Reimagining Urban Life with People-Centered Planning: Mofiz Uddin Ahmed (Poet & Writter)

Mofiz Uddin Ahmed (Poet & Writter), Additional Secretary (PRL), Ministry of Finance

 Reimagining Urban Life with People-Centered Planning: How Inclusive Design, Civic Participation, and Sustainable Governance Are Shaping the Cities of Tomorrow

 As the world urbanizes rapidly, cities are no longer just centers of infrastructure, commerce, and industry—they are ecosystems of people, culture, aspiration, and opportunity. The question facing modern urban governance is no longer how to expand cities, but how to make cities work better for the people who live in them.

This is where people-centered planning emerges as a transformative paradigm—one that views citizens not as passive recipients of services but as co-creators of the urban experience. Across the globe and in cities like Comilla, Bangladesh, this shift is redefining the relationship between urban planners, municipal governments, and local communities.

This article explores the principles and practice of people-centered urban planning, its key benefits, its challenges, and how city corporations like Comilla City Corporation (CuCC) are incorporating it to create more inclusive, resilient, and livable urban spaces.

What Is People-Centered Planning?

People-centered planning is a governance and design approach that puts human needs, voices, and experiences at the core of urban development. It emphasizes:

• Inclusivity: Engaging all demographics—women, youth, elderly, marginalized communities—in decision-making.
• Accessibility: Designing services and infrastructure that are usable and reachable by all.
• Empathy: Understanding how people actually live, commute, work, and interact in urban spaces.
• Participation: Ensuring that citizens are actively involved in identifying problems, designing solutions, and evaluating outcomes.

This approach transforms planning from a top-down technical exercise into a collaborative and dynamic process that improves both urban functionality and social equity.

Why People-Centered Planning Matters

1. Human Needs are Diverse and Evolving
   Cities are not monolithic. Planning must reflect the experiences of different genders, abilities, income groups, and age brackets.
2. Traditional Planning Often Misses the Margins
   Projects that look good on blueprints may fail in reality when they don’t consider local context or community dynamics.
3. Citizens Know Their Communities Best
   When residents participate, they contribute valuable insights that professionals may overlook—such as the informal routes, seasonal hazards, or safety concerns specific to their area.
4. It Builds Trust and Ownership
   Projects designed with the people gain more public support, leading to better maintenance, faster adoption, and stronger civic responsibility.

Principles of People-Centered Urban Development

1. Co-Design and Consultation

Urban solutions should be designed with the people, not just for them. This includes:

• Community design workshops
• Ward-level consultations
• Participatory budgeting processes

2. Spatial Justice and Equity

Planning should ensure fair distribution of resources, land, infrastructure, and services—especially for underserved communities.

3. Universal Accessibility

Infrastructure must serve children, elderly, differently-abled, and vulnerable populations. Public transport, footpaths, toilets, parks, and service centers should be designed for all.

4. Local Identity and Culture

Preserving heritage, supporting local markets, and integrating art and cultural spaces enhance belonging and pride in the city.

5. Resilience and Sustainability

Plans should be adaptive to climate, economic shifts, and public health emergencies—with community-led disaster preparedness and environmental stewardship.

Comilla City Corporation: A Case Study in People-Centered Governance

Comilla, with its rich historical heritage and growing population, is undergoing significant urban transformation. The Comilla City Corporation (CuCC) is increasingly adopting people-first strategies in areas of infrastructure, waste management, housing, public health, and environmental protection.

Key People-Centered Initiatives in Comilla:

1. Ward-Level Engagement Forums

• Regular meetings where citizens identify problems (e.g., drainage, road repairs, garbage collection).
• Resident committees help prioritize projects and monitor execution.

2. Women’s Safety Audits

• Conducted in markets, parks, and transport hubs.
• Resulted in improved lighting, public toilets, and designated women’s spaces.

3. Smart Service Portals

• Online platforms for tax payments, birth registration, service requests.
• Simplifies access to government services for all residents.

