The recent draft Master Plan for Delhi 2041 has re-ignited the discussions about “ why plan cities” and the expected outcomes from such a statutory planning exercise. Even after 75 years of independence, many Indian cities are struggling to make urban planning work towards safe, inclusive, and resilient urban development. The culture of urban planning practice varies significantly from state to state, and many Indian cities are struggling to publish a credible city plan. Like Delhi, several other Indian metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Kolkata are also struggling to notify a meaningful urban planning framework to guide their respective city development processes.

According to a TCPO survey, less than 100 out of 4041 statutory Indian cities had some form of statutory plans till 2018. The present state of urban planning in India evokes a sense of surprise, considering that, in 2011. India had a share of about 11% of the global urban population, living in its urban areas and the economic contributions from these urban areas were estimated to be contributing about 65% of the national economy!

This paper attempts to discuss the arguments presented “ for and against’ the statutory form of urban planning and whether India should abandon the process of statutory planning finally, also attempts to make a case for national-level urban planning reforms in India.