Dr. Kavita Dehalwar

Abstract

India’s human settlements are undergoing profound transformation as a result of urbanisation, metropolitan expansion, migration, infrastructure investment, changing housing markets, environmental pressures and technological development. These transformations have generated substantial opportunities for economic growth and improved connectivity, but their benefits and costs are not distributed equally. Inequalities persist in access to housing, sanitation, transportation, public spaces, employment, environmental resources and decision-making. Social justice must therefore become a central objective of spatial planning rather than a supplementary concern addressed after physical development has occurred. This article examines inclusive human settlement planning in India through an integrated review of housing, informal settlements, urban-fringe development, sanitation, universal design, public transportation, first- and last-mile connectivity, transit-oriented development, public-space accessibility, gender, caste, rural development, participatory planning, environmental justice and emerging digital technologies. It draws extensively on the supplied research literature, including studies by Dehalwar, Sharma and their collaborators on social injustice, slums, housing, research methodology, women’s reservation, transport, urban growth, green buildings, life-cycle assessment, artificial intelligence, digital twins, rural employment, sanitation and accessibility. The article argues that social justice has distributive, recognitional, procedural and representational dimensions. It proposes an integrated framework in which housing, mobility, infrastructure, environment and participation are planned as interconnected systems. The article further argues that artificial intelligence, GIS, machine learning and digital twins can strengthen planning only when accompanied by representative data, community participation and institutional accountability. The future of Indian planning should therefore move from infrastructure-centred development towards people-centred, context-sensitive and evidence-based human settlement planning.

Keywords: social justice; inclusive human settlements; spatial inequality; housing; informal settlements; transport accessibility; universal design; participatory planning; environmental justice; artificial intelligence; India

1. Introduction

Human settlements are not merely collections of buildings, roads and infrastructure. They are complex spatial systems in which economic activity, social relationships, cultural practices, environmental processes and institutional structures interact. A neighbourhood provides not only shelter but also access to employment, education, healthcare, transportation, public spaces and social networks. Consequently, decisions about land use, housing, roads, public facilities and environmental infrastructure are simultaneously decisions about opportunity and inclusion.

The importance of inclusive settlement planning has become increasingly visible as urbanisation accelerates. The United Nations identifies inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities as a central global development objective under Sustainable Development Goal 11. Current UN reporting emphasises that rapid urbanisation can outpace the provision of housing, infrastructure and services, while urban sprawl, informal settlements and unequal access to public transport remain major challenges. United Nations

These challenges are especially significant in India. Large metropolitan regions are expanding beyond conventional municipal boundaries; smaller cities are experiencing increasing development pressure; villages are becoming functionally integrated with urban economies; and peri-urban areas are being transformed by residential, commercial and infrastructure development. At the same time, informal settlements remain important sources of affordable housing and employment access for economically vulnerable populations.

Climate change adds another layer of complexity. UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2024 notes that climate impacts interact with existing inequalities and that poorer and marginalised urban groups frequently have fewer resources with which to respond to climate risks. The report also stresses that poorly designed climate interventions can themselves create exclusionary outcomes, particularly where informal settlements and vulnerable communities are overlooked. UN-Habitat The IPCC similarly identifies unplanned and informal settlements and smaller and medium-sized cities in low- and middle-income countries as important areas of increasing climate vulnerability and exposure. IPCC

The research supplied for this article provides a valuable India-specific basis for examining these questions. It includes research on social injustice caused by spatial changes in vernacular settings, the fate of slums in Bhopal, housing development in urban fringe areas, rural sanitation, universal design, women’s reservation, Dalit representation, rural employment, public transport, first- and last-mile accessibility, public-space access, green buildings, life-cycle assessment, urban growth modelling, artificial intelligence and digital twins. The bibliography supplied by the user records these works across the period 2012–2027. Pasted text Pasted text

The central proposition of this article is that social justice should be embedded in the entire planning process. It should influence how problems are diagnosed, how alternatives are developed, how infrastructure is located, how investments are prioritised, how communities participate and how outcomes are evaluated.

The objective should not simply be to build more infrastructure or create more technologically advanced cities. It should be to create human settlements in which people with different incomes, ages, genders, abilities, occupations and social backgrounds can access opportunities and participate meaningfully in shaping the places where they live.

2. Social Justice as a Foundation of Human Settlement Planning

Social justice in spatial planning can be understood through four interconnected dimensions: distribution, recognition, participation and representation.

2.1 Distributive justice

Distributive justice concerns the allocation of resources and opportunities. In spatial planning, these include:

housing;
roads;
public transport;
schools;
healthcare;
sanitation;
parks;
water;
employment opportunities; and
environmental amenities.

A settlement can be physically developed while remaining socially unequal if infrastructure and opportunities are concentrated in selected areas.

2.2 Recognitional justice

Recognitional justice requires planners to recognise differences between social groups. Older adults, women, children, persons with disabilities, migrants, informal workers and socially marginalised communities may experience the same urban environment differently.

A staircase, for example, may represent convenient circulation for one person but a major barrier for another.

2.3 Procedural justice

Procedural justice concerns who participates in decisions. Residents should have opportunities to contribute to planning rather than merely being informed after decisions are finalised.

2.4 Representational justice

Representational justice concerns institutional power. Dehalwar and Sharma’s work on women’s reservation and the research of Verma, Yadav, and Sharma on Dalit representation demonstrate that social inclusion is also a question of access to institutions and decision-making power. Pasted text Pasted text

These dimensions cannot be separated. Poor distribution may result from weak representation. Lack of recognition may lead to inappropriate infrastructure. Limited participation can result in plans that fail to understand local needs.

