City Limits is a compelling exploration of the deep and widening fault lines within India’s urban transformation since the 1990s. Tracing the trajectory from the rise of the neoliberal city to the contemporary crises of inequality, exclusion and ecological degradation, the book interrogates the dominant narrative that treats cities as ‘engines of growth. It argues instead that this very model-rooted in market fundamentalism and the retreat of the welfare state-has produced an urban order that is neither inclusive nor sustainable.
Building on this critique, the book advances the notion of the right to the city as a counter-vision-a demand for democratic control over urban resources, spaces and decisions. It calls for reclaiming the city as a collective common, rather than a site of accumulation for corporate and digital capital.
Featuring essays by policy experts and champions of sustainable development – including the Congress leader Ajay Maken, architect Romi Khosla, and lawyer and researcher Mathew Idiculla-City Limits delves into the realities of migration and homelessness, revealing the structural violence embedded in urban growth. The book then unpacks the conceptual limitations of housing policies and the emergence of new governance regimes that privilege technocratic solutions such as ‘smart cities‘.
Ultimately, the anthology portrays the city as a site of both domination and resistance. Against the backdrop of capital-driven urbanization, it calls for inclusive urbanism rooted in equity, sustainability and democratic governance. Here, we have both diagnosis and manifesto-a powerful invitation to rethink the meaning of the urban and to reclaim the city as a space of rights, not just a source of profit.
About Tikender Panwar:
Tikender Panwar is the former deputy mayor of Shimla. The city saw many initiatives under his leadership. He is the author of three books on urbanization, and regularly writes on the subjects of sustainable development, tourism and the Himalayan ecosystem. He is a member of the Kerala Urban Commission and adviser, Samruddha Bharat Foundation. He was also a member of the national task force to review the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which pertains to decentralized governance.
Essays By:
Ajay Maken
Asok Bhattacharya
Romi Khosla
Indu Prakash Singh
Kanishka Prasad
Vertika Chaturvedi
Seema Mundoli
Harini Nagendra
Vishnu M.J.
Kavya Michael
Tanvi Deshpande
Mathew Idiculla
Aravind Unni
Evita Das
Credits:
Cover Image: Adobe Stock
Cover design: Shadab Khan
Edited by: Tikender Panwar
Publication: PENGUIN VINTAGE
Book is scheduled to be launched on March 17, 2026, at New Delhi.
