Experts, policymakers discuss climate-resilient planning framework for Northeast and other Himalayan states
Shillong, July 13: NITI Aayog and the North Eastern Council (NEC) on Monday launched discussions in Shillong on a long-term strategy to make hill cities across the Indian Himalayan Region more sustainable, climate-resilient and economically vibrant.
The stakeholder consultation on the Hill City Regions Planning Initiative (HCRPI) brought together representatives from the Northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, along with urban planners, academics and development experts to prepare a comprehensive planning framework for the region’s rapidly expanding hill cities.
The meeting was attended by NEC Secretary Satinder Kumar Bhalla, NITI Aayog Programme Director (Managing Urbanisation Division) Anna Roy, NEC Planning Adviser Som Komei and senior officials and domain experts from across the country.
Discussions centred on the unique challenges confronting hill cities, including unplanned urbanisation, fragile ecosystems, climate change, infrastructure constraints and governance issues. Participants explored strategies such as terrain-sensitive planning, ecological carrying-capacity assessments, climate-resilient infrastructure and governance reforms to ensure balanced urban growth.
The consultation also examined potential pilot regions and priority interventions aimed at creating economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable hill city regions, particularly across the Northeast, in line with the North East Vision 2047.
Officials said the initiative seeks to develop a practical planning framework that balances development needs with ecological conservation, enabling India’s hill cities to emerge as models of sustainable urbanisation and innovation under the broader vision of Viksit Bharat.
The recommendations emerging from the Shillong consultation are expected to help shape future policy and planning for hill cities across the Indian Himalayan Region, where rapid urban growth and climate vulnerabilities have increasingly become major development challenges.
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