Abstract:
This study provides a snapshot of the sustainability of selected Indian cities by employing 57 indicators
in four dimensions to develop an overall city sustainability index. In recent years, its complexity has
made 'urban sustainability' a prominent concept. Urban areas propel growth and at the same time pose
a lot of ecological, social and infrastructural problems and risks. High population density and
continuous in-migration among developing countries created the highest risk in natural and man-made
disasters. These issues and the inability of policy-makers in providing basic services make the cities
unsustainable. The objective of the paper is to develop a city performance index (CPI) to measure and
evaluate the urban regions in terms of sustainable performance. The paper uses benchmark approach to
measure the cumulative performance of the 25 largest Indian cities based on economic, environmental,
social and institutional dimensions. The CPI, consisting of four dimensions disaggregates into 12
categories and ultimately into 53 indicators. The data are obtained from public and non-governmental
organizations, as also from city officials and experts. By ranking a sample of diverse cities on a set of
specific dimensions the study can serve as a baseline of current conditions and a marker for referencing
future results. The benchmarks and indices presented in the study provide a unique resource for the
government and the city authorities to learn about the positive and negative attributes of their a city and
prepare plans for sustainable urban development.
