Let's Redesign Border Towns Prone To Pak Threat As Active Defences

Conflict, And Dilemma 

The Indo-Pak border stretches approximately 3,500 km. However abrupt the line on the map might feel, over the years it has shaped into a volatile frontier, affecting millions of people living nearby. 

These are big, diverse areas — both in terms of natural and economic resources, as well as the over 50 million people who live there — and cover big economic growth engines in Amritsar, Jaisalmer, Ahmedabad, Srinagar, Jaipur — to name just a few. 

Gone are the times when we could go on the defensive through mock drills, blackouts, and airport closures for the civillian population. Being also constantly and acutely exposed to risks of infiltration, shelling and hybrid threats, we now need to do more in terms of preparedness. 

The lens of urban planning is an important one because the assessment does not keep the threat abstract. A large portion of the critical infrastructure, which includes schools, hospitals, and power grids, lies within 50 km of the international border, placing it well inside the range of Pakistan's artillery.

The threat of proximity is real: Between September and December 2016, nearly 27,000 people were displaced from bordering areas due to cross-border shelling. Since 2020, Jammu has witnessed a 300 per cent spike in ceasefire violations, while 2.5 million residents across these areas still lack access to bomb shelters.

Punjab, J&K, Rajasthan and Gujarat contribute almost 17 per cent of India’s total GDP, making the economic stakes high, while raising geopolitical volatility on the frontline. The Attari-Wagah border that accounted for Rs 3,650 cr in annual trade in 2023 -2024 — including approximately 7,000 shipments and 70,000 commuters — has no proper plan or protocol for shelling or excavation.

Meanwhile, the closure of the crossing after the recent military face-off has stranded families on both fronts — livelihood, and plan or protocol. Commerce has also taken a big blow. 

Rethinking Urban Planning Through Security and Defence

Historically, India’s responses to threats and attacks have been reactive. Of the 14,460 individual bunkers sanctioned to be built in Jammu, Samba, Poonch and Rajouri districts, around 8,500 offer some protection but little certainty. As the frequency of these attacks increases with Pakistan’s unpredictable and hostile behaviour, risks to our military, healthcare, and other critical infrastructure also rise. Security experts and urban planners now argue for a paradigm shift, from piecemeal fortification to a more resilient city design. 

O P Agarwal, CEO of World Resources Institute, said, “Security in urban areas goes beyond physical barriers; it requires redundancy in essential services, resilient mobility networks, and a culture of preparedness at the neighbourhood community level towards evolving risks.” 

Lieutenant (retd) General Syed Ata Hasnain puts it more clearly in context: “With so much of our critical infrastructure and cities located at the frontline, urban planning in bordering states must anticipate not just kinetic threats, but also disruptions to supply chains, communication and essential services.”

This is not about militarising cities and setting up infrastructure for counterattacks. It is about preparedness, safety and defence of our citizens and infrastructure.

From time to time, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Niti Aayog has spoken of pathways for defence urbanism that include risk assessment, crisis management and multi-use of public spaces as emergency shelters or command centres. What is lacking is the embedding of adaptability and flexibility in the DNA of our cities. 

Pathways In Practice

So, how do we respond to all kinds of hybrid threats and embed flexibility to protect against any disruptions in our well-being and growth? 

The new defence playbook is already shaping up, with key terms like security and safety of cities already making it into the implementation and awarding systems of our Smart Cities. This includes planning and lessons from border security infrastructure that teach us about emergency circulation and evasion. 

In its 2021 report, NIUA does highlight ‘smart borders’ as an aspect to think about, and clubs together ongoing safety and defence lessons, without focusing specifically on urban areas. What it does say is that along with disaster and climate management, we need to think of conflict management. 

“Indian cities must adopt a multi-layered approach to security, combining physical infrastructure, digital solutions, and community-based preparedness to address the unique risks of the subcontinent, including border tensions, terrorism, and climate-induced disasters,” says the 2021 report. 

Already, security-focused urbanism is rapidly emerging as a significant economic sector in India. The country’s security market was valued at US$ 4.92 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach US$ 13.32 billion by 2033, growing at a robust CAGR of 11.7 per cent. 

This growth is driven by heightened geopolitical tensions, rapid urbanisation, and the expansion of Smart City projects, all of which are fuelling demand for advanced surveillance, access control, and cybersecurity solutions.

Major Indian and global companies — including Honeywell, Hikvision, CPPlus, Tata Consultancy Services, Johnson Controls, and Godrej Security Solutions — are investing in intelligent video surveillance, AI-powered threat detection, and integrated security systems tailored for both public infrastructure and private enterprises. 

Government initiatives such as the Smart Cities Mission and Digital India are accelerating the adoption of these technologies, making security and resilience a core part of India’s urban transformation. This new defence-oriented urbanism is also about sustainability. 

Solar-powered security cameras are being set up at border posts, and the extra energy generated is being used to power surrounding settlements. Permeable pavements in Srinagar lower the risk of flooding and make it easy to put up security barriers quickly when needed. 

Urban planners like Ananya Roy warn against too much security, which might drive people out and slow progress. Instead, they call for "layered resilience" —cities where parks act as buffer zones, schools are community centres, and transportation networks are strong enough for both regular commutes and emergency evacuations.

Integrating military and security into urban design for India's border cities is not only a way to deal with conflict, but also a plan for long-term, inclusive progress. 

Cities As Living Shields 

The cities on the frontline must also change as the Indo-Pak conflict evolves. The goal is to change these areas from passive onlookers to active participants in their own safety and destiny.

Every park, pavement, and power line is like a silent soldier, showing how to survive and thrive in the face of conflict. In this high-stakes redesign, India's border cities are not only strengthening their walls, but also their futures.

And thus, urban planning in India is evolving into both a shield and a springboard for peace, resilience, and prosperity.