Consequently, an inclusive planning framework should address all four.

3. Spatial Transformation and Social Injustice

Physical transformation is an essential characteristic of urban development, but it is not socially neutral.

Dehalwar and Sharma (2024), in their study “Social injustice inflicted by spatial changes in vernacular settings: An analysis of published literature,” examine how changes in spatial environments can produce social consequences. The study is particularly relevant to settlements where traditional forms, social networks and cultural relationships are altered by development. Pasted text

Traditional neighbourhoods often contain forms of social infrastructure that are difficult to quantify. Streets may function as social spaces. Courtyards may support community interaction. Local markets may support informal employment. Religious or cultural spaces may contribute to collective identity.

When redevelopment replaces these systems, the physical quality of the new environment does not necessarily compensate for the loss of social relationships.

This creates a fundamental planning question:

Should successful redevelopment be measured only by what replaces the existing physical environment, or also by what happens to the community that occupied it?

A socially just approach requires the second question to be considered.

Spatial transformation should therefore be evaluated in terms of:

displacement;
affordability;
cultural continuity;
access to social networks;
livelihood impacts;
accessibility;
public-space changes; and
community participation.

4. Urbanisation and Uneven Development

Urbanisation generates economic opportunities, but its benefits are spatially uneven.

Areas with better transportation, employment and infrastructure tend to attract investment. Property values may increase, commercial activities may intensify and development may accelerate. At the same time, communities with lower incomes may face affordability pressures.

This produces a paradox: improved infrastructure can simultaneously improve accessibility and increase displacement pressure.

Planning must therefore consider the distributional consequences of infrastructure investment.

Kumar, Vyas, Sharma, and Dehalwar (2023) examined planning and development of housing in the urban fringe area of Bhopal, providing an example of the complexity of peripheral urban development. Pasted text

Urban fringes are particularly important because they often contain:

agricultural land;
villages;
informal settlements;
plotted developments;
institutional uses;
industrial areas;
new housing projects; and
emerging transport corridors.

These areas require planning at a scale larger than individual municipal jurisdictions.

5. The Urban Fringe as a Zone of Social Transformation

The urban fringe is not simply an undeveloped area waiting for urban expansion.

It is often an existing social and economic landscape.

Agricultural households may depend on land for livelihood. Villages may possess established community institutions. Informal settlements may provide affordable housing to workers employed in nearby cities.

When development occurs, some landowners may benefit from rising land values, while agricultural labourers may lose employment opportunities. Existing residents may gain access to infrastructure but face increased costs.

The transition from rural to urban land use can therefore produce differentiated outcomes.

A socially just metropolitan strategy should include:

protection of essential agricultural land;
recognition of existing villages;
infrastructure provision for peripheral communities;
affordable housing;
public-transport connectivity;
protection of livelihoods;
environmental management; and
community participation.

6. Predicting Urban Growth: From Modelling to Inclusive Planning

Urban growth modelling can help planners anticipate development.

Kumar, Vyas, Sharma, and Dehalwar (2025) examined urban growth prediction using a CA–ANN model and spatial analysis for planning policy in Indore city. The supplied bibliography records the article in GeoJournal. Pasted text

CA–ANN approaches combine spatial transition modelling with artificial neural-network techniques. Such approaches can support identification of potential growth areas and relationships among land-use variables.

However, predictive modelling should not be treated as an automatic substitute for planning.

A model may indicate that development is likely in a particular location. It does not determine:

whether development should occur there;
who will benefit;
who may be displaced;
whether infrastructure is adequate;
whether the land is environmentally suitable; or
whether the development is socially equitable.

The next generation of urban-growth modelling should therefore incorporate social indicators alongside physical variables.

Possible social variables include:

income;
housing affordability;
accessibility;
service coverage;
tenure;
population vulnerability;
environmental exposure; and
displacement risk.

This would transform urban growth modelling from a prediction tool into a more comprehensive equity-aware planning tool.

7. Informal Settlements: Vulnerability and Resilience

Informal settlements are often located where formal housing markets fail to meet demand.

They can provide proximity to employment at costs that are accessible to low-income households. At the same time, they may lack formal tenure, sanitation, drainage, road infrastructure and adequate housing.

Dehalwar and Sharma (2023), in “Fate of slums of Bhopal—a tale of struggle and resilience,” emphasise the complexity of these communities. Pasted text

The concept of resilience is important.

Residents frequently create:

informal economic networks;
mutual-support systems;
local associations;
shared services;
flexible housing arrangements; and
informal transportation systems.

These should not automatically be viewed as failures of planning. They can also represent adaptive responses to formal-system limitations.

Consequently, planning interventions should seek to understand existing community capacities before replacing them.

8. In-Situ Upgrading Versus Relocation

Relocation is sometimes necessary when settlements occupy locations exposed to severe hazards or when essential infrastructure cannot safely be provided.

However, relocation can have unintended effects.

A household may receive improved physical housing but lose:

proximity to employment;
access to schools;
social networks;
local markets;
childcare support;
familiar transportation routes.

Thus, housing improvement should not be assessed only by the physical quality of the dwelling.

Where feasible, in-situ upgrading may provide an alternative.

Upgrading can include:

water supply;
sanitation;
drainage;
street improvements;
lighting;
waste management;
housing improvement;
public spaces; and
tenure regularisation.

The most appropriate strategy depends on local conditions and environmental risk.

9. Housing as a Spatial Right

Housing is frequently treated as a construction problem: how many houses should be built and at what cost?

