
existing patterns of development.
Use the preparation or review of the

City Development Plan (CDP) as to
build in climate change considerations
into planning. Future proofing can
identify the components and
policies required.
The preparation of a Detailed Project

Report (DPR) can provide a catalyst
for considering opportunities for
addressing climate risks and reducing
impacts on vulnerable communities
in advance of a more comprehensive
strategic planning exercise.
Within established legal and

regulatory frameworks room should
be made for innovation of processes
and allow for new solutions to
be piloted.
People and Partnerships
Finance
City leaders political and
Budgeting the annual budgeting
administrative should create

opportunities for dialogue to
breakdown silos within and between
organisations. This could take the
form of knowledge sharing sessions
and group challenges to promote
collaborative behaviours.
Awareness raising this should be

integral to the process and engage
the whole community providing
opportunities for people to play
an active part. Use of social media,
community sensitisation through city
walks to key problem areas as well as
traditional communication methods
should be used. Local community
based initiatives can be used to build
momentum and support for longer
term projects.
State and Urban local bodies

should understand civil society and
non-governmental projects and
programmes which are active in
their jurisdiction. Scaling the impact
of existing community programmes
and projects could represent an early
win opportunity to scale or broaden
quickly and embed city partnerships.
The national law for larger firms to

contribute 1% of their revenue to CSR
activities represents an opportunity to
engage the private sector and local
Chamber of Indian Industry
(CII) chapters.
Knowledge and learning partnerships

engaging relevant faculties within
local universities and joining city
peer to peer networks provide
opportunities for exchanging
information and ideas on what works.
process provides an opportunity to

consider how expenditure can be
directed to achieve multiple goals
as well as consider opportunities for
revenue generation to finance plans.
Participatory budgeting processes
and tools could be used as a way of
opening up a discussion of how to
improve the effectiveness of spending.
Grant funds and challenge funds

Many international organisations and
philanthropic organisations have grant
or challenge fund programmes. The
prospect of funding could provide
the impetus to take forward pilot
projects and small scale planning and
community led initiatives.
Climate Finance. The Green Climate

Fund and other international climate
funds are directed towards supporting
loan and grant instruments which are
targeted towards addressing climate
mitigation and or adaptation actions.
By framing infrastructure programmes
to incorporate climate risks at the
same time as addressing existing gaps
and future needs can enable access
to this source of funding to establish
more effective and future proofed
projects.
National governmental programmes

A future proofing action plan can
help to make the case for attracting
support from national programmes
and funds such as those associated
with the National Urban Renewal
Mission and National Sustainable
Habitat Mission for example.
Using events and circumstances to

shift gear
India is subjected to climate related

extreme weather events each year
including flooding. While unfortunate,
these events can often provide
a branching point or catalyst for
mobilising action to develop longer
term actions beyond disaster risk
reduction. Having a focus on particular
vulnerable or problem locations within
cities can also be helpful in developing
early win projects.
The opportunity for major new

development taking place as part of
a new township or rehabilitation of
an existing community can provide
a platform for taking an integrated
approach to tackling issues at a
comprehensive level.
Political change can provide a basis for

shaping plans and projects.
Actions for National and State

Governments
A guiding hand
National and State level governments

should provide leadership and support
for building effective cross sector
co-operation between State and
Urban local bodies for taking action.
Sometimes there could be a need to
help unblock issues and challenges
which may emerge. Higher level
agencies can help to align incentives
and align stakeholders to recognise
the shared value which may be
developed through a collaborative
approach to projects and actions.
Establishing the field of play through

establishing frameworks, regulations
and standards for embedding
processes and procedures can help

to institutionalise best practice.
Knowledge products and other
manuals and toolkits can help support
this process and enable programmes
to be scaled effectively.
National and state level institutions

will be responsible for defining and
administering programmes at city
level. In developing the metrics,
criteria and performance standards
for projects they can incentivise and
channel funding to help achieve smart
city and future proofing goals as well
as monitor and evaluate performance.
Institutional structures and

mechanisms which may be required
to enable implementation are likely
to require the support of national and
state level bodies who are also likely
to be responsible for formulating
and adopting regulations and their
approval.
Land reform is likely to be needed

