Volume : 12, Issue : 5, MAY 2026

URBAN WARFARE & ‘THE RIGHT TO THE CITY’ IN INDIA

NISHA NAYAK, DR. RAJKUMAR MANDORA

Abstract

The critical intersection of urban warfare and the right to the city (RTTC) in India, specifically addressing how state-led exclusionary planning and militarized security strategies clash with the democratic claims of marginalized inhabitants. Contemporary Indian urbanism is increasingly defined by "authoritarian urbanism" and technocratic master plans that prioritize capital-driven growth, often at the expense of the urban poor. RTTC in India is framed as more than simple access; it is a collective right to participate in, design, and transform the urban environment.

In Indian cities, "urban warfare" often refers to the systematic displacement of informal settlements, where state agencies treat slums as "aberrations" and engage in aggressive evictions and land-clearing operations. The intersection of urban warfare and the "Right to the City" (RTTC) in India highlights a critical tension between the state's security-driven urban policies and the democratic struggle of marginalized residents to inhabit and reshape urban space. While the RTTC advocates for inclusive, participatory urban governance, the reality of "Built Up Area" (BUA) operations and security-based planning often prioritizes "city-as-target" logic, leading to the marginalization and dispossession of vulnerable groups.

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IESRJ

International Educational Scientific Research Journal

E-ISSN: 2455-295X

International Indexed Journal | Multi-Disciplinary Refereed Research Journal

ISSN: 2455-295X

Peer-Reviewed Journal - Equivalent to UGC Approved Journal

Peer-Reviewed Journal

Article No : 5

Number of Downloads : 4

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