Policy Research (Previous Research Projects)

Prior to starting my PhD, I was a policy researcher focusing on issues of urban governance and public finance.​ Below are details of the peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, research reports and policy briefs that I authored or co-authored as part of my policy research projects. You can also find details of appearances of my policy research in the media.

Cities of Delhi project at Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi
Articles & Book Chapters 

• "Electoral Politics in Delhi's Informal Settlements: Contestation, Negotiation and Exclusion" (with Sonal Sharma & Subhadra Banda.) In Marginalization, Contestation and Change in South Asian Cities, edited by Nida Kirmani. Oxford University Press, 2021. 
• "Housing and Settlements: Invisible Planning, Visible Exclusions". (with Patrick Heller, Partha Mukhopadhyay & Subhadra Banda.) In Colossus: The Anatomy of Delhi, edited by Sanjoy Chakravorty and Neelanjan Sircar. Cambridge University Press, 2021. 
• "Unpacking the Unauthorized Colony: Policy, Planning and Everyday Lives". (with Subhadra Banda.) In Space, Planning and Everyday Contestations in Delhi, edited by Surajit Chakravarty and Rohit Negi. Springer, 2016. 
• "Surveying Slums: Process of Survey and Use of Data". (with Subhadra Banda.) Economic & Political Weekly. Review of Urban Affairs. Vol. 50, No. 22. May 30, 2015. 
• "Glaring Loopholes: Delhi Government's Guidelines for Rehabilitation / Resettlement of Slum-Dwellers". (with Subhadra Banda.) Economic & Political Weekly. Web Exclusive. Vol. 49, No. 4. January 25, 2014. [PDF available here]

Research Reports

• “Exclusion, Informality, and Predation in the Cities of Delhi” (with Patrick Heller, Partha Mukhopadhyay and
  Subhadra Banda). Working Paper, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. August 2015.
• "The Delhi Jal Board: Seeing beyond the Planned” (with Sonal Sharma and Subhadra Banda). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. April 2015.
• "Limbo in Sangam Vihar: Delhi’s Largest Agglomeration of Unauthorised Colonies” (with Subhadra Banda, Bijendra Jha, and Ben Mandelkern). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. February 2015.
• "The Delhi Development Authority: Accumulation without Development” (with Ben Mandelkern). A report of
  the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. December 2014.
• "In-situ Upgradation of Jhuggi Jhopri Clusters: A Plan for Improvement without Relocation” (with Subhadra Banda). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. December 2014.
• "Competitive Clientelism in Indira Kalyan Vihar JJC” (with Subhadra Banda, Bijendra Jha, and Ben Mandelkern). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. October 2014.
• "Clients and their Patron: Anantram Dairy Harijan Basti JJC” (with Bijendra Jha, Ram Pravesh Shahi and Ben Mandelkern). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. October 2014. 
• "Planning the Slum: JJC Resettlement in Delhi and the Case of Savda Ghevra” (with Subhadra Banda and Ben Mandelkern). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. August 2014. 
• "The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB): The Challenges Facing a Strong, Progressive Agency” (with Subhadra Banda). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. May 2014.
• "Negotiating Citizenship in F Block: A Jhuggi Jhopri Cluster in Delhi” (with Subhadra Banda, Varsha Bhaik, Bijendra Jha and Ben Mandelkern). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. May 2014.
• "The Thin Line between Legitimate and Illegal: Regularising Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi” (with Subhadra Banda). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. April 2014.
• "The Case of Sonia Gandhi Camp: The Process of Eviction and Demolition in Delhi’s Jhuggi Jhopri Clusters” (with Subhadra Banda). A report of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. April 2014.

Policy Briefs 

• "Categorisation of settlement in Delhi" (with Subhadra Banda). A policy brief of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. May 2015. 
• "The intersection of governments in Delhi" (with Subhadra Banda). A policy brief of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. April 2015. 
• "Regularising Delhi’s unauthorised colonies" (with Subhadra Banda). A policy brief of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. April 2014. 
• "Rehabilitation of Jhuggi Jhopri Clusters in Delhi" (with Subhadra Banda). A policy brief of the Cities of Delhi project, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. May 2014. 

