Adding value to infrastructure projects and urban development in India

The Technical Assistance Programme on Climate Resilient Cities for Shared Prosperity (CReSP)¹ seeks to bring about transformational change in the way urban programmes are delivered in India leading to inclusive economic growth, improved climate resilience and shared prosperity.

Cities in India are facing considerable challenges such as rapid urbanisation, climate change and inequality (including gender inequality) which can lower long-term growth prospects. The need for major infrastructure programmes is therefore intensifying. Funded by the UK government, and managed by a consortium led by Mott MacDonald, CReSP aims to share UK best practice with partner states, cities and project implementing agencies in India and to deliver mutual prosperity by supporting the design of world-class urban interventions.

The programme focuses on:

• Overcoming barriers to investment into the urban sector – partnering with cities and institutions in policy and institutional reform where most needed. This includes sharing technical expertise to at least five high-value (min £100M each) urban interventions (or High Value Projects) that exemplify climate resilience and promote inclusive economic growth in the field of transportation, urban services and urban planning and the built environment.
• Building capacity of relevant urban stakeholders (particularly at city and project levels) to deliver urban interventions in a way which meets international standards. Skills will be based on demand from key stakeholders and could include financing, strategic leadership, contract management, procurement, evidence-based policy reform etc.
• Instituting innovation that strengthens collaboration between urban actors, disseminating lessons for both domestic and international experience in inclusive, resilient and sustainable urbanisation.

The high value projects are now underway, each of which exemplifies pandemic and climate resilience and promotes inclusive economic growth. They are at the right stage of development to fully benefit from technical assistance, with the tender stages to be completed by March 2023. The disruption caused by COVID-19 allowed our team to refine the longlist, in terms of how each would adapt to the realities of a post-pandemic India – the so-called ‘new normal’.

¹ Previously known as the ‘Sustainable Cities for Shared Prosperity (SCSP)’