A social-justice perspective asks a broader question:

Where should housing be located, for whom, and with what access to opportunity?

Housing located far from employment may be inexpensive but generate substantial transportation costs.

A household’s real housing burden can therefore be expressed conceptually as:

Total household spatial burden = housing cost + transport cost + service cost + time cost.

The time component is particularly important.

Long commutes reduce time available for:

childcare;
education;
recreation;
community participation; and
rest.

Housing planning should therefore be coordinated with transportation planning.

10. Housing Diversity

Indian households have diverse structures.

They include:

nuclear families;
joint families;
elderly households;
single-person households;
women-headed households;
migrants;
students;
informal workers; and
temporary workers.

Housing policies based on a single household model can therefore exclude important groups.

Flexible housing design can provide adaptability over time.

Universal design can further ensure that housing remains usable as household circumstances change.

The principle should be housing adaptability rather than housing uniformity.

11. Sanitation and Dignity

Sanitation is a fundamental component of human settlement quality.

Sharma’s work on rural sanitation and his earlier work on best practices for total sanitation demonstrate that sanitation is not simply an infrastructure issue. Pasted text Pasted text

A complete sanitation system requires:

toilets;
water;
wastewater collection;
treatment;
safe disposal;
maintenance;
monitoring; and
behavioural support.

The absence of any component can compromise the entire system.

Sanitation is also connected to social dignity.

Inadequate sanitation can affect women, children, older adults and people with disabilities differently.

Therefore, sanitation planning should incorporate:

safety;
privacy;
accessibility;
gender;
location; and
maintenance.

12. Water Quality and Public Health

Water-quality management represents another dimension of social justice.

Sharma, Dehalwar, and Pandey (2026) examine measures to manage urban water quality for public health. The supplied publication list identifies the work within Environmentalism in Healthcare. Pasted text

Water pollution can create unequal health burdens because communities with fewer resources may have fewer alternatives when local water quality deteriorates.

Urban water planning should therefore integrate:

source protection;
drainage;
wastewater treatment;
monitoring;
public-health surveillance; and
community awareness.

Water quality should be understood as a settlement-level issue rather than solely as a technical utility function.

13. Universal Design and Inclusive Environments

Agarwal and Sharma (2014) examined universal design to ensure an equitable society. Pasted text

Universal design is essential because accessibility barriers are often embedded in ordinary physical systems.

Examples include:

stairs without ramps;
narrow footpaths;
inaccessible bus stops;
high kerbs;
insufficient seating;
poorly designed crossings;
inadequate signage.

Universal design should be integrated into planning from the beginning.

It should apply to:

buildings;
housing;
streets;
parks;
transport;
government facilities;
schools; and
healthcare.

14. Ageing and Transport Inclusion

Older adults often face declining mobility, increased sensitivity to environmental conditions and greater dependence on accessible transport.

Sharma and Dehalwar (2025) examined the inclusivity of India’s National Urban Transport Policy for senior citizens. Pasted text

Age-friendly mobility requires:

accessible vehicles;
low-floor boarding;
safe crossings;
appropriate seating;
shorter walking distances;
clear information;
adequate lighting; and
reliable services.

Planning for older adults also benefits other groups.

A footpath designed for an elderly pedestrian can also improve mobility for children, persons with disabilities and people carrying goods.

15. Public Transport and User Experience

Lodhi, Jaiswal, and Sharma (2024) examined bus-user satisfaction using discrete choice models in Bhopal. Pasted text

The study highlights the value of user-oriented transport research.

Transport systems should not be evaluated only according to:

traffic speed;
road capacity;
vehicle throughput.

They should also be assessed through:

waiting time;
comfort;
affordability;
reliability;
safety;
accessibility;
information; and
connectivity.

A system that moves vehicles efficiently but fails to meet user needs is not necessarily successful from a human-mobility perspective.

16. First- and Last-Mile Connectivity

Yadav, Dehalwar, and Sharma (2025) examined the factors affecting first- and last-mile accessibility in transit-oriented development. Pasted text

The first and last mile is often where the accessibility of public transport succeeds or fails.

A major transit station may be located within a neighbourhood, but residents may still be unable to use it because of:

missing sidewalks;
unsafe roads;
excessive distance;
poor crossings;
steep terrain;
extreme heat;
lack of feeder services.

Yadav et al. (2025) also studied user satisfaction in last-mile connectivity in Tier-2 Indian cities from a climate-sensitive perspective. Pasted text

This perspective is particularly valuable because climate conditions influence walking and cycling.

17. Climate-Sensitive Accessibility

Transportation planning increasingly needs to consider environmental comfort.

Extreme heat, rainfall and flooding can make walking and cycling difficult even when the physical network exists.

Yadav, Dehalwar, and Sharma (2026) examined environmental determinants of mode choice in first- and last-mile connectivity. Pasted text

This work suggests that accessibility is not purely a spatial variable.

A route can be physically available but functionally inaccessible during certain environmental conditions.

Therefore, climate-sensitive transport planning should consider:

shade;
vegetation;
drainage;
sheltered waiting areas;
surface quality;
heat exposure;
flood risk.

This is particularly important in Indian cities experiencing increasing heat stress.

18. Public Open Spaces and Social Inclusion

Public spaces are essential for recreation, social interaction and public life.

Lalramsangi, Garg, and Sharma (2025) studied route choices to access public open spaces in hill cities. Pasted text

Their work illustrates that access is influenced by spatial configuration and route characteristics.

In hilly cities, actual walking effort can differ substantially from straight-line distance.

