About Us
About us
NIUA’S Water & Environment Vertical
NIUA’S Water & Environment Vertical
NIUA’s Water and Environment Vertical focuses on developing enabling frameworks, mechanisms, and pathways to help Indian cities manage their water and environmental sectors sustainably.
Given our affiliation with India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, our vision and work are geared towards making a noticeable difference on the ground. We support the Ministry in implementing various national urban missions and initiatives that affect urban water and the environment. Additionally, we work with several national and international resource partners with an agenda and mandate similar to ours.
Our Approach
Nationwide strategic blueprints for urban transformation
Developing national level strategic frameworks applicable for all cities to facilitate on the ground action in specific domains.
Our Approach
Driving inclusive change for a better tomorrow
Engaging with different sections of society with a view to target long term transformational change.
Our Approach
Piloting innovative concepts and technologies
Supporting the piloting of innovative concepts and technologies through demonstration projects.
Our Approach
Niche capacity building modules
Developing niche capacity building modules and certification programmes to meet the common needs of cities
Our Approach
Partnership among the cities, Civil Society Organisations
Facilitating partnerships among the cities, Civil Society Organisations, Academia International Organisations and the private sector
Our Approach
Action Research on Emerging Areas
Undertaking action research on relatively unexplored subjects.
Our Approach
Digital tools and instruments
Developing digital tools and instruments to help cities move up the state-of-the-art ladder.
Our Approach
Guidance documents and advisories
Preparing guidance documents and advisories for areas where knowledge gaps exist.
What we do
Our Projects
Making a difference
What we do
Our Projects
Making a difference
Development of Urban River Management Plans (URMPs) for Ramganga Basin Cities i.e. Moradabad and Bareilly, through a Multistakeholder Process
Uttar Pradesh
The Ramganga River, a key tributary of Ganga, is a crucial water resource for cities and communities across western Uttar Pradesh. Beyond meeting the region’s water demands, it plays a vital role in supporting the region's economy, particularly in industrial and commercial hubs like Moradabad and Bareilly. However, rapid urbanisation and unregulated discharge of industrial and domestic waste have severely impacted the river’s health, leading to deteriorating water quality and posing significant environmental and public health risks.To address these challenges, WWF, in collaboration with NIUA, is working on the conservation and sustainable management of the Ramganga River through the development and implementation of Urban River Management Plans (URMPs) for Moradabad and Bareilly.With support from NMCG, NIUA has developed a comprehensive framework to help river cities plan and implement interventions that restore and maintain urban river stretches sustainably. This framework promotes a multi-stakeholder approach, ensuring better coordination and minimising conflicts among various sectors involved in river management.By adopting this framework, NIUA has developed URMPs for Bareilly and Moradabad and will work closely with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to implement them, fostering long-term river health and resilience.The URMPs integrate scientific assessments, nature-based solutions, and community engagement strategies. They provide key recommendations for river-centric urban planning and blue-green infrastructure conservation, ensuring the river’s sustainability and resilience.
Strengthening the River Cities Alliance for Achieving Healthy Urban Rivers
Ladakh
Managing urban rivers has emerged as a key focus area in India’s urban development agenda. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and partner institutions have taken the lead in developing frameworks and guidance to promote river-sensitive development in cities. A major milestone in this journey was the launch of the River Cities Alliance (RCA) on 25 November 2021 by the Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in the presence of Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, then Secretary, MoHUA. What began with 30 cities in 2021 has now expanded to 146 member cities in 2024.RCA has become a vibrant platform for cities to ideate, share, and collaborate on sustainable urban river management. As the river-sensitive approach gains momentum, cities are increasingly recognizing the role of healthy rivers in shaping resilient and water-secure urban futures.The ongoing project, ‘Strengthening the River Cities Alliance for Achieving Healthy Rivers’, aims to build a cohort of cities committed to river rejuvenation. Its mission is to enhance the planning and operational capacities of RCA cities using the Urban River Management Plan (URMP) framework, enabling pollution-free, flowing rivers and fostering inclusive and sustainable urban development across India.
