This paper examined the impact of political economy on urban governance and planning in India through the lens of historical institutionalism. It analysed the economic reforms of 1991 and their implications on the evolving role of government across different levels, particularly in reshaping institutional responsibilities within the domain of urban development. The case studies of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) provided insights into how governance reforms and policy frameworks evolved within an existing institutional structure. A comparative analysis of these case studies suggested that the adoption of urban governance reforms in India has been gradual and path dependent, rather than transformative. The paper concluded by highlighting key institutional shortcomings, including constrained decentralisation and limited fiscal capacity at the city level, and identified areas where further improvement is necessary.
Urbanization in rapidly expanding municipalities in developing countries presents significant spatial and governance challenges. This study examines urban sprawl and related municipal planning issues in the Kaduwela Municipal Council (KMC) area of Sri Lanka, using land-use and land-cover (LULC) data for 2002, 2012, and 2024 and demographic data up to 2023. By integrating Geographic Information System (GIS)-based land-use analysis with regression modeling, the study investigates land-use transformation, population change, and selected factors associated with urban expansion. Landsat satellite imagery from 2002, 2012, and 2024 was used to classify major land-use and land-cover categories, including built-up areas, vegetation, agricultural land, water bodies, and bare land. The classified maps were used to construct an Urban Sprawl Index (USI) to assess the extent and pattern of urban sprawl over the study period. Regression analysis was then applied to examine the relationship between the USI and selected demographic, infrastructural, and socioeconomic variables, including population growth, population density, road density, vehicle density, employment rate, and sectoral population distribution. The results indicate substantial land-use transformation in KMC, with an expansion of built-up areas and a decline in agricultural land, vegetation, and water bodies. The regression results show that population growth rate was the only statistically significant predictor of the USI, while other variables showed weak or non-significant associations. These findings suggest that urban sprawl in KMC is shaped by both measurable demographic factors and other contextual factors, such as land-use regulation, environmental constraints, informal development, and municipal governance capacity. The study highlights the need for integrated land-use planning, improved GIS-based monitoring, stronger zoning enforcement, infrastructure coordination, and environmental protection to support more sustainable urban management in Kaduwela and similar peri-urban municipalities in Sri Lanka.
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