The need for ‘heart-resilient’ urban planning, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• On October 8, 2025, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) observed World Habitat Day in New Delhi, focusing on ‘Urban Solutions to Crisis’.
• Cardiovascular ailments are a primary cause of urban deaths in India, with prevalence nearly twice that of rural areas and affecting more individuals under 50.
• Integrating heart health into urban planning is essential, requiring coordinated efforts in land use, transport, housing, and green space development.
• Asia could witness a 91% increase in cardiovascular mortality by 2050 without interventions.

Detailed Insights:

• Daily urban life in India, marked by long commutes, pollution, and shrinking green spaces, elevates health risks, while healthcare access remains limited and unevenly distributed.
• Fragmented urban planning perpetuates sedentary lifestyles, pollution, and inequity, necessitating integrated approaches like compact, mixed-use neighborhoods to promote active living.
• WHO’s Healthy Cities Network demonstrates that embedding health in governance reduces chronic disease risks, an approach that can be revived in India using AI-enabled tools.
• Heart-healthy urban planning involves walkability, green infrastructure, mixed land use, public transport, and healthy food ecosystems to improve cardiovascular health.
• Urban health strategies must prioritize equity by focusing on vulnerable communities, conducting equity audits, and involving communities in the planning process.
• Collaboration among MoHUA, health agencies, academia, and civil society is crucial to align land use, mobility, and environment with well-being outcomes.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Urban Planning: The process of designing and managing the physical growth and development of cities and urban areas.
• Cardiovascular Health: The health of the heart and blood vessels, crucial for overall well-being and longevity.
• Integrated Planning: A holistic approach to development that coordinates land use, transport, housing, and green initiatives.