Independent Review and Monitoring of Projects under AMRUT 2.0 (IRMA)
Andhra Pradesh
The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), aims to enhance urban infrastructure by improving water supply, wastewater and septage management, and developing parks and green spaces in cities. To ensure that projects under AMRUT 2.0 meet quality standards and stipulated project timelines, regular monitoring and evaluations are conducted. These assessments help identify challenges, provide feedback to states and MoHUA, and recommend corrective actions. This process also plays a key role in determining the release of subsequent central fund installments.While project feasibility—such as its necessity and viability—is assessed before approval, the Independent Review and Monitoring Agency (IRMA) focuses on evaluating project implementation, identifying obstacles, and facilitating timely interventions.As part of this initiative, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) has been tasked with independently reviewing contract-approved projects across 1,000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in 11 Indian states under AMRUT 2.0. Unlike traditional approaches to assessing infrastructural projects, AMRUT 2.0 integrates third-party independent monitoring through IRMA, ensuring real-time on-site evaluation and necessary course correction for better project outcomes.
Proliferating Ecosystem Based Adaptation Practices in Indian Cities (EPIC)
Odisha
Most Indian cities rely solely on engineering solutions for water management. However, there is growing evidence that nature-based solutions can serve as significant complementary measures providing multi-functional benefits. In some cases, they have the potential to replace traditional infrastructural interventions. When such solutions are used to address the impacts of climate change, they are called Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). The overall objective of this project is to create an enabling environment to mainstream the agenda for EbA solutions as a robust and sustainable approach for water management. It seeks to address two core challenges that are faced by most cities grappling with climate change i.e. water scarcity and urban flooding.The project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase is focused on designing practical EbA interventions for flood control and groundwater recharge in Bhubaneshwar city. The second phase aims to scale up EbA practices within the larger cohort of Indian cities, using the learnings and outputs of the first phase.
Towards Adoption of Data-driven Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) in India
Madhya Pradesh
Addressing water-related challenges in cities requires a holistic inter-disciplinary and multi-sectoral coordination approach. Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) is one such approach, where all components of the urban water cycle (water supply, sanitation, storm water) are managed in a holistic manner. It provides a framework for holistic planning, designing and managing the urban water systems. One of the key barriers to implementation of IUWM in India is the lack of a robust database of water-related information that can inform decision making. While some of the data may be available in fragmented silos, it does little to facilitate integrated decision making.This project seeks to develop an online dashboard that compiles a holistic water-related database to support IUWM decision-making. This database will serve as a starting point for proliferating the application of IUWM in the city. The project also envisions to inspire scaling and replication of this concept by sharing the knowledge gained in the city of Gwalior with other cities that are on a similar path.
Preparation of Urban River Management Plans for 60 cities in the Ganga River Basin
Uttarakhand
On 10 December 2019, during the National Ganga Council Meeting in Kanpur, the Hon’ble Prime Minister emphasized the need to adopt new thinking in river cities, one with a facilitatory outlook rather than a regulatory approach. In the 5th meeting of the Empowered Task Force on River Ganga in February 2020, NIUA and the Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) were directed to provide suggestions on holistic river-centric planning. Accordingly, the Urban River Management Plan (URMP) framework was conceived of and launched on 4th November 2020 by NIUA in partnership with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). The framework is a general template for river cities to prepare their city-specific river management plans taking into account the ecological and socio-economic significance of rivers. URMPs have since been formulated by Kanpur, Ayodhya, Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Bareilly, and Moradabad. With support from the World Bank, 60 additional cities within the Ganga Basin states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand will now prepare their URMPs. From the hill cities of Uttarakhand to the impact of rapid Industrialization on the rivers of Bihar and Jharkhand, this project will be focussing on a multitude of verticals - all aimed to strengthen urban river management in India. Over its duration, this project will focus on preparing the URMPs in partnership with the identified 60 Ganga Basin cities. In the first phase, 25 cities will be targeted (5-each from the 5 Ganga Basin States), while the remaining 35 cities will be taken up in the subsequent phase.