4. Slum Upgradation Programs

• Integrated planning for water, sanitation, and housing in low-income neighborhoods.
• Community mobilization ensures participation and dignity in service delivery.

5. Youth Engagement through Clubs and Competitions

• Eco-clubs in schools promoting clean cities and tree planting.
• Urban innovation contests for youth on traffic, waste, and tech solutions.

Urban Infrastructure Designed with Empathy

Comilla’s planning decisions increasingly reflect empathy and context:

• Walkways and ramps added near hospitals and bus terminals for the elderly and disabled.
• Green zones in congested wards offer space for community events and relaxation.
• Cultural preservation efforts protect ancient structures like Shalban Vihara and Rupban Mura amidst urban expansion.

By understanding how people feel and move in their city, CuCC is designing a city that works both logistically and emotionally.

Housing and Livelihoods: People at the Center of Growth

1. Affordable Housing

Comilla’s approach to housing emphasizes:

• Mixed-income neighborhoods to avoid social segregation.
• Legalizing and upgrading informal settlements with basic utilities.
• Public-private partnerships for low-cost housing blocks.

2. Market Modernization with Vendor Participation

Rather than displacing informal vendors, CuCC has:

• Consulted them to design safer, hygienic vending zones.
• Built multi-use urban markets with sanitation, waste bins, and water access.

This balance ensures livelihood security while maintaining urban order.

Sustainability Through Local Participation

Environmental initiatives are most successful when residents are active partners.

In Comilla:

• Tree planting drives are organized with student clubs and religious institutions.
• Rainwater harvesting pilot projects involve ward residents in water storage and usage.
• Cleanliness campaigns in collaboration with local youth build pride and ownership over public spaces.

Rather than relying solely on external contractors, Comilla leverages people power for long-term environmental health.

Challenges to Implementing People-Centered Planning

Despite significant strides, people-first planning faces real obstacles:

1. Limited Awareness

Many residents are unaware of their rights or how to engage in planning processes.

2. Tokenism vs. True Participation

Sometimes, consultations are symbolic rather than impactful, with real decisions still made behind closed doors.

3. Capacity Gaps

City planners and engineers may lack training in participatory tools, empathy-driven design, or social facilitation.

4. Inequity in Voices

Vulnerable populations—such as the poor, women, or ethnic minorities—may be underrepresented in forums or ignored.

Addressing these challenges requires institutional reform, civic education, and stronger inclusion mechanisms.

The Road Ahead: Reimagining Urban Life in Comilla and Beyond

A truly people-centered urban future must rest on the pillars of:

✅ Policy Integration

Embedding participatory practices into urban policies and legal frameworks, not just optional activities.

✅ Technology for Inclusion

Using mobile apps, SMS polls, and digital dashboards that allow feedback from a wider population, including the digitally marginalized.

✅ School-Based Civic Learning

Teaching children urban responsibilities and participation from a young age builds a civic culture for tomorrow.

✅ Transparency and Accountability

Letting citizens track budget usage, contractor performance, and project timelines fosters trust.

✅ Citizen Data and Stories

Going beyond numbers to include lived experiences in planning documents—interviews, photos, neighborhood histories.

Lessons for Other Cities

Comilla’s approach provides insights for other growing cities:

• Start small: Pilot projects in one or two wards can evolve into citywide programs.
• Listen actively: City officials must not just inform but also absorb citizen feedback.
• Recognize and reward: Empower communities by celebrating success stories of local initiatives.
• Be adaptable: Urban challenges shift—so must plans, with communities helping guide the change.

People-centered planning is not just good governance—it is the essence of true development. When citizens are respected, involved, and empowered, they respond with cooperation, creativity, and commitment.

In Comilla and cities like it, people-centered planning is proving that urban transformation does not need to leave people behind—it can bring them forward. By combining empathy, innovation, and collaboration, Comilla is reimagining not just its infrastructure—but its entire urban life.

As we move further into an urban century, the lesson is clear: Cities built for people must be built with people. And when that happens, cities don’t just grow—they thrive.