India Needs a National Mission For Urban Roads

India's Urban Roads: The Need for a Mission-Driven Transformation

India has mastered the art of mission-driven infrastructure programs—witness the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Bharatmala Pariyojana. Yet, the neglect of urban roads remains a glaring governance void. The proposal for a Pradhan Mantri Shahari Sadak Yojana (PMSSY) is timely and essential. Cities cannot function as engines of economic growth on broken asphalt and flooded streets. The decay of urban roads is symptomatic of deeper structural deficiencies in urban governance and planning.

The Institutional Landscape: Fragmentation and its Consequences

Urban road development and maintenance in India is trapped in a quagmire of fragmented governance. Municipal bodies oversee most urban roads, but their capacity is constrained by chronic underfunding and lack of expertise. For instance, NCR Planning Board’s 2018 report identified that 74% of municipal budgets were diverted to salaries, leaving negligible funding for capital expenditure.

The legal framework is equally inadequate. Unlike the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards for highways, urban road design lacks mandatory enforceable benchmarks. Section 63(2) of the Municipalities Act empowers city governments to adopt development norms, but these are rarely backed by centralized funding or institutional capacity. Meanwhile, contract practices such as L1 tendering prioritize cost minimization, often at the expense of quality.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling from 2023 offered a scathing critique of urban flood management but avoided tackling the root cause—poor road drainage systems. This highlights how Indian cities fail to integrate stormwater management into urban road planning. Tender SURE's success in Bengaluru shows what is possible when a comprehensive institutional mechanism exists, yet its replication remains limited to isolated pilot projects.

Broken Roads, Broken Ecosystems: Argument with Evidence

The consequences of neglecting urban roads are multidimensional. Potholed roads in Mumbai disrupt mobility during the annual monsoons, costing the city an estimated ₹3,147 crore in lost productivity (City Mobility Index, 2022). Similarly, WHO data indicates that poor walkability and vehicular pollution contribute to 35% of respiratory diseases in urban India.

The effects are not merely economic. NSSO’s 78th round survey revealed that women’s pedestrian mobility declines by 16% in areas where street lighting is inadequate—a clear indictment of urban road safety as a gendered issue. The lack of accessible footpaths also stymies inclusivity; for instance, tactile paving for the visually impaired remains absent in 90% of Indian cities (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, 2020).

Bengaluru’s Tender SURE model provides compelling evidence for reform. A 2021 study documented a 117% increase in women commuters and a 55% rise in property values following urban road upgrades under this initiative. What Tender SURE shows is the importance of institutionalized road standards, lifecycle digital tracking, and inter-agency coordination to make urban roads functional, equitable, and climate-resilient.

Engaging with the Counter-Narrative

The strongest argument against a centralized urban roads mission like PMSSY comes from fiscal federalism advocates who fear further erosion of municipal autonomy. They point to the problematic implementation of the Smart Cities Mission, where centralized funding distorted local decision-making. Critics highlight that urban road challenges are heterogeneous—a metro city like Delhi has very different needs than mid-sized towns like Gwalior.

While these concerns are valid, fragmented governance structures have consistently failed to address urban road issues. PMSSY can be designed to empower—not bypass—local bodies by channeling funds contingent on compliance with national standards and employing certified urban designers who work within municipal frameworks. A bottom-up design philosophy can complement top-down funding. The lessons from PMGSY’s decentralized implementation strategy can directly inform PMSSY’s structure.

International Perspective: Germany's Mobility-Centric Planning

India’s ad hoc approach to urban roads contrasts sharply with Germany’s integrated framework for urban mobility. German cities, under federal mandates, implement “Complete Streets” principles, ensuring roads serve pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit equally. For instance, Hamburg allocates 22% of its road budget for cycling infrastructure alone, while Indian cities dedicate less than 2% (Eurostat Urban Transport Data, 2021).

Moreover, Germany employs digital twins to map road maintenance, utilities, and transport flows in real time through its "Digital Infrastructure Grid." While India’s PM Gati Shakti offers a map-based planning tool, its application largely excludes urban road networks. Scaling similar mechanisms for cities can bring urban resilience closer to global standards of execution.

Assessment: Toward Safe, Inclusive, and Resilient Streets

India cannot afford incremental fixes to urban roads. A national mission like PMSSY would institutionalize road design standards, promote climate-resilient infrastructure, and address systemic deficiencies in urban governance head-on. It offers an opportunity to transform 6 lakh kilometers of underperforming roads into “janpaths” that embody citizen-centric mobility.

However, execution will determine success. PMSSY must go beyond merely funding capital-intensive projects—it must localize skill-building, reform procurement practices, introduce digital lifecycle tracking, and integrate urban roads with broader climate adaptation goals. The mission should aim to shift the paradigm entirely: from patchwork maintenance to holistic urban infrastructure design.

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