Media 

• Mentioned in India Water Portal. "When riverbed becomes real estate". January 2, 2017. [link]
• Mentioned in The Caravan. "Tenth Delhi: What the AAP should learn from odd-even". May 3, 2016. [link]
• Quoted in Hindustan Times (HT) - Estates. "Retrofitting not the only solution". May 9, 2015. [link]
• Quoted in Hindustan Times. "Regularization not an easy task". February 14, 2015. 
• Interviewed on NDTV India's Prime Time. "Such are conditions in unauthorised colonies of Delhi". January 29, 2015. [In Hindi, link, YouTube link] 
• Panelist on NDTV India's Prime Time. "Where are poor in Delhi's politics?". January 15, 2015. [In Hindi, link] 
• Quoted in Firstpost. "Delhi's unauthorised colonies: Big poll agenda, but regularisation remains a dream". January 7, 2015. [link]
• Quoted in Firstpost. "Delhi's unauthorised colonies: Is Centre's regularisation action plan a political gimmick?". August 21, 2014. [link] 

​
Municipal Finance & Urban Governance in India 
Articles & Book Chapters 

• "Extending Operations Management to Public Systems: Public Grievance Redressal System in Urban Local Bodies in Karnataka". (with G. Ramesh). In Public Service Organizations Management: A Research Handbook, edited by Zoe J. Randor, Nicola Bateman, Ann Esain, Maneesh Kumar, Sharon J. Williams and David M. Upton. Routledge. 2016. 
• "State versus Municipal Funds: Rethinking Urban Finance in Delhi". (with Bhanu Joshi.) Economic & Political Weekly. Report from the States. Vol. 50, No. 20. May 16, 2015.
• "A Case for Developing the Municipal Bond Market in India". (with Mukul Asher.) ASCI Journal of Management. Vol. 42, No. 1. September 2012. [PDF available here]

Media 

• Mentioned in Business Standard. "Financial crisis brews in Delhi's municipal corporations". February 12, 2016. [link]
• Mentioned in Business Standard. "Smart City project may give municipal bonds a fresh lifeline". December 25, 2015. [link] 
• Mentioned in Business Standard. "Municipal Bonds: FinMin wants cities identified". January 5, 2015. [link]
• Quoted in GlobalCapital Asia. "Uphill struggle for Indian muni bond proposal". December 11, 2014. [link] 
• Mentioned in Financial Express. "Municipal bonds may help finance smart cities". August 7, 2014. [link] 
• Quoted in The Times of India. "Time Indian cities woke up to municipal bonds". July 20, 2013. [link]
• Mentioned in Forbes. "Building a Money Market for Indian Cities". October 5, 2012. [link]
• Mentioned in Bloomberg. "No One Knows How Much Money India's Cities are Spending". October 1, 2012. [link]

Public Finance in India
Research Papers / Reports 

• "Strengthening India's State Finance Commissions: Essential for 'Co-operative Federalism'". (with Mukul Asher). Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Research Paper No. 16-15.  August 2016. [PDF available here] 
• "Report on Evaluation of Framework for Appraisal of Projects". (with G. Ramesh, V. Nagadevara and Srividya Sridharan). A Study for the PAMD, Planning Commission, Government of India. March 18, 2014. [PDF available here]

Public Toilets in Delhi 
Research Paper

• "Public Toilets in Delhi: An emphasis on the facilities for women in Slum / Resettlement Areas". CCS Working Paper no. 192. Summer Research Internship Programme 2008, Centre for Civil Society, New Delhi. [PDF available here]
• One-page summary of research paper titled, "Public Toilets for Women in Slums of Delhi" in Waterdrops, Drop 12. WaterAid India. 2009. [Page 6 of this PDF] 

Media 

• Mentioned in The Times of India. "HC slams agencies on overflowing landfill sites". December 22, 2009. [link] 
• Quoted in The Tribune India. "Student brings lack of women’s toilets to court’s notice". August 29, 2009. [link]
• Quoted in The Times of India. "Q2P: Many women still have nowhere to 'go'". June, 28, 2009. [link]
• Quoted in The Tribune India. "Court questions MCD on public toilets". April 27, 2009. [link] 
• Quoted in Indian Express. "Impressed with LSR girl's report on public toilets, HC asks MCD to study paper". August 28, 2008. [PDF]
• Quoted in The Times of India. "Public loos: MCD told to read LSR student's report". August 28, 2008. [link]
• Quoted in Hindustan Times. "Student submits thesis on lack of public loos for women". August 27, 2008. [link]