Agra, India used a Cities Alliance grant to develop an inclusive city development strategy and a citywide slum upgrading plan that has leveraged USD 22 million in additional investments to improve the lives of slum dwellers.

With support from the Cities Alliance and the World Bank, Mumbai has been undertaking a nearly ten-year initiative to transform itself into a world-class city with a high standard of living for all citizens.

A community sanitation programme that made a national impact, ultimately leading to India’s first comprehensive urban sanitation policy that promises universal access with a special focus on the urban poor.

The article, by World Bank Senior Development Planner Stefania Abakerli and D. Ajay Suri, Cities Alliance regional adviser for Asia, gives an overview of the project, which aims to put heritage at the heart of urban public action.