to fully achieve a planned and
sustainable blue green infrastructure
network in order that goals for
safeguarding at risk areas and a more
comprehensive basis for planning and
infrastructure delivery can take place
allowing for appropriate land assembly
and compensation to take place. This
issue has received significant attention
at national level.
climate change mitigation and

adaptation goals and alleviate poverty
in their design.
There is a role to play for a wide range
of other partners to enable cities to
take action to address the challenges
faced by meeting development needs
in combination with addressing climate
and resource challenges. Not only does
this include a wide range of actors at
city level including academia and civil
society but also multilateral and bi-lateral
development agencies, and international
philanthropic and non-governmental
organisations.
We hope that this project summary and
sharing our experiences of this project
has been helpful in exploring how
integrated planning approaches can be
used to address climate change at city
level. We would be interested to hear of
your experiences and issues faced and
the opportunities you see for promoting
integrated planning approaches.
The CDKN website provides an
opportunity to explore the project further
and share your knowledge in how other
cities are tackling the issues.
http://cdkn.org/project/futureproofing-indian-cities/
State level bodies can support cities

in their thrust towards cross sector
working. They can change the terms
of the debate and ensure that all
relevant players are brought to the
table including the inclusion of nongovernmental partners. Through
application of policy at national level
they can ensure that city programmes
and projects are framed to deliver
For more information please contact:

Roger Savage
Tel: +44 (0) 207 121 2980
Email: Roger.Savage@atkinsglobal.com
Registered office: Atkins, Woodcote Grove, Ashley Road, Epsom
Surrey KT18 5BW United Kingdom
Enquiries:
Tel: +44 (0)1372 72 6140
Fax: +44 (0)1372 74 0055
Email: info@atkinsglobal.com
www.atkinsglobal.com
www.atkinsglobal.com
The Atkins logo, Carbon Critical Design and the strapline
Plan Design Enable are trademarks of Atkins Ltd.
Atkins Ltd except where stated otherwise.

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Atkins in partnership with

About the project partners

University College London (UCL): Development Planning Unit

The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)

Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | i

Glossary and abbreviations

What did the approach involve?

01 INTRODUCING FUTURE PROOFING

Future proofing cities

Why these cities?

02 KEY LESSONS: FUTURE PROOFING PROCESS

Lessons from applying a future proofing approach

Process for adapting future proofing to a city context

03 KEY LESSONS: IMPROVING INTEGRATION USING BLUE-GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

The opportunity: Madurai

The opportunity: Bangalore

How did the approach work in each city?

04 MOVING FROM PLAN TO IMPLEMENTATION

05 LESSONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SCALING THE APPROACH

Future proofing as a means for shaping smart cities in India

Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | iii

Climate change: The United Nations Framework

Agglomeration economies: Relates to the benefits firms

Compact city: A high density urban settlement with

Blue-green infrastructure services: represent the

Atkins in partnership with

iv | Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report

Informal settlements: Term often used to describe a

Triple-Win solutions: In the context of this report,

Lock-in: As escalating commitment to an ineffective

Urban: Used as a collective term to fit with the different

Low carbon urban trajectory: An alternative

Urban catchment: Area surrounding a city that supplies

Atkins in partnership with

Future Proofing Indian Cities Final Report | v

BAU Business As Usual

ITS Intelligent Transport System

BEE Bureau of Energy Efficiency

JNNSM Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission

BRT Bus Rapid Transport

JNNURM Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban

BWSESMP Bangalore Water Supply and Environmental

kWh KiloWatt hour

BWSSB Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board

LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

CAC Command and Control

LPA Local Planning Authority

CDM Clean Development Mechanism

LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas

CDP City Development Plan

MLD Million Litres per Day

CER Certified Emission Reduction

MLPA Madurai Local Planning Authority

CGC City Coordination Group

MoEF The Ministry of Environment and Forests

CMA Chennai Management Authority

MMC Madurai Municipal Corporation

CMA Commissionerate of Municipal Administration

MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

CMCs City Municipal Corporations

CNG Compressed Natural Gas