Need for a Context-Sensitive Approach to TOD in India

Urban areas worldwide recognize Transit Oriented Development (TOD) as a successful strategy to foster sustainability. Over the years, TOD has gained prominence in integrating land use and transportation and improving quality of life. In India, effective implementation of TOD should require addressing key issues such as heterogeneity and equity, policy and regulatory frameworks, financial availability, integration of multiple agencies, the risk of gentrification, and the carrying capacity within densely populated urban cores. A document analysis approach has been adopted to examine existing government policies, laws, and regulations and understand the current status of TOD implementation in Indian cities. Although the 2017 TOD Policy and Metro Rail Policy offer guidelines and regulations, there remains ambiguity concerning its implementation, particularly the responsibilities and evaluation framework, along with the lack of integration with master plans and building regulations. Findings reveal that few cities have text-based policies and emphasize that TOD’s scope varies with city size and planning type. Thus, there is a need for a context-sensitive, policy-driven, and micro-level planning approach that integrates multiple aspects of TOD, including land use, social structure, travel patterns, infrastructure, and environment. This paper comprehensively explains existing TOD strategies and their challenges, forming a base for an integrated approach and evidence-based strategies to ensure sustainability.