Therefore, public-space accessibility assessment should include:

slope;
stairs;
route directness;
pedestrian safety;
lighting;
seating;
shade;
connectivity.

Public-space provision should thus move beyond the simple calculation of area per capita.

19. Transit-Oriented Development and Equity

Transit-oriented development integrates transport and land use around transit corridors.

Sharma and Dehalwar (2025) reviewed the role of TOD in economic development, while Yadav et al. (2025) examined first- and last-mile accessibility within TOD environments.

TOD can improve:

accessibility;
public transport use;
pedestrian movement;
mixed land use;
development efficiency.

However, increased accessibility can also increase land values.

This creates an important social-justice concern.

If existing low-income residents cannot afford rising rents or property taxes, they may be displaced from areas that have received public investment.

Therefore, inclusive TOD should consider:

affordable housing;
tenant protection;
local employment;
public-space access;
universal design;
community participation.

Transit-oriented development should not be understood solely as a density strategy.

20. Land Use–Transport Interaction

Sharma and Dehalwar (2025) reviewed land-use transportation interaction models in smart urban growth management. Pasted text

Land use and transportation form a feedback system.

Transportation infrastructure influences land values and development patterns.

Land-use patterns influence travel demand.

This interaction has important implications for social equity.

If affordable housing is located far from employment, transport demand increases.

If transport investment is concentrated in wealthy areas, existing inequalities may be reinforced.

Integrated land-use–transport planning can instead support more balanced spatial development.

21. Travel Behaviour and Social Inclusion

Travel behaviour is influenced by more than individual preference.

It can reflect:

income;
gender;
age;
employment;
household structure;
accessibility;
safety;
environmental conditions.

Sharma and Dehalwar’s research on travel behaviour and TOD, together with Yadav et al.’s work on multimodal accessibility, indicates the importance of understanding travel as part of a broader spatial system.

The user-centric machine-learning framework developed by Yadav, Dehalwar, and Sharma (2026) further explores prediction of multimodal accessibility in TOD zones. Pasted text

Such methods can help identify populations facing poor accessibility.

However, machine learning should be complemented by qualitative evidence to understand why accessibility is low.

22. Gender and the Spatial Experience of the City

Women and men may experience the same urban space differently.

Women’s mobility can be influenced by:

safety;
childcare;
household responsibilities;
employment;
social norms;
public transport conditions.

Dehalwar and Sharma’s (2024) work on politics in the name of women’s reservation introduces an institutional dimension to this discussion. Pasted text

Gender inclusion requires both:

spatial inclusion, through safer and more accessible environments,

and

institutional inclusion, through meaningful participation in decision-making.

Women should therefore not be viewed solely as beneficiaries of planning. They should be recognised as active participants in shaping plans.

23. Caste, Representation and Access to Power

Social justice in India cannot be adequately discussed without considering caste-based inequality.

Verma, Yadav, and Sharma (2026) examined Dalit representation deficits across state, market and cultural institutions. Pasted text

The relevance to planning is that access to space and access to institutions are interconnected.

A community may physically live near a public institution but still lack effective influence over decisions.

This suggests that spatial planning should consider:

representation;
institutional access;
participation;
social exclusion;
resource distribution.

Planning processes should actively seek participation from groups that have historically had limited institutional power.

24. Rural Employment and Spatial Justice

Human settlement planning must include rural areas.

Sharma, Chatterjee, and Dehalwar (2023) examined the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, highlighting challenges and opportunities in rural employment. Pasted text

Employment security affects settlement resilience.

Similarly, research on rural road connectivity examines how infrastructure can reduce spatial isolation.

Rural roads can improve:

access to markets;
education;
healthcare;
employment;
government services.

However, connectivity should be accompanied by services and economic opportunities.

25. Rural–Urban Integration

Urban and rural areas increasingly form interconnected systems.

People may:

live in villages and work in cities;
produce agricultural goods for urban markets;
commute between settlements;
access urban healthcare;
migrate temporarily for employment.

Metropolitan expansion can therefore transform rural livelihoods.

Regional planning should coordinate:

land use;
agriculture;
transportation;
housing;
environmental protection;
employment;
public services.

This approach can reduce fragmented development.

26. Participatory Planning

Sharma’s work on participatory planning in plan preparation provides an important basis for community-centred planning.

Participation can reveal information that conventional datasets cannot capture.

Residents can identify:

unsafe areas;
informal paths;
seasonal flooding;
local markets;
community assets;
transport problems;
inaccessible services.

Participation should therefore be considered a form of planning knowledge.

However, participation must be meaningful.

A process in which decisions have already been made before public consultation is limited.

Effective participation requires early involvement and feedback mechanisms.

27. Quantitative and Qualitative Evidence

Dehalwar and Sharma (2024) examined the distinction between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Pasted text

Quantitative methods can answer:

How many?
Where?
How often?
What relationship exists?
What pattern is visible?

Qualitative methods can answer:

Why?
How is the problem experienced?
What does a space mean to residents?
Why does a service remain inaccessible?

Both forms of knowledge are valuable.

For example, GIS may identify a neighbourhood with poor access to healthcare. Interviews may reveal that the actual barrier is not physical distance but unaffordable transportation.

Mixed-method research can therefore provide a more complete understanding of social inequality.

28. Delphi Research and Expert Knowledge

Jain, Dehalwar, and Sharma (2024) discussed the Delphi research method and expert opinion surveys. Pasted text

Delphi methods can be useful when planning involves uncertainty or competing priorities.