Evaluating the Efficacy and Impact of the Drink From Tap Mission in Odisha
Odisha
In August 2019, the Government of Odisha launched the seminal "Drink from Tap" Mission, revolutionizing urban water supply by ensuring 24/7 tap water that was safe to drink and use directly — eliminating the need for filtration or boiling.To pave the way, Odisha rolled out pilot water supply schemes in select areas of Bhubaneswar and across the entire city of Puri. To assess their impact and sustainability, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) was engaged to evaluate the efficacy and impact of the scheme. This assessment focuses on:Technical efficiency – The performance of the system on service level benchmarksConsumer perception – Public trust and satisfaction with the initiativeInstitutional capacity – Readiness for long-term implementationWith a vision to expand the mission across all 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Odisha, the insights offered by NIUA will be critical for refining strategies, overcoming challenges, and ensuring the mission's long-term success. The evaluation done serves as a valuable blueprint for cities embarking on 24x7 potable water supply schemes in the near future.
Shallow Aquifer Management (SAM) 1.0: A Pilot Project under AMRUT 2.0
Karnataka
India is the largest extractor of groundwater in the world. About 55% of the water demand in our cities is met by groundwater. Indian cities use groundwater in both formal water supply and through informal water abstraction to meet the growing freshwater demand. In most cases, this is the water stored at shallow depths below the ground or in shallow aquifers. However, because of indiscriminate abstraction, several Indian cities have exhausted their shallow aquifers. While there is a tendency in cities to dig deeper for water, an easy solution would be to just manage their shallow aquifers more judiciously. The reason is that shallow aquifers are not only easily accessible water reserves but also relatively much quicker to recharge when compared to deep aquifers. To promote sustainable shallow aquifer management (SAM), a pilot project was initiated in 2022 under AMRUT 2.0 in 10 cities.The overarching objective of this pilot project was to create an enabling environment for mainstreaming shallow aquifer management in a city’s water management strategy. It focuses on interventions aimed towards developing water secure cities through the restoration of the shallow (unconfined / phreatic) aquifers which have stood the test of time in India’s long-standing water history. The project has two components. First, to enhance the practical and action-oriented knowledge of city stakeholders on managing shallow aquifers in a scientific manner. Second, to demonstrate the use of recharge wells as one of the means for shallow aquifer management.A variety of approaches/structures as means for shallow aquifer recharge were designed for the pilot cities, which also address the larger problems of groundwater depletion, urban flooding and contamination of groundwater reserves. The SAM project cities are Bengaluru, Chennai, Dhanbad, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Pune, Rajkot, and Thane.
River Cities Alliance: Fostering Harmony Between Cities and Rivers
Launched in November 2021, the River Cities Alliance (RCA) aims to promote a symbiotic relationship between Indian river cities and their waterways. Initially comprising 30 cities, the RCA has grown to over 145 member cities. The alliance was formed in response to the Honorable Prime Minister's 2019 call to action, emphasizing the need for cities to take responsibility for river rejuvenation.Urban areas significantly contribute to river degradation, making their effective management crucial. Rivers provide numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits, and cities can reap these rewards by fostering a harmonious relationship with their rivers — this is where the RCA comes in. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) jointly manage the RCA, working together to promote sustainable urban river management practices.
