Contrasting Models of Urban Governance: A Comparative Study of Noida and Gurugram

Post-liberalisation India has witnessed a significant increase in urban centres across the country driven by the inflow of Multinational Companies (MNCs), easing of laws to promote private sector-led growth and the rapid influx of migrants moving to these urban centres in search for new employment avenues. This article seeks to explore the evolution of two important urban centres located in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi — Noida and Gurugram. Both the cities developed under different frameworks and trajectories, leading to two contrasting models of urban governance. While Noida is characterized by a centralized-technocratic model of governance, in contrast, Gurugram is characterized by an entrepreneurial-fragmented model of governance. Through a qualitative, comparative analysis based on institutional frameworks, planning instruments and democratic participation, the article attempts to understand the key differences in the urban governance models of Noida and Gurugram. It also seeks to relate the urban governance models of the two cities with the foundational literature on urban governance, given by scholars like Michel Foucault, Henri Lefebvre and David Harvey. Finally, the article attempts to understand the challenges encountered both by Noida and Gurugram with respect to their distinct urban governance models, and the recommendations proposed to mitigate these issues