Potential applications include:

prioritising social-justice indicators;
identifying accessibility criteria;
evaluating planning scenarios;
developing resilience frameworks;
assessing policy alternatives.

Expert judgement should complement rather than replace community knowledge.

A robust planning process can combine:

expert evidence + statistical evidence + spatial evidence + community evidence.

29. Environmental Justice

Environmental benefits and environmental risks are not equally distributed.

Low-income communities may experience:

greater flood exposure;
poor drainage;
pollution;
inadequate waste management;
limited green space.

UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2024 specifically highlights the interaction between climate change and pre-existing inequalities and notes that vulnerable populations can face disproportionate impacts. UN-Habitat

The report also cautions that climate infrastructure can have exclusionary consequences when informal settlements and poorer households are not incorporated into planning. UN-Habitat

This reinforces the importance of social-impact assessment.

Environmental interventions should therefore be evaluated according to:

who benefits;
who bears costs;
who is displaced;
who participates; and
whether vulnerable groups are protected.

30. Climate Change and Inclusive Human Settlements

Climate change is increasingly transforming the planning context.

Flooding, heatwaves, drought and extreme rainfall can affect infrastructure and public health.

The IPCC identifies urbanisation, exposure and climate hazards as interacting drivers of urban risk, with vulnerability particularly significant in informal and unplanned settlements and in smaller and medium-sized urban areas. IPCC

This is highly relevant to India.

A climate-resilient settlement requires:

drainage;
heat mitigation;
resilient infrastructure;
emergency access;
green infrastructure;
water management;
safe housing.

But resilience should also be socially distributed.

A settlement cannot be considered resilient if only affluent neighbourhoods have access to protective infrastructure.

UN-Habitat’s 2024 report explicitly connects climate action with poverty reduction, resilient infrastructure, public health and social inclusion. UN-Habitat

31. Green Buildings and Neighbourhood Sustainability

Sharma, Singh, Kumar, Pandey, and Dehalwar (2025) examined the role of green buildings in creating sustainable neighbourhoods. Pasted text

Green buildings can improve:

energy efficiency;
water efficiency;
indoor environmental quality;
resource conservation.

However, a green building is not necessarily a socially inclusive building.

A socially sustainable building should also be:

affordable;
accessible;
connected to public transport;
integrated with public space;
suitable for diverse users.

The neighbourhood context is therefore essential.

32. Life-Cycle Thinking in Infrastructure

Sharma, Lodhi, Dehalwar, and Jaiswal (2024) examined life-cycle assessment of recycled and secondary materials in road construction. Pasted text

Life-cycle assessment allows planners to evaluate environmental impacts beyond initial construction.

The same principle can be extended to social planning.

Infrastructure should be evaluated throughout its life cycle:

planning → construction → operation → maintenance → adaptation → replacement.

At each stage, planners can consider:

environmental impact;
cost;
accessibility;
disruption;
maintenance;
employment;
resilience.

Such a framework encourages long-term rather than short-term decision-making.

33. Solid Waste Management and Social Equity

Solid waste management is a basic urban service.

Sharma, Dehalwar, Jain, and Pandey (2025) examined AI applications and prospects in solid waste management. Pasted text

AI can potentially improve:

collection routes;
scheduling;
waste classification;
recycling;
monitoring.

However, waste management is also a social system involving workers and communities.

Planning should therefore consider:

occupational health;
worker safety;
dignity;
protective equipment;
location of waste facilities;
community exposure.

Technological optimisation should not replace attention to human conditions.

34. Artificial Intelligence and Socially Responsible Planning

AI is increasingly used for prediction, classification and optimisation.

The supplied research includes work on:

AI and social work;
AI and solid waste;
machine learning and accessibility;
urban growth prediction;
digital twins;
mobility modelling.

Ogbanga et al. (2025) discuss AI in social work for environmental sustainability, illustrating the broader potential of AI to connect technological systems with social and environmental objectives. Pasted text

However, AI systems inherit limitations from their data.

If informal settlements are underrepresented in datasets, AI may underestimate their needs.

If mobility datasets primarily represent smartphone users, travel patterns among digitally excluded populations may be missed.

Socially responsible AI therefore requires:

representative datasets;
transparency;
validation;
human oversight;
explainability;
continuous evaluation.

35. Digital Twins and Urban Equity

Sharma and Dehalwar’s work on urban spatial digital twins and sustainability in TOD-based development demonstrates the growing role of digital representation in urban planning. Pasted text

Digital twins can potentially integrate:

land use;
buildings;
transportation;
infrastructure;
environmental data;
population;
energy;
water.

They can support scenario testing.

For example, planners could examine how a new transport corridor might affect accessibility and land-use development.

But digital twins should also represent social realities.

A settlement that is poorly represented in the digital model can become poorly represented in the planning process.

Thus, the principle should be:

No digital representation without social representation.

36. People-Centred Smart Cities

UN-Habitat’s World Smart Cities Outlook 2024 explicitly frames smart-city development around people-centred approaches and examines technology through the lenses of sustainability, resilience, equity, social inclusion, accessibility and quality of life. UN-Habitat

This perspective is important because smart-city programmes can otherwise become technology-centred.

A smart city should not simply contain:

sensors;
cameras;
digital platforms;
AI;
automated systems.

It should also improve:

accessibility;
public services;
transparency;
safety;
environmental quality;
participation;
quality of life.

Technology should therefore be judged according to social outcomes.

37. Infrastructure and Social Resilience

Infrastructure is often discussed in engineering terms, but infrastructure also shapes social resilience.

Roads determine emergency access.