Establishing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Implementation of Drink from Tap (DFT) Schemes
Odisha
The ‘Drink from Tap’ (DFT) Mission is a flagship initiative of the Government of Odisha, aimed at ensuring safe, high-quality, 24x7 drinking water supply to urban residents across the state. Successfully implemented in 24 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the mission is now being scaled up to cover all 114 ULBs in Odisha. To facilitate smooth and timely implementation at this scale, a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being developed.The SOP draws on lessons learned from the initial implementation and is designed to provide clear, actionable guidance for ULBs. It aims to eliminate delays caused by unclear directives, streamline monitoring and reporting, and support adherence to tight implementation timelines. Developed in close coordination with the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), the SOP integrates on-ground experiences and challenges faced by ULBs.The SOP will address five thematic areas: Technical (design period, SCADA, automation), Institutional (tendering, staffing, capacity building), Financial Management (tariffs, sustainability), Operations and Maintenance (water quality, audits, energy efficiency), and Policy Measures (NRW, climate resilience, awareness, consumer satisfaction).To enhance accessibility and usability, the SOP is also being translated into a digital dashboard, which will serve as a dynamic platform for reference and implementation.
Institutionalizing an Impact Assessment Framework for Drink from Tap Mission in Odisha
Odisha
The Government of Odisha has been proactively enhancing water supply and sanitation in the state, by operationalizing schemes such as BASUDHA (Buxi Jagabandhu Assured Drinking Water to all Habitation). In August 2019, the state launched its “Drink from Tap” (DFT) Mission that aimed to provide 24X7 drink-from-tap quality water to every household in urban Odisha so that water accessed from household taps was safe to drink and cook with without additional filtration or boiling. In 2021, NIUA was engaged by the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), Department of Housing and Urban Development to evaluate the efficacy of its ‘Drink from Tap’ mission. WATCO has since undertaken this work across 24 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Odisha. NIUA’s role now is to institutionalize an impact assessment framework, using an indicator-based approach to evaluate system efficiency, operations, maintenance, and consumer satisfaction. These efforts include training WATCO officials, applying an easy-to-use impact assessment tool across 24 ULBs, and developing a baseline framework for non-DFT areas to measure the comparative impact and progress of future implementations. Unique features include a blend of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, rigorous field visits, comparison with Service Level Benchmarks (SLBs), and the creation of a digital dashboard to support macro and micro-level analysis of DFT.
Urban Water Body Diagnostic Tool
New Delhi
The condition of water bodies (lakes, ponds, wells, etc.) in many Indian cities has generally been deteriorating over the last several years. Some are shrinking, some are getting polluted, yet others are completely encroached upon. This project aims to create a decision support system for cities to manage the water bodies within their jurisdiction. The outcome of this project is an Urban Water Body Diagnostic Tool that will help city officials, consultants, training institutions, researchers, academicians, and students to identify and prioritize actions for rejuvenation of water bodies within any city.The diagnostic tool is based on assessing the status-quo of urban water bodies, in terms of various physical, chemical, biological, and management parameters. Importantly, the tool helps in conducting a rapid assessment that a city can perform easily and periodically in order to identify immediate actions for their management.The tool is available in public domain as a digital webtool, which is used by various city officials, consultants, training institutions, researchers, academicians, and students in assessing the urban waterbodies across the world.
Meet the minds behind NIUA's Water and Environment Vertical
Our Key Achievements
Unique Initiatives
Driving change
A Strategic Framework for Managing Urban River Stretches in the Ganga River Basin: URMP
Nov 2020
The Urban River Management Plan (URMP) Framework is a comprehensive guide developed by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) with support from the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). It aims to provide cities with a structured approach for the sustainable management and rejuvenation of urban rivers, which have often been neglected or exploited due to rapid urbanization. The framework recognizes rivers not only as water bodies but also as critical ecological, cultural, and economic assets. As urban areas expand, the framework emphasizes the need to protect rivers through effective governance, planning, and coordination across urban sectors.The URMP framework follows a seven-stage process. The first step involves a city-river profiling that helps in understanding the current condition of the river, its ecological status, and the socio-economic dependence of the surrounding urban population. The second stage involves developing a vision for the river's future and setting long-term and short-term goals. The third stage focuses on preparing actionable strategies, including identification of projects for river rejuvenation and flood management. The next stage includes alignment with city development plans, ensuring that river management becomes part of the urban development process. The framework also emphasizes institutional integration to ensure that various urban departments and stakeholders are involved in the implementation of the plan. The final stage involves developing a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assess the progress of river management initiatives and ensure long-term sustainability.A key element of the framework is its focus on nature-based solutions and climate resilience, which aim to restore the ecological health of the river systems while also addressing urban vulnerabilities such as flooding and water scarcity. The URMP also promotes multi-stakeholder engagement, bringing together local communities, municipal authorities, and national agencies to work towards a shared vision for river management.The framework aligns with existing national programs like AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Smart Cities Mission to ensure synergy and effective implementation. Additionally, it provides tools, templates, and performance indicators that cities can use to customize their river management plans.Overall, the URMP aims to create river-sensitive cities by restoring ecological integrity and improving the overall quality of life for urban residents.
