For much of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic upended life as we know it. The combined health and economic shocks have affected the livelihoods of millions of households, disrupted business activities and exposed existing fault lines. Yet, as we enter 2021, with vaccine delivery already underway, global leaders can start to turn their attention towards recovery. As we rebuild, we must keep in mind the challenges that the pandemic has forced us to confront, issues we have ignored for too long – from the massive displacement of migrants across cities to broken healthcare systems in even the world’s richest countries.

It is now crucial to reflect not only on how best to return to growth, but also how to build back better with economies that improve outcomes for people and the planet. It is equally important that we draw the right lessons and translate them into lasting change. As the pandemic ravaged dense cities, from New York to Mumbai, much was said about the death of city life, and there was concern about the future of the world’s centres of growth, innovation and opportunity. However, as the architect Norman Foster reminds us, “If you want to look far ahead, then first look far back.” Amid every pandemic, from the bubonic plague to the Spanish flu, pundits have foretold the death of cities. And yet they have emerged stronger every time. Several cities have also proved to be remarkably resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic despite their densities. But what made these cities so resilient? Instead of looking at density as the culprit, can we change our management of density to retain the attendant agglomeration benefits that drive growth?

This white paper, developed through a collaboration between the World Economic Forum and the IDFC Institute, seeks to unpack lessons that will allow Indian cities to build back stronger, while focusing on the agglomeration benefits that will drive economic recovery. The lessons are wide-ranging. They include greater decentralization to local governments, which will allow for more proximate and empowered disaster response. They require a rethinking of archaic planning laws that stifle the construction of housing and lead to overcrowding, allowing epidemics to spread. They emphasize the urgent need to provide universal access to basic urban services such as water and sanitation. And they prioritize inclusivity by addressing the biases and impediments faced by women and vulnerable populations in accessing urban opportunities.

Implementation will not be easy. It will require a realignment of the political economy in a country that has long ignored its cities. It will require a rethinking of governance, plus innovative financing solutions. Yet we can think of no better urban thinkers than the contributors to this white paper to provide insights that will navigate us through these difficult questions. We want to express our deep gratitude to the experts Shlomo Angel, Bimal Patel, Richard Green, Sahil Gandhi, Alain Bertaud, Shivanand Swamy, Shamika Ravi, Shruti Rajagopalan, Jessica Seddon, Patrick Lamson-Hall, Lizzette Soria Sotelo, Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan, Shilpa Ranade, Anup Malani and Chinmay Tumbe for their valuable time and inputs, which helped shape the ideas and recommendations presented in this white paper.

In every crisis, there is opportunity. The pandemic has been a crisis like no other. We can only hope that we also look back on it as the turning point in India’s urban journey.