Drainage influences flood vulnerability.

Public transport influences employment access.

Water systems influence public health.

Public spaces influence social interaction.

Digital networks influence access to information.

Consequently, infrastructure should be understood as social infrastructure as well as physical infrastructure.

UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2024 emphasises that infrastructure deficits increase climate vulnerability and that infrastructure planning should incorporate underlying social and environmental conditions. UN-Habitat

This supports an integrated infrastructure-planning approach.

38. A Comprehensive Framework for Socially Just Human Settlements

The research reviewed in this article can be synthesised into an integrated framework with ten dimensions.

38.1 Housing justice

Adequate, affordable and secure housing.

38.2 Mobility justice

Affordable, safe and reliable mobility.

38.3 Accessibility justice

Universal access to buildings, streets and public spaces.

38.4 Infrastructure justice

Equitable distribution of essential services.

38.5 Environmental justice

Fair distribution of environmental benefits and risks.

38.6 Gender justice

Safe mobility, sanitation, public spaces and representation.

38.7 Social representation

Inclusion of historically marginalised communities.

38.8 Participatory justice

Meaningful community participation.

38.9 Rural–urban justice

Balanced access to development opportunities across regions.

38.10 Digital justice

Inclusive data and accountable technological systems.

These dimensions should be assessed together rather than independently.

39. Measuring Inclusive Human Settlements

A socially just settlement requires measurable indicators.

Dimension	Indicators
Housing	Affordability, tenure, overcrowding
Mobility	Transit access, travel time, fare burden
Walking	Footpath coverage, crossing safety
Universal design	Accessible buildings and streets
Sanitation	Toilet, water and wastewater access
Public space	Park access, distribution and safety
Gender	Safety, mobility, participation
Social inclusion	Service accessibility by social group
Environment	Flood exposure, heat, air quality
Employment	Job accessibility
Participation	Community involvement
Representation	Participation of marginalised groups
Digital inclusion	Data and service accessibility
Governance	Transparency and accountability

Such indicators can be mapped using GIS and combined with household surveys and participatory research.

40. Spatial Accessibility as a Unifying Concept

Accessibility provides a useful bridge between housing, transport, land use and social justice.

A household’s quality of life depends not only on where it lives but on what it can reach.

Accessibility can be measured in terms of:

employment;
education;
healthcare;
public transport;
public spaces;
markets;
recreation.

This suggests a shift from location-based planning to access-based planning.

Instead of asking:

How many facilities exist?

planners should also ask:

How many people can reach these facilities conveniently, affordably and safely?

This is particularly relevant to the research on multimodal accessibility, first- and last-mile connectivity and public-space route choices.

41. From Equality to Equity

Equality and equity are not identical.

If every neighbourhood receives one park of the same size, this represents equality of provision.

But if one neighbourhood has a much larger population and no existing green space, identical provision may not be equitable.

Similarly, identical bus frequencies may not produce equal accessibility if some areas have large elderly populations or difficult terrain.

Equity requires context-sensitive allocation.

This principle should guide:

housing;
public transport;
parks;
sanitation;
healthcare;
infrastructure investment.

42. Vulnerability as a Multidimensional Concept

Vulnerability is rarely caused by one characteristic.

It can emerge from combinations of:

poverty;
age;
disability;
gender;
insecure housing;
environmental exposure;
lack of transport;
social exclusion.

A low-income elderly person living in an informal settlement on a flood-prone site may face multiple overlapping vulnerabilities.

Planning therefore needs multidimensional vulnerability assessments.

Such assessments can combine demographic, spatial, environmental and accessibility data.

43. The Importance of Local Context

There is no universal model of an inclusive settlement.

Planning approaches should respond to:

climate;
topography;
settlement morphology;
economic conditions;
social structure;
cultural practices;
governance;
infrastructure.

The research on hill-city public-space access demonstrates the significance of topography. The Bhopal studies illustrate the importance of local housing and informal-settlement conditions. The Tier-2-city transport studies demonstrate the need for context-sensitive mobility planning.

Therefore, context-sensitive planning should be considered a core principle.

44. Governance and Multi-Level Planning

Human settlement problems frequently cross administrative boundaries.

Housing, transport, water, waste and environmental systems often operate across municipal jurisdictions.

UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2024 highlights the importance of multi-level governance and stronger collaboration among national, regional and local governments, communities and civil-society actors. UN-Habitat

This is particularly important in metropolitan regions.

A fragmented governance structure can produce:

disconnected transportation;
uneven infrastructure;
uncontrolled fringe development;
inconsistent environmental management.

Metropolitan planning mechanisms can help coordinate these systems.

45. Planning Education and Professional Practice

The changing complexity of human settlements requires a broader planning skill set.

Future planners need competence in:

GIS;
spatial modelling;
statistics;
qualitative research;
transport planning;
housing;
environmental planning;
universal design;
participatory planning;
AI;
digital twins.

However, technical competence must be accompanied by ethical and social awareness.

A planner should be capable of asking:

Who benefits?
Who bears the cost?
Who is missing from the data?
Who participates?
Who may be displaced?
What happens over the long term?

These questions should become integral to professional planning practice.

46. Future Research Agenda

The literature points towards several important research directions.

46.1 Equity-sensitive urban-growth modelling

CA–ANN and other predictive models should incorporate social vulnerability and accessibility.

46.2 Housing–transport affordability

Future studies should examine housing and transportation costs together.

46.3 Informal settlement resilience

More longitudinal research is needed on upgrading and relocation outcomes.