Strategic Guidelines for “Making River Sensitive Master Plans
Jun 2021
The Strategic Guidelines for Making River-Sensitive Master Plans, developed by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) in collaboration with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), provide a comprehensive framework to help cities across India incorporate river-sensitive approaches into their urban planning processes. The document underscores the importance of recognizing rivers not just as water bodies, but as vital ecological, cultural, and economic assets that are crucial to the sustainability of urban environments. With rapid urbanization often putting rivers at risk through pollution, encroachment, and poor management, these guidelines aim to embed river conservation into city development plans.The guidelines outline a structured process that cities can follow to integrate rivers into their master planning. The first stage involves conducting a river baseline assessment, which includes understanding the river’s current ecological status, water quality, and the pressures it faces due to urbanization. This data helps form the foundation for the next stage, which involves visioning—setting a long-term, sustainable vision for how rivers can be integrated into urban life. Along with this, clear, actionable goals are set for the river’s management, health, and ecological restoration.A crucial component of the guidelines is the integration of policies and regulations that align with river-sensitive principles. This ensures that urban planning processes actively contribute to the health of rivers, not just as a passive component of the landscape. Specific sectoral strategies for land use, water supply, sanitation, and flood management are tailored to address river concerns, ensuring that these elements of urban planning incorporate river restoration and preservation.The guidelines also emphasize public participation throughout the planning process, engaging local communities, stakeholders, and citizens. This involvement fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility for river health, ensuring that the community plays a key role in implementation. Additionally, a robust monitoring and evaluation system is established to track progress and assess the effectiveness of river-sensitive interventions over time.By embedding these principles into master planning, the guidelines aim to create river-sensitive cities that promote not only ecological sustainability but also social and economic resilience. The approach is aligned with national missions such as the Namami Gange Programme and the Smart Cities Mission, ensuring that river management is integrated into broader urban development goals. This strategic framework enables cities to manage their rivers effectively while promoting overall sustainable growth.
River Cities Alliance
Ladakh
Managing urban rivers has emerged as a key focus area in India’s urban development agenda. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and partner institutions have taken the lead in developing frameworks and guidance to promote river-sensitive development in cities. A major milestone in this journey was the launch of the River Cities Alliance (RCA) on 25 November 2021 by the Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in the presence of Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, then Secretary, MoHUA. What began with 30 cities in 2021 has now expanded to 146 member cities in 2024.RCA has become a vibrant platform for cities to ideate, share, and collaborate on sustainable urban river management. As the river-sensitive approach gains momentum, cities are increasingly recognizing the role of healthy rivers in shaping resilient and water-secure urban futures.The ongoing project, ‘Strengthening the River Cities Alliance for Achieving Healthy Rivers’, aims to build a cohort of cities committed to river rejuvenation. Its mission is to enhance the planning and operational capacities of RCA cities using the Urban River Management Plan (URMP) framework, enabling pollution-free, flowing rivers and fostering inclusive and sustainable urban development across India.
