Synopsis– One of the key elements of a successful city is its planning. In India, there are numerous cities, and most are planned, but some of them stand out, and that’s what we will be doing in this article: we will be listing the 10 most planned cities in India.
India has experienced a refreshing phase of positive urban development, where we are starting to see the best design heritage in the country, while some cities have begun to exemplify a contemporary lifestyle. Whether through various urban experiments of the first post-independence generation, to the urban maturity of smart cities during the age of the information technology revolution, India is finally demonstrating cities that are leading with infrastructure, sustainability, and enhancing the quality of life.
The following gives you the list of the best planned cities in India in 2025-
1. Chandigarh
Often referred to as the “City Beautiful,” Chandigarh has made the top of every list. Chandigarh, which was designed by the amazing architect Le Corbusier, this city features a sector-based design, abundant green cover, and is easy to travel in as well. Chandigarh is an example of effective zoning, including residential, commercial, and institutional planning, making it a great example of planned urban design in the world.
2. Gandhinagar
The state capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, was built to relieve some of the strain from Ahmedabad. It is one of India’s greenest cities. Designed with sectors, wide avenues, parks, and environmental considerations. Gandhinagar also features a strong public transport system. The city has also earned the title “Tree Capital of India”.
3. Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai was built as a response to Mumbai’s congestion; now it is a success story of a satellite city. Built by CIDCO, the city was divided into commercial, residential, and industrial nodes. Navi Mumbai is recognized for its connectivity and green belts, along with other smart city elements, including parks and stormwater systems.
Also read: Top 10 Cleanest Cities in India in 2025 – Is Yours on the List?
4. Indore
Indore is India’s cleanest city, regularly ranked at the top, internationally recognized for its waste management systems, green public transport and public spaces. With Smart City Mission initiatives, real-time capabilities, digital services, and citizen engagement apps, Indore has been at the forefront of sustainable urban governance.
5. Pune
Pune has transformed from a “retiree’s paradise” to a leading education and industrial hub in India. Pune has good road systems, effective public transportation, new metro lines, and innovative administration. Pune is unique in achieving technological development while still maintaining a good quality of life and civic services.
6. Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, the “Temple City of India,” is also one of the first planned cities of independent India. It was designed by a German architect,Otto Konigsberger. It has wide roads and sectors, new infrastructure, combined with heritage areas. Bhubaneswar’s great planning for its greenery and good public availability shows its great planning.
7. Jaipur
Jaipur, the Pink City, was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century, is uniquely planned based on Vastu Shastra and built with a grid of streets. Radial roads, planned quarters, and gates created through a traditional and scientific form of urban planning gave Jaipur a status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a noted planned city.
8. Jamshedpur
Established by Jamshedji Tata, Jamshedpur remains an inspiration in city planning for its industrial nature. Jamshedpur has good residential neighbourhoods, good parks, excellent schools, good hospitals, and an optimal proportion of industry. It is exceptionally attractive to urban crowds by its vigorous pursuit of sustainable initiatives
9. Rajarhat (West Bengal)
Located on the outskirts of Kolkata is a planned township emphasizing IT parks, residential developments, commercial districts, and eco-parks. The planning for Rajarhat has been in process since the 1990s and has continued onwards to set the precedent for mixed-use planning and modern infrastructure development in eastern India
10. Gurugram (Gurgaon)
Gurugram has emerged as a global business centre near Delhi, as it continues to grow. Gurugram’s master plan emphasizes green belts, wide roads, and mixed-use provisions for industry, residence, and recreation. The tech parks, international corporate offices, and luxury residential complexes indicate Gurugram is 21st-century’s truly planned city.
Common Qualities of Best Planned Cities in India
- Sectorial or area-based planning: Separation of residential, commercial, and institutional areas for better land uses and less congestion.
- Green Infrastructure: Urban green spaces, green boulevards, and Eco-parks for improved air quality and better quality of life.
- Smart governance: Using technology for waste management, traffic management, digital public services, and sustainable growth.
- Efficient connectivity: Multi-modal public transport and larger arterial roads for easy mobility and decreased transit time.
- Sustainability and inclusivity: Balancing growth while conserving heritage and caring for the environment.
Conclusion
India’s most well-planned cities embody the imaginative and visionary lens of India’s urbanism, tradition, and innovation. Chandigarh uses modernist elements to create an aesthetically pleasing, ordered environment. Navi Mumbai is built on a satellite model to alleviate congestion, benchmarks include the heritage-inspired symmetry of Jaipur’s geography, and Indore exhibits smart urban management. Each city’s design teaches us about the process of delivering a well-planned urban metropolis that will nurture dynamic, sustainable, livable places for future generations. If you are debating moving, establishing a new business, or simply exploring what living in an urban centre in India has to offer, these cities provide the best demonstration of modern Indian urban planning with a focus on well-being and sustainability.
Written by Adithya Menon
