Culture as a Tool for Urban Development

Urban development is synonymous with planned interventions and policy frameworks designed to tackle urban growth, distribution of land and mobility. In India, the cultural context of resident communities has rarely played a pivotal role in city development though it has significant potential in improving the quality of life. The Humayun’s Tomb – Nizamuddin area in Delhi has continuously evolved and inhabited since the 13th century. Over the past 700 years a profusion of monumental tomb building occurred in close proximity to the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, a revered Sufi saint. Here, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture commenced a major Urban Renewal Initiative spread across 224 acres following a 2007 MoU with the Archaeological Survey of India, Central Public Works Department and the Municipal Corporation.