This book details the most contemporary concerns related to urban development, governance and planning, as well as the challenges to urban administration. It analyses the policies and programs adopted by both high-income and lower-middle income countries to achieve sustainable urbanization, and their application and treatment to help students get a holistic, practical perspective of the issues at hand.
 
This volume elucidates urban development theories and approaches, coupled with urban planning, local government finance, urban management, and urban governance. It also discusses urban issues and challenges such as education, health, waste management, land use planning, housing, and transport. Critical concerns related to urban water bodies, open spaces, urban heritage and smart cities and urban future are similarly addressed.
 
This book will be useful to students, researchers and teachers of urban planning and architecture, urban sociology, economics, geography, environmental science, and public administration. It shall also be useful to NGOs, parastatal bodies and trainers of urban planning and development. Planners, policy makers, functionaries and elected representatives of urban local bodies may also use this as a capacity building instrument.