46.4 Gender-sensitive transport

Research should examine women’s mobility patterns in smaller Indian cities.

46.5 Age-friendly planning

Older adults should be incorporated into transport and public-space planning research.

46.6 Climate-sensitive accessibility

Heat, flooding and extreme rainfall should be incorporated into accessibility models.

46.7 Socially responsible AI

Researchers should assess data gaps, bias and representation.

46.8 Digital twins and participation

Digital twins should incorporate community-generated information.

46.9 Environmental justice

Green infrastructure should be evaluated for distributional consequences.

46.10 Rural–urban transformation

More integrated studies should examine how metropolitan expansion affects rural communities.

47. Policy Implications

Several policy directions emerge from the analysis.

47.1 Integrate housing and transport planning

Affordable housing should be located with consideration of employment and public transportation.

47.2 Protect vulnerable communities during redevelopment

Redevelopment should assess displacement and livelihood impacts.

47.3 Strengthen in-situ upgrading

Where environmental and structural conditions permit, settlement improvement should be considered alongside relocation.

47.4 Mainstream universal design

Accessibility should be integrated into all infrastructure planning.

47.5 Strengthen public participation

Participation should occur before major decisions are finalised.

47.6 Improve representation

Planning institutions should incorporate the perspectives of marginalised communities.

47.7 Integrate climate and social planning

Climate adaptation should not unintentionally exclude vulnerable residents.

47.8 Use technology responsibly

AI and digital twins should improve planning without replacing community knowledge or institutional accountability.

47.9 Strengthen metropolitan governance

Urban and peri-urban development should be coordinated across administrative boundaries.

47.10 Develop social-justice indicators

Planning agencies should monitor distributional outcomes rather than only project completion.

48. Conclusion

The future of India’s human settlements will be shaped by the interaction of urbanisation, housing, transportation, environmental change, infrastructure investment, demographic transformation and technology. These processes cannot be planned independently.

The extensive body of research considered in this article demonstrates the multidimensional character of social justice.

Research on spatial injustice demonstrates that physical transformation can alter social relationships and cultural identity. Research on Bhopal’s slums demonstrates that informal settlements contain both vulnerability and resilience. Housing research demonstrates the importance of urban-fringe development. Sanitation research demonstrates the connection between infrastructure, health and dignity. Universal-design research establishes accessibility as a fundamental element of equitable environments.

Transport research adds another dimension. Bus-user satisfaction demonstrates the importance of understanding mobility from the user’s perspective. First- and last-mile studies demonstrate that major transit systems cannot function effectively without local accessibility. Research on public-space route choices demonstrates that spatial configuration influences everyday access. Work on senior citizens highlights the importance of age-sensitive mobility. Land-use–transport interaction research demonstrates that housing and mobility cannot be planned independently.

The institutional dimension is equally important. Research on women’s reservation and Dalit representation demonstrates that social justice also involves representation and access to power. Participatory planning research highlights the importance of community knowledge. Methodological research on quantitative and qualitative methods and Delphi techniques provides tools for generating more comprehensive planning evidence.

The environmental dimension further reinforces the argument. Green-building research, life-cycle assessment, water-quality research, waste-management research and climate-resilience literature all demonstrate that environmental sustainability has social consequences.

Climate change makes this integration even more urgent. UN-Habitat emphasises that climate impacts can intensify existing inequalities and that vulnerable communities must be incorporated into climate action. UN-Habitat The IPCC likewise identifies urbanisation, exposure and limited adaptive capacity as interacting dimensions of urban climate risk. IPCC

The emerging digital transformation of planning provides both opportunities and challenges. CA–ANN modelling, machine learning, AI and digital twins can improve spatial analysis and scenario development. However, these tools are only as inclusive as the data and institutions behind them. A digital system that excludes informal settlements, low-income households or digitally marginalised communities can reproduce rather than reduce inequality.

The concept of the people-centred smart city is therefore particularly relevant. UN-Habitat’s World Smart Cities Outlook 2024 places equity, accessibility, social inclusion, sustainability and quality of life alongside technological innovation. UN-Habitat

The central argument of this article is consequently that inclusive human settlement planning must integrate spatial, social, environmental, economic and technological dimensions.

The planning profession should move:

from infrastructure provision to equitable accessibility;

from housing construction to housing security and location;

from transport movement to accessibility;

from public consultation to meaningful participation;

from physical inclusion to social inclusion;

from isolated projects to integrated settlement systems;

from technology-centred smart cities to people-centred smart cities;

from short-term project evaluation to life-cycle assessment;

from urban-only planning to rural–urban integration; and

from development-centred planning to people-centred development.

A socially just settlement is not necessarily the settlement with the largest number of roads, buildings, technologies or infrastructure projects. It is a settlement in which diverse residents can access essential opportunities and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives.

This requires planners to understand that spatial accessibility is a social issue, housing is a mobility issue, transportation is an equity issue, environmental resilience is a justice issue, technology is a governance issue and participation is a planning requirement.

The ultimate goal should be to create human settlements where people can live with dignity, security, accessibility, opportunity, participation and resilience.

Such an approach provides a stronger foundation for sustainable urban and regional development in India and offers a pathway towards settlements that are not merely more efficient or technologically advanced, but more inclusive and responsive to the people who inhabit them.

References

Agarwal, S., & Sharma, S. N. (2014). Universal design to ensure equitable society. International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research, 2(1).

Chatterjee, S., & Sharma, S. N. (2020). Review of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Think India Journal, 23(1), 33–42.

Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2023). Fate of slums of Bhopal—a tale of struggle and resilience. Think India Journal, 26(4), 4.

Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Exploring the distinctions between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Think India Journal, 27(1), 7–15.

Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Politics in the name of women’s reservation. Contemporary Voice of Dalit. https://doi.org/10.1177/2455328X241262562

Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Social injustice inflicted by spatial changes in vernacular settings: An analysis of published literature. ISVS e-journal, 11(9), 93–113.

Jain, S., Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Explanation of Delphi research method and expert opinion surveys. Think India, 27(4), 37–48.

Kumar, G., Vyas, S., Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2023). Planning and development of housing in urban fringe area: Case of Bhopal (MP). GIS Business, 18(1), 1–14.

Kumar, G., Vyas, S., Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). Urban growth prediction using CA-ANN model and spatial analysis for planning policy in Indore city, India. GeoJournal, 90(3), 139.

Lalramsangi, V., Garg, Y. K., & Sharma, S. N. (2025). Route choices to access public open spaces in hill cities. Environment and Urbanization ASIA, 16(2), 283–299. https://doi.org/10.1177/09754253251388721

Lodhi, A. S., Jaiswal, A., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Assessing bus users’ satisfaction using discrete choice models: A case of Bhopal. Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 9, 437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-024-01652-w

Ogbanga, M. M., Sharma, S. N., Pandey, A. K., & Singh, P. (2025). Artificial intelligence in social work to ensure environmental sustainability. In M. Nasr, A. Negm, & L. Peng (Eds.), Artificial intelligence applications for a sustainable environment (pp. 491–508). Springer.

Sharma, S. N. (2012). Participatory planning in plan preparation: A case of Delhi. EduPedia Publications (P) Ltd.

Sharma, S. N. (2013). Sustainable development strategies and approaches. International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research.

Sharma, S. N. (2014). Fate of rural sanitation scheme. International Journal of Research, 1(2).

Sharma, S. N. (2019). Review of most used urban growth models. International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology, 10.

Sharma, S. N., Chatterjee, S., & Dehalwar, K. (2023). Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme: Challenges and opportunities. Think India Journal, 26(1), 7–15.

Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). A systematic literature review of transit-oriented development to assess its role in economic development of city. Transportation in Developing Economies, 11(2), 23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40890-025-00245-1

Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). Examining the inclusivity of India’s National Urban Transport Policy for senior citizens. In D. S.-K. Ting & J. A. Stagner (Eds.), Transforming healthcare infrastructure (pp. 115–134). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003513834-5

Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). Review of landuse transportation interaction model in smart urban growth management. European Transport/Trasporti Europei, 103, 1–15.

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, K., Jain, S., & Pandey, A. K. (2025). An assessment of the applications and prospects of AI tools in solid waste management. In Artificial intelligence applications for a sustainable environment (pp. 97–118). Springer.

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, K., & Pandey, A. K. (2026). Measures to manage the urban water quality for public health. In Environmentalism in healthcare (pp. 339–371).

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, K., & Yadav, K. (2026). Advancing travel behaviour modelling: A systematic literature review. Civil Engineering Infrastructures Journal, e108027.

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, K., & Yadav, K. (2026). Urban spatial digital twin in sustainability to spur economic growth in transit-oriented development-based development. In Tenable Engineering for a Sustainable Future (pp. 257–300).

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, K., & Yadav, K. (2026). Advances in AI-based mobility modelling: Toward intelligent transport infrastructure in smart cities. In AI-Based Data Mobility and Intelligent Modeling for Smart Cities (pp. 67–106).

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, K., Kumar, G., Yadav, K., & Verma, D. (2026). Utilization of advanced materials for permeable paving, biocrete, and piezoelectric materials in walkways to transit stations. In Engineering sustainability goals: UNSDG 12 (p. 209).

Sharma, S. N., Lodhi, A. S., Dehalwar, K., & Jaiswal, A. (2024). Life cycle assessment (LCA) of recycled & secondary materials in the construction of roads. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1326(1), 012102.

Sharma, S. N., Singh, S., Kumar, G., Pandey, A. K., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). Role of green buildings in creating sustainable neighbourhoods. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1519(1), 012018.

Verma, D., Yadav, P., & Sharma, S. N. (2026). From access to power: Dalit representation deficits across state, market, and cultural institutions in neoliberal India. Forum for Social Economics, 1–26.

Yadav, K., Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2025). Assessing the factors affecting first and last mile accessibility in transit-oriented development: A literature review. GeoJournal, 90, 298. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-025-11546-8

Yadav, K., Dehalwar, K., Sharma, S. N., & Yadav, S. (2025). Understanding user satisfaction in last-mile connectivity under transit-oriented development in Tier 2 Indian cities: A climate-sensitive perspective. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1579(1), 012006. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1579/1/012006

Yadav, K., Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2026). Exploring the environmental determinants of mode choice in first and last mile connectivity: Evidence from a systematic review. Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 11(4), 204.

United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). (2022). World cities report 2022: Envisaging the future of cities. UN-Habitat.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). (2024). World cities report 2024: Cities and climate action. UN-Habitat. UN-Habitat report page

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). (2024). World smart cities outlook 2024. UN-Habitat. UN-Habitat Smart Cities Outlook

United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, & University of Southern Denmark. (2024). Urban content of NDCs: Local climate action explored through in-depth country analyses. UN-Habitat. Urban Content of NDCs report

World Health Organization. (2021). Global report on ageism. World Health Organization.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2022). Cities, settlements and key infrastructure. In Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Cambridge University Press. IPCC Chapter 6
:::

If you could start a new business right now, what